2017 Miles Day 32

GET READY - SET - GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The first day of the February Challenge

This month the focus two fold - exercise the trinity and limit soda.

Onward to the February Challenge - Here's a video to get you motivated and commit to this next challenge.............  ARE YOU READY???  In 1960s school children across the nation exercised to this iconic "Go You Chicken Fat Go".    Time to bring it back................ 

Go You Chicken Fat Go

Part I:  Exercise the Trinity

I've been thinking about how I'm going to approach this months exercise the trinity challenge.  My Self isn't made up of just a physical being, it is also a cognitive being, and an emotional being.  The core of my Self is a soul from which radiates the spiritual energy of my being.  The approach I'm going to take is to not just exercise one aspect of my Self, but three; physical, cognitive, and emotional. I call it the Trinity of Self

How am I exercising my physical being?

This is probably the easiest of the three;  there is an outward physicality that is easy to measure objectively.  Comparing my Self to what others do is not the point here - what do I do?

How am I exercising my cognitive being?  

Cognitive - hmmmmm???  This is a bit harder to evaluate.  What do I do to exercise my brain?  Do I read?  Do I use mental math or depend on a calculator?  Do I do activities that strengthen my memory?

How am I exercising my emotional being? 

Another hmmmmmmm???  This is not easy.  Dig into that closet ... way back there.......  What do I hear my Self saying?  What conversations do I have with my Self?  What negative, irrational thoughts are continuously interrupting?  What trips the trigger?  How do I react to change, stress, anger, sadness ......  ???

Part II:  Limit Sodas to one/day or Not at All  

This can be tough especially if your body is accustomed to drinking several a day.  Just like the January challenge of limiting alcohol consumption to one or none, You have to make the commitment to change.  You have to say "I will"  instead of just an "I'll try".  Yes - it's going to be hard.  No one ever said that a long-time habit is easy to change.  Remember - no words from outside can make you change.  It's the words from You saying "I Will" that makes the difference.

Goal Setting:

Now, set some goals.  The objective here is not to set a final end or finish line that will be accomplished and then done.  For example - I am not going to set a goal of losing 10 lbs. If the goal is to lose 10 lbs and that goal is not met it has an effect on the emotional being.  Feelings of defeat and disappointment creep in.  Instead, I am going to set a goal to increase my physical activity by running an extra 5 minutes every day for the next 4 days.  Be specific.  Just saying "I'm going to increase my physical activity to exercise my physical being." is not going to do it, setting a specific goal will.

Goals are personal. Write them down.  Every day set a goal to exercise the physical, cognitive, and emotional being.    It's not a matter of hearing that little engine saying, "I think I can.  I think I can."  It's hearing your self say, "I know I can!!!"

I decided I would break this month into smaller bites, keeping in mind my final end of the month goal, and gradually working up to it.

Here are my goals for the next 4 days:

• Physical Exercise:  Walk or run 5 minutes more every day.  After 4 days I will have increased my run by 20 minutes.  I will also include 10 minutes of weight lifting or another non-running activity into my schedule every day.

• Emotional Exercise:  Sit quietly (no distractions, no music, no excuses) for 5 minutes at the start and end of every day and have a conversation with your Self.  Put aside negative self talk and replace it with positive words.  Yawn big - smile big - give your self a mental (or physical high-5) and start your day, or go to sleep.  This is also a good time to pray quietly.  Just 5 minutes at the beginning of your day, and 5 minutes at the end is a total of 10 minutes.

• Cognitive Exercise:  During these next 4 days I'm going to spend 10 minutes daily exercising my brain (instead of randomly cruising Facebook). There are several websites that have cognitive exercises.  I found one that I'm going to try out Brain Games.  I thought about Lumosity, but wasn't sure I wanted to pay the subscription price.  Actually, reading, balancing the checkbook (without a calculator), playing a musical instrument, are all cognitive exercises.

• I will continue to hydrate my body with refreshing drinks that are not a soda or alcoholic beverage.

Read this article:  How to Restart an Exercise Routine


Now Get Out There!!!!