Often exercise is referred to as medicine and prescribed by doctors along with supporting medication for chronic illnesses. But the thought of daily exercise is so overwhelming that many people secretly wish for a pill to solve their daily exercise problem.
Sadly, contra to popular belief, it is harder to remember to take medication than to “forget” exercise. In Australia, research from UTS Graduate School of Health quantifies the cost of medication non-adherence as $10.4 billion (2018 Study).
Why we don’t take our medicine?
Dr Steven Overn (GP) offers the following “reasons” for non-adherence from his patients who feel:
- Taking medication means they are getting older.
- Resorting to medicine means they have failed somehow.
- They have no symptoms; therefore, there is no problem.
- Healing should be in God’s hands rather medication.
- There must be some other way to health other than medicine.
Dr Overn, stresses the importance of getting to the “feelings” that cause “forgetting” of medication, thereby ensuring adherence to the medical prescription. Dr Overn’s patients, when asked, never forgot to put on their seatbelt…
Seatbelts and exercise
If we think of our feelings towards seatbelts, it rarely stirs an emotional reaction; it’s just a matter of fact. However, the thought of exercise brings on a deep visceral response in many. These feelings can be painful, empowering or a matter of fact.
We know intellectually exercise is good medicine, compared to taking medications. Unfortunately, until we can feel the life-saving value of at least 9 minutes daily exercise, popping pills in the future “if we need to” is a risk worth taking.
Most people, when asked, feel optimistic for their future health in their current condition. People wear seatbelts given a 1 in 106 chance of being in a motor vehicle accident. Other optimists who don’t exercise, take a 1 in 6 chance of being diagnosed with heart disease. (Based on 2018 statistics)
Create a “matter of fact mindset”
The thought of daily exercise is hard, but the feel-good of having finished your life-giving 9 minutes exercise program for the day is euphoric.
I totally empathize with the struggle to adhere to an exercise program. But if we dig deep, the true reason we don’t exercise is because we don’t “feel” the need.
It is important to know physical exercise may replace many medicines. But no medicine in the world can replace exercise.
When we acknowledge our resistance to exercise and make our exercise time a matter of fact with fitness WELLth, our body and mind will flourish with health.
Are you ready to FEEL better? Commit to 9 minutes daily exercise.
Live well with Health and WELLth!
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