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CajunBlazer

(5,648 posts)
Mon Jan 2, 2017, 06:01 PM Jan 2017

Your New Years Exercise Resolution - A Promise to Yourself You Can Keep

Around this time every year millions of people around the world make a new years resolution to begin and maintain an exercise program. It obviously one of the best resolutions you can make. It seems like every day new evidence is published that exercise improves both your physical and mental health and not only lengthens our lives, but also improves our quality of our lives as we grow older.

However, like all promises we make to ourselves, we often actively pursue our exercise goals early on, but as the weeks and months pass we often become less and less enthusiastic until we again find ourselves on the couch doing nothing no more strenuous than changing channels with the remote control.

That's why every year about this time, I update and republish an article entitled, "Your New Year’s Exercise Resolution – A Promise to Yourself You Can Keep" on my blog, CajunsComments.com. Hopefully, it will be helpful in allowing you to actually keep your exercise New Years Resolution this year. The article can be found at:

Your New Year’s Exercise Resolution – A Promise to Yourself You Can Keep

12 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Your New Years Exercise Resolution - A Promise to Yourself You Can Keep (Original Post) CajunBlazer Jan 2017 OP
Good article oberliner Jan 2017 #1
My pleasure - hope it works for you CajunBlazer Jan 2017 #3
Thanks "CB" CentralMass Jan 2017 #2
Wow, losing 65 lbs in one year is a hell of an achievement CajunBlazer Jan 2017 #4
Thank you again for rhe suggestions. I ran cross country and the two mile in track in high school. CentralMass Jan 2017 #5
Yep, the weights will help in a number of ways. CajunBlazer Jan 2017 #6
I would love to know... CajunBlazer Jan 2017 #8
Kick for visibility CajunBlazer Jan 2017 #7
Kicking. n/t Yo_Mama Jan 2017 #9
Kicking CajunBlazer Jan 2017 #10
thanks for this Hamlette Jan 2017 #11
You're more than welcome CajunBlazer Jan 2017 #12

CentralMass

(15,265 posts)
2. Thanks "CB"
Mon Jan 2, 2017, 06:47 PM
Jan 2017

I ran 1.5 miles yesterday and 3 today. I lost the clasp on my Fitbit but used MapMyRun on my smartphone. I lost 65lbs last year and after not running in many years worked up to runnig 7 miles 4 or 5 times a week. I fell off the wagon and gained abot 30lbs back but am committed to startimg back up. I'll be 57 in a few months.

CajunBlazer

(5,648 posts)
4. Wow, losing 65 lbs in one year is a hell of an achievement
Mon Jan 2, 2017, 09:03 PM
Jan 2017

...but apparently you have also discovered how easy it is to slip back into old habits. Good to see you are back at it big time. No need to mention setting and achieving goals; you obviously know how to do that very well.

You are currently running infinitely more than I am, because I am no longer doing any running. I was a mile and distance runner in high school and continued running well into my adult life. However, running can be hard on your knees and mine are worn out from all the old karate injuries. Karate was also an excellent fitness activity from which I had to retire a year or so ago - knees again. I am older than you and I now have to be content with treadmill walking with elevation cranked in. (I can't get my heart rate up in my aerobic range just walking level.)

A couple of suggestions if I might: First, don't neglect at least light weight work if you can manage it unless that is already a feature of your regular job. (Maybe you are doing this already; you didn't mention it.) Weight work keeps all of our muscles and bones strong (absolutely essential as we grow older) and hard work is one of the only things that causes your bodies to manufacture High Density Lipoproteins (HDL's - the "good cholesterol&quot so it is excellent for your heart as well. (You will get some of that benefit from running as much as you do, but not as much as with weight work.)

Second, after you achiever your weight reduction goals, you might want to also branch out into other forms of exercise activities that you really enjoy. If you really enjoy running, its fine if that is you only aerobic activity (if you don't believe you are damaging your knees). However, if you are not one of those people who absolutely loves running, it can get old and sometimes leads to "falling off of the wagon" as you put it. Diversifying you aerobic activity and throwing in some weight work might help you stay on track.

I hope that you don't view the above a "preaching"; I just like sharing what I have learned the hard way over the many years. If you find my suggestions useful, well and good, but if not, please feel free to disregard them because aside from the information you have furnished, I'm only guessing.

CentralMass

(15,265 posts)
5. Thank you again for rhe suggestions. I ran cross country and the two mile in track in high school.
Mon Jan 2, 2017, 09:29 PM
Jan 2017

I ran for many years but not much in tbe last 15. I think that hiatus saved my joints. I also bought a Wieder sliding weight bench (a Total Gym Knock off). It was the perfect machine fi5r me. I had some scar tissue from various i juries that didnt heal well that i rehabbed. I was able to "break" some old scar tissue and regain some strength and rangr of motion. The added muscle definitely helped with burning of some fat. I was able to stop taking blood pressure meds. My blood cholesterol levels have amways been good but my HDL's were a little high.

So I need to hit the bench agsin too.

CajunBlazer

(5,648 posts)
6. Yep, the weights will help in a number of ways.
Mon Jan 2, 2017, 10:40 PM
Jan 2017

You and I have an advantage over a lot of people. With our distance running backgrounds, we are not strangers to hard work, whether it be running, weights, or any other strenuous physical activity. We also have the advantage of continuing to work out on our own after high school, building good habits which are easier to relearn than having to develop them from scratch In my experience the best predictors of success in this area are familiarity with strenuous physical activity and the previous formation of good exercise habits.

Good luck! I am sure you will be even more successful this time around, and that's saying something.

CajunBlazer

(5,648 posts)
8. I would love to know...
Tue Jan 3, 2017, 08:16 PM
Jan 2017

....how long it will take you to shed those extra 30 lbs. My weight is pretty stable, but it seems that losing that extra five to ten pounds to be "just right" is near impossible for me. I can't imagine how hard it would be to lose 65 or even 30 lbs.

CajunBlazer

(5,648 posts)
12. You're more than welcome
Wed Jan 4, 2017, 09:59 PM
Jan 2017

I enjoy sharing the observations I have made over the years. I hope some of this stuff works for you.

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