Welcome back to this week’s edition of 2-Minute Tuesdays where we are talking about one exercise topic for two minutes and giving you three reasons why you should follow our advice. Now this week, we are talking to those of you who are trying to make the good list. Look, time is running out. You have to get off the naughty list and onto Santa’s good list. How can you work out to make sure you get on the good list?
1) Stop Using Exercise As Repentance
Tip number one – stop using exercise as a way to repent your awful diet. We all know you are going to eat the Santa Christmas cookies, you are going to eat your neighbor’s Christmas cookies, and the egg nog. And that’s fine. But, what you can’t do, is beat up your body with your exercise to make up for that.
Action Step: If your diet isn’t as on-point as it typically is over the next week or two, don’t sweat it. Acknowledge that it’s happening and don’t try to make up for it in the gym by working out extra hard. The extra stress that will be put on your body from over-exercising will be more of a detriment than a benefit.
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2) Stop Moving Fast When You Lift Weights
Tip number two to get off the naughty list and onto the good list – stop moving so fast when you are lifting weights. Look, when you go to the gym, you are there to train your body. You are there to challenge your body. Start challenging your body and stop flinging the weights up and down.
Action Step: When you lift weights, consider moving at a pace of five to ten seconds up, pause for two to five seconds, five to ten seconds down, pause for two to five seconds. The slower you move, the more focused you can be on squeezing the muscles you are trying to challenge and build. In turn, the better results you will get and the less likely it will be that you injure yourself.
Related: New to exercise? Keep these tips in mind!
3) Start Now
Tip number three – stop saying, “I’ll start in the New Year,” and start now. Start today! Exercise should be part of your lifestyle, which means sometimes you are able to dedicate more time and sometimes you are able to dedicate less time, but there are no options to dedicate no time. So, start today. Do what you can. We know you are busy. Everyone’s busy. Start now and continue on into the the New Year instead of waiting until the New Year.
Action Step: Stop reading this post, stand up, and move around for five minutes. Go for a walk, get steps in at your desk, do anything to get up and get moving, and continue to do that tomorrow, and the next day, and the next.