Happy New Year…. or is it too late to say that?
One of my resolutions this year was to write more blogs and to write them more consistently. However, I am a little behind already. The year has just started and I am already tired. By tired I mean procrastinating.
New Year is synonymous for making resolutions and changing our lives for the better. Yet, it is estimated that 80% of resolutions are fail by February. Therefore, our new year is automatically associated with failure and the cycle of life (or more like the hamster wheel of misery) starts again.
A new year can be a great new start but only if we make it so. The misconception of New Year is that brings us a bountiful of new energy. Unfortunately, the reality is we wake up January 1st and nothing has changed – same script, different year. New Year comes around quickly and in reality, we are not ready for change. It feels like a big enough effort to take down the Christmas tree never mind trying to brighten up our lifestyle. But we don’t have to change our lives drastically in January. It is already a difficult month. The temperature (and our bank accounts) can be below zero.
To be honest, I do not think I have ever kept a New Year Resolution and I am okay with that. I like to do things on my own account when the pressure is off and the only expectations are my own, no one else. Looking back, the best changes I have made to my life were made at 4pm on some idle Tuesday. The reason the changes were effective were because they were made on my own terms. No outside pressure or expectations. I was ready for a change, I wanted to make it, and I stuck with it. I was resolute.
Tenacity is an important skill when transforming. Any worthwhile change in lifestyle takes time, usually longer than the month of January. Experts say it takes 21 days to make a habit. Therefore, being resolute and consistent is essential.
So how do we stay resolute this year?
It is easier said than done. I think a lot of the time we fail in our resolutions is that we take on more than we can chew. On the other hand, in the case of dieting, we chew a lot less than we are used to. I believe small adjustments are more effective than radical changes. Less can be more especially when it comes to exercise.
Firas Zahabi, head coach for UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, believes we should exercise to 75% of our maximum effort. He calls it the flow state. In other words, you do not have to kill yourself every training session. Exercising should be fun and enjoyable. Zahabi notes, from his experience of training op athletes, that the ones who give it their maximum effort tend to wake up the next day sore and unmotivated. For example, instead of running 5 miles a day, you could run 2 miles every day and repeat it throughout the year. That way, not only do you reduce the chances of injury, but also overall you will have trained more than you would have if you tried to run 5 miles per day. You have trained more without damaging your body and it is good for your health long run.
Of course, this is easier said than done. One of the reasons we do not exercise is that we do not have the time. To combat this we must make the time. We do that by creating a daily routine. A routine does not restrain you; on the contrary, it can liberate you. Dr Jordan B Peterson, Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto, advises us to create a weekly schedule that includes activities that we enjoy but that are also productive. So schedule time for the things you love like Netflix or napping. However, make sure you include those resolutions as the way to accomplish them is through establishing disciplined habits.
So remember, if hate something then change something. However, be realistic about it and remain resolute throughout.
Happy New Year from Fitness in our 30s!
Fitness in Your 30s 