How To Avoid Becoming A Resoluter

 By Don Otis

We are wired to want to change those habits we know are bad for us. Perhaps it is in our DNA. We establish New Year’s resolutions and then become discouraged when we break a diet plan, miss workouts, or simply give up. A few months ago in this column, we talked about “bucket lists.” These are life goals. They are things we say we want to do but never seem to get around to doing them. Many of us do the same with our first-of-the-year resolutions.

It is a foolproof axiom that health clubs get busy in January but clear out by April. The pattern is hard to miss for those who workout all year. Special offers bring new people into a facility but the hard work or broken resolutions kick in and people give up. We used to call these people the “resoluters.” They start the New Year with all the best intentions. Don’t we all? Then, when the going gets tough, or boring, or the challenges of life prevail, they give up.

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A Cure For Winter Malaise

By Don Otis

The days are short and cold. Is it any surprise that our motivation to get outside diminishes as the temperatures plummet? Only the hardiest of us wants to venture out after dark. The slick paths can lead to injury as footing and visibility become less predictable. The temptation is to sit inside, watch television, or make cookies. While there is nothing intrinsically wrong with these seasonal pursuits, they don’t help us stay in shape. The winter months can create other challenges to those of us who want to stay in shape.

A year ago I was feeling enormous fatigue. This led to one stale workout after another. At first I simply dismissed the poor results as age-related, or altitude (I live above 5,000 feet), or possibly too much stress. It is probable that each of these contributed to my malaise but I wasn’t sure. My doctor ordered a treadmill test, electrocardiogram (EKG), cardiopulmonary diagnostic test, and eventually some blood work. Other than discovering that I had a slight heart murmur, nothing explained my tiredness. Finally, I received a call after my blood work was in. My vitamin D levels were seriously low.

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Setting Realistic Goals for the Journey

By Don Otis

What is on your “bucket list?” If you saw the film starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, you know what I mean. What do you want to accomplish in life? What habits do you want to change? As the old saying goes, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” In fitness, as in any area of our lives, spiritual, intellectual, emotional, change must be intentional.

As a personal trainer, I know how important goals are. We need to define them so there is no ambiguity. For example, I reached the summits of two 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado this weekend. My long-term goal is to do all 54 of them in the state. While it is a lofty goal (pun intended), it is achievable. Maybe your goal is to lose 15 pounds or to finish a 5 K run. Whatever it is, start now, start slow, and be realistic.

In two weeks, I will tick off another item from my own bucket list. It is the Pikes Peak Ascent. Ever since I first read about this race, I wanted to do it. It is a 13.3-mile race to the top of 14,110-foot Pikes Peak. I realized earlier this year that if I was ever going to get it done, I had better sign up for it now. What do you want to accomplish?  Write down some goals for yourself. Then, tell someone who will hold you accountable.

Bigger goals take littler steps. For example, if you want to run a marathon, you have to start with what you can do–shorter runs. You need a plan. You need direction. Because we live in an instant-everything society, we want our success to be easy. The things in life that mean the most to us rarely come easily. They take work. They require sacrifice.

A week ago I did a 10-mile training run at 10,000 feet in the pouring rain. It was no fun. I was cold and muddy. My knees ached. My quadriceps screamed. In reaching for any goal, we learn to push through discomfort and excuses. There will always be distractions. Expect resistance. Expect setbacks. Expect to feel lousy some days. Keep your eye on your goals. No one will ever care as much about whether you reach your goals as you do.

To get you going with goal setting, keep these principles in mind:

1.Your goal must be achievable. If you set your goals too high, you will become discouraged. It is better to set realistic goals that you can meet within one to three months. You can always revise and rework your goals.

2.Your goal must be measurable. Be specific. For example, “to lose weight” is not specific. It is better to say, “To lose 10 pounds in two months.”

3.You must have a plan. How will you lose 10 pounds in two months? Write it down. This can be as simple as saying, “I will walk 30 minutes a day five days a week.”

Be patient. Be consistent. Remember that anything new takes time getting used to doing. Our lives are short. Our bodies are wearing down, but God calls us to be stewards of this marvelous machine.

Don S. Otis is the author of Staying Fit After Forty and a personal trainer living in Canon City, Colorado. He can be reached at Don@veritasincorporated.com © 200

Summer Is Over, Now What?

By Don Otis

For many of us, summer is filled with activity. We take vacations. We get outside. Then comes the fall and we scramble to fill our woodshed or prepare our garden for the dormant winter months. Aside from shoveling snow, our winter workouts consist of channel surfing or shivering to stay warm.

I lived and worked in North Idaho for fifteen years. When I first moved there from southern California, it was an adjustment. I spent many of my evenings at a gym, playing squash, swimming, running or lifting. Then I discovered running outside, even in the snow. I took an old pair of running shows and placed about eight short flat-headed screws around the parameter of the sole. The screws give traction on the snow and ice, a bit like having studded snow tires.

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The Balance Between Long and Short Term Goals

What are your goals?  Yes, I posed that question last month.  Goals are an integral part of life.  They are vital to personal growth and development in every area of life – fitness, spiritual, intellectual, vocational, and even family.

Far too many people float through life without any goals.  I asked one of my sons recently, “What do you want to accomplish in school this year?”  He said, “I don’t know.”  Then I asked, “How about football?”  He said, “I don’t know.”  I said, “If you don’t know, I sure don’t either!”

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