Author: amysmithphd

fitness

Some Thoughts on Ebikes

amysmithphd7 Comments

I mentioned in my last post that my partner and I are thinking about some longer distance bike trips. We traveled with our road bikes to Prince Edward Island several years ago and had a wonderful time exploring the area, typically riding in the morning and enjoying a picnic lunch before heading back to our lodging to clean up and enjoy other activities around the area.

Our fitness levels are dissimilar, as is our desire to ride until our legs fall off, so we began exploring the option of an ebike for me. After a lot of online research we popped over to our local bike shop which had two models I was interested in trying. The shop team was great and helped me get familiar with the ebikes, riding them around the area until I felt more comfortable on them.

A man and woman standing with their electric bikes

The bikes, however, are enormous. They felt very different to me than a road bike, which is what I’m used to riding. The bikes I test rode were both around 75 lbs and I felt every bit of that when manuevering them. They were both fun to ride and easy to get the hang of the motor, but I am struggling to imagine lugging them around while we stop for meals or hotel stays (no bike camping for me!)

All of the bikes I researched would be considered “Class 2 ebikes,” meaning they have a throttle and go up to 20 mph. Typically they weigh more than a Class 1 ebike by about 20-25 lbs and are capable of moving without the rider pedaling (as opposed to pedal-assisted, where the rider has to be moving the pedals for the motor to kick in and add additional support). There are also Class 3 ebikes which are similar to Class 2’s but can get up to 28 mph.

I’m not especially interested in the option to motor without pedaling, although I suppose it might be nice in some situations. I would be happier with a Class 1 that was lighter and easier to maneuver and travel with, but the rider payload limits on Class 1 ebikes fall short for larger riders. As someone in a larger body I need to think about not only my own weight, but how much weight I’ll be packing on a long distance, self-supported ride.

Having done minimal research into ebikes before now I had considered them a way to level the opportunities for riders who wanted/needed more support than a traditional bike. But the lower payload limits on Class 1 bikes seem to leave out folks in larger bodies and folks who may want to tow kids/dogs/gear. Wrangling and storing a 75+ lb bike is a challenge I hadn’t considered undertaking when I started exploring my options. Being limited into a model of bike I’m not especially interested in is frustrating and feels like another way the “fat tax” is being applied.

For now I’m going to keep trying more ebikes at various shops in the area. And if we can find the time before the fall leaves start to drop I may rent an ebike to use on some of our local trails to get more comfortable with ebikes in general, and then we’ll see where that leaves our long distance goals in the spring.

Amy Smith is a professor of Media & Communication and a communication consultant who lives north of Boston. Her research interests include gender communication and community building. Amy spends her movement time riding the basement bicycle to nowhere, walking her two dogs, and waiting for it to get warm enough for outdoor swimming in New England.

fitness

Fresh Birthday, Fresh Goals

amysmithphd

I turned 50 a couple weeks ago. I started practicing saying I was 50 when I turned 48 – it just seemed easier, but now it’s officially official. I’ve spent the summer thinking about the previous 10 years and what sort of goals I wanted to set for the upcoming decade. The year I turned 40 is when I jumped in to triathlon with no experience or significant training. The fast-moving open water swim in that first sprint almost took me out, literally and figuratively.

In the spirit of learning from my own mistakes, I’d like to embrace the next decade by welcoming new experiences but also preparing for those experiences, at least a little bit. I’ve been bit (again) by the travel bug, so I’m spending a lot of time researching new (to me) places to visit and thinking about the types of experiences that would be enjoyable in each place. I’ve never been on a “big boat” cruise ship (I’ve spent a few nights on a windjammer sailboat in Maine), been in a helicopter (not sure that’s really on my bucket list), or swam in an ocean that wasn’t the Atlantic.

A woman on a bicycle riding through a forested area.

Photo by John Torcasio on Unsplash

Then there’s the combo of being partnered with an avid cyclist and Sam (hi Sam) posting great articles like this to the blog facebook page: Here Are the Best Rail Trails in the United States for Cycling Bliss.

How am I going to resist some sort of long-distance cycling adventure? I sent this article to my partner to make a joke about how we’ve already conquered one of these trails (the Minuteman is very close to home) and he responded with a link to a 300+ mile route from Pittsburgh, PA to Washington DC! I guess I just added some cycling vacations to my ever-growing bucket list.

I’m still adding to that bucket list, but I know I’ll keep strength training for functional fitness and bone density. And while I wouldn’t say it’s a bucket list item, I expect I’ll be in line for at least one replacement knee before the next -0 birthday, which will come with a lot of pre-hab and rehab. I’d like to go on more adventures with friends, continue to expand my sewing skills, and develop a stronger contemplative practice.

I’m sure I’ll continue to add to the list as the months turn into years. I’ve had too many loved ones not make it out of their 50s to watch the time pass without adding more adventures. And I’m happy to have the FIFI bloggers and readers to regularly inspire me to check out new and interesting opportunities.

Amy Smith is a professor of Media & Communication and a communication consultant who lives north of Boston. Her research interests include gender communication and community building. Amy spends her movement time riding the basement bicycle to nowhere, walking her two dogs, and waiting for it to get warm enough for outdoor swimming in New England.

fitness

National French Fry Day

amysmithphd1 Comment

I was organizing my thoughts for a semi-deep post about my upcoming “big” birthday when I noticed that today is National French Fry Day! Never one to let a good (and ridiculous) celebration go to waste, it felt like a more useful post on a hot July Friday. If you’re wondering about National French Fry Day, dipping sauces, or alternatives to traditional white potato fries you can find more information here.

French fries with a side of ketchup
Photo: Pixzolo Photography on Unsplash

I don’t want to challenge the weather goddesses by calling these temperatures peak, but here in the northern hemisphere it has been hot hot hot. Cooking feels completely unmanageable by dinner time most days. I have deep sympathy for anyone working in a commercial kitchen standing over a hot fry-o-lator in service to french fry celebrations.

It feels a little cliché, or maybe I’ve seen too much about “girl dinner” lately, but one of my favorite summer dinners is a salad with a side of tator tots. Not quite a french fry, but serving the same purpose for me. I think the frozen bag of tots is superior to frozen fries when you don’t have a deep fryer, and they cook up quickly in the toaster oven or air fryer, which avoids having to heat up the whole kitchen with the big oven.

My favorite salad changes by the day, but I think you can’t go wrong with a Caesar salad and tots/fries, especially if you need to replenish some of that salt you sweated out during the day.

What’s your favorite way to celebrate the french fry?

black and yellow fatbike beside mountain bikes Cycles and (Perceptions) of Performance
cycling · fitness · menstruation

Cycles and (Perceptions) of Performance

amysmithphd

Another FIFI blogger posted this article on the FIFI facebook page the other day and it got me thinking. In the article they discuss research around menstrual cycles and fitness. The article (and research) is interesting to me, and something I’ve thought about in relation to my own experience. Here are some quotes from the article:

  • Female athletes have faster reaction times and make fewer errors when they have their period – even though they feel their performance suffers compared to other phases of their menstrual cycle, new research suggests.
  • “Changes in spatial cognition could, in theory, be a contributing risk factor for injury, especially in fast-paced sports that require precise, millisecond accuracy in interactions with moving objects,” Flaminia Ronca, a sports scientist at University College London, and colleagues explain in their published paper. Female athletes, for example, often report feeling clumsy around ovulation or that their performance worsens in the latter part of their menstrual cycle, the luteal phase, and when they have their period.
  • But studies trying to measure those perceived effects have been inconclusive, with strength and power possibly peaking around ovulation, and endurance perhaps declining during menstruation.
  • The study couldn’t explore individual differences in cognitive performance across menstrual cycle phases, and it relied on menstruating females reporting their current phase on test day (two-thirds used a period tracking app).
  • On the whole, female athletes who menstruated tended to perform worse on cognitive tasks in the late follicular phase of their cycle, as they approached ovulation, and in the later luteal phase, just before bleeding.
  • But their cognitive performance peaked during menstruation, and that was despite these female athletes feeling worse when they had their period and suspecting it negatively impacted their performance. “What is surprising is that the participants’ performance was better when they were on their period, which challenges what women, and perhaps society more generally, assume about their abilities at this particular time of the month,” Ronca told The Guardian’s Tobi Thomas.

This was not something I started paying attention to until I was in my early 40s, but as soon as I started thinking about it I noticed an increase in energy level and attitude during my period. It was especially noticeable during the first couple days, so much so that I used to joke that I was in beast mode and felt like I could devour any competition (this is laughable – I am very much a back of the pack competitor regardless of my spirit and/or drive). After reading this article I’m wondering if some of the injuries I sustained were related to that extra pep in my step. Was my mind trying to go harder than my body could handle? Similarly I have always felt an energy lull about halfway through my monthly cycle and tried to time that with a 3 weeks “on” and 1 week “rest” training schedule when I was doing more events.

The section in this article where they say that in some cases performances peaked during periods but the participant felt like they were performing worse made me wonder about the stigma around menstruation. There have been a lot of conversations in recent years about professional athletes and periods, light-colored uniforms that might show leaks, and other related circumstances. I can’t help but wonder if some of the sense of poor performance is tied to stigma, worry, etc. (and of course, just un/comfortableness).

How about you – does this article resonate? What have your experiences been with regard to periods and performance, injury, and (perceived?) energy?

Amy Smith is a professor of Media & Communication and a communication consultant who lives north of Boston. Her research interests include gender communication and community building. Amy spends her movement time riding the basement bicycle to nowhere, walking her two dogs, and waiting for it to get warm enough for outdoor swimming in New England.

fitness

Being in Community

amysmithphd2 Comments

I’m writing this on the heels of losing a dear friend. It is hard to think about how the world will look without her joy, her laughter, and her indomitable spirit. She was the friend you called for an adventure or for a hug. A weekday breakfast meetup or a trip to Scotland to buy yarn – she was up for it.

Our friendship was formed inside and alongside a community of knitter friends. The community has added and subtracted members as the years roll by, but/and the foundation has remained the same. Friendship. Love. Support. Celebration. Commiseration. Caretaking. Adventures. And a whole lotta yarn.

Handmade crochet blue flowers on dark background
I know these are crocheted flowers, not knitted, but they are blue and too pretty.
Photo by Anya Chernik on Unsplash

As we have gathered together this week to be with one another in community I am so aware of how my different communities support me. They steady me when I wobble and they celebrate me when I triumph.

I am fortunate to have a few communities that I hold dear. As our little knitting community is rocked by this loss, friends in our respective other communities have joined to steady us. Support. Caretaking. Commiseration. Friendship. Love.

When I think about how deeply ingrained these communities are in my life I often think back to graduate courses on feminist theory and feminist collectives. While there are many ways to define feminism one important way for me is “in community.” When one rises we all rise. When one falters those who can will hold steady.

This is a time of faltering and holding steady. Faltering without my friend while others hold me steady. Using their strength to support others in our community as we all work through individual and collective grief. Those who know me best know that when I am quiet, tucked inward, I am faltering. They know when I say I am “hanging in there” that I am doing anything but. They steady. They hug. They listen.

I hope this post comes across as a celebration of communities; mine, yours, ours. I hope your communities are holding you up, comforting you, singing your praises, or whatever else you need at this moment. If you are reading this and struggling to identify your community please know that FIFI is a community that you are already a member of here on this page. And I hope it goes without saying to hold your people so close because the world out there is shaky and you may just be what is holding them up.

In community.

Amy Smith is a professor of Media & Communication and a communication consultant who lives north of Boston. Her research interests include gender communication and community building. Amy spends her movement time riding the basement bicycle to nowhere, walking her two dogs, and waiting for it to get warm enough for outdoor swimming in New England.

fitness

Are Your Fitness Habits Nature or Nurture?

amysmithphd3 Comments

Today is National Only Child Day. I am technically an only child although I do have some step-siblings. As I was reading about the history of Only Child Day it got me thinking about how much impact my childhood, and the related lack of siblings, may have had on my fitness habits, likes, dislikes, and interests.

I grew up in a fairly sedentary household. I was rarely encouraged to join team sports or to spend time in the outdoors. As a child of the 80s I had freedom to roam the streets on feet or bicycle “until the street lights came on,” but I can’t remember ever being out that long. When I was in kindergarten I joined a girls soccer team. The Panthers. We had all black uniforms with white trim and we were hot stuff. But after a schedule change I left the team because the team practice times didn’t work for our family. In later years we lived in communities with outdoor pools and I was in the water as much as possible. Swimming as a sport was not common in our area, or at least I didn’t know about it, so as much as I enjoyed being in the pool it was more playing around and less structured.

Young girl splashing in the water at the beach. She has dark hair in a pony tail and yellow arm and waist flotation bands with a duck face on them.
I never had floaties that were this cool in the 80s!
Photo by Leo Rivas on Unsplash

All of this is, of course, my experience. I’m sure others had similar experiences and equally sure many others can’t relate. But Only Child Day got me wondering how the fitness experiences of my youth might have been different if I had siblings. Would physical activity been something we would have done together, either formally or informal play around the house? Would a sibling have spurred some sort of competitive motivation to join a team sport, either with them or to outshine them? Would my naturally introverted self been more willing to hang with the neighborhood kids running/riding the streets with a sibling by my side? Or would I still have been the same indoorsy kid who would rather read or do a puzzle than go outside?

There are a lot of factors that go into this line of “what if” thinking…. What if there were siblings? What if either of my parents had a love of the outdoors? What if I really took to team or community sports as a kid? Any one of these might have changed my adult preferences for quiet, solo activity that mostly occurs in my basement instead of in outdoor or community spaces. Or maybe it would all be the same because I just like what I like.

How about you? Any only children feel like having siblings would have changed your outlook on activities? Anyone with siblings feel like they had a big influence or no influence at all?

Amy Smith is a professor of Media & Communication and a communication consultant who lives north of Boston. Her research interests include gender communication and community building. Amy spends her movement time riding the basement bicycle to nowhere, walking her two dogs, and waiting for it to get warm enough for outdoor swimming in New England.

charity · fitness · racing · running

Am I Worthy? (Guest Post)

amysmithphd2 Comments

By Elizabeth Duclos-Orsello

I have a confession to make. Just 14 days before running the 2024 Boston Marathon as part of a charity team raising money to fight racial and economic injustice in Boston (a cause deeply aligned with my professional and personal commitments.)

My confession: I sort of wish I could back out. Because I can’t handle the pressure.

Liz, a red-haired white woman, wearing Boston marathon running gear and a foil cape.

I’m pretty certain I can handle the physical pressure of running 26.2 miles. I’ve done that distance more than 40 times and have run more than 26.2 miles on some occasions. (Darn, I’ve even raced Boston 8 times before, and I’m a running coach for goodness’ sake!). But can I handle the pressure to perform and prove my worthiness to be here at all?

To many people I know, I’m a seasoned marathoner and ultra marathoner who runs all the time. And in some ways, this is true. I do love to run. And I run a lot. I can run long. And I can run pretty fast (for a 50-year-old). I could (if I had the time) run hours a day and find joy in every step. I have run on three continents, in more than a dozen countries, nearly all US states. At dawn, at midnight, and with the sun at its apex. In the shadows of pyramids, on the streets of countries rebuilding from war, on crowded sidewalks in urban spaces, and in quiet woods in my various home states.

I love to run. But I don’t love to race because I hate having my running on public display. And right now, the pressure weighing on me is the pressure to be publicly productive with my running and training and preparation for this race. And to perform on race day. To prove that I am worthy.

I feel the need to prove I’m worthy of the right to run this marathon. That I’m worthy of taking up space in this race. That my body deserves to be out there on April 15. Social media traffic among the Boston marathoning crowd can be brutal. There are posts asking why “charity” runners get to “take the places” of those who have “qualified” by time. There are those who have mused publicly about the selfishness of those like me, who have run this storied race before, while others who wish to, have not.

And because I worry about my worthiness as a charity runner, I feel the need to perform for others; to be happy, energetic, gracious and grateful at all times to friends, to fellow runners, online, to potential donors, to the non-profit staff. After all, I have “taken up” a spot in a race with only 30,000 spots. After all, the charity has “allowed” me to run “for them”. After all, I could just step aside. Instead, I have to publicly ask others to support me.

A row of women taken from behind. The women are wearing athletic gear and have their arms up to high-five runners as they pass by.

As someone who has struggled with imposter syndrome and a fair amount of body-hatred my whole life I’m feeling something deep and hard at this moment: the pressure to prove that I am worthy of others donating their hard-earned money to a cause I care about. To donating to me. To my body. I keep wondering: Is my body worthy enough…? Is my body worthy enough for you to care? Is my body worthy of your sacrifice? Then, if it is, what happens if I fail to knock the marathon out of the park?

These feelings and questions are troublingly familiar. They recall years of high school and college competitive running when terror gripped me each time I stepped up to a race. A place where others could see me and potentially witness my failure. I had won races, for sure. But would this be the day the truth of being a fraud was revealed? Would I still deserve to take up space on a team? On a track? To be called an athlete? I did not like my body. And I did not trust it to fulfill my duty to others (coaches, teammates, spectators). The eyes on me were too much. The fear of having to perform for others was too great. At 19 I stepped away from any competitive running. I couldn’t take the pressure. I didn’t want others to expect anything of my body and I didn’t want my body failing them. Failing to do whatever they hoped I (and my body) would do. I didn’t want the pressure.

So, as I face down these final days of fundraising, I have at times wished that I could just run this 26.2 mile on my own, without fear of letting anyone else down. I want to run and push forward and champion an anti-racist agenda in distance running with my race…but boy do I fear that I–and my body–will somehow fail the cause.

So now my confession is public. Perhaps foolishly. I know I should work on my mindset. But that is a task for another day. Today, I breathed. And today I ran…without a watch or a plan, for five easy miles. Solo. Hoping to believe a bit in my body. In me.

With a bit of luck, I’ll raise the remaining $400 of my fundraising goal by 4/12 and with a bit more luck, I’ll feel worthy as I run 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boston later this month.

Liz, a red-haired white woman, in running gear standing in front of a colorful sign that reads "I am strong"

Elizabeth Duclos-Orsello is a professor of American Ethnic Studies, Chair of a department at Salem State University, and consultant for non profits, universities and community groups on issues related to how groups and organizations can effect structural change with an intersectional lens at the core. She is also an RRCA certified running coach and founder of The Atalanta Effect running coaching for women.

She is running the 2024 Boston Marathon for team B.A.A. Gives Back, an organization working to address racial and economic justice in Boston through running and fitness efforts.https://www.givengain.com/project/elizabeth-raising-funds-for-boston-athletic-association-66826

fitness · sleep

World Sleep Day

amysmithphd1 Comment

You may associate today with doom and gloom thanks to the Ides of March, but did you know it is also World Sleep Day? Now that’s a holiday I can really get behind.

I used to be a very good sleeper. I was able to fall asleep quickly and sleep through the night without any difficulties. When I was younger I would be able to function on minimal sleep or string together a few hours here and there to be able to keep a fun social calendar. These days I roll my eyes if my friends want to stay out past 8pm. I’ve always been a night owl but I now need a long time to unwind from any sort of activity before trying to fall asleep.

It’s easy to think about sleep from our individual perspectives – we know how much (or how little) we sleep, thoughts or circumstances that keep us from sleeping, and all sorts of data around our own sleep patterns. But the World Sleep Society has collected data on the impact of sleep across different cultures and countries. Their 2024 theme for World Sleep Day is “Sleep Equity for Global Health.” They state:

“Sleep is essential to health, but measurable differences in sleep health persist across populations across the world, creating additional burdens and reinforcing health inequities.”

Infographic from World Sleep Day Hosted by World Sleep Society The global societal and economic burden of chronic insomnia Chronic insomnia is associated with 11-18 days of absenteeism and 44-54 days of overall productivity loss annually.1 42 million adults predicted to have chronic insomnia globally.' $417 billion in annual GDP lost globally due to reduced productivity.1* $239.5 billion in annual 'hidden' intangible costs.1* Chronic insomnia is defined as difficulty initiating sleep, maintaining sleep and/or early-morning awakening, occurring at least 3 nights per week, present for at least 3 months and accompanied by impairments in daytime functioning.2 All monetary values shown in 2019 United States Dollars. GDP = gross domestic product. References 1. Hafner M., et al. The Societal and Economic Burden of Insomnia in Adults: An International Study. Santa Monica, C.A.: RAND Corporation, 2023. 2. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2013. AT-IDS-00003 | February 2024

While I don’t love linking sleep metrics to productivity and GDP loss it may be a critical component toward equity across regions and countries. This link instead brings me back to The Nap Ministry’s framework of “Rest is Resistance,” which we’ve written about before (Tracy, Martha). They state:

“We believe rest is a form of resistance and name sleep deprivation as a racial and social justice issue.”

It may not matter which approach you take, so long as you “celebrate” World Sleep Day by getting some rest. Some ways you could enjoy the day include taking a nap (my personal favorite), practicing good sleep hygiene, or attending a community sleep-in or sleep awareness event.

Which way(s) will you recognize World Sleep Day this year?

Amy Smith is a professor of Media & Communication and a communication consultant who lives north of Boston. Her research interests include gender communication and community building. Amy spends her movement time riding the basement bicycle to nowhere, walking her two dogs, and waiting for it to get warm enough for outdoor swimming in New England.

fitness

Restrictions

amysmithphd2 Comments

Content warning: this post discusses dietary restrictions tied to medically testing. Please be gentle with yourself and skip this read if it doesn’t feel like a good fit for you.

A friend recently mentioned she has been instructed by her doctor to eat a restricted diet for about a month. The protocol is on the types/variety of foods, not on the quantity. Although this is a medical recommendation it reminded me of a very popular 30-day diet focusing on eliminating certain types of foods and then gradually adding them back in after the allotted period. I tried that diet many years ago (due to popularity, not medical need) and only lasted about half the time. It brought up a lot of feelings around disordered eating for me and I stopped when I realized the harm that was happening. In my house that diet is jokingly known as the Hole-15.

Three slices of toast on a cutting board. One is covered with avocados, one with bananas and blueberryies, and one with sliced grape tomatoes and herbs. There is a small white container of dark-colored seeds also on the cutting board.
Photo by Ella Olsson on Unsplash

Shortly after discussing this 30-day restriction with my friend I learned that I will need to be on a restricted diet prior to a medical procedure in a couple weeks. The restriction will only last about a week, but will get gradually more restrictive approaching procedure day. Interestingly, the restrictions will allow for a lot of foods that I consider “comfort food.” Even knowing that I immediately began having anxiety about any type of food restriction and the alarm bells that triggers in my brain. After a lifetime of disordered eating, weight cycling, and fighting with my body I always proceed with great caution when “rules” around diet and exercise pop up (see also: any post I’ve written about failing to reach a minimum set of workouts, time outside, etc and so forth).

I have a lot of resources and tools in place to manage this period of restriction. And I’m incredibly relieved that it is “only” 7 days and not longer. But I can’t help notice that neither the nurse at my general practitioner’s office or the scheduler at the specialist’s office felt it was important to mention the restricted diet and ask if any additional support would be needed around that protocol. The nurse just said the specialist’s office would call to schedule the procedure. And the scheduler said she would “send the instructions over” for me to review. I do have an appointment to speak with someone else about a week before the procedure to get more information and ask any questions. But that comes 2 weeks after having received the information for this restricted diet… for me that equals 2 weeks of anxiety and worry.

A few years ago I made a commitment to myself that I would seek regular medical care despite the weight bias and shoddy treatment of many patients in larger bodies. I also vowed that I would speak up when I noticed something like this, talking to the provider(s) about how a small change in their protocol may be beneficial to patients.

Have you noticed any medical protocols that you could bring awareness to for yourself or others? Please share in the comments.

Amy Smith is a professor of Media & Communication and a communication consultant who lives north of Boston. Her research interests include gender communication and community building. Amy spends her movement time riding the basement bicycle to nowhere, walking her two dogs, and waiting for it to get warm enough for outdoor swimming in New England.

fitness

Revisiting Intentions

amysmithphd

Almost two weeks into the new year and I’m still hanging on to the old me, just like I was last year. There are a few differences though, the biggest being that I still haven’t thought about any intentions, resolutions, or goals for this year. Typically I set some overarching goals or themes and then divide them out by quarter, making a plan for each quarter as it approaches. This year I set my word of the year (less) and that’s about as far as I got. Holiday travel plus a busier than usual early January season has kept me from putting any additional energy into a 2023 wrap-up or a 2024 look ahead, and I’m okay with that.

Different colored kettlebells lined up on a shelf.
Photo by Richard R on Unsplash

I know many others did make resolutions (goals, themes, or any other myriad of terminology may represent these same aims). It is about this time that we start to hear about people weakening in their resolve to “stick to” their resolutions. That may be why today, January 12, is National Stick to Your New Year’s Resolution Day. It can feel like a good time to take inventory of how your plan is going, if the ideas you had when you started are still feeling right for you, or if you need to take stock and revise any of those plans to suit your needs better. If we’re being honest I’m not a big fan of “stick to it-ness,” but I am a huge proponent of taking inventory and seeing what is meeting your needs and then revising or tossing out the rest. That can be done on any day of the year, but it’s nice to have a little built in mechanism to encourage us to think about it so soon after enacting our new plans for the year.

If your plans happened to include strength training please also note that today is National Kettlebell Day. According to the website, the creators of this day hoped it would be a day to “show others that kettlebells can indeed be used in multiple ways, by people from all walks of life and at all fitness levels.” Three suggestions for ways to “celebrate” the day include: watching a kettlebell video, using kettlebells in your workout, and introducing others to the kettlebell. That last one include introducing folks to your trainers and kettlebell classes, but I much prefer to think of it as inviting your friends over to meet your kettlebell named Bob.

A mug of tea sitting on top of two books with a window in the background.
Photo by Elena Kloppenburg on Unsplash

If you resolved to take more time for quiet reflection or just relaxing throughout your day you might also be interested to know that today is National Hot Tea Day. Recommended ways of celebrating include brewing a cup of tea, post a beautiful photo of your tea on social media, or host a tea party. I’ll be pausing for at least one tea break and thinking about my friend who recently gifted me with delicious herbal teas and a pair of cozy socks.

Maybe kettlebells, tea, and keeping your resolutions isn’t on your agenda for today. Have you thought about kissing a ginger? Thanking your pharmacist? Enjoying the feast of fabulous wild men? Eating curried chicken? Indulging in some delicious marzipan? Working harder? Or maybe just quitting! You can read all about the many celebrations, memorials, and downright kooky “days” of today (and the whole year) on the National Today website.

Which “day” will you be enjoying?

Amy Smith is a professor of Media & Communication and a communication consultant who lives north of Boston. Her research interests include gender communication and community building. Amy spends her movement time riding the basement bicycle to nowhere, walking her two dogs, and waiting for it to get warm enough for outdoor swimming in New England.