How Resolved Are You?

"This is THE year! I'm really going to do it…this time! It's different this time…the kids are one year older, I've got some more time on my hands. And most of all, I cannot let myself go even further this year. Now I'm finally going to start taking care of myself…look out Maplewood Pool! I'm going to look better this year!!"

That internal monologue sound familiar?

I have it myself sometimes. Yep, it's that time of year again, that time when another calendar year has passed, and we begin to celebrate all the possibilities of the year to come. What changes are to come?

As overwhelming as the world's issues seem, sometimes our own personal goals can seem even more so. How are we supposed to go about taking care of ourselves when we've got so many responsibilities elsewhere? "I barely have time to think about what my kids are eating, how should I watch my own eating? Last night I ate the left over mac'n'cheese and chicken nuggets off my kid's Elmo plate. And how can I find time to exercise? I'm exhausted from picking up Legos!" 

Maybe your kids are grown, or you have no kids at all, and you just feel uninspired. Well, maybe there's an approach that's not so daunting.

I find that often when someone is taking up a new regimen they try to do too much too soon. Think of it like this, it probably took you awhile to get out of shape, gain weight, and lose control of your body. It'll also take awhile to get it back.  That's probably the most important first step, REALISM!

I've also never seen anyone get into shape faster by making multiple changes all at once. So you probably don't need to add five days of exercise and completely change your diet in the first week. The body needs a little time to get used to the input, especially as we get older. 

Weekly goals are a great way to accomplish this. For example, maybe one week you cut out the daily trip to the "snack cabinet" at the office (thoroughly stocked with cookies, candies and other treats that add nothing to your goals.)  This alone is a huge accomplishment (those M&M's are laced with addictive drugs, I swear it). 

For Week Two, maybe  you add a walk with one of your work buddies during lunch. This is a great approach. Maybe one week you feel lazy, and they drag you out to get moving. Then you're the inspiration the next week.

Doesn't sound like much, but eventually you're living a completely different lifestyle, and you'll see some very real results. And this is what we're talking about, Lifestyle Change. The only thing I've ever seen come from overzealous behavior in the beginning is a joint injury, or maybe a good solid case of the flu, but never drastically increased fitness. 

Remember this:

ONE PART CHANGE IN REGIMEN =  ONE PART CHANGE IN BODY

FIVE PARTS CHANGE IN REGIMEN =  ONE PART CHANGE IN BODY

So why use up all your valuable bag of tricks? Just make the changes one at a time. You'll feel better about your success if you actually have success.

Real change takes time. Of course, nobody wants to read that. We live in a world where we are constantly looking for the quick fix, a sound bite culture. Look at some titles on the subject sometime, "ONE MINUTE TO A BETTER BODY", "5 MINUTE ABS," "BANISH YOUR BELLY IN 10 DAYS."  All great titles. Probably sell a lot of copies. 

I always wanted to write a book titled "IT REALLY TAKES A WHILE TO GET IN GOOD SHAPE."  Probably wouldn't sell too well…   

So, how are you supposed to go about changing your eating habits?  Or what exercise makes the most sense?  Well, most folks have lots of room for improvement.    There's so much information out there, so many ideas and plans that one could get dizzy trying to process it all. 

Simply try to start with some battles that sound "do-able." And many of us know where our indiscretions lie. If you're lying around, having cookies at night before bed and haven't walked further than the distance to your car and your desk in a few months, it's pretty easy to figure out. 

Just remember that we have multiple options, at multiple price ranges all around us. And getting started doesn't have to cost a dime (there currently is no tax on going outside and walking). There are also yoga studios, pilates, boot camps, running groups, gyms, trainers (no plug intended), videos, etc.

Give it a little thought, pick something that sounds good, and give it a shot. If it doesn't work out, don't throw in the towel, just try something else. By pool season, which really isn't that far away, you'll be glad you did.