This is a sentence I have heard quite often over the years working as a personal trainer. I am too busy to eat. I am too busy to exercise. I am too busy to plan my food. I am just too busy.
No doubt busy has become the new "the dog ate my homework", we have already known that for a while. And over the last few years, busy has also become a feeling. Often when I ask people how they are these days, they are busy. Correct me if I am wrong, but I am pretty sure the answer to this question used to be; I am good thanks (or as most Australians would say; not too bad, thanks).
I understand life can get busy at times and we often feel overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done; deadlines, kids to be picked up and dropped off, Christmas parties to go to. The list is endless. My question is; how can you be too busy to look after the one vehicle you have that will get you through all your chores. The one vehicle that will carry the laundry out. The one vehicle that will run after your son when he runs off at the shopping centre. That will get you through the deadlines, run to catch the train and walk your daughter down the aisle. We only have one body, are you really too busy to look after it?
Recently I had a client telling me that next year, they will be traveling a lot with work and it will be very busy. "I don't think I will have time to exercise" they said. A year has 365 days. 52 weeks. In these weeks we have 168 hours. We are recommended to sleep for about 56 of these (hands up if you do - I am impressed!!). Most of us are at work for about 40 hours, some maybe even 60-70 hours a week. There are still quite a few hours left in the week, even after cooking, shopping, cleaning, helping kids with homework, picking them up and dropping them off and putting them to bed. What if you found one hour, only one little hour, every week to work out? That's 52 hours a year. You would still have 8,708 hours left for everything else you need to get done.
I'll quote one of my other clients; "For two short 30 minutes of pain every week, the rest of your life is easier." I couldn't have said it better myself. The impact two short half an hour sessions have on the rest of your life is priceless. You will feel stronger and more empowered. You will be more energised. Your blood pressure will drop. You will have a lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. You will feel better about yourself. Your partner will look at you the way they used to when you first met. You will walk with a spring in your step. You will be more patient. You might even get a promotion. The list goes on.
But you are too busy.
I have had clients who used to overcomplicate their exercise and ended up doing nothing, because it's "too hard" or they are "too busy". A personal trainer can help overcome this.
Imagine you are travelling a lot - I have plenty of clients who do. Now imagine you have someone who manages your health and fitness. Someone who checks in with you when you are flying from Hong Kong to London to see what you are planning on eating on the plane. Someone who will encourage you and cheer you on when you go for a quick morning walk in Hyde Park (because something is better than nothing!). Someone who rescheduled your training session and confirmed your first session back after you land in Melbourne next week. And who will wait for you with a smile on their face, welcoming you home at 5:30AM when you arrive back in the Studio for a workout.
Having a personal trainer doesn't just mean you will exercise for one or two sessions a week. It means having a PA for your health. A PA that will help you with food choices at that business dinner you need to go to, make a program you can do in the hotel room when you wake up in Paris and that will keep you on track when you are in town.
And yes, even when you are busy and traveling a lot, you can still keep some routine going. You still have 52 weeks a year. Even if you only get to see your PT once every second week, that means you have seen them 26 times by the end of the year. And had accountability to look after yourself, make better food choices and go for an extra walk at lunch time. Imagine what that will feel like in December 2019. Would you be excited to get into your summer clothes again?
Are you really too busy to look after the one body you have?
*Disclaimer: Individual results vary based on agreed goals. Click here for details.
