Making the Time For Resistance Exercise

Time is our single most valuable asset, yet it is constantly depreciating minute by minute. Resistance exercise is the only known type of exercise that actually slows this depreciation by extending our length and quality of life. We all too often hear the excuse “I do not have time to exercise” or “I am so busy, I cannot find the time to exercise.” I am often taken aback when I hear this sentiment (or any iteration of it) as I hear the same individuals somehow finding time for their favorite TV show, a glass of wine on the deck, happy hour with colleagues, or another 9 holes of golf (these are just a few of the thousands of reasons I hear). If you fall into one of these categories, you are quite normal, but therein lies the problem. We find time for things we enjoy and for people we enjoy being with, yet we avoid (or worse yet do not even consider) doing the very thing that will allow us to do the things we enjoy for longer!

I challenge you to deeply consider where and how you are allocating this asset of yours known as time. The question you should ask yourself is can I make 30 minutes twice per week (a total of 60 minutes out of the 10,080 minutes in my week or .0059% of your week) to extend my life by 10 years, to lose the extra 15lbs, to lower my blood pressure, to increase my mental acuity, to prevent the onset of chronic disease, to decrease my stress, to increase my energy, to sleep better, to alleviate my chronic joint pain, to improve my blood lipid profile, to increase my insulin sensitivity, to feel better, to look better, etc, etc, etc. Or is my TV show, my glass of wine, my happy hour, or my 9 holes of golf really that much more important?

This position is not one of opinions; it is a non-negotiable fact. Peer reviewed research has shown (and continues to show) us the health protective benefits of resistance exercise for decades. Individuals who perform regular resistance exercise are healthier and live longer than those who do not. Period. The above are all PREVENTABLE (and reversible) conditions that constantly threaten our length and quality of life. The antidote to this is regular resistance exercise. If you approach exercise as a regular pastime, you will never find the time for it. But if you approach it as what it truly is (a requirement for a longer, healthier, and more fulfilling life) you will MAKE the time because you simply cannot afford not to.