“Change is in the Air”
Can you hear it? Feel it? Sense it? Spring is here! Finally! It has been a long time coming, but the sounds of the spring peepers and morning doves, the wonderful warmth of the sun on your skin, and the smell and sights of the daffodils springing up all around us is proof that a change is happening. It is a season of new growth, new beginnings and everything around us is coming alive, saying goodbye to the past and not looking back, at least for several months. This month, I am approaching a change called aging, as I am now another year older. It is causing me to re-evaluate many things in my life and realize that I too need change, a new beginning, a fresh start. Do you? Have you fallen off the wagon since January or did you maybe never get on it? Is exercise your enemy or your drug of choice? Do you eat to live or live to eat? Take a good look at where you are right now, and let me give you some pointers on how to use this time of year to motivate you to change in the direction in which you want and need to go.
In the fitness world there is a phrase used quite often called the “80/20” rule. It typically applies to diet, meaning eat healthy 80% of the time and the other 20% do not worry so much about. It can apply to many things in life. For me, I am a typical “Type A” personality, who is stubborn, determined, and driven, to a fault sometimes, causing me to over train and burn myself out with injuries, etc. In other words, I tend to be 100/0. So, I need to go in the other direction a little bit, and according to those around me, find some “balance.” J Where do you fall on that spectrum? 80/20? 50/50? 20/80? Did you start off the new year going full steam ahead at 100/0, only to burn out and quit? Or have you been maintaining a 30/70 ratio in many areas of your life, not leading the healthy lifestyle that you desire?
As I have stated in previous articles, it has always been odd to me to form resolutions in January. Let’s face it… who wants to start a walking or cycling program outside in the freezing cold, icy, windy conditions? We are forced inside, which for most people is boring, and if you are new to an exercise program, it can be enough of a boredom and dread to you, that you drop out within 3 months, along with the other 60% who made resolutions. So, why not now? Use the warmth of the sunshine, the smell of the lush, green grass, and the sounds of nature as motivation to get you out the door and start being more active. The rails to trails offer a safe place to walk, jog or ride bike, and you can easily take your strength workout outside to a local park or even your back yard. Bring your kids along, play catch with them, or start up a friendly game of “pig.” There are several local walking/hiking trails that will offer breathtaking views, wildlife sightings, and a calorie burning workout. Find a soccer, softball or volleyball league that you can join, and remind yourself how it felt as a kid when spring came and all you wanted to do was go outside and play!
Are you stressed out? Finances, work, kids, pets, etc. can all get you down and cause extreme amounts of anxiety. Maybe change for you means figuring out a way to handle the stress in your life, whether that means changing the way you do things in certain areas, or just taking some time out to rest and unwind. Bring a yoga mat outside and practice a few poses or just sit there and breathe in the warm, spring air. Maybe you are on the opposite side of things and have been lazy, hiding not only from the cold, winter air, but also hiding from your obligations, healthy eating habits and health in general. In this case, you need something that will jolt you, cause a little positive stress, and move you closer to the other side of the spectrum. Call a friend, meet for a walk and then a cup of coffee. Pick yourself up off the couch and make a conscious effort to start tackling projects you have been letting go, one small step at a time. Again, balance is necessary in everyone’s life and in all aspects of life. Decide where you stand on that scale, and use this time of year to change in a positive direction.
What better time of year to start a healthy eating regimen. In January you decided to eat more healthfully and cut out the junk, but instead of seasonal, fresh fruits and vegetables, you were faced with mac and cheese, bags of chips, leftover holiday cookies and events like super bowl Sunday, which can cause any one of us to fall of the wagon! Frozen fruits and veggies, and even canned ones, are still good for you and offer great benefit for low cost, however, when you first walk in a store you are not surrounded by that. You typically face the chips and bottles of soda on sale, and the produce section, which in the dead of winter holds some pretty sad looking products. If you walk into a store now, you will see fruits and vegetables that are greener, riper, and actually look pretty darn good. Buy them! Eat them! Take advantage of what this season offers you and move towards that 80/20 goal. Not only is there fresh produce, but you can find all kinds of meats and seafood on sale for grilling, including tuna steaks, chicken, and pork chops. Capitalize on the specials and the sunshine and break out your grill!
Where are you right now in every area of your life? Are you pushing yourself too hard, whether through exercise, your job or your family demands, where not only did you get on the wagon, but you are holding the reins and traveling at 90mph? Or are you lacking energy, lazy, unmotivated, and unhealthy, having fallen off the wagon months ago, not quite sure how to get back on it? Well, now is the time to make your move! Change is most definitely in the air, and I for one am using this time of year to push myself to find balance and to remind myself that God wants me to enjoy life too. It does not always have to be all one way or all another. Balance. Change. New beginnings. Spring has sprung and now should you!
reitzway 