Friends: Stop toying with my emotions.

At least twice a week I hear “You know I’ve always wanted to start running! I’ve been meaning to call you. We really should get together sometime.”

But when is this elusive sometime? When it comes to getting out there, it seems that something is always standing in the way.

“I’ll join you when it’s not so cold… When it’s not so hot… When I get back in shape… When things slow down at work… When I get my child care in order… When I lose this weight… When I get the right shoes… When I get more sleep… Sometime… Sometime… Sometime…”

Yes, many of us are serious about getting healthy but we always say that it’s too hard to find the time. When life gets hectic, working out is usually the first thing on the chopping block. When we have to work late, we can’t work in a workout. No child care? No workout. Money tight? Goodbye gym membership. Friends wanna go grab a drink but you planned to go to Zumba? Well…

The truth is, we have to prioritize our exercise the same way we prioritize our other regular habits. Few people will ever admit that they are too busy with their job to bathe or brush their teeth. You have to find the time to get dressed and do something with your hair. Maybe you could find an extra 15 minutes to walk or run around the block. At lunch. On the way to work or home.

Don’t wait until you lose the weight. Do what you can now and enjoy the results as you get fitter and you can do more. Don’t let lack of fancy gear stand in your way. Dress for comfort or just slap some sneakers on with your suit and stash the pumps until you get to work. Money is funny? I hear that! That is why running works for me: the sidewalk is free.

Tell your friends to don their sweats and meet you on that free sidewalk or at the track. If not, you can catch up with them for that drink later because you’ve earned it. Child care? That’s always a big one for me. Take my advice: Take the children with you. Not only are you all getting exercise together now but you are also setting the stage for the healthy, balanced lifestyle that they will emulate when they grow up. Sometime.

“But how do I start?” Just start. Forget about planning for that perfect sometime. Now is the time. Strip down, layer up, drop your briefcase, grab the stroller, fire up your tunes, holler at your homies, fling the door open, take a deep breath, and go.

— NOJ