I like, many people, have had resolutions regarding weight
loss over the years. Often, I’ve done pretty well, and even hit those goals for
the scale. But once the goal was reached, the slow decline began, and I would
find myself back in the same boat all over again.
So for 2013, I changed my mindset. I committed to no longer
focusing on my wellness as a number on the scale. After all, the scale doesn't
tell the whole story. Don’t we all know thin people that get winded walking up
a couple flights of stairs? I didn't really want to be thin; I wanted to be
fit.
Forbes has a great article on the 5
Ways to Make Your New Year’s Resolution Stick, and I think these same components
were key for me in 2013.
Choose one not many
I began with a simple goal for 2013, log 350 miles of
running by the end of the year. This goal was also a pure fitness goal for me,
as that kind of consistent running would translate into making me more fit,
even if not significantly more thin.
Set action commitments
I also figured that I realistically could average about seven
miles per week or one mile per day. This also made for easy tracking. Either I
ran seven miles that week or not (or 28 – 31 miles for the month). This became
a very actionable goal for me; two to three runs per week would give me the
miles needed.
Put your goal in
writing and Tell a friend
I made my goal public, posting it on dailymile.com and
telling several friends and co-workers. The logging of my runs on dailymile.com
and other social media sites helped to hold me accountable. And the positive
reinforcement of friends helped keep me motivated.
Reward yourself
This is one step that I did not focus on. What would be my
reward? The warm fuzzy feeling of accomplishment? The feeling of good health? Food?
More on that later.
Results
In the early going, some weeks/months were tougher than others.
Life sometimes gets in the way of our best laid plans, but we must find ways to
overcome those obstacles. I missed just one monthly milestone, completing just
27 miles in February, falling one measly mile short. I resolved to not allow
that to happen again.
As the weeks and months progressed, I began to really notice
the mental/emotional therapeutic benefits of running. High stress days were better
after a run. Upcoming ‘big days’ were less stressful and that much easier to
deal with. High workloads and big deadlines were more easily managed. I began
to refer to this as ‘run therapy’ and tagged many of my social media running posts
with #RunTherapy.
The running bug began to hit after that. Beginning in July,
my weekly run totals moved from 6 – 10 miles to 15 – 20 miles. The feeling from
my RunTherapy slowly became my reward. The activity itself became the prize.
Even a ‘bad run’ produced the RunTherapy benefit that I had come to enjoy.
So, how did I do on that 350 mile goal? I hit 350 miles in
August, followed by 600 in November. And while not focused on weight or diet,
my running helped me to drop about 15 pounds over the course of the year as
well. But I am personally much more proud of my first double digit run (10.12
miles) than anything to do with the scale.
As 2013 comes to a close, I have logged 706 miles. I am
signed up for my first half marathon, the Groundhog’s Day Half scheduled for February
2, 2014. And while my ‘shape’ isn't perfect, I am the most fit I have ever
been.
In 2014, I will first be focused on the half marathon. After
that, I will continue to reap the benefits of consistent RunTherapy, as I pursue
another 700 mile year. Other goals will come, as I feel they will produce the
desired fitness (emotional, mental, and/or physical) result.
So in 2014, set one goal and make it happen, whether
fitness, financial, personal, or work related. And if you want my advice on something that
can change your life, Go Run! And experience what RunTherapy can do for you!