One day into the 25 Days of Healthy Christmas, and already an obstacle has cropped up.
While out for tea with Ryan Correy yesterday -- a professional and very competitive cyclist – I shared with him my plan for the holiday season. He listened patiently while I excitedly laid out my goal for the month, and when I was done, he offered me a different perspective.
"It sounds to me like you're doing now what everyone does in January," Ryan said. "But if you're trying to beat the typical January workout frenzy, maybe you should be using this month instead to get into a routine that you want to settle into over the next year."
I had to ask myself if that is the case. Am I just beating other January workout zealots to the couch by a month with this plan of mine?
A little less motivated and plagued by doubt, I thought a walk and some sunshine would do me some good. It would also be a tactical move to fulfill my daily exercise requirement.
A little less motivated and plagued by doubt, I thought a walk and some sunshine would do me some good. It would also be a tactical move to fulfill my daily exercise requirement.
The weather was perfect for a brisk walk in little more than a cozy sweater (I joyfully ditched the ski jacket at home today), and the stroll gave me a chance to reflect on why I decided to take Christmas to the healthy extreme this year.
Ryan was right, I thought: going crazy for one month -- regardless of whether it's a Christmas or a New Year's resolution -- is not the way to create a sustainable, healthy lifestyle. But I'm stubborn, and I have committed to this month of health so I am going to do it.
What I will add to the mix, though, is some serious reflection on how to maintain a dedication to regular exercise come January, and how to find fun ways to stay active in the great city that is Calgary. My walk in the park with little Archie turned out to be a beautiful marriage of both healthy reflection and healthy activity, and a great launch to my holiday mission.
I can't wait for Day 2. I'm thinking, though, that I should make a plan so I don't get stuck in a rut of just hitting the gym every day.
Any suggestions as to what I can do for fun and exercise over the next 24 days?
Keep me posted on any ways that I can help. What you are doing, it's a good thing friend!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ryan! A new blog update is coming soon. While I've been slacking on the writing portion of this goal, such has not been the case for my commitment to working out.
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