The marketing person was clever (I think).
It was a collection including class packages, gym memberships, spa packages, quit smoking programs, yoga retreats, pedometers, workout gear, meal packages, luggage.
One was not expected to buy all the packages, they were just grouped together for marketing purposes.
It caught my attention.
I had no interest in anything offered.
The concept of staying focused caught my attention.
As this posts today, January IS half done.
"All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking."
Friedrich Nietzsche
Walking for pleasure, yes. Walking for exercise, in my opinion, no. If we are thinking while walking for exercise, then we are not pushing ourselves hard enough, not keeping a good speed. Monkey mind and exercise do not meld.
"The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play."
Arnold Toynbee
I understand we have to find things we like (intentional exercise). But (in my opinion) there is a difference between waiving ones body parts around and true work/output/conditioning.
When I was in active weight loss, 2005-6, I kept the same schedule for a quarter (3 mos) and then reevaluated and changed.
Often this change occurred because I had maxed out of the level I was and needed to move on for more challenge. The simplest example of this was when I left Cur\/es to move to a gym. Or when I moved to a more challenging free weights class. Sometimes the change was forced as class schedules or facilities or teachers changed.
Whether it was a forced by circumstances or it was a needed because of conditioning, these changes were important to my process.
I have two notes on this:
1. I had to actually do the exercise CONSISTENTLY.
2. I had to learn to shut off my mind and do the work WELL.
to progress.
But every single time, the change was hard.
These changes are still hard.
I am someone who sort of sticks with the same routine. This can be dependable/consistent or sometimes it can be fear/anxiety.
I am still aware, every day, how easy it would be to fall off the wagon. Things still come up where I miss classes. And each time, as I go back, I am aware of how easy it would be to just slip away.
Just like we have lost bloggers in weight loss/maintenance blog land, I have lost classmates on a very regular basis.
Going back to class, this time, was hard. Those I don't wanna, I need a few more days, just this once flitted through my brain. I had to make myself. I had to get out of my own way.
4 comments:
In today's post I wrote:
"When I was in active weight loss, 2005-6, I kept the same schedule for a quarter (3 mos) and then reevaluated and changed."
I forgot to include my second round of weight loss in 2009 (I had to look on my side bar to see when that was, time flies so fast).
I dramatically changed up what I was doing to drop my last 20 lbs.
I did it in slightly less than 6 mos and it was sort of a part time job. I was very focused and did a lot of cardio, dropped my carb intake and ate carbs earlier in the day.
It takes a change to make a change.
I think this is very true through the different thresholds on the way down the scale.
Hmmm. Interesting post. I know that consistent exercise is the missing link in my weight loss, but so far the voice in me that rebels against it usually wins.
For now I am happy with myself in that I do lots of flailing of the arms and breathing heavy sorta things. If I get out and chug up the hills for 40 minutes or so I put it in the plus column.
I want to say that I will become class girl, but I am not sure I want it bad enough yet. Maybe it is because I spent my entire childhood and part of early adulthood going to practice. I hated it. Every single solitary minute. So I weigh it and it never wins out. Hence, I exercise when I and how I want. Not a great plan really, but that is where I am.
I could think while exercising. I can think while exercising. Especially repetitive things like cardio - Elliptical, laps ion the pool, lifting weights. I only have to concentrate when the form counts and the form is not yet built into me.
I walked for years. I'm sure my heart appreciated it, but it did nothing for weight loss.
40 minutes of elliptical with 20 minutes oftreadmil intervals is what worked for me.
Set bike up on a trainer last night, so I have something here to do. I think I'd rather have an elliptical though
This is probably what I admire most about you - the fact that you go back so faithfully. It's something I'm still working on.
I agree with the idea that one would need to step up and change every few months or so as the body gets stronger and more able to move.
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