Setting Goals
Your goals don't have to be pie-in-the-sky dreams. No one is going to expect you to race out the door and sign up for the Boston Marathon, the Tour de France, or a spelunking adventure to Carlsbad Caverns. Your goals are personal and, if you wish, private. What's your goal? To regain some energy? To drop some pounds? To get to looking and feeling better?
If you're feeling too tired and listless to even think of a goal, start small and work up. How about simply having the energy to face each day without dread? The hardest part of anything is the getting around to it. Depression is an energy zapper, and once it starts zapping, it doesn't let up until you're zapped out.
Essential
Write down your goals and keep them in a place where you can see them frequently. Tape your list to the fridge or tack it onto the bulletin board above your computer. Out of sight means out of mind, so keep the list clearly in view. Keep your focus, and you'll get results.
Start with Something Easy
Easy is a relative term. What's easy for you might be difficult for someone else, so only you can be the judge of easiness. The secret here is to think of the next step. For example, if you're lying down while you're reading this, sit up. If you're sitting, stand. If you're standing, walk. If you're ready to run — good for you! Small increments can add up quickly. Remember: “The longest journey begins with a single step.” Bottom line: Get moving and keep moving.
Essential
Just as easy is a relative term, so is pain, and everybody has a different pain threshold. Genetics is involved here, but by now you've already recognized that genetics plays a role in practically everything! It used to be common knowledge that women withstood pain better than men, and the example used to prove the point was childbirth. Recent research, however, shows that pain tolerance is more complicated than simply being male or female.
A Peek at Your Genes
If you've been called a wimp, take heart! If you pride yourself on your toughness, take a humility lesson! According to News.bbc.co.uk, researchers have identified a specific gene that regulates the brain's signals involved in response to pain. This gene comes in two forms, and everyone inherits one copy of the gene from each parent.
The study found that people with two copies of one form of the gene felt pain more intensely than did people with two copies of the other form of the gene. People with one copy of each form had pain responses somewhere in between. The study was published in Science magazine.
Alert
Too much exercise too soon is not a good idea. You want to work up to and work into a new and improved you. Remember, you're in this for the long haul. You want to make exercise part of your daily routine — just like brushing and flossing your teeth. It takes a certain amount of time to break a bad habit and establish a good one (the usual time frame given for this is three weeks). You can't rush the process.
How Much Is Enough?
If this exercise business is new to you, it's best to start slowly. Generally, beginners should exercise for twenty minutes a day, three times a week. Gradually increase that to thirty minutes a day, three times a week. It's more fun, and you'll stay motivated, if you alternate activities. Use your treadmill one day, then bicycle or choose another outdoor activity the next. According to Everydayhealth.com, your goal should be mild to moderate exercise four to five times a week.
