Here's The Thing

Tony Horton (P90X guru) posted this today:

Life with exercise creates a completely different journey than a life without it. Making the time for exercise means that you're setting an intention to have a great life. Life without exercise means you're setting an intention to miss out on a better life. The quality of your life improves with exercise and it will get worse without it. Period! Your weight loss is a minute piece to the overall health and fitness puzzle. Every time you exercise you improve your fitness, health and quality of life. You always feel good afterward and you allow your mind and body to become less vulnerable to illness and injury. Every day you decide NOT to exercise your health, fitness and quality of life diminishes. You become more vulnerable to illness and injury and the energy and enthusiasm (feeling good) for a better life is not there. This is true for everyone. No exceptions.

Make a plan, stick to the plan and do it... forever!

I had the pleasure and privilege to hang out with Tony last weekend in Jackson Hole Wyoming. Tony led a group of us through four intense yoga workouts, each one lasting at least an hour. I have never sweated so much doing yoga as I did last weekend. The fact that there were about 15 other sweaty people in a fairly small room probably contributed to my sweatiness but there is also something about working out in front of "The Man" vs. on a video that makes you push yourself.

Getting up for an 8 am yoga class on a Saturday and Sunday morning isn't at the top of my list of pleasureable activities, but it was amazing how good I felt at the end of each class. The choices we make every day, big and small, have a much bigger impact on our lives than we realize. I have resolved to start every day with at least three Sun Salutations. When I get out of bed I can barely reach my shins when I bend over but after just 10 minutes of yoga I can reach the easily reach the floor and I feel invigorated and ready to face the day.

So I'm going to issue a two week challenge. Instead of crawling out of bed and heading for the coffee pot every morning, spend just 10 minutes (or 30 if you have the time) doing some yoga. If you've never done yoga you can learn how to do Sun Salutations here. Then have a cup of coffee if you so desire.