Exercise – The Cornerstone Habit That Will Change Your Life

24th January 2016

Sometimes it can be insanely hard to go out and just exercise. In our modern age it has become so easy to become a couch/desk potato that exercise becomes a total pain. I don’t have the time or patience to go to the gym. Good news is, you don’t have to if you don’t want to!

 

So many people ask how to exercise and start a good habit that will extend your life and make you happier and healthier.

I myself have asked: “What exercises should I do to stay healthy?”

As it turns out, you can reduce your risk and even improve or slow symptoms of dementia, diabetes, depression, fatigue and really just a whole ton of illnesses and afflictions with one simple exercise.

 

That simple life changing exercise is walking.

 

Watch this video, it really is eye opening:

 

This is a really big deal! I was especially interested in the part where he told us that obesity and no exercise is a bad combination from a health point of view, but if an obese person exercises they can mitigate a lot of the negative effects from obesity.

 

In the past I have had serious laziness issues, especially when I worked in the UK I was at a desk for most of the day. I started to get a little pudgy round the middle and I was really worried about it so I signed up at a gym and started going two to four times per week. I told myself, “You don’t have a choice, you have to go.” Every time I felt like skipping a session I told myself that, and I was able to push through the laziness barrier. I lost 5kg in two months and kept it off, and had a lot of muscle to show for the hard work.

 

It made such a huge difference in my life and I started not only feeling more healthy but being much more confident. My long standing back pain went away (exercise allows your body to repair and recover from a lot of muscle pain) and I was able to be more positive about my situation where previously I had been kinda miserable.

 

But now I don’t really have time to go to the gym. In Japan their schedule is so inconvenient – many only run during the normal office day so there is no possible way I can fit that in after or before work. I work 9-7 teaching kids so by the time I’m done I’m usually pretty tired. So instead I just walk a lot. I walk to work, I walk to the far away supermarket that is cheaper and I walk around town looking for new places to hang out. It has helped me maintain a good body weight and fitness level and I know that I am gaining the positive effects mentioned in the above video.

Is there anything stopping you from getting 30 minutes per day?

 

Your Actionable Steps:

Go walking with the dog

It’s actually really fun to go walking with the dog, you can get some fresh air and have time to think and clear your mind, much in the same was as meditation you can take this opportunity to focus on your breath and your presence and forget the rest of the world (leave your phone at home unless absolutely necessary).

Explore places in your area that you might not have seen before

You would be surprised how easy it is to walk for half an hour looking around an area near where you live. I regularly take days out in Tokyo with my girlfriend and just pick a station to explore around. Last weekend it was Shimokitazawa, and I discovered that it is a fantastic place to go to for fresh coffee! Not only did I get my exercise easily, but I also discovered a cool coffee place that I will most likely go back to.

Leave the office at lunch time

I always used to do this when I worked in an office. It can be exhausting to be at a desk all day, and it takes a serious mental and physical toll. Get out for lunch and walk to a local shop for a sandwich! Take the time to de-stress and return with a clearer mind.

 

I hope you guys found this useful – if you have any questions about my exercise routine or how I stay in good shape now without going to the gym, feel free to comment below.

Comments

comments

Other Articles You Might Be Interested In:

Not All Judgement is Bad

A lot of people talk about not being judgemental of others, but I thought I might define judgements that are more useful and better to learn how to apply....

Teachers are Failing Our Students

We as educators are failing our students on an unacceptable scale. Young men and women are leaving school not knowing ANYTHING functional about the world. Why...