Happy New Year and Best Wishes for 2022!
Happy New Year and Best Wishes for a Healthy 2022!
January 14th is officially titled “Quitter’s Day” because by mid-January, many if not most of us have quit our New Year’s resolutions. Rather than blaming yourself for lack of resolve or ability to follow through, how about we all show ourselves a bit more compassion and revisit our goals?
If we have learned anything in the past 2 years, it is to be flexible. Plans, goals and dreams get made and then have to change. We live and learn and adjust and still try to live our best lives, and then sometimes we just don’t.
Back in September (honestly, I can’t remember if it was September of 2020 or 2021! Sound familiar?!) I wrote a blog on why it is so hard to keep our healthy habits during the pandemic. It is still a good, research-backed read, so check it out here.
Our lack or change of habits severely impacts our behavior. Before COVID, like many of you, I had a great routine with regular and varied exercise that included the gym, the trail, the studio. Since then, everything is different, and harder to stick with.
So here is my advice: start small and be reasonable and realistic in setting your health goals for this year, or maybe just this month, or even just today.
Identify your “why’s” - perhaps you want to feel better when you wake up, or feel less tired later in the day, or go up the stairs with less pain, or just feel more present and in control in your body. These are internal why’s, and are very powerful. If you can feel better in your body, you may be more likely to stick with your goals than an external why, such as getting to a particular number on the scale, or fitting into your skinny jeans.
If you don’t succeed in meeting a goal one day, forgive yourself and try the next. Notice how you feel in your body, without judgement, and then compare that to how you feel when you do accomplish your goal.
Recognize that navigating life during the “damn-pemic” is very challenging, cut yourself some slack AND do something positive for your health.
And you need help, I’m here for you.
Stay well!
Kathleen McDonough
PT, MA, NCPT Physical Therapist &Nationally Certified Pilates TeacherMarin County