True confessions. I’ve been working here at SAS for 15+ years and I have never used the Recreation and Fitness Center. That’s not quite true. I frequently go there to get a diet lemonade or a cup of coffee if our machine is not working. I have picked up some discount movie tickets on occasion. I use Campus Cuts and have had a massage or two. I even used the shower facilities when we lost power at our house. You catch the drift...I haven’t used the RFC for its main purpose—exercise and fitness.

Do you remember your Orientation? I do. I was so excited about all the “perks” including the fitness center. I immediately got my health check so I could have access to the facilities. So, what went wrong?! As I reflect in this New Year, I would say, “Good intentions, but no goal.”

I still have good intentions…even more so than I did 15 years ago. Now that I have rounded age 60 and have attended many Work/Life seminars on aging and dementia, I am quite aware of the value of exercise when it comes to good mental & cognitive health not to mention physical health. And, yes, there might be a wee bit of pride. I had cataract surgery last month, so maybe I’m also proving to myself that I am not that old. 

Well, I’m going out on a limb here and declare that I am setting an exercise goal for the first quarter of 2017. I am already accomplishing several aspects of good goal-setting. I am writing this down with a timeframe and I am establishing accountability. You all (and more specifically my Work/Life Department colleagues as your proxy) are going to hold my feet to the fire. 🙂

Now for specificity. I am going to arrive at RFC at 6:30 am on Tuesday and Thursday mornings to use the AMT fitness machine for 30 minutes. And then on Saturdays I will walk the 3.5 mile loop near my house. I will do this for a period of 3 months (January – March) and re-evaluate.

Preparations have been made:

• I have checked with the RFC, and, believe it or not, my health check is still on file. I’m good to go.
• I have visited the RFC and identified the machine I am going to use and found out how to use it. I have also requested a time with a personal trainer to review my fitness goals.
• I have gathered my make-up and toiletries in a bag that I can keep in the car for easy access. I just wish I had a personal stylist to dress me. Actually, that sounds too fancy for me. Really, what I want is to harken to the days when I went camping and my mom would roll up a shirt, shorts, underwear and socks in a bundle, rubber band it, and label each bundle with a day of the week. Life was easy. 🙂
• I have purchased sufficient quantities of greek yogurt, granola, and small containers to prepare my breakfast the night before so I can grab it from the fridge as I head out the door.

Potential obstacles or roadblocks:

• Weather. No problem on Tuesday or Thursday. I’ll be inside. Saturdays might be an issue. Back-up plan. Walk on Sunday or walk in the mall nearby.
• Motivation (or lack thereof). The desire to hit the snooze button will be strong at 5:45 am.  I have two antidotes: a mantra of "you snooze, you lose", and I have given my husband permission to push me out of bed. 🙂 In terms of the weekend walk: I will save my favorite podcast ("On Being" with Krista Tippett) for the walk and I will not allow myself to listen to it if I am not walking.
• Sickness or injury. I’m pretty healthy, but if I do get sick, I will cut myself some slack and get back to it when I am feeling better.

Now, it would be easy for me to judge myself and say things like, “I can’t believe you have waited so long to start.” …or “If you were really committed to getting in shape you would exercise all parts of your body and also start doing yoga or Pilates.” …or “You are going to do this twice and then quit…like all the other times you made a new year’s resolution to exercise.” I choose not to listen to these voices in my head.

Baby steps. No shame. I did my 30 minutes of exercise this morning for the first time in 2017. Huzzah!