I didn’t have time to exercise. After all, I had so many important things to do, such as watching Oprah…or knitting a couple dozen dish rags—they’re somewhat better than the store-bought ones that cost $3 a dozen…or going to lunch with friends…or volunteering at my kids’ schools…or reading all the celeb magazines. This wasn’t an excuse. It was the truth.

That’s how my life operated when I weighted 325 pounds. Besides, someone weighing as much as I did shouldn’t exercise. I had heard, or maybe just believed, that this could be dangerous!

What I learned, however, is that being obese is what is dangerous…not exercise! And, I learned, had I made exercise a part of my life on a regular basis when I was at a healthy weight, I probably wouldn’t have become obese.

Fortunately, I did learn the value of exercise and the joy—yes! I said “joy!”—of working out at least three, and usually five, times a week. (Better late than never!) And I learned that I could fit exercise into my schedule. (Oprah could be taped; and knitting dish cloths at $4 apiece wasn’t what I needed to do!)

Now, I’m never too busy for exercise. I treat this activity as a part-time job. If I don’t work, in my case work out, I won’t get the benefits I need for a better life. I also learned—and you need to know this—that you’ll have time for exercise if you:

• Make physical activity a priority. You have to tell yourself (and believe) that you need regular physical activity so that you’ll be healthy now and as you get older. In addition, regular physical activity helps you lose weight (if you combine it with a nutritious lower-calorie food plan) and/or maintain a healthy weight. This reason alone should appeal to you!
• Make the time. Come on! Don’t you spend a lot of time on the phone? If you do, invite your friends to join you for a walk and you can talk and walk at the same time. Or talk to your friends on your cell phone while you take a brisk walk. You should be able to find a few minutes for physical activity by rearranging your schedule. If you can do three to six 10-minute sessions of exercise a day, you’ve got it made!
• Get rid of excuses. There’s no good reason for not doing something good for yourself.
• Challenge yourself. Set goals for putting physical activity in your life and then work on achieving these goals. You’ll feel great about yourself when you do!