The Surprising Truth: This stops you from adding fitness to your work day.

​Who has time to head to the gym after work? Bah! Who has the energy? Busy women who put their fitness on the back burner can be relieved. Quick, simple strategies that you can do at the office will make a significant difference in your fitness levels.
 
You know this, so why don’t you do it?

You can easily find exercise to do
There are scads of articles out there about quick and easy exercises you can do at your desk. From taking the stairs to doing triceps dips on your chair, there is no shortage of ideas.  
 
The million-dollar question:
Why don’t we, body image, weary women, do the quick office exercises?

​The excuses

• It is not lack of time.

Heck, most of them can be done in meetings, which litter our agenda’s daily.

• It isn’t because you don't know what to do

The there lots of articles with a range of ideas

• It is not a lack of equipment.

Most don’t require anything more than what is conveniently in your office.

• Don’t try and blame it on a lack of skills either.

The Internet is full of instruction videos and diagrams to show you exactly what to do.

The truth
So what is the not reason we don’t do these speedy little techniques?

• We are embarrassed.
• We worry what others will think.
• We feel uncomfortable.
• We don’t want to look stupid, silly, and the list goes on.

 
Our inner critic stops us
The big challenge is in getting through the voices in your head that stop you from doing them.  As much as we tell our kids not to worry about what others will think, we are role models in wimping out. Sadly yes, we hard-working women allow peer pressure to sway our action or lack of it.
 
It's not even what others say, it's what we think
It isn’t truly what others have said.  It is the incessant inner chatter that goes on in our minds about what we think others might say.

• They are going to think I look silly.
• They will smell my sweat.
• They will think I don’t have it all together.
• They will see my roll, my flab, my lack of coordination.

 
It’s time to start boldly changing things
Put your health and wellbeing first. You may not have time to head to the gym on a daily basis. But you do have the ability to add fitness to your day.
 
Here are 4 strategies to help you challenge your inner voice of fear and start adding fitness to your daily office regime. 

 1.  Start small
Do something tiny like taking the stairs more often. Add in a little bit at a time. Allow yourself to get comfortable with one thing then courageously add the next. 

2. Find a buddy
Giggling with someone else while you are squatting in the coffee room is way more fun. Try to find a partner who will encourage you go for a quick 10-minute walk at lunch. 

3. Practice changing your mind chatter
Instead of saying, “People think I’m an idiot” try a new mantra: “Others are wishing they had the courage to do what I’m doing. Maybe I’ll inspire my peers to take care of themselves too!”
​
4. Become Nike
Push yourself. You know in the long run you will feel better for it. Just do it!

Take care of you - Be a good role model
Remember October is Healthy Workplace Month. Do your part in creating a working environment that is healthy and fun.