Finding Time to Fit Fitness into Your Work Schedule

It's so hard to find time to work out right? Especially when changing into your gym clothes, working up a sweat and feeling the pain is the absolute last thing you want to do when you are being pulled in all directions in your life. We juggle so much between our work life (that for some of us does not always stay between the 9-5 hours), children, spouses or significant others, family and just any and everything that life throws at you to pay attention to.

The most common complaint from people is "I don't have / can't find the time to workout". Trust me, I know and it's hard. But there is time if you make getting healthy and feeling good a priority. I used to always have the same complaint where by the time late afternoon rolled around and it was time for me to get ready to workout I had every excuse and suddenly every plan and reason not to go. It becomes a battle between working out and going home to just relax after a long day. Or working out and hitting up a concert or show with my friends.

But although  I never thought of myself as a morning person previously, I've realized that for me waking up around 5 or 6 am to walk my dogs, do a bit of exercise and yoga is the best time for me to carve out some "me" time in the day and have found myself making less excuses not to. But everyone is different, some people find they are best able to commit to working out in the night or on their lunch break. Whatever the time, you just got to keep trying -trial and error- until you find what suits you the best.

What have you found helps to keep you committed to working out?

MONDAY MOTIVATION: Spring Clean Your Life and Clear Out the Clutter

"If you want to fly, you've got to give up the shit that weighs you down" - Toni Morrison

Once I was introduced to clearing the unnecessary junk out of my life with the help of my professional organizer, I realized how important this process is to create a healthy lifestyle - in business, in relationships, in your home, finance etc. While it was initially a dreaded process, I've come to really love the feeling of cleaning out my life because it feels like I am making space for bigger, newer and more exciting possibilities while ridding my life of the stuff that doesn't work.

Now that spring has sprung, it is the perfect time to take inventory of what's in your life and clear out what you don't need. Spring cleaning isn't just about rearranging your closet to push the heavy sweaters to the back or cleaning out the garage, it's about getting re-energized and re-motivated.

Here are a few simple to not-so simple things that you can do to make change this spring:

Clean out your room and office!
I tell all of my coaching clients that one of the first steps to being successful is to clear out your living and working spaces. How do you expect to handle your business if you can't find anything or if everything around you is a supposed "organized mess"? When everything is clear and organized the way that you like and is easy to find, trust me it makes a difference to your spirit and how you function.

Clear out the digital drama in your life
Remove any of the negative energy that you encounter or experience online: do the blogs that you follow contribute to mean-spirited energy? What about your friends list on Facebook or Twitter, are they all worth following or can your list do with some trimming?

Create a list of people to forgive in your life (including yourself) and get to work!
Your mission for this spring and summer should be to refuse to take any hurt, bitterness or resentment from the cold season or years past into a new season. Yes, maybe that person hurt you but let it go. Not for them but for you. Once, you clear out that space that you've held for them in your mind and heart with anger and hurt, you can free up some space for people who love you and deserve to hold that prime real estate.

Spring clean the negative thoughts you have about yourself
Take inventory of all of the negative things you say about yourself and cut them out. Create a new affirmation for yourself like, "I am strong, beautiful and healthy - all is well in my life" or "I am confident, intelligent and charismatic - people respond well to me".

Spring clean your image
Why not re-vamp or re-invent yourself for the new season? Pull that outfit that you love but have been too afraid to wear out of the back of your closet and wear it! Commit to a healthy lifestyle and clear out the junk food from your fridge so that you welcome the new season with a you that feels stronger and healthier. Maybe you want to get out more and meet new people, tell yourself that you will no longer stay home on the weekends watching TV and start filling up your Google calendar with dates and social events.

Spring cleaning is whatever you make it, take stock of whatever areas in your life that you feel needs refreshing and create a plan of action. Try some of the tips above or maybe in these areas you've got this and want to try a new challenge. Either way, just set goals and make gradual steps to change. Start this week!

What areas of your life do you think needs a bit of spring cleaning? Would love to hear it!

Encouraging Our Kids to Move & Eat Right - Michelle Obama's Let's Move Campaign

I LOVE this campaign! Michelle Obama's 'Let's Move' Initiative is so important for our children. With the growing rate of child obesity and the lack of exercise due to the popularity of computers, video games and television, I appreciate the First Lady's stance on finding ways for making living a healthy and active lifestyle look simple, fun and engaging.

I really liked the previous campaign with Beyonce's dance sequence (I sometimes try to get in on a move or two as quick exercise) but am excited to see that she has involved some familiar faces from our childhood -Sesame Street and Big Bird.

In her third year since its inception, Michelle will be going on a national tour for the program starting shortly.

Check out the Let's Move ad below starring Big Bird:

What do you folks think of Michelle's initiative? Will you be trying it out with your kids?