Stop Making Excuses and Start Moving Today

By Keith Bombrys

Like most of working America, I spend a significant portion of my work tim day sitting. According to a recent study on ScienceDaily.com, Americans who sit in front of a desk for their work day spend an average of five hours and forty-one minutes sitting. That is an astonishing number considering people spend eight hours of their day at work. This doesn’t even include Americans who drive for a living or are required to spend even more of their day sitting. That is a significant amount of sedentary time to considering how unhealthy it is for the human body. According to a study published in the American Heart association journal, Circulation, sedentary time is rapidly rising as an independent risk factor for a pallet of cardiovascular diseases. If either of these categories describes you and your work day it is imperative to find ways to bring movement and exercise back into your day.

Just Do It…

The first thing people should do if they spend most their day sitting is to just get moving. This may be a huge inconvenience for those of us who have deadlines to meet, meetings to attend, or to sit behind the wheel for extended periods, but the initial inconvenience will build strong habits. I know as a police officer who drives a great deal, I find it very difficult to get up and move. Some days, the weather is downright terrible or there isn’t a lot going on so I am stuck sitting and driving aimlessly for hours on end. However, when I am planted to the seat of the car, I can keep my body moving in one way or another. Whether it’s simple stretches, moving my arms around, moving or stretching my legs around, or even parking and getting out of the car for at least ten minutes, It is imperative to find a way to get up and move, even in the most inconvenient times. Those who are confined to their workspace are recommended to get up, walk around, stretch, move, and get some water for at least ten minutes after every 40 minutes of their time seated time. Remember, keeping the body moving all the time builds momentum, and momentum will create lasting and healthy practices.

To continue with our momentum, it is also recommended for everyone, especially those who sit at work for the majority of their day, to spend at least four hours a week exercising. Two and a half of those hours should be spent engaging in vigorous exercise and the other hour and a half should be spent performing moderate exercise. This recommendation is for Americans who are between the ages of 18 and 64 years old. Most American miss this mark

It is a common myth that exercise is difficult and time consuming. The most difficult part is to commit the time to exercising. Simply getting up off the couch and starting is, at first, a huge undertaking but like all things gets easier the more we do it.

Time and Effort Always Pay Off

Performing the exercises and forming a health plan is another daunting task in this sequence, but it doesn’t have to be. Having the motivation to get up and get started is actually the hardest part of it all. You will not have the best performance or workout of your life every time you go, but just the simple act of showing up, putting in what effort you can with the exercise, and trying to maintain a good healthy diet five or six days a week is the best thing you can do for your body. This practice also builds habits, helps you to maintain your current weight, and even on your worst workout days will help to speed up that metabolism, helping with weight loss over time. Anyone who has pre-existing injuries and may not be able to perform every form of exercise can always find an alternative exercise that will promote muscle growth, help lose weight, and best of all keep from aggravating a previous injury.

Americans need to devote the time to exercising and eating healthier that will create a lasting change and a healthier you. Getting up an extra hour early in the morning or staying out an extra hour at night will provide the person with adequate time to exercise before or after work. Devoting the time is key to change. For

those people who do not know how to exercise or don’t enjoy exercise but are willing to devote their time to exercise, there is an answer. I recommend that they find a personal trainer to help teach and motivate them in the gym and can also help guide them on what a healthy diet consists of. As an advocate exerciser and a personal trainer, I would be happy to help anyone looking for to be fit and for healthy eating guidance in the Toledo area- just refer to my contact information here. (http://www.kabfitness.com/ 419-290-6010)

Find Friends, Get Healthy

Another way for Toledoans to get motivated and have fun while exercising is to join an exercise class. The place I highly recommend going to for an exercise class locally is iLovekickboxing (ILKB). There are three different locations for members to visit: one is in Toledo, one in Perrysburg, and opening soon in is a location in Troy, Michigan. The classes at any of the three locations provide the member with a great way to not only exercise and stay fit, but also a great way to have fun and

meet new people in the area. Members partake in one (or more) of the scheduled, hour long classes every day. Participants are advised to punch, kick, and sweat out their frustrations on the punching bags while having fun with other members on the mat. Most who partake in class have an amazing time, are challenged physically and mentally, make new friends, and burn calories without even realizing that they are doing so. As a former member of iLovekickboxing, I can say that the experience at ILKB is remarkable, not only physically but mentally as well. In the course of taking their classes, members also learn self defense techniques. I highly recommend trying out the experience for yourself. There is a lot that you can gain from coming to class and giving it a try. What do you have to lose? For more information, check out their official website and find the location closest to you. (http://toledo-ilovekickboxing.com/ 419-593-0021)

Many people like to make excuses for not moving or exercising throughout the course of their day, which creates a template for habits they practice the rest of the year. Why not make this your year to be healthy and active? Even the simplest of movements, stretches, and activities are helpful and provide progress to becoming healthier. Most of these simple movements, stretches, and exercises can even be done at work. What’s better then becoming healthier and making healthy progress while on the clock? Stop making excuses for yourself and put yourself out there. Eat healthier, hire a dietician, hire a personal trainer, and take a class. You can even volunteer a friend or family member to exercise with you, to be healthier with you, and to keep you accountable. This is your year- what are you waiting for?

Keith Bombrys is a 27 year old Toledo native. He has been a police officer here in Toledo for the past five years. Besides serving our community he is also a certified
personal trainer and a handyman. Keith is a huge fan of traveling, the ocean, surfing, diving, being on the beach, hiking, canoeing, and being active, doing anything and everything in nature. As a certified personal trainer, he makes it a priority to actively learn about fitness, continually exercise, and eat in a healthy and nutritious manner. According to Kieth, “I am always seeking new ways to further my fitness, whether by trying new fitness classes, techniques, diets, cleanses, meditation, and try to maintain a fairly stress-free lifestyle. Being both physically and mentally active and healthy is an important part of living a fit lifestyle.”