If it’s important to you, you will find a way. If it’s not, you will find an excuse. “I’m too tired after work” “I can’t get up before work” “I don’t have time” “It’s too expensive”. These are the excuses I hear day in and day out from people coming to have a look at my club, with the intent of working out to start getting fit. They already have an excuse in their mind on why not to join or even to get started with a workout regime.

“I do not have time” is the most common excuse and by far the lamest. As far as I’m aware, Barack Obama exercises for 45 minutes on a daily basis. If the President of the United States can find time to exercise, so can anybody! It’s about making time every day to look after yourself. If you study the world’s most successful people, you will find that they all have one trait in common… they make time to exercise.

Here at Talise Fitness Jumeirah Emirates Towers, we’re recently launched the Talise Wellness Challenge for our colleagues at the hotel that have the goal to start feeling healthier and maybe lose some unwanted fat. They had to apply to be part of the challenge and three were chosen based on their written application and their work ethic in their working role.

They met with me to discuss their current lifestyle, work schedule, eating habits, fitness regime and anything else which may affect their goal. They then had three months of access to Talise to implement the plan that we discussed and there would be a winner at the end of whom changed the most for the better.

Overall, they lost a total of 22kg just by eating healthier and being consistent with their workouts. We’re now on the second batch of applicants and they too have started amazingly well. Every time I see them now, they have a smile on their face.

At times, that is all it takes to get going. A little bit of guidance on which direction to go and if followed correctly, you will start feeling the difference immediately. But it’s that first step that takes all the effort.

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Once you get going, the effect snowballs into an amazing movement of positivity. For example, you decide to one day commit and get up early to workout. It’s hard getting out of bed, but you put the effort in when you get to the gym and all of those “feel good” endorphins start rushing through your body.

You then sit at your desk, and you feel something different. You find yourself with more energy and you’re more productive than usual. Your mind is focused and you’re sharper when it comes to answering questions or coming up with creative ideas.

Lunch time comes around very quickly, but you don’t want to ruin the hard work you did this morning, so you choose a healthy salad with plenty of dark green leaves, some protein and good fats to ensure you feel full for the rest of the afternoon.

You get home and find yourself more relaxed with your family, less stressed and able to sleep better. As it’s been such a good day, you decide to do it all again tomorrow.

Even though you hate the sound of the alarm at 5.30am, you know, in the long run, you’re going to benefit from it, in more ways than one. If you’re waiting for a sign to get started, this is it.

James Chandler is the GM of Talise Fitness Emirates Towers