On forcing yourself to work out: 30 minutes a day

I played college basketball, so, for years, working out was not an option. It was mandatory. Yes, sometimes running hill sprints at the break of day and lifting at 5:45 am and running 20 suicides in 20 minutes was incredibly obnoxious/challenging/made me actually WISH I was injured (sad, but true), but I had this by-product that of course I didn't appreciate at the time: I was, by default, in shape.* I also was essentially always dressed like a dude so you couldn't really tell. Here's an embarrassing b-ball pic for funsies:

Look at all the fans!! no but seriously, there were a few on the side bleachers. I think. image here

*You don't know what you've got til it's gone, amiright?

But, I graduated. Womp womp. And life as I knew it (dramatically) changed. I started working 9-to-5 (but more like 7-to-6) and working out was suddenly anything but mandatory. Business travel kicked in and the exercise kicked out.

Who has time to hit the gym when there are flights to catch? Do I even want to pay for a gym membership since I'm traveling constantly? Am I packing my gym shoes for any particular reason? Do I really have time for yoga?

But, now that I'm not traveling for work anymore, here's the thing: I'm not working long hours right now, and I still have trouble motivating myself to work out.

So, I stumbled upon this youtube video and wanted to share. The message has really stuck with me so I highly recommend watching it!

Don't feel like watching it? I'm going to spoil the whole thing below, anyway.

In short: Exercise. For 30 minutes a day. He argues in the video (with all kinds of studies) that the best thing you can do for your health is spend half an hour daily being active.

He closes it with this question: Can you limit your sitting and sleeping to just 23 and a half hours a day?

Whoa.

30 minutes.

And you don't have to be training for a triathlon; you can walk.

What do you think? Can you do 30 minutes a day? I'm trying to!

p.s. Any other motivational exercise tips? Please share! I'm always on the lookout for ways to live healthier that do not include cutting candy. :)