An athletic resolution that’s reasonable and healthy

  • By Bruce Overstreet
  • Thursday, January 2, 2014 3:20pm
  • Life

It’s that time of year again. For some of us, we’ve looked back at the end of 2013 with more than a twinge of sarcasm, skepticism, and pessimism. This happens because we look back at the mistakes we made, the broken commitments, and the misguided decisions of the past 365 days. Too often this becomes a time to acknowledge our vulnerability, our frailties, our weaknesses. And we don’t like to face those.

And yet, if you’re like me, you continue to go through the motions of the New Year’s resolution ritual — we make a commitment to something we find to be valuable, something that we want to accomplish that takes effort and daily commitment. But we know. Deep down we know it’s likely that we will fail at maintaining our focus and drive for 365 days. It’s over the months, weeks, and repeated days where we lose our commitment. Things come up. I know.

I don’t know when something really becomes a habit — 21 days? 40 days? 366 days? — but I do know the less you have to think about whether you are going to actually do the act, the more likely it will become a habit.

So, here’s my New Years’ commitment: I’m going to do something physical every day for at least ten minutes. That’s it. Pretty simple. And pretty easy to manage because I am striking a balance.

By doing something physical, I mean that I’m going to push my heart rate above its resting rate for that ten-minute period. Or else I’m going to spend at least ten minutes calming myself down, lowering my resting heart rate which has just as much value as the times when I push to elevate it. Pretty clever, isn’t it?

This actually is a variation of what I did two years ago, where I committed to running at least a mile a day, every day. I got up to over 450 days before my body finally gave out on me. And in that I learned a valuable lesson.

What I discovered with the commitment to running at least one mile a day was that during the stretch of the 450+ days, I became obsessed with keeping “The Streak” going. I’d occasionally come home just before 12:00 midnight, put my running shoes on, head out the door in pitch darkness and trudge six blocks down the street before turning around, just to get my mile in.

“The Streak” did become something that I didn’t even think about, a real habit. But it was about as healthy as eating the entire orange tree, roots and all, to get the Vitamin C. In fact, my wife often would roll her eyes as I put the shoes on regardless of the weather, the time or location.

And she was justified.

The beauty of “The Streak” was how absolutely non-negotiable it was. And, truthfully, at least one mile a day wasn’t that much. But, I wasn’t responsive to my body. And there were days when my body screamed out. There were some days when I really shouldn’t have been out there running, when I was sick, or slightly injured, or on the razor’s edge of being seriously injured.

Now I know better. So, now this year it’s about striking a balance.

As we get older and our bodies have more needs, it’s critical that we listen and then take appropriate action. These days, I like the Dr. Phil approach to becoming physically active again. Ask often: “How’s that working for you?” If it’s not working, it’s time to adjust.

This is my attempt to listen and respond to my body. So, ten minutes of intentional stretching, ten minutes of resistance lifting, or even ten minutes of peaceful meditation can be just as beneficial as a ten-minute run. In fact, sometimes it can be significantly more beneficial.

As you get back into a physical routine, keep it manageable. But also, keep it challenging. A paradox? Yes. But we’re looking at bodies that aren’t in their twenties anymore. I like the ambiguity of having to figure out this manageable and challenging threshold. It holds great possibilities for us. Let’s embrace it. And let’s stay after it!

Note: I would love to hear what others are physically committing themselves to for 2014. This is an exciting time of year, where a little support group can really prompt people to stay committed. Feel free to email me (secondwindactivities@gmail.com) or simply make it public in the comments below. There are some great resources out there and I would love to help people find the right resource.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

Sarah Jean Muncey-Gordon puts on some BITCHSTIX lip oil at Bandbox Beauty Supply on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Langley, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bandbox Beauty was made for Whidbey Island locals, by an island local

Founder Sarah Muncey-Gordon said Langley is in a renaissance, and she’s proud to be a part of it.

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

Byrds co-founder Roger McGuinn, seen here in 2013, will perform April 20 in Edmonds. (Associated Press)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

R0ck ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn, frontman of The Byrds, plans a gig in Edmonds in April.

Mother giving in to the manipulation her daughter fake crying for candy
Can children be bribed into good behavior?

Only in the short term. What we want to do is promote good habits over the course of the child’s life.

Speech Bubble Puzzle and Discussion
When conflict flares, keep calm and stand your ground

Most adults don’t like dissension. They avoid it, try to get around it, under it, or over it.

The colorful Nyhavn neighborhood is the place to moor on a sunny day in Copenhagen. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves: Embrace hygge and save cash in Copenhagen

Where else would Hans Christian Andersen, a mermaid statue and lovingly decorated open-face sandwiches be the icons of a major capital?

Last Call is a festured artist at the 2024 DeMiero Jazz Festival: in Edmonds. (Photo provided by DeMiero Jazz Festival)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Jazz ensemble Last Call is one of the featured artists at the DeMiero Jazz Festival on March 7-9 in Edmonds.

Kim Helleren
Local children’s author to read at Edmonds Bookshop

Kim Helleren will read from one of her books for kids at the next monthly Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop on March 29.

Chris Elliott
Lyft surprises traveler with a $150 cleaning charge

Jared Hakimi finds a $150 charge on his credit card after a Lyft ride. Is that allowed? And will the charge stick?

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.