Keep Moving Weekly

Every year on Keep Moving Weekly, we use daylight savings time as a checkpoint in the year. In the Fall we look forward to spring, visualizing all the things you want to be doing in spring. Then we use that to inform and motivate exercising through the winter.

Visualization is a powerful tool used by the most successful athletes. You can use it too! Close your eyes and imaging yourself in spring 2024. What are you doing? How are you feeling?

Now use that as a guide and motivator this winter. What do you need to do those activities? Be as specific as possible. What movements do you need to be able to do that activity with ease? What skill does your body need: Strength? Stamina? Mobility? All three!?

Now set a plan to start at a level that meets you where you are now. Whether thats one strength exercises with water bottles in your hand or walking for five minutes or stretching before bed, the starting point needs to be at the level that does not cause pain or fatigue.

When you start at the level that feels good now, you get to feel good through the winter, and avoid the setbacks and discouragement of doing too much too soon.

Okay! Ready? Set? Go get ready for spring 2024!

Despite the recent snow here in centeral Massachusetts, springtime weather is not far away. Is your body ready?

Back in the Fall we took time to do a Spring Training exercise plan. Now it’s time to check in and learn from what worked and what didn’t. Why? Because awareness is the first step for lasting changes. When you want to be healthier, feel better and function better through weight loss, the learning never stops. Each season of life brings new challenges and opportunities to being healthy. The change of seasons, especially from winter to spring is one of the best times to learn how to sustain weight loss habits.

Lets start with what went well this winter. Looking back over the past few months, what are you feeling good abou?. This can be in any area of your health or wellbeing, not just exercising. Noticing what is working in one area allows you to apply that to other areas. Jot down what worked well in your calendar in October so you remember to consider doing this again.

Now, consider what you wish you did differently. Keep the mindset of observing with curiosity, with a good dose of self-compassion. What got in the way? Was that a temporary challenge or is it a more long term change for you now in life? If it was temporary, is there anything you woudl have done differntly? If its long range change, what do you need from exercise now? What is possible now?

Also consider if what you were planning on doing was realistic and meaningful. Often we overestimate what we can fit in for exercising. Try reworking it as a range, like 5-20 minutes of walking 3-5 days a week. This allows for exercise to still fit in even when ‘life’ starts getting in the way. Keep it meaningful by connectign it with what matters most in yoru life. Exercising to burn calories so you can lose weight is too far removed from your Why. That connection to what you value most in life is a key to staying motivated.

In your October calendar, write down the insights you gained from what didnt work well this past winter.

Winter can be one of the most challenging times to keep moving . Before you jump into springtime activities, get the most from this is the moment of the year by noting what you learned. Write it down so each witner it becomes easier to stay healthy and ready for springtime activities.

Keep Moving, Be Well

Janet