Exercise Archives - Fran's Fitness Over 50

Clarify your priorities

An old tool, but a good one for clarifying priorities

We’re getting close to that time of year when everyone seems to be talking about resolutions and goals for next year. I do this all year, because life doesn’t automatically change on December 31 and I have a whole new set of priorities. But many people stand by the New Year’s Resolution thing. Regardless, this is an exercise that everyone does at some point.

Here’s an old tool, but a good one, for clarifying priorities. Steven Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, coined the term for the process from a speech given by Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Eisenhower Decision Matrix, or Urgent-Important Box, helps clarify priorities and determine the order tasks should be performed. I like this because it shows at a glance how we view problems. I’ve changed the matrix a little to suit the task of goal-setting.

First step – list the tasks that need doing. In order to prioritize our tasks we have to know what they are. Spend a couple of days on this – writing the tasks down as you think of them. I’ll be brushing my teeth at night and I’ll think of something that needs to get done. That’s why I always keep my trusty notebook with me. The next morning I’m usually able to decipher my cryptic notes. So spend a couple of days thinking before you start to set your priorities

Urgent or Important?

Top-left, or front and center, are the things that are most important – the things that have consequences if they’re not completed. For us, if the doctor tells us to lose 50 pounds or we’ll die, that’s most urgent and imporant. These usually come to mind right away. We schedule everything else around these urgent and important tasks.

Important but not urgent tasks are those you still want to complete. These are the tasks or goals that you believe will set you up for success or happiness. So schedule your intermediate steps for these. If mastering the side plank will make you feel incredibly strong, schedule those mini-goals right on your calendar. Modify for a week on elbow and knee with your foot on the floor. Then lift the foot. When you’re ready lift onto your elbow and stagger your feet for the side plank. Then stack your feet, then lift onto your hand – you get the idea. You’re building your arm and core strength, and you’ll be making strides if you follow your schedule. And, by the way, this is an empowering pose. You’ll feel unbeatable.

Those urgent but unimportant tasks – like dusting – can be avoided or delegated. If you want your house cleaned before the holidays, hire a service.

And the tasks that are not urgent and unimportant can be put on your list for when you have an extra five or ten minutes between other tasks. Or if they’re fun tasks, like reading a chapter in that library book, you can fit that in as your little reward for achieving a mini-goal.

It may seem like an overwhelming job to prioritize all the tasks you have to do. But clarifying your priorities is an important step. So, don’t panic and set yourself a reasonable time to get it done. The Eisenhower Matrix can be a valuable tool. And then starts the really fun job of achieving your biggest goals.

Nurture your motivation

Setting goals is an inspiring activity. You’re fired up in anticipation of what you’ll accomplish. But then time goes by and you’re less motivated than you were. You still may want to achieve that goal but it’s not exciting. Your motivation just isn’t what it used to be. Professor of Behavioral Science Ayelet Fishbach says, “to be motivated, you either change the situation or the way you think about the situation. This is the science in one sentence.” Your goal is still there, but if you’re not still enthused about it, you have to nurture your motivation.

Change your mindset

You have to change the circumstances or the way you think about it. If you can’t change the situation, change your mindset. Professor Fishbach gives her own example. She wanted to be more active. But instead of telling herself to walk more, she got a puppy. While that shouldn’t be the only reason to get a puppy, the puppy has certainly increased the professor’s activity. Telling yourself to do something you don’t really want to do is a recipe for failing that goal. I used to have the goal of keeping an orderly desk. That didn’t work – I failed miserably. I just don’t see the point, and having a messy desk doesn’t bother me enough to change. So I dropped that goal. My motivation to achieve it did not deserve nurturing.

Goals are abandoned because the pursuit is not enjoyable

On the other hand, Fishbach’s research found that most goals are abandoned because people don’t enjoy pursuing them. If you set the goal of losing 10 pounds by the end of the year but don’t have a good enough reason to find motivation for it, you’ll probably abandon that goal. But if you receive an invitation for a party you really want to go to, and know the outfit you want to wear, and that there will be a great band to dance to, you have a better chance at maintaining your momentum.

Sustain your momentum when you nurture your motivation

But you’ll only sustain your momentum if you nurture your motivation. Fishbach found that the reason people don’t enjoy pursuing their goals is because they take too long. People are excited when they set goals and closer to the end, they can see the finish line and are excited to get there. But in the middle, their motivation is lacking.

In our example, you’ve got 2 months to get party-ready. And if you call your goal “party-ready,” that sounds more fun than “lose weight.” 2 months isn’t a lot of time in the long term, but it’s 8 weeks. 60 days. A long stretch of chocolate withdrawal. So, here’s how to nurture your motivation: set those intermediate goals. Make sure you have a goal for every week that makes sense. For the first week, eat an extra serving of veggies every day for a week. Or walk 10 more minutes every day. And at the end of the week, perhaps a slice of cheese on the veggies. Or read an extra chapter in the book you want to devour.

Nurturing your motivation helps you to achieve important goals. I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating. When you achieve goals that are important to you, you’ll feel like you can take on the world. You did it!

By understanding yourself, you can understand how to achieve the goals that are important to you. You’ll be able to nurture your motivation from the start to the finish of a project.

Try the Grow-in Instead of the Lock-in

Great Lock-in Too Restricted? Try the Grow

A while back I wrote about the Great Lock-in. There are just a couple months left of the year, and this would be the time to get ready to take down all comers in the New Year. Make sure you slay those dragons in the first quarter and achieve your goals in a flash. But that might seem too harsh and restrictive. Many folks are trying a different TikTok challenge – the 75 Grow. There aren’t quite 75 days left this year, but that shouldn’t dissuade you from trying this. The goal here is to move, do something you’d ordinarily avoid, and be creative every day. Basically, to grow three habits before the end of the year.

So before you say that this is dumb, let’s take a closer look at what happens when you grow 3 healthy habits before next year.

Movement

This part you’re probably already on board with. I’ve written about the importance of exercise, and if you exercise three or four days a week, you’re probably not sitting around all day on the other days. Even a brief walk counts to grow this habit.

Do something brave

Doing something you’d prefer to avoid every day counts as being brave, in my mind. I was brave last week and called a new dentist’s office (the dentist I’d been seeing for many years retired this last summer). I could have put it off for a few more weeks, but I knew the tooth that was giving me problems would not get better on its own. And the day after I visited my new dentist I was brave again and showed up for the No Kings rally in a neighboring town. Being brave like this increases our optimism – I was proud of myself even for making that phone call. And it also increases our resilience. We’re able to face challenges and meet them head on.

Be creative

This is the fun part of the challenge for me. Increasing our creativity opens our mind to other new things. Even if it’s doing something you’re done before, this will open new passageways in your brain and, again, increase your optimism, happiness, and resilience.

If we grow 3 healthy habits before the end of the year, we’ll be moving more, we’ll be happier and more optimistic. We’ll also be able to meet more challenges and confront more obstacles without sending us into a declining spiral. And we’ll be healthier, having moved our bodies every day.

Stack your wins

Every time you show up for something important, it’s a win. And when you stack your wins, you can’t help but show up again and again. That’s better than external motivation, because it feeds your soul. When you can nudge that pointer a little more to where you want it to be – whether it’s your scale, your bank account, your sense of purpose – you keep on doing, and you keep on succeeding.

Let’s say you want to lose 10 pounds by the end of the year. It’s the beginning (sort of) of October, so that’s totally doable. Every day that you meet your dietary goals, that you eat enough protein and short the carbs is a win. Every day that you eat the vegetables, especially those dark leafy ones, that your body needs to feel full, is a win. And every day that you don’t eat a second piece of chocolate is a win.

And when you track what you eat every day, you’ll know when you win. The FO50 Fitness Journal and Tracker has a dedicated page for writing down what you eat every day. There are also little water droplets you can fill in so you can track your hydration, which is also crucial for your health.

Of course, every day you exercise and move your body is also a win. You know that your diet is most important, but following a close second is exercise for your healthy aging.

When you show up every day to the fitness party and track your nutrition and exercise, every day is a gold medal performance.

To top that, track your outlook. When you’re feeling optimistic, you’re more likely to go outside yourself and not devolve into negativity. You’ll start thinking about others, your gratitude for them, and things you can do to help them.

Every day that you take a step toward your goal is a win. Stack your wins, and you’ll be unbeatable.

Every workout counts

Something to remember as you procrastinate, as we all do: every workout counts. When you lace up your sneakers, or hit the mat or the pool, you’re doing yourself a huge service. It means that you love yourself. You care about yourself. And you want to have the very best future possible.

Switch your schedule and move your body

When you’re not feeling it, when you just don’t have it in you to do the workout you had planned, that’s okay – do a different one. Or take a walk. Put on your favorite playlist and dance. You’re moving your body and that’s a start. You can switch your schedule and do your strength workout tomorrow. Every workout counts. If you don’t feel like doing a particular workout, chances are you wouldn’t give it the focus it – and you – deserve.

I was disgusting

I have to tell you that I skipped yesterday’s planned workout. I caught a cold, and while I knew that I’ll be fine, the mat work just was not going to be good yesterday. It was the sneezing, drippy, messy, totally disgusting day of the cold. And while the experts all say that if a cold is just in your head, you’re fine to exercise, I did not want to drip all over myself and my mat. So I rested. And today I feel better, so I did my scheduled workout.

Your resilience shows

When you exercise regularly, especially as you get older, your body gets used to moving. It enables you to do the things you want to do. And when you switch up your workouts for your healthy aging, your body adapts to the different requirements you place on it. You’re resilient – you know that your body is strong and you can withstand the trials and tribulations you’re sure to face.

So, do yourself a favor and make sure that every workout counts.

That virtuous feeling

When you really don’t want to do something that you know you should, it weighs on you. Like cleaning out that junk drawer or your closet. Or exercising. Nothing earth-shattering, just something that’s on your list for today but you really don’t want to do it. I can waste lots of time doing things other than the thing I’m supposed to do, until there’s no more time. Did you ever feel that way? And then I feel guilty the rest of the day. But when I do that thing, afterwards I get that virtuous feeling.

You know, that “I did it! I exercised. And I’ll bet you didn’t!” kind of feeling. And that deserves a celebration. One of those mini-rewards I’ve talked about that keeps you doing the things you should be doing.

I know – if it’s stuff we should be doing anyway, why reward it?

A little push

Knowing that a celebration is coming can give us the little push we need to start. I’ve talked about this before, but knowing that I get to listen to an exciting audiobook helps to get me on the treadmill. I am not a fan of running, but I don’t actively despise it like I used to. That’s mostly because of the audiobooks. It takes a while to finish a book, but listening to them keeps me coming back.

But why do we put off doing things

Most of us have a tendency to procrastinate doing things we should do. But why? Psychology Today has identified a few factors that lead to putting things off. A lack of motivation is one. I remain completely unmotivated to clean off my desk, despite numerous attempts at it. I just don’t feel the need. No one has to look at it but me. And as long as I can find the things I’m looking for, and don’t spill my water, I can’t see that it matters. If someone can persuade me otherwise, I’ll be happy to listen to them.

On the other hand, for people who are unmotivated to exercise, there are plenty of reasons for them to do so. But if they don’t see the benefits of exercise, nothing anyone can say will persuade them. It could be that they’ll need a bigger push to lace up their sneakers.

The rumination spiral

Another reason people put off doing things is that they’re caught in the rumination spiral. If they believe they need to lose weight but have been unsuccessful in the past, they’ll be stuck in that dark spiral of “I can’t stick with a diet.” “I had a piece of chocolate. I’m done.” If they’re caught in the web of negative thoughts, of course it’s awful, and the only way out is for that person to change things up.

One small change can make a big difference

It’s easy to say, of course, but very difficult to accomplish. But just one small change of thought can make a big difference. Smile at yourself in the mirror in the morning. You made it to your feet! It’s a good thing. And that can spark more changes. Just a little optimism can put a different spin on your day. Plus, it can boost your happiness and resilience.

Go ahead and do something positive. Something small. Throw out a scrap of paper I don’t need. Smile in the mirror. Take a walk. And you’ll get that virtuous feeling.

The simplest can be the best

Why walking is a game changer for your healthy aging

Aging is different for us than for our parents. It seemed like our parents and grandparents welcomed the aging process. I remember my grandmother being terribly vain about her appearance, but not really doing much for her physical well-being other than visiting the doctor regularly. Exercise was not a priority for that generation. I think my grandmother would have laughed me into next week if I suggested she just take a walk with me. Walking is a game changer, though. The simplest exercise can be the best.

Movement of any kind is good

Movement of any kind can help us live longer and be happier. The World Health Organization says that inactivity can lead to an increased risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. And adding walking to your day is as easy as lacing up your sneakers. Park a little further away from the grocery store. You’ve got a cart for the groceries you buy, so walk the extra distance. And if it’s one of those deals where you rent the cart for a quarter, you’re getting double the benefit when you have to walk it back for your quarter.

The simplest exercise can be the best

Walking is easy. You don’t have to think about it – walking is just something we’ve done since babyhood. But it turns out that the simplest exercise can be the best – because you’re doing it.

Walking adds “repeated resistance” to our leg muscles and bones, making them stronger. Our hip, knee, and ankle joints’ mobility benefit from walking, too. And walking increases our endurance, too. If we want to continue participating in activities, then endurance is crucial. We want to be able to outlast those dogs or grandkids.

The number of steps you take can be a fun number to track, and that’s important, but the time and intensity of your exercise is the thing that matters most. If you’re taking a leisurely stroll, then you’ll have to do it for longer. But if you’re power-walking, then you’re working those legs at a higher intensity and the minimum 20 to 30 minutes three days a week should be sufficient. The latest guidance is that participants in a study who walked 8,000 steps twice a week had lower mortality from any cause than those who were sedentary.

So, go ahead. Lace up your sneakers and take a walk.

Who knew I was ahead of the times?

The motivation secret I told you about a year ago

Enter dopamine anchoring. Do you like to fold laundry? It’s not my favorite job, either. Do you like compiling a big report on Friday afternoon? Nope – I’m thinking about the weekend. It’s no surprise that we tend to procrastinate over jobs that we don’t care for. And then it’s a mad rush to get them done right before a deadline. But I told you about something I do that makes a task I don’t like a whole lot easier. It’s that little treat that keeps me going on the treadmill. Experts are now calling it dopamine anchoring.

Make work seem less like work

The theory is that when you pair a task with something that you enjoy, then the task feels less like work. “The term draws on the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is linked to pleasure, anticipation and motivation,” said Lauren Mastroni, a career expert at CV Genius. “The ‘anchoring’ part refers to creating a consistent link between that positive emotional payoff and the task you’ve associated with it.”

So if you consistently pair the same reward, say listening to your favorite music, with the same task, say compiling weekly reports that are due, then eventually your brain automatically associates compiling that report with a pleasurable activity, listening to your music. I have a favorite channel on Pandora, and listening to that helps me with the bookkeeping. Yes, I know, I have an accounting degree. But that doesn’t mean that I enjoy the work any longer. But I get to listen to my favorite tunes.

I’ve been using dopamine anchoring for months

You know that I’m not a running fan. But in the months that I’ve been listening to an exciting audiobook during my time on the treadmill, I’ve (kind of) turned my opinion about running on its side. Running is still hard and I don’t really look forward to it, but it’s the only time I get to listen to that book, so I keep on doing it.

Productivity expert Ryan Zhang says, “Over time, you stop dreading these tasks because your brain knows something good is coming.” And that’s why I keep putting on my running shoes. I want to find out what happens next in my book.

So I’ve anchored something I enjoy (escaping with an exciting book) with something I used to dread doing (running). Psychotherapist Meg Gitlin says this is powerful medicine. “Pairing a dull or difficult task with something pleasurable ― like listening to music while cleaning or enjoying a favorite snack while studying ― can help reframe the task as tolerable or even enjoyable. Over time, your brain learns to associate the task itself with positive reinforcement. This can improve consistency, motivation and even mood regulation.”

Instead of procrastinating, enjoy the chore

Instead of procrastinating over your least favorite chore, you’ll be looking forward to doing it because you’ll also be doing something you really enjoy.

So if you have a few laundry baskets piled with clothes or sheets that need folding, perhaps you should pop in your earbuds and listen to a podcast or music, or stream your favorite TV drama. You’ll save time that you used to waste procrastinating, and you’ll feel so productive having completed a chore that you dreaded. But what are you going to do with all those laundry baskets?

Worry is a waste of time

Worry is a waste of time. And yet we can’t help ourselves. I’ll include myself in this group. I’m a worrier. Most of the worry is nebulous and not about anything specific. Some worry is about whether or not a certain event will occur. Sometimes I even worry about the weather. None of this worry is productive. The worry is omnipresent. And it’s not good for us.

I worry about storms

Worry causes our anxiety to spike. And we know that anxiety is not healthy. An article in Harvard Health Publishing states that when we’re under stress, we’re prone to headaches, nausea, muscle pain, and other ailments. There is nothing actually physically wrong with us, but we’re manifesting these symptoms. And stress over the long term can cause your blood pressure to rise and loss of sleep.

My favorite method to relieve stress

I’ve written about various methods that can calm stress and address anxiety. My favorite is still my fitness routine. When I’m exercising, I have a half hour or forty minutes that I have to pay attention and focus. I can’t let my mind wander.

Let them … what?

A new trend on addressing stress comes from best-selling author Mel Robbins. Her “Let Them” theory, which is not new, helps us believe that we have no power over others. They’re going to do whatever it is they’re going to do and we can’t influence their actions. We only have power over our own actions. How we react to others is the only thing we can influence.

The more we let others do their own thing, the healthier it is for us. Worrying about what the other guy is going to do is not going to persuade them in any way, and the only result of that is to make us sick. Worry is a waste of time. This is a powerful mindset. Accepting that you can’t do anything about what others do can help you make room for a more positive mindset.

If there’s something to do, do it. Otherwise be like Elsa.

When we start thinking about the world situation, or the weather, or what your crazy neighbor will do (we’ve been lucky enough to not have too many crazy neighbors), just ask yourself what you can actually do about it. If it’s nothing, then ask yourself how you can prepare for whatever outcome you’re most anxious about. And do that. Or, be like Elsa in Frozen and let it go. Your blood pressure will thank you. You might sleep better. And you’re doing more for your healthy aging and your resilience than sitting and worrying about what might never come to pass.

Discipline is mindset

People say I have tremendous discipline. Not to toot my own horn, but I moderate my portions – even spaghetti. Exercise 4 or 5 times a week. Wrote and published 3 books in my spare time. And I usually don’t get sucked in by the usual clickbait. How? Discipline. Discipline is mindset. It’s hard – kind of like putting on jeans fresh out of the dryer. Sitting is awkward, and you may not be able to do the button. But if it’s important enough, and the steps toward that ultimate goal are small enough, it happens without you even realizing it.

The benefits that come with discipline

Discipline comes with its own set of benefits, not least of which is achieving goals. But you’ll also be improving your resilience – knowing that life takes potshots at us, trying to throw us off our game. But with discipline, we get right back to the task at hand. And with the discipline of creating good habits, we’re influencing our healthy aging. When you’re disciplined, you’re happier too. You know that you’re doing what it takes to get to where you want to be.

We’re wired to be couch potatoes, though

So, how do you make discipline easy? First, recognize that our brains are wired for us to be couch potatoes. There’s nothing we all like more than bingeing our current Netflix series. Our tendency is to conserve energy. But we know that the science is just the opposite. Expending energy produces more energy.

Second, we expect that our motivation will kick in at some point and magically lift us off the couch. It doesn’t work that way, unfortunately. If we want the results of exercise, we have to do it ourselves. Getting strong takes work. And no one is going to do it for us.

It’s hard and the writing was trash…

Third, you probably have the belief that if you’re disciplined, it will feel like everything in your brain will click into place. Again, not how it works. When I was working on my second novel, it was a struggle to get up early and write the hundreds of words I set as my goal. Some days it didn’t happen because the words were trash. But when you have something really important at the back of your brain that you want to achieve, you do the work. Toward the end of that book, the writing did get easier and I was able to finish – and some say this book was even better than the first novel.

Everything all at once is a recipe for disaster

And fourth, when you’re trying to be more disciplined, you’re probably trying to do everything all at once. Again, that’s just setting yourself up for failure. Discipline is mindset, but it only works when you take small steps. Train your brain to take those small steps every day. Because they lead up to the big ones.