I thought fitting daily exercise into my day would become super easy when I started my speaking and coaching business. I no longer would have to rise at 4:30 a.m. to work out. I could just take a break and exercise whenever I felt like it. 

WRONG.

I always wanted to work out but told myself it would be a reward when I checked off the next task on my to-do list. The day would progress on, and at some point, late in the day, I promised myself that I would get a workout in tomorrow as now I was just too tired. When on the road, I took tennis shoes only to have them add to the weight in my suitcase, not to provide any kind of serious workout. Literally years went by without much, if any, exercise. I was not even close to satisfying the recommended 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week. Nor was I strength training two times a week. (Health and Human Services.)

Turns out I am not alone. Two thirds of American adults do not get enough physical activity according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as reported in Forbes Magazine.

Looking at the risks of inadequate exercise and the benefits of daily exercise can be a motivator to get you moving.

Dr. James Levine of Mayo Clinics in an interview with the LA Times in 2014, is credited with the statement,  “Sitting is the new smoking.” He explains that “Sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV, and is more treacherous than parachuting. We are sitting ourselves to death. The chair is out to kill us.”

If that isn’t enough to get you moving a look at benefits might help spur you to action.  

The following list of healthy paybacks from exercise comes from Building Your Brilliance: Move from Stressful Survival to Joyful Living

  • Weight control
  • Reduction in type 2 diabetes, some cancers, risk of dementia, depression
  • Improved mood, bone density, heart health, and overall physical function
  • Ability to do daily activities
  • A longer life

What’s Your Wake Up Call?

We often need a personal wake-up call to get us off our chair and moving. My call was delivered on vacation. My husband and I hired a cold-water surf coach. We love the water and thought how hard can this be? To my surprise, it was very hard, and it became quite obvious that I was in horrible shape! The instructor finally ordered me to sit on the beach and watch as I was too tired to be safe in the water any longer. 

Low blow for me. 

Also a huge motivator. 

I came home and promptly joined a Master’s Swim Club. It’s been 10 years and I haven’t stopped swimming and working out since. And I feel better for it!

A workout program plus general moving throughout the day is key to your brilliance. A couple of weeks ago I visited two different clients on-site. In one office I saw treadmill desks and a workout facility. In the other, only sitting desks with employees glued to the computer. Lunch break meant walking 10 feet away and sitting at another table. That’s it when it came to movement in the workday. 

I suggest visiting the  Start Standing Website for more information on how to begin transitioning from sitting to standing at work. The article on the site entitled, How Your Chair May Be Hurting You, suggests to “remember that the more frequently you alternate between sitting and standing the more benefit you get. Alternating every 20 min, for example, has much more benefit than standing for 4 hours then sitting for 4 hours even though both are a 50:50 ratio.”

According to Forbes, “Some research suggests that exercising during working hours can also pump up work performance. A Leeds Metropolitan University study found that workers who visited the gym during working hours were more productive, managed their time better, and felt more work satisfaction.” Other benefits include enhanced creativity, quicker learning, sharper memory and improved concentration. What can you do to start exercising per the recommended guidelines and getting up and moving during your workday if the bulk of your responsibilities require seat time?  Taking into account your current health conditions, consider the following: 

  • Park at the far end of the parking lot. 
  • Use the stairs.
  • Use your iPhone or Fitbit stand reminders – and actually stand when you’re prompted. J
  • Set a timer for every 50 to 60 minutes and use the timer to remind you to move.
  • Try walk and talk meetings or stand and chat meetings.
  • Meet a friend for a walk versus lunch.

My friends, brilliance in life and at work means moving! Don’t wait for a wake-up call. Go to the doctor, get yourself checked out and start moving on your road to brilliance!