Make Your Health a Priority

Do you have trouble fitting a workout or run into your busy schedule?  Does it seem as if everyone is fighting for your time and attention?  If so, you are not the only one.  In fact, I venture to say that many of you feel this way.  Therefore, you must commit to making your health a priority.  Just reading this blog is not enough to keep you motivated for any significant length of time.  Below is the process that I use to make my health an ongoing priority and fit regular workouts and runs into my busy schedule.

1. Create a vision for your overall health.- For example, my vision for my overall health is, "Stay fit, eat healthy, and have fun doing it. Mix up your workouts in order to keep your body guessing and improve your overall fitness."  I look at this vision on a regular basis and it helps to remotivate me when I feel like slacking off or putting my workout on the back burner.  Take your time creating a vision and don't be scared to tweak it over time.
2. Use this vision to motivate you to create an ongoing workout regimine with specific measurable goals.-  I have no medical or fitness training, so I would recomend talking to a physician prior to undergoing a new workout regimine.  It is always better to be safe than sorry.  By sharing your vision and goals with a health professional, he or she should be willing and able to help you establish an appropriate workout regimine for your specific level of fitness.
3. Once yuou have a workout regimine in place.  Insert it into your calendar.- I mean this literally.  For example, if you use a blackberry to manage your day then block off time for your workouts as if they are a scheduled meeting or appointment.  
4. Take ownership of your workouts and don't ignore them when they pop up on your calendar.- This is the final and hardest step of the process.  It is easy to treat your workouts as optional and move on to something that seems more pressing.  In truth, there are very few things that deserve more attention than your health.

This process has worked for me, and I venture to say that some form of it can work for you.  There is an old proverb that states, "A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools."  Like I have said before, living a healthful life is not easy, but it is rewarding and fulfilling.  Don't neglect your health.  Make it a priority and follow through.  Enjoy the journey!