We often hear complaints about people not having time to exercise. This is more so with parents who feel that they are depriving their children of quality time when they exercise. In view of the fast paced world and increasingly hectic lifestyles, most people sacrifice exercise time for family time.

I have a boy aged 5 and a daughter aged 1. I can empathize with these parents but not sympathize. I wake up at 530am to finish my exercises in the morning so that I can spend time with my kids and spouse in the evening. You may think I am absolutely insane or have unimaginable discipline. Well, not really. I absolutely love my sleep. You cannot imagine how much I look forward to the lazy weekends where I can sleep late and not wake up for exercise. But I also love my kids. I also love my family time and I also love my health.  Something got to give.I need to look after my health so that I can be all that I can for my family.

If time management is your problem, read this awesome article on First Thing’s First Revisited. Your time challenges should be addressed.

If  your resistance to taking care of yourself is more deep-rooted, read on……

Have you ever wondered why airlines ask parents to put on their own oxygen mask first in case of cabin decompression before putting on their child’s mask? The emotional thing for a parent to do is to resist logic and put the child’s mask on first. After all we parents are willing to sacrifice anything for our children, right?

There is a logical reason for a parent to put on his or her mask on first.

When there is cabin decompression during a flight, you have less than a minute before you start becoming unconscious. Imagine what will happen if you put your child’s oxygen mask on first. You may be able to fit the mask onto your child but are you then expecting your child to put on your oxygen mask for you while you lay unconscious, slumped in your seat?

The same analogy applies to taking care of your health, whether its exercise or nutrition or supplementation. It is not a cardinal sin to put your health before anything else. You have to stay in good shape so that you will always be around to take care of your kids. You have to take care of yourself so that your kids will not have to take care of you during old age. You will realize that its not only OK to take care of your health but its is your obligation to do so for the sake of your family!

You take care yourself so that your kids and your spouse don’t need to take care of you! This is a little selfish but believe it or not, this is the right way to do it. You need to be alive, well and kicking so that you can be around for them. What’s selfish about that?