You’re reading this article. You have potentially read several of the Trainer Talk articles. That means you have at least spent time thinking about exercise. But, have you been doing it? If so, that is great and you should keep it up. If not, when you finish this column, put the paper down or turn off your electronic device and go work out.

There are phases that people go through when it comes to exercise. First is pre-contemplation. That is where the person has no thought about it at all. Those people may not even realize that Trainer Talk exists, and if they do, it’s just an article their eyes flit over as they search for something entertaining.

The very fact that you are still reading means you aren’t in the pre-contemplation stage. The next stage, though, is where a lot of people get stuck: contemplation. It is very easy to evaluate where one is at physically and note the need to change. It is a lot harder to do so.

You can look at the scale or the mirror and think “wow, I really need to start exercising.” However, it is not always very easy to actually find the time or motivation follow through on that thought.

Largely, it’s more about the motivation than it is the time. Time gets mentioned as the biggest factor for why people can’t exercise, but it is really more of an excuse than a legitimate reason.

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People always find the time to do what matters most to them. Most who say they don’t have time to exercise would be surprised at just how much free time can be freed up when all non-essential tasks are removed from their schedule. Anybody who has ever binge-watched a television show cannot honestly say they have no time to exercise.

So exercise is really about the motivation. Exercise does require some time and it is not easy. It means getting uncomfortable and sweaty. It is a lot easier to sit at home and think about going through the torture of exercise rather than actually engaging in it.

The problem is that mental reps pushed and miles ran don’t count. Contemplation is a step toward change but it is not the change itself. Calories are not burned and weight is not lost on thoughts alone.

Motivation is the key to move from thoughts to action. Focus on the reasons that change is desired and allow those reasons to become a high priority. When change through exercise becomes more important than comfort and potato chips, you will get moving.

There are countless ways of getting moving. There are group and singular forms of exercise. There are aerobic and anaerobic methods of exercise. There are gyms and outdoor exercise areas.

All of the methodologies work. Some work better for some people than others. No matter which method is incorporated, however, it will be better than sitting on the couch.

The essential message, then, is just get moving. Get up and go get your heart pounding. Stop thinking and start doing.