As the new year begins, thoughts about our health and how to improve it, naturally loom.
I acquired an apple watch in part to provide accurate feedback on my progress. As we know, humans are not always accurate or objective reporters of our behavior. I assumed an electronic device will keep me honest.
In our first week together, the watch reports that I have failed to meet the exercise goal. A medley of feelings flood my brain like strident notes emanating from a discordant symphony. I wonder if I really need another voice telling me to shape up.
I fight back. "You're not perfect either," I say to the watch. "You neglected to give credit for a flight of stairs I climbed, or time I spent stretching on the mat."
But of course, arguing with an electronic device is laughable and a waste of time.
To get at the nitty-gritty of the struggle, Newton's Law of Inertia comes in handy. Simply put, the principle states that an object will remain at rest until a force is applied to it. Like every other body at rest, we experience inertia and have to apply force to put our reluctant bodies in motion. The effort equates to work!
In addition, we have to cope with our intra-psychic "saboteurs," those myriad voices that race through our brain and impede our intra-psychic "saviors" from taking positive, constructive action.
Sadly, some of us wait until late in the game. Mr. N. suffered from a very rapid heart rate exacerbated by emphysema from years of smoking. Emergency care saved his life. A course of physical therapy helped him recognize the value of incorporating exercise into his daily routine.
Sabotaging messages include the following thoughts:
Exercising doesn't really make a difference.
No one cares.
No one knows if I exercise or not.
I'd rather eat or do anything else.
The temperature/weather is too hot/too cold
I'm going to die anyway.
I'm too old to start now.
But Ms. K. an 88 year old proves that it is never too late to begin. She said, "I understand now why I need to exercise. I feel better without discomfort in my back and knees on the days I stretch."
Once I put the saboteurs in perspective, I recall the words of a yoga instructor from years ago who spoke of maintaining the triad of flexibility, strength, and balance of all our muscle groups.Helpful too is to think of the few minutes of exercise as the most important of our day. I've discovered that 15-20 minutes a day grants hours of pain-free living.
Exercise is not meditation. This is not about staying in the moment. If we're swallowed up in the discomfort of the moment, we're less likely to repeat the ordeal/tedium. At first, then, we need to set our sites on the future--imagining the beautiful, healthy, erect body and capitalizing on the benefit of hours with no pain.
Exercise becomes easier as we build it into a routine. The consistency, a little each day, is more advantageous than infrequent bursts of extended workouts.
After it becomes routine, exercise can become a kind of meditation. Yogis and long distance runners describe the meditative benefits.Helpful tools include listening to music that distract us from the effort and tedium. Also giving rewards like eating breakfast afterward.
Royal Canadian Air Force Exercise Plans for Physical Fitness (1962) includes gentle, easy, equipment-free exercises that can be performed in 11 minutes.
The New York Times 7 minute workup, a bit more strenuous, is another valuable reference.
Two weeks have passed and my Apple Watch and I have come to terms with each other. I do 15-20 minutes of stretches and add 10,000 steps of walking which I achieve rather easily by engaging in the activities of daily living (commonly referred to as ADL) This is as simple and economical as it gets.
The good news is that we have choices: Whatever exercise you choose is fine.
The only choice we best eliminate is the choice to do nothing.
Conclusion: This equation is simple:a few minutes of discipline equals hours of comfort, pleasure, a lengthened lifespan, and less time spent on medical procedures.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.