by Dan | Dec 23, 2012 | Exercise, Goals, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health, Winter
It is easy to get frustrated this time of year when it comes to trying to stay active. It is cold outside, and all the “white” outside can get kind of boring. You have to narrow your focus down. When you try to look at the big picture, it can be very daunting. It is too easy to say, “not today”. You have to pick out certain things as you are going to focus and concentrate on, and the task can be much more managable.
Narrow your focus, and your goals, to one thing at a time. See it for what it is, then focus and concentrate on something else. Before you know it, you have already gone further than you thought. If you focus just on the “cold”, or try to look or handle too much at one time, it is easy to quit, or worse yet, never even get started. Make that part of your New Years Resolution. “Chip away it things”. Don’t “bite” off more than you can chew. You need to make it realistic. Many of the times that we don’t succeed at our goals is because our goals are too far out of reach to be achievable. Break it apart. Work your way up to the “ulitmate goals” that you set for yourself, but make the path along the way in smaller increments. You will get there faster, easier, and with a much better attitude. Remember, the best things in life are not always the final goal or destination, but the trip you encountered getting there. Enjoy life along the way. Happy Holidays! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1814
by Dan | Dec 13, 2012 | Exercise, Goals, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health, Winter
How do you get yourself motivated to exercise? This is a question i hear all of the time. For me, it is my escape. Time for me, to relax, think, however I want to handle it. Whether indoors or outdoors, both have advantages/disadvantages. With the snow out now, I definitely have to think a little more whether I run outside, especially with snow and ice, and with the bike trails covered, being on the road, and being safe. I often times find myself struggling to get motivated to keep going as well. I try to keep reminding myself how I feel when I do this, and this often times pushes me out the door. I always try to thing of something positive to go on as well.
Sometimes, you have to imagine you are away somewhere, and keep your thoughts of this. Especially if it is cold outside, it helps to think of somewhere warm. Your attitude is the majority of your ability to get moving. You decide to sit, or to move. Which would you rather do?
Keep your attitude moving in the right direction, and you will soon find your body doing the same thing. I said before in the classes we teach…this is not rocket science. If there was a pill that truly could motivate you to go and exercise, we would have it made. As I have said before, things in life worth having are worth fighting/working for. They mean so much more this way. Keep staying positive with the change in weather, and heading officially into winter. You can still exercise, but you have to think about how you are going to do this. Keep moving everybody.
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1804
by Dan | Dec 2, 2012 | Exercise, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health, Winter
Well, we don’t have any snow yet, but the weather keeps changing, and keeps adding in some of these cold days. We got very lucky this weekend, reaching up and over 50 degrees yesterday and today. Take advantage of these days, and get outside and move. I saw many people out today doing just that: biking, walking, running. This is December! In South Dakota! Take advantage of them. Here one side of the lake the wind has blown to shove the ice that is developing. From the other side:
…More ice is seen, but leaves a very pretty design. We really do need the moisture, but at this point, there is nothing else we can do about that. We can make a change to get out and be active, and take advantage of what nature has given us. When temperatures are like this, it oveall does not make Winter seem so long. Keeping being positive, and keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1793
by Dan | Nov 23, 2012 | Exercise, Holidays
Here is our Brown Clinic float for the Lighted Parade here following Thanksgiving. Very cold out, but the wind had gone way down. It was nice to get out and walk, and was much easier to stay warm moving. All in all, it was a good turn out again this year. Our theme this year was “Have a yabba-dabba-do Christmas” with the Flinstones characters. The Flinstones car is sitting in the trailer here.
Here we are. Pebbles, Bam Bam, Wilma, Betty, and Fred. Our float won for “Most Original”. It was a scramble to get set before the judging. Our generator went out when we pulled up in line, and we had to go find someone with another one, but got it set up in time. It is always a good time to start off following Thanksgiving.
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1784
by Dan | Nov 11, 2012 | Exercise, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health
Well, the weather keeps changing, but we don’t have snow staying yet. Yesterday was at least relatively warm, but foggy and rainy. Then the wind came up, and now is very cold. All in all, this just makes it tough to stay motivated to exercise. You just have to realize the time we may be able to spend outside gets more limited, but we have other alternatives. We can do exercise indoors, whether we have our own equipment, belong to an exercise facility, or go walking in the mall. I know I just feel better when I can still exercise, but there is nothing like being outside when it is nice. I have to keep coming up with other things for me, or at least reminding myself, why I keep exercising. I have to continuously focus on this, or it would be too easy to just say “forget it”, and “I don’t feel like it”. I feel worse if I don’t do it.
So, as hard as it may be to do, you have to keep reminding yourself of the positives with all of this. Yesterday, Steve and I went outside for a long run. Yes, it was foggy, rainy on and off, BUT…it was relatively warm, and essentially no wind. It was a very relaxing run. Felt very good, and felt even better after we were done. Sometimes you may have to dig down deep, but keep looking for those positives. I think this will be a good time to start to refocus on motivation aspects to help get us heading into winter, and to keep going. I am no different than all the rest of you. I have to keep myself motivated as well. Keep your chin up, keep looking ahead, and keep moving everybody.
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1872
