DECEMBER 31

Resolution to be more functionally active includes snow shoveling. Taken by Senagore December 30, 2017. All rights reserved.

Today is the last day of a long year.  It is the last 24 hours in which to make a change to improve your personal fitness in 2017. Huh? How can physical well-being be bettered in just 24 hours?
 
Consider this: it is how you will accomplish this task in 2018. ONE DAY AT A TIME. 
 
You’ll be incrementally better after today, and better after January 1, then January 2, and so on. Even if the improvement is small, you’ll be ‘better’.
 
If the commitment is not made each and every day to complete a scheduled workout, recovery activity, or merely a sitting-cessation break, your fitness will likely not improve over the upcoming 365 twenty-four-hour periods of the next year.
 
Which means a daily schedule is essential to implementing New Year Resolutions you set out to keep through 2018.  One definition of the noun “resolution” is: “a FIRM decision to do or not do something”. Like exercise more. Or become more fit. Or run a race.
 
Do you have Resolutions for 2018? A FIRM set of fitness and health goals “to do or not do” for the year? Draft your list today. Make it short and simple; three or less specific goals. Make adjustments tomorrow. Then develop a plan to reach each goal. Finally, rough out a weekly schedule. Spend the next few weeks refining the plan and schedule. Determine the start date as January 15. Make revisions throughout the year if needed, that allow you to persevere in reaching your goals.
                                                            
LAST DAY OF THE YEAR EXERCISE: On this last day of 2017, commit to performing a strength, mobility, balance, or aerobic activity you dread doing that is likely to be a component of your weekly schedule in 2018.  Just one repetition, sequence, or 10-minute time unit. Perhaps it will not be as awful or difficult as imagined, and you’ll decide to continue and complete just one set or sequence.  And perhaps another, or a full workout. For me this is a push-up. A pool lap, Dead Bug exercise, Hip Bridge.  For you it might be a run, stationary bike session, MYRTLS, or triceps dip.
 
Performing this one physical activity today will serve as a psychological exercise as well; one that proves you are up to the challenges set by your New Year Resolutions. And you’ll be ‘better’ today than you were on December 30.
 
You may find that performing the single ‘dreaded’ physical exercise is much easier than setting down resolutions, constructing a plan, and preparing a schedule.  However, I find that if I don’t make this effort, my resolve will not be FIRM enough to survive one week into the NewYear.
 
RUN HAPPY!