Last fall, when I decided I wanted to learn how to surf, I started taking swimming lessons. I finally learned how to swim—and breathe—properly and continue to take lessons. I do this because I still want to improve, of course (my future surfing demands it!), but also for the exercise in general.
Over the last few years I’ve struggled to find an exercise plan that I enjoy enough to stick with. Admittedly, I get bored easily by simply going to the gym and working out with weights and using cardio machines. I prefer to mix it up and to participate in classes and/or athletic activities than to simply run on the hamster wheel.
It’s taken a while, but I think I’ve settled on a combination and variety of activities that works for me. While I’ll always be up for trying something new, and yoga will remain a staple of my routine, I’ve settled on swimming, barre classes, pilates (reformer/tower/chair), and spin class as the foundation for my fitness schedule.
As I said above, I know I’ll add some other classes for variety here and there, and anytime I’m near a wave I will definitely find a way to surf, but I want to make those four activities my go-to workouts.
Now comes the hard part, though: setting a schedule and sticking to it. I am a firm believer in taking care of yourself and exercise is very high on that list for me. That said, exercise time still seems to be the first casualty when my work schedule gets overwhelming or when other obligations require priority.
That why one of my #2018ToDo items is to “work it out”—set my workout schedule and goals and commit to working it. I’ve already planned for the eventualities that will inevitably interfere with my fitness routine (more on that later), in the hopes that those inevitable inconveniences will not derail me.
I’ve heard in the past that it takes twenty-one days to form a new habit, which isn’t that long at all. But in doing some online research on forming exercise habits specifically, I learned that it takes a bit longer to make exercise a habit. More than three times as long—at least sixty-six days. Actually, sixty-six repetitions, to be exact, which means that if I’m working out 5 days a week, I’m looking at 13 weeks, plus 1 day. Definitely more of a challenge,
I’ll count May 1 as my start date, which means that by July 31 I should be a fully committed to my fitness routine. Now, the Half Mudder race that I am participating in falls right about a third of the way into that, on June 3, so having to train for that will help feed the habit. And I feel confident that posting updates here will keep help me on track and I look forward to the challenge.
To be honest, I am not the kind of person that has always loved to work out. Once I’m there, I feel good and I’m happy to be working out and I’m always glad I did it. But it’s just the being excited to get there that I have struggled with. I’ve never been that kind of person. But I want to be that kind of person.
So . . . I’m going become that kind of person. As far as I am concerned, if I want to be that kind of person, then to some degree, I already am. All I need to do is work it out.
no pants 