I’ve done it hundreds of times: made a plan. I’ve made plans for parties, plans for trips, plans for getting work done, and – yes – plans for self-improvement. And, once again, I’m making a plan for this last category.
I want to increase my exercise program to where it was in the spring; hopefully, that will result in my returning to the fitness level I had then. It’s not particularly ambitious; rather it’s more practical. Things like lifting my luggage above my head to store it in one of those impossible airplane racks. Or asking the bagger at the grocery store to “make the bags” heavy, so I can practice my weight training. Or parking in the farthest spot from the store. Or getting down on the floor and up again without holding on or asking for help. Or standing on one leg, Yoga-style, without toppling over. And doing it for a long time too.
The real issue is: How shall I accomplish these things, since I don’t do any of them every day. Should I focus on Yoga for flexibility and balance? Or general stretching – I have several books on this – or five pound weights with repetitions? Should I consider another trainer? Or join Zumba?
Years ago, Earl told me to find something sport-oriented that I really liked and then pursue it. “The rest will come,” he said. At the time he was heavy into working out, and I wasn’t. But I followed his advice and took up inline skating. And he was right. The rest did come, especially after I broke my leg skating. Six months on crutches gave me an upper body strength gymnasts would envy. And the cast on my right leg certainly made me think twice about hobbling to the kitchen for snacks. I lost ten pounds without thinking about it.
So my current plan certainly gave a nod to skating, but with winter coming it doesn’t seem like a great option. Swimming, a year-round sport, has possibilities; but I have issues with the three local swimming pools after having been a member at all of them.
Just now I remember that I signed up for racquetball lessons early in the summer, but never followed up. Maybe it’s time I did. They’re paid for, which is a good thing because Earl and I are going to trim our budgets for this quarter; and maybe – just maybe – I can find the cornerstone to my current self-improvement plan.
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