Exercise is one of the few areas when we can actually multitask effectively.*
If you find it hard to fit exercise into your day, if it is a challenge to lure yourself into getting started, or if you find exercising a little dull, you might find it useful to multitask.
That might mean walking to complete some errands. (Or parking further from the store and then getting a burst of activity as you walk/run/gambol to the entrance.)
Or doing a few reps with each can as you put the groceries away.
You could use voice dictation to create a rough draft of something while you do some stretches.
Maybe the promise of listening to a podcast, a radio program, or a TV show would help you ease into starting your exercise routine.
Perhaps some exercise purists would say that your exercises will be less than perfect** if done while you are distracted, but who is trying to be perfect?
We’re building habits here, we’re not creating shrines to exercise.
This process is supposed to serve our needs and if listening to a podcast helps you get moving, then why *wouldn’t* you listen to it?
Today’s gold star is not only for your movement and self-care but for considering how multitasking might help you fit your wellness plans into your days.
This sparkler is not a star, per se, but it’s star-like and definitely celebratory.
*Usually, multitasking is actually rapid task switching which our brains are not all that fond of, really.
**This might be the point where you say ‘But what about Yoga or meditation, Christine, I can’t multitask those.’ And I guess that’s true, in a way. Both of these things are about focusing in the moment.
However, yoga poses done while watching TV are better than not doing them at all. You won’t get all of the same benefits in front of the TV but you won’t get ANY benefits if you don’t do any yoga. And you can work up to the focused, on-the-may, type of yoga when you’re ready.
As for meditation: Again,you won’t get all of the same benefits if you sit quietly and breathe while listening to a podcast but you won’t get ANY benefits if you just avoid meditation entirely.
You could also try meditative doodling or painting if the idea of doing two things at once appeals to you but you can’t erase your mind around multitasking your meditation any other way.
How are you doing with your exercise and wellness plans?
If all is well, then forge ahead!
But if you are struggling to fit your new plans into your day, you aren’t alone.
It can be really hard to add something challenging to your existing schedule and stick with it.
But, that doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with YOU!
You aren’t failing, you aren’t messing up, and it definitely does NOT mean that you aren’t working hard enough.
All it means is that you have more information now than you did when you made your plans.
At this point, you have a much better idea of what works for you and where you might need to make some changes.
Perhaps your plan for early morning exercise isn’t working because you have too much to do at the end of the night before and you can’t get to bed early enough to get up at 6am.
Maybe the exercise program you selected is a notch or two above your current capacity and you need something closer to your current abilities.
Or you may have realized that your planned hour of exercise is too long to fit into your current schedule.
Or maybe you are dragging yourself through an abs program and you’ve realized that you hate every single exercise.
That’s all ok.
Your initial plans were not set in stone.
You are free to use this new information to switch things up to serve you better.
You can keep any part of your plans that is working and then toss or tweak anything that isn’t working for you.
Feel free to start over, start smaller, start at a different time, start a different program.
And try not to feel guilty about making those changes. I understand that ambient guilt floats around all of these things just waiting to attach itself to us but guilt can be less sticky when we are conscious of it. (I like to call it out when I feel it, literally saying aloud, ‘Oh, guilt, I recognize you! You don’t belong here.’ It’s a weird thing to do but it helps.)
Your exercise and wellness plans are YOURS. They are supposed to be about you and how you can feel better overall.
You don’t have to stick with any plans that aren’t serving you well.
So, if you need/want to, go ahead and reshape those plans.
Here’s your gold star for today’s efforts in movement, wellness, planning, tweaking, or tossing:
I’m sure you already know that exercising with a friend (or in a class) is a good way to keep yourself on track with your fitness plans.
But, what about if your plans are mostly solitary?
Maybe you like to workout at home.
Perhaps you enjoy going for walks alone.
Or, given current circumstances, perhaps you HAVE to work out alone, no matter what you prefer to do.
Either way, it means that you don’t have that extra boost of motivation to rely on when you are feeling kind of meh about your exercise plans.
If today is one of those meh days, I have a suggestion:
Text a friend.
(Note: you can call/email/message a friend, instead, obviously. That’s just not as catchy as ‘Text a friend.’)
Tell your friend what you plan to do and ask them to check in with you to see if you’ve done it.
(You can also offer to check in with them about one of their meh tasks, too.)
That little bit of accountability can make a huge difference in your motivation and help you flip the switch from meh to done.
After all, most of the time we just need a small thing to tip the balance in favour of our exercise plans. That impending return text could make all the difference.
And, of course, you can set up a regular check-in with your friend if that serves you both well.
Be kind to yourself! Keep moving!
Here are two gold stars today, one for you and one for your friend.
This tiny tree is actually decorated entirely in gold star lights. It’s like encouragement grows on trees over here. Ha!
When I’m not exercising, I tend to forget that I actually *like* moving.
When I am not meditating, I forget that I find it helpful.
I find the same thing about almost any activity I enjoy.
When I’m engaged in the activity, I love it, but when I’m not, all I can think about how hard it is.
So, since I want to take good care of myself, I like remind myself about the things I enjoy about the activity I plan to do.
‘It’s hard to get on my mat but I love how I feel when I get into child’s pose.’
‘It would be easier to keep sitting here but if I exercise, I’ll get to do all those kicks.’
‘I don’t know if I will be able to settle into meditation right now but it feels great to breathe so slowly and deliberately.’
You’ll notice that these reminders are about how I will feel DURING not after.
They aren’t long term results, they aren’t about finishing my workouts or meditation, they are about how I will feel while I am actually exercising or meditating.
I wonder if you might find it helpful to consider what you enjoy about your workouts or self-care?
Reminding yourself about the fun parts might be just the motivation you need to get on your mat, on your bike, or onto a meditation cushion.
Here’s your gold star for your efforts today:
Another gold star from my house. Yes, the place is full of them. I like a lot of encouragement.
Dateline: Dec 31, 2020. Location: Catherine’s laptop. I posted my last of the 220 workouts for 2020. See below:
My 220th posted workout for 2020– a soggy dog walk, some yoga and meditation. It did the job.
We call this just-in-time delivery.
You might think, well, that’s 2020 for you. However, looking back on my posted workouts in 2019 and 2018, my last workouts were all after Christmas. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that, but it does point to a pattern. I have moved through the past few years in fits and spurts, with more dormancy than I would like (as I also know that, *for me*, regular activity coincides with greater functionality and well-being).
So, I’m making a change this year. Even though I’m very happily ensconced in the 221 workouts in 2021 (with the goal of 221 workouts), I’m not making a specific schedule for how many times a week I do cardio, strength training, yoga and meditation (my current lineup). Rather, I’m going to see what I can do this week in these categories, based on my sleep and work schedules, general mood, etc.
Generally we’re advised to set specific, or SMART, goals (where SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timebound). Aiming to walk 10,000 steps per day is a common example.
That’s why you might feel you’ve failed after “only” recording 9,000 steps when your goal was 10,000. In reality, 9,000 steps might actually be an achievement (especially on a busy day) — but because you didn’t reach your specific target, it can feel disappointing.
Yeah. I can relate.
One alternative is to set what’s known as an open goal. Open goals are non-specific and exploratory, often phrased as aiming to “see how well I can do”. For example, professional golfers in one study described performing at their best when aiming to “see how many under par I can get”. One participant (in a study) said open goals “took away the trauma of failing”…
Oh yes– no trauma of (feeling like I am) failing. I am down for that.
To set your own open goals, think first about what you want to improve (for example “being more active”). Then identify what you want to measure, such as your daily average step count. Phrase your goal in an open-ended, exploratory way: “I want to see how high I can get my average daily step count by the end of the year.”
Excellent! Here’s my open goal: I want to see how many times in a week I can engage in three types of activity:
cardio activity; my current modes (for January) are: ride trainer, walk outside, or do Body Groove dance-y 30-minute video.
strength training– so far what is easily accessible to me are the NYT 6 and 7-minute workouts, the Bad Yogi strength training program (which I bought a while back but didn’t really get to), and whatever else comes to me. You can see I’m in the initial stages of the “let’s see what I can do” mode.
For now, doing anything in either cardio or strength training or yoga/meditation counts FOR ME as a workout. As I get stronger, I may adjust the way I count them. I may restrict to more purposeful workouts on the bike (e.g. trainer, road bike ride) or just count workout days, regardless of how many types of activity I do in that day. We shall see; I’m leaving it open.
Readers, what are you doing about activity or movement, now that we’ve tumbled into 2021? Are you all about the scheduling? Are you staging goals? Are you planning by the seat of your pants? I’d love to hear what you’re thinking.
We’re of mixed minds about new year’s resolutions here at the blog. I’d say that none of us are fans of the “new year, new you” idea, you know, the traditional resolutions where you pledge TO CHANGE ALL THE THINGS RIGHT NOW–spend less, exercise more, lose weight, swear off social media, and so on and so on. But we’re also a thoughtful and reflective bunch and insofar as the new year is opportunity to rethink what’s going well in our lives and what’s not, it can serve as a useful time to take stock. Nat did that in her post about things she wants to stop doing.
With that in mind, in these strange and unprecedented pandemic times, I asked some of the regular bloggers here to do a quick START/STOP/CONTINUE for the new year.
What’s one new thing you want to start in 21? What’s something you want to stop doing in 21? And what’s something that’s working that you want to keep doing in 2021?
Let us know what your answers are in the comments.
Nat
Start a monthly focus for my yoga practice. January is exploring King Pigeon.
Stop looking for external validation/praise for my fitness activities & goals. A bit contradictory for a blogger but is more about understanding my motivations for choosing activities.
START: commitment to get outside every day for either a walk or a run, which is a bit more of a challenge with so much working from home.
STOP: mindless eating (COVID has created a new round of struggle on this — I am not talking about dieting or weight loss; I am talking about stopping eating on auto-pilot, without paying attention and without any relationship to either hunger or pleasure).
CONTINUE: my combo of running for cardio, Superhero workouts for strength and conditioning, and yoga for strength, balance, and flexibility. I’m loving all of my workouts these days. I also want to continue connecting with my various workout communities (Superhero Training Team, 221 in 2021 group, Fit Is a Feminist Issue regular bloggers group) for inspiration, a sense of camaraderie, and encouragement.
START: I want to add small chunks of movement during my day, and avoid sitting for hours and then working out.
STOP: Hanging about in bed using my phone in the evenings before sleep and in the morning after. Staying up too late and needing the alarm to go off several times in the morning.
CONTINUE: Zwifting, fat biking, spending time outside, dog walks with friends and colleagues, weightlifting with son, yoga and stretching
So, I’m more or less constantly setting goals for myself, reevaluating them, and ditching what doesn’t seem to be a good fit. These are some of the things that have come up recently, but certainly aren’t specific to it being January.
START: Focusing on balancing my meals, especially making sure I’m including plenty of fruits and veggies and a serving of protein at each
STOP: Expecting myself to get an “A+” on everything I do, a “B-” effort is still going to keep me moving in the direction of my goals. I need to be nicer to myself and focus less on how I could have done something/everything better.
CONTINUE: Lifting 3-4 days a week, daily walks, jogging on the weekends, weekend food prep for the week ahead, weekly trauma counseling, sleeping over 8 hours a night, regularly hanging out with my kitties and sweetie on the sofa
Start: Be more committed to stretching and yoga. It’s my weak spot (unless it’s something like 108 Sun Salutations and then I’m all in). Thanks to a post made by Tracy, I have signed up for Yoga by Adriene’s 30 day start to the year and that should help me with consistency in that area.
Stop: Going for a long run or spin class or long walk, and not stretching after. Drinking 4 or 5 coffees a day. Trying to limit it to 2 and then have matcha for the rest (I do drink a lot of water already).
Continue: I already run every week, but shorter distances. I plan to sign up for the Run Around the Bay’s Virtual Race (more on that in another post) as I’d like to use it as a guide to longer runs. Weekly park conditioning and strength workouts. One other strength and conditioning workout (virtual)Two 45 min-60 min spin sessions on my bike.Long walks with my husband (20,000 steps today for example, although most days it’s more like 5,000 steps).My husband and I have been eating a lot less sugar and I like how I feel. So I plan to continue with that.
Nicole
Nicole has been blogging at Fit is a Feminist Issue since 2019 and her first post here was Sweaty, Sore and Slow.
Kim
START: keeping a food + drink journal. I’ve been far less mindful thanks to COVID and it’s beginning to irritate me (OK: IS irritating me). I think just reflecting on the fact that I’ll be reflecting on my food and drink choices later will spark some mindfulness about them. I’ve already started (I have a nifty bound journal I bought at a Christmas market – remember those? – in Konstanz three years ago that needs some filling).
STOP: worrying so much about my changing middle-aged lady body. Things are shifting, and so be it because that is the way aging works. If I continue to do what I’ve always done in terms of nutrition and exercise I’ll remain healthy and that’s most key. I can always buy new pants.
CONTINUE: my EMDR therapy with my wonderful person Annette. It’s been so valuable so far and I know will continue to strengthen me as we keep going.
START--1) commit and adhere to a regular schedule for physical activity. For me this means reserving times to get outside during daylight for walking or riding or skiing, and then actually leaving the house. Leaving it to fate or my whims or the end of the day wasn’t resulting in consistency for me in 2020, so a purposeful change is in order. 2) more regular cooking with more veggies (fruit, too) that feels better for my body (I have acid reflux and some other GI issues, and want to be nicer to myself around this).
STOP— 1) self-shaming about, well, everything (body, food, work, movement, to-do list, etc). Yeah, that would be good.
CONTINUE— my daily meditation and almost-daily yoga practices, regular safe social contact with friends and family, compassion for myself, my friends, family, students, colleagues, and all the sentient beings. We can all use it. Oh, and wearing my damn mask, as long as it takes!
Welcome 2021. We begin the year of how-the-fuck-do-I-make-a-plan? And I’m not even talking about grand plans; regular old-style plans and small wishes and intentions feel hard. For me, it’s six days into the year and I’m still trying to figure out both my Word of the Year and my challenge. I usually have both well in hand by now. This year I struggled mightily to find a word. As for the challenge, I’d love your help.
A bit of background. My cousin introduced me to this Word of the Year practice more than a decade ago. As I wrote last year in my January post, “The idea is to distill your hopes, dreams, ambitions and challenges for the coming year into a word. What’s the one word you choose today to describe the year you are aiming for? A word that aspires to something greater, but doesn’t set you up for disappointment. A personal word that captures both who you are already (and you are just dandy the way you are!) and how you can refine that existing excellence. A word that will inspire you for the 364 days to come.”
Past WOTY’s have included presence, grace, renewal and attention. Last year’s WOTY was becoming. I was feeling open, excited and daunted by the challenges ahead. I almost cried when I read how optimistic I was feeling at the beginning of the year. Even though, I also mentioned that I didn’t know what my big project was for the year. I was sure the project would emerge and be so energizing.
Oof.
In the end, there was no big project last year. There were lots of medium and small projects—1) figuring out how to fluidly adjust to the virtual world, when my collaborator, Julia, and I had to cancel the very first weekend retreat we had planned for our new venture, ImagiNation Playshops (embodied emotional intelligence workshops, facilitations and coaching); 2) almost moving to Montreal from New York City and then having that whole plan dissolve at the 11th hour (with significant financial loss); and 3) just plain figuring out how to navigate pandemic normal and the constant low level (sometimes high level) fear that I (or worse, someone I loved) would get sick and …
Plus, there was my sprained ankle in September, followed by agonizing shoulder pain that came out of nowhere, and which I now think may have been generated by all the internal stress and angst of the decision to move to Montreal. A move I’d longed for in my dreams, but which turned out to be way less straightforward logistically and emotionally than I’d expected. As if the pandemic and the US election weren’t enough turbulence and stress, I’d added tearing my life up by the roots. My shoulder is healing. Slowly. I can put on my coat now without feeling like my whole shoulder has dislocated and needing to sit down and recover. And, I am still wondering what my big project will be this year; except now it’s next year and that was supposed to be last year’s wondering.
Aargh.
Wise old elephant. This image came up on Unsplash when I searched “tears” and it just struck me as appropriate, even though I don’t think the elephant is crying. Captured my feeling of pleading with the universe for an answer. Probably the elephant is feeling joyful and I (and the photographer) are totally projecting. Photo by Amy Elting on Unsplash
So, what’s the WOTY that captures this state of ongoing not-quite-sureness? Here’s last year’s list of possible words: “[I]lluminate … grow … strong … steady … being … belonging … becoming … run … light … recharge … strong … vitality … engaged … present … discerning … happy … incandescent … yes … flow … curiosity … change … renewal … reliability … radiance … spontaneity … pleasure … simplicity
I like the potential these words embrace. This is a year about expanding and making space. I want to get to the end of 2020 and feel like I’ve tapped into new personal resources.”
Oh man. Again, I read those bright, shiny words and I want to cry (okay, I did). I had such plenitude in my spirit. Except this … I do feel like I tapped into new personal resources last year. We all discovered reserves of strength and resilience we didn’t know we had. There is one word that jumps out at me off that old list: recharge. But that’s not my word for this year. The word feels premature. After reading Nicole’s post on January 4, a word started to percolate that felt right: enough. The “I am” before that word is implicit. I want to practice feeling enough-ness, practice being grateful for the enough-itude in my life and practice relaxing into the gentle comfort of enough. At the same time, I want to use enough as an engine to get motivated around a writing project that’s been percolating in my brain for the last many years, to stay energized around the workshops we are creating at ImagiNation Playshops and to be curious and open to what other projects arise.
Yesterday I was playing with all the permutations that capture the fullness and nuance of my WOTY:
Enough-ness
Enough-itude
Enough-ing
Enough-ed
Enough-ment
Enough-y
Enough-es
Enough-ly
Enough-ful
Enough-ist
Yay. I have my word.
How about the challenge mentioned in this post’s title? Challenges are my version of resolutions (but not): “There’s something about resolutions that always feels like someone/something is chastising me to do better. And I was never very good at sticking to resolutions. But I have developed a habit of setting myself a challenge for the year. And, weirdly, I generally manage to stick to my challenges. Could just be that the word is more motivating. My challenges are usually ways of being that I want to try on for size, with no commitment to extend after the year is over.”
A friend calls these challenges my annual devotional tasks. Last year’s challenge was not buying anything from amazon (except books/tv/film). That proved to be more pointed this year, but I stuck to it. Though, full disclosure, there were a few household items that my partner bought on amazon, that I used. Like the hot plate, because the gas is shut off in our New York apartment, so our stove top is out of commission. I may keep up that new habit, my ongoing protest against the consolidation of wealth into fewer and fewer companies (and therefore individuals’ pockets). My other challenge was not to shop for clothes/shoes in the alternate (even) months. The no-shopping task was a bust—not because I didn’t stick to it. I did. But because it brought me no peace of mind. In 2018, I challenged myself not to shop for clothes/shoes for a whole year. I felt clean and clear by the end of the year (actually by about 3 months in.). While I never intended to extend the challenge beyond the year, I hoped it would make me more mindful. It did, but then that mindfulness started to fade. I thought I’d re-up my attention with the alternate month idea. Nope. Instead, I spent the last week of every even month obsessing about what I might buy during the upcoming odd month. I can’t tell how much of that was also COVID driven. In the midst of a general sense of deprivation, the added denial of not allowing myself to buy something fresh to wear (at home) felt like an extra layer of no-you-can’t. Yes, I recognize that I’m privileged to even be able to contemplate buying something new. So, there’s that, too.
This year … what? I’m struggling to come up with something. After the 2020 we all had, I’m not inclined toward a you-can’t-do-this-thing challenge. And I’d like my challenge to have a generative or contributive element. I’ve thought about creative/artistic writing projects. Write a new poem a month and offer it up to friends in written and audio form? But then, as much as I think other people’s artistic efforts are generative and contribute to our collective fullness, the idea that my own work might do the same appalls me. Egotistical. Delusional. I know. I only just chose my WOTY and already there’s not a whole lot of enough-ful-ness in my feelings around my work. Sigh.
I wanted to write something cheery and intentional, to inspire myself and you. Instead, I wrote this, a mess of confusion and unknowns.
Where are you at? I’m in need of your wisdom and insight.
This year January 1 was a Friday. Nothing good happens on a Friday. Fridays start the weekend not the new year.
If you’re a resolution maker, especially if you’re a resolution maker who has already gone off the rails, may I suggest that Monday is when the new year really begins?
You’ve got lots of choice. The first day of the new year is arbitrary anyway.
Why last year Catherine declared that Feb 9 was her January 1. Why? Read about it here.
I’m not a big resolution maker but I love fresh starts. Predictably I love mornings, a new day. I love Mondays, a new week at work. I love September and the start of a new school year. January 1 hasn’t loomed large but I like the chance to start again.
Please don’t think you’ve failed and need to wait until 2022.
I’m doing Yoga With Adriene’s 30 Day series Breath. I liked today’s advice, on Day Two, each inhale can be a new beginning. There are lots of new moments and chances to start anew.
Recommended Soundtrack: This One’s For The Ladies (THAT LUNGE!) by Rufus Wainwright…trust me
A million years ago I wrote My 2017 Stop Doing List. I’m a big fan of keeping commitments and tasks to the minimum required to get results but struggle to find balance. Maybe it’s because I’m tired? Or overcommit? Or am ridiculously optimistic about what I can do?
Whatever the cause, I often notice my plate gets too full. I remember to add new things but forget to stop doing other things to make room. Then I get tired. And cranky. And overwhelmed. And anxious. And depressed. Seriously not good. Sooooo here’s my new & improved Stop Doing List for 2021!
Stop letting my expectations get away from me
I’m highly creative and that means I can imagine all kinds of things but it also means I can accidentally set too high of expectations that I can’t meet. So. Smaller, achievable, incremental goals this year.
Stop comparing myself to others
I’m on my own fitness/wellness journey. I can learn a lot from others but this isn’t a competition, it’s a collaboration.
Stop and think before taking a new thing on.
Is this something I’m passionate about? Is it in line with my goals? What opportunity cost does this have?
Stop limiting myself
That sounds like a direct contradiction to other stopping steps but it is about not artificially limiting myself. I thought a lot about What I have achieved in 2020. I’ve learned I overestimate what I can do in a day but underestimate what I can do in a month/year/remainder of my life.
What do you think?
Are you able to balance building on your strengths & the familiar with trying new things? How do you do that?
I’d love to hear about your perspective.
Photo credit Ruthless Images. Headshot of Natalie outside and backlit from the sun. She is smiling and feeling pretty good about life in general.
No, you don’t need to check your calendars– today is February 9, not January 1.
Maybe you’re thinking: she’s on one of those inspirational jags, urging us to see our lives afresh each day.
A rosy “today is the first day of the rest of your life” image.
No, that’s not it.
Or, you think, oh, she’s using one of those implicit New Year’s resolutions gone awry memes to make a point about resolutions and habits.
“My 2020 is going to start on Feb 1. I’ve decided January is my free trial month.”
Nope.
My late start to 2020 is more practical in nature. January was a complete blur of a month this year. I was sick as a dog with a virus/sinus infection all month, I had 19 tenure committee meeting to prepare for, attend and then to write six letters for, I started classes January 23, and finally, I was finishing up my job as co-warden of my church. Today is our church annual meeting, where we elect new wardens.
Pineapple doing a happy dance.
This means that as of today, Feb 9, I am DONE with my church leadership job. I am DONE with my university tenure committee, I am DONE with this wretched virus/sinus thing, and I am READY to get going on my year. But what does that mean?
Mainly it means moving. January was exhausting. All I could do was work and sleep, and very occasionally do a little yoga and walking. I miss movement. I miss strength training. I miss cycling (albeit on the trainer these days). I miss daily yoga. But my new year is starting today, so I can get back to those things, starting with a vengeance!
Wait— hold on a minute. What was true on Jan 1 is still true on Feb 9. It’s not like Feb 9 resolutions are any less prone to over-enthusiasm and unrealistic expectations than Jan 1 resolutions. I mean, my head is filled with all the new year’s advice we have to manage and make sense of:
Just do it.
Be in the moment.
Breathe.
Forget the past.
Today is a new day.
Focus on the process, not the product.
Failure is not an option.
Failure is your friend.
ACK!
So what should I do and how should I do it?
I’m starting by walking to yoga class this afternoon. I’m setting up my bike trainer in my study, too. My yoga mat and some weights are in the living room. It’s time to move, one day at a time. Also, it’s time to make plans to do physical activities with friends, and put together a weekly doable schedule. I’ll check in next month to report on how things are going.
What about you, dear readers? How is your new year going? We can declare restarts any time we want. Or we can just restart every day. This whole dedicated habit structure thing is not my forte, but I’d welcome your thoughts or ideas about what works for you.
