The Problem and the Solution. And Another Challenge!

How do you encourage people to take on a self-improvement project?  Like exercising or fitness-training.  Many of us would like results, but we are not always able to sustain our effort long enough to achieve those results.  I'm not going to speculate here on why that is, but I believe that sustained effort calls for a great deal of informed motivation.  Motivation, by itself, may not be enough.  You have to be informed.  You have to know what you are getting yourself into - what to expect.

Here's my perspective on that, and my solution.  This may burst your illusion bubble, but you will need a long-term view (a month is probably a reasonable timeframe).  Initially, you should expect a bit of chaos as you change your routines.  You may feel physically tired and, if you are working your muscles, they will probably feel stiff and sore.  This shouldn't be more than discomfort and shouldn't last more than a few days.  If so, you are probably overdoing it.  You will need at least TWO WEEKS to normalize your new routine/schedule.  And it may take THREE WEEKS before you really feel any kind of physical improvement.  I`m suggesting you'll need FOUR WEEKS before you actually start enjoying the workout and how you are feeling overall.

So, can you put out an effort for THREE WEEKS with no guarantee that you'll feel better in that time?  That's the question we all need to answer.  And this is exactly the fitness challenge we are throwing down for you to consider.

Here is my solution to the problem of sustaining effort for a month (or more).  A Mentor.  Mentors are people who have traveled a bit further down the road of experience than we have.  They aren't necessarily older.  They just have more experience in the particular area we are interested in.  I propose that if:  a) you are fairly active, b) you are not afraid of regular physical exercise, and c) you enjoy sharing your experience with those who want to learn. . . you qualify!  Be a FITNESS MENTOR.

Here is my challenge to any qualified fitness mentor:  find at least five people who are interested in doing a fitness challenge this February, step into their life, and mentor them through this challenge.  All six of you will benefit.  By the way, with the Internet, you can do this from anywhere on the planet.

I didn't feel like it. . .

So, today I had a workout scheduled.  But I didn't feel like doing it.  In fact, I didn't feel like doing ANYTHING.  The reasons paraded past my mind:  "You're just getting over a cold."  "You're tired."  "You haven't had lunch yet".  "If you eat lunch now, you won't be able to work out until later."  "You don't really HAVE to work out today."  So I puttered around the workout room moving things from one place to another and having the strange conversation above with myself.

I probably would have caved and gone back upstairs except that a familiar thought struck me: Discipline is not pleasant.   Sometimes, it even hurts.  The results show up later.  And you usually don't get a parade or a medal.  I did the workout.  There was no parade.

So much for marketing, eh?  The reality is that almost always, in my experience, when you do the workout anyway, you feel better afterward.  The key is to learn to recognize and ignore the "I don't feel like it" voice which really just cheats you out of accomplishing things that take work.

As you plan and start doing your own fitness challenges, expect to hear from "I don't feel like it" on a regular basis.  Ignore it and do what you set out to do anyway.

The Blog Launches!

December 4, 2015.  Today, we launched our blog to pass along updates and encouragement as we train for and participate in our respective fitness challenges.  Good work, everyone!

University Hospital Foundation posts Mom's story.

December 3, 2015.  Earlier this week, the Royal University Hospital Foundation website posted the story of the 10,000 Kettlebell Challenge.