Keeping Motivated to Exercise

This coming Monday (April 7^th) is World Health Day.  It’s the 64^th anniversary of WHO (1948) and this years’ theme is Aging and Heath.  We all have aging in common, and let’s face it - it’s better than the alternative. What better time to access where you are since we are now a quarter of the way through 2012.  Can you believe how quickly the time is going by?  How are you doing on the healthy goals that you set?  Still exercising?  If you are like most people who set an exercising goal for 2012, you’ve probably let it slip by now.

Due to recent jaw surgery, I had to stop exercising for a while.  “A while” was actually 5 weeks because before the surgery, in addition to working very long hours, I had a major sinus infection plus throat and ear infections that I was trying to kick.  Then following the surgery, I had another couple of weeks when I couldn’t exercise. Since exercising isn’t my favorite activity anyway, it would have been all too easy for me to just stop entirely.  But as soon as I had the OK to take it up again, I forced myself back to the gym.  I’ve been going again every morning and have increased my workouts gradually during the first week so that I’m now even beyond where I was before.  I’ve also started a weights class twice a week.  While I love lifting weights, I have trouble staying motivated if I have to constantly work out on my own so I find taking a class with others helps the time pass more quickly and it helps to keep me motivated.  I’m hoping that it will also help me get motivated to resume my weights on the days that I don’t have classes.

Following my surgery, I set myself a goal of walking a minimum of 3 miles a day and if I have the time I do 5 miles – that’s my goal for the day, every day for 4 weeks.  This isn’t just slogging along because I do intervals and inclines on the treadmill, increasing the speed and inclines to challenge my body when I can.  I’m not sure why I chose these distances or 4 weeks but it’s just a goal that I set.  These miles have to be in addition to any other exercise that I get throughout my day. 

Setting and tracking my goal helps motivate me to complete my goal. My husband gave me a Fitbit pedometer as a gift a few months ago so I’ve been wearing it faithfully.  It connects to my computer so that I can also log in the foods that I eat and calculate the calories that I take in.  Once you see the calorie in calculations versus the calories that you burn during your activities, the ratio in versus calories out all becomes much more real.

There are still days when I could so easily find a hundred excuses to not go to the gym.  That’s why I go first thing, very early, every morning. I am determined to accomplish my goal so I force myself out the door and once I get going, it’s not so bad.  I always feel better for having done it. 

So, are you still working on your healthy goals?  If the thought of going to a gym makes you cringe, there are so many other activities that you can do to keep active.  If you are bored with your usual exercise, try something new such as a new activity or a new class.  It will keep your body challenged and refresh your attitude.

 Join me by continuing your healthy goals for the rest of 2012!

Experience the wonder of Christmas through common courtesy

How many times have you been leaving a store or restaurant and hold the door for people coming in or leaving behind you only for them to walk through the door without acknowledging that you are even there, let alone noticing that you’ve held the door open for them. Where has this attitude of entitlement and lack of common courtesy come from? Even though this happens on a regular basis, I’m still amazed that these individuals weren’t given a better lesson as they were growing up. I know that I’m old-fashioned and grew up in an era when respect and honoring another individual was very important but have things changed so much that people today can’t utter a simple “thank you”?

Having just spent two weeks in Japan where courtesy is highly important, I’m now finding it difficult to tolerate these self-absorbed, read – rude and arrogant people as they breeze through doors. The Japanese culture is filled with so many ingrained habits including things such as an enthusiastic greeting from the store clerks as you enter a shop, bowing in a correct way, speaking to someone in an appropriate manner and the removal of your shoes when entering a room is so that visitors quickly get used to these courtesies. Japanese students learn at a very early age that a lazy greeting is regarded with disdain. So is simply walking off without saying anything. When parting, instead of saying goodbye, it’s common for the Japanese to make a wish to meet again.

As the franticness of the holiday season escalates, can we try and remain outside our own heads and be aware of other people within our close proximity and treat others, as we would like to be treated? This means that we don’t have our phones glued to our ear or that we are so busy texting that we don’t realize that there are others around us. Imagine making a sales clerk’s day a little bit more pleasant by making a point of thanking them while looking them in the eye and if they are wearing a nametag, include their name in the thank you. And while you are at it, try looking your family members in the eye as you speak to them too. A simple please and thank you to those whom you love the most might make their day too. It doesn’t take a lot of effort or time but it will help make their day a happier one. Try it – you’ll probably see a smile that might not have been there before.

See how many people you can thank this week and let me know if it’s made your week a happier one.

“A little kindness from person to person is better than a vast love for all humankind.”
Richard Dehmel Poet, Playwright (1863-1920)