New Year's & Fitness (Part 1 of 3)

Happy 2019!

With the New Year comes an absolute onslaught of weight loss advertisements. Whether it's for gyms, classes, programs, meal deliveries, shakes, supplements - you name it, they're taking advantage of everybody's New Year's resolutions (aka goal setting)!

So what better time to share some insights from an acupuncturist to throw in the mix?

But before I offer my advice, I first want to share my personal relationship with exercise and fitness for background and context.

For starters, I am not an athlete. Never have been and never will be. Even as a kid- I wandered aimlessly in floor hockey, never scored in basketball, and walloped tennis balls over the exterior fence rather than the net. And yet, I did continue to "participate" in sports. I got to hang out with my friends, and managed to avoid taking Phys Ed in high school by warming the field hockey bench for three years - despite not being able (or willing?) to complete the timed 1 mile run without stopping to walk! And unfortunately my lack of athleticism didn't stop at sports - I hated all sorts of exercise. Without a social aspect I was possibly even less interested. I was convinced that my endorphins were dysfunctional, and that I always felt worse after exercise.

In college I met my Chemistry study buddy who taught me an important lesson about exercise: start small and set realistic expectations. (Thanks Brian!) When I told him that I wasn't a runner and could never run, he said neither am I and yes you can. Brian explained how the first time he went for a jog he barely made it a quarter mile. But he kept trying, and eventually as it got easier he could go farther and felt better during and after. For some reason this was a revelation for me. I now enjoy being active, and movement is an important part of taking care of both my mental and physical health.

While I still don't identify as an athlete or a runner, I can officially say that my endorphins are no longer broken! So long story short, take my forthcoming advice with a grain of salt :)