Recommitment With A 2 Month Head Start (Part 2 of 3)

November 2, 2015 | Leadership, Time Management

Photo by Alex de Haas on Flickr.

I can hear it now. Next year will be better. I’m going to be more active. I’m going to be more healthy. I am going to lose 30 lbs so I can look good on the beach at Spring Break. Some of us have reached that goal by Spring Break, but some of us haven’t made it. I’ve been in both categories. Did I start my recommitment on January 1st the year I failed? Yep! Did I start my recommitment on November 1st the year I succeeded? Yep! When I succeeded, did I go through a whole eating season depriving myself of the holiday trimmings? Nope!

In this installment, I am going to tell you why starting November 1st worked for me when it came to being more active.

• Better Weather: My choice of exercise in keeping my weight off is running, and I prefer running outside. I only use treadmills when it is below 20 degrees outside. Ever tried to build momentum when it is 20 degrees outside? I have. I was not successful. I usually only ran once a week because the cold was such a shock. Right now, our lows are in the 40’s which is almost ideal running weather. I take advantage of that, break myself into the colder weather, and attempt to build momentum in my favor?
• More Room at Fitness Centers: Ever tried to go to a fitness center the Monday after New Years?  Good grief! I actually try to avoid them for the month of January and do other things that don’t require a gym. I found it easier to establish my workouts and flow process in November and December when there were less people in the gym. Right now is the perfect time to get into those routines.
• Bye Bye Daylight Savings Time: Daylight Savings Time ends the first Sunday in November. Remember the first week after Daylight Savings Time ended? I do. I woke up at 6 am and felt completely rested! It was because my body told me it was 7 am. What better time to use that momentum and build a morning workout routine.

Here are few other things that helped me:

• Measure Progress: I invested in a Fitbit and made I averaged 15,000 Steps A Day. I get them anyway I can. Running, walking, spinning, lifting weights, doing housework, doing yardwork, chasing kids. Get it? It is important to measure this type of data everyday.
• Schedule It: My goal is to get in 5 workouts a week. This can be running, walking, spinning, lifting weights, cardio circuits. The key is I schedule it in my calendar. It makes it harder to ignore if it is in the schedule.

As I said, I am simply sharing the perceived advantages I see from starting our recommitment to taking better care of ourselves before January 1st. I am not a fitness expert. I just know what works for me. Do you see the advantages to recommitting on November 1?  If not, what are some obstacles that make it harder for you start on November 1 opposed to January 1?

Comments