What should we make of a New Year's resolution in a new normal? Usually, by the time the second week of January beckons, reality and routine have beaten us back into our old habits and thought patterns. Work, textbooks, disturbing viral videos and loadshedding — not necessarily in that order — remind us that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
THE YEAR OF WELLNESS
The pandemic has shone a bright light on health and wellness. Obviously, we were reminded about personal hygiene and social distancing, but many people learnt the term comorbidity for the first time. Perhaps it's time to add "lifestyle disease" into our lexicon.
Many of us were born with conditions that may have been out of our control, but many of us have contributed to our own ill-health by the way we live.
Medicinenet defines a lifestyle disease as "a disease associated with the way a person or group of people lives. Lifestyle diseases include atherosclerosis, heart disease, and stroke; obesity and type-2 diabetes; and diseases associated with smoking, alcohol and drug abuse."
It goes on to say: "Regular physical activity helps prevent obesity, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, colon cancer, and premature mortality."
The benefits of exercise are well-known, yet most of us have been here before. We hit the asphalt or gyms with Eye of the Tiger blaring in our ears only to fall off the wagon within weeks.
A large-scale study by scientists in Sweden published by Plos One in December found that approach-oriented resolutions are more likely to last than avoidance resolutions. In other words, cutting out chocolate or pink gin is harder than adding an HIIT class once a week — so you're on the right track with a resolution that's something along the lines of: I'll add an exercise regimen to my life in 2021.
But anecdotal evidence suggests there must be more to it.
THE SECRET POTION
Personal trainer and sports nutrition coach Ilana Bellotto, who owns the women's physical and online training facility The Fitness Niche, says that unless you "find your why", your fitness journey won't last.
You'll know it when you feel it, and when you feel it, it will provide the fire to be consistent, day after day, month after month
"I've trained women for more than two decades in a variety of disciplines, and what was true then is true now: when you find the animating force behind why you wake up and put on the training clothes, you're primed for success," she says.
One would think that a "why" like "you should exercise and eat well because it's good for your health and numerous peer-reviewed studies indicate that it may contribute to a long, happy life" would be enough. But it's not. Bellotto says she believes it needs to be something deeply personal.
"One of my clients is driven by the desire to be able to climb in and out of a bath, another wants to run again after years of agony, another wants to look good in a bikini after having two children. You'll know it when you feel it, and when you feel it, it will provide the fire to be consistent, day after day, month after month," she says.
Neil Murphy, a strength and conditioning and specialised sports nutrition coach, agrees. "You have to start with your mental readiness . Unless you've ticked off the mental box first, you're unlikely to see it through," he says.
"It helps to have the encouragement and support of those closest to you. If your partner or close friends support your efforts you'll be more inclined to see it through. Importantly, you need to enjoy what you're doing. If you hate running and are thrust into it, you're unlikely to wake up raring to go."
I KNOW WHY, NOW WHAT?
Bellotto has bad news for those who think finding their why is as far as the mind is needed. "Take time to meditate and be mindful. Breathe, wake up in time to watch the sun rise and listen to the sounds around you. Just as exercising the body benefits the mind, a peaceful mind motivates the body. Then set specific, realistic and measurable goals. There are many goal-setting techniques and the more specific you become, the easier it is to measure success, which in itself becomes motivating to achieve even more success."
Murphy says the type of training you choose has a big bearing on whether you see it through or not. "The worst thing to do would be to use Dr Google and jump into something inappropriate.
"You need to have confidence in your exercise ability, and this is where a trainer comes in. A good trainer will teach you the correct form and which types of exercise are best for your unique goals and body," says Murphy.
Changes don't happen overnight, you have to earn them
Bellotto says another reason people stop training is because in their urgency to improve they get injured. "There's a difference between getting ahead and getting injured," she says. "A good trainer will assess your movement and capability and design a programme that starts at an appropriate level. This doesn't mean take it easy — it means training in a way that's beneficial while also keeping an eye on the long-term picture."
FINAL WORD
"Changes don't happen overnight, you have to earn them," says Bellotto. "Unfortunately, you can't buy a bikini body in aisle 13 at Woolies. So find your why, set clear and realistic goals, choose a path and enjoy the journey — both with eating and exercise."
Murphy agrees, adding that small, incremental goals are key to sticking to any fitness journey. "Sure, you'll have an idea of where you want to be in a few years from now but set smaller, weekly goals to help you along your journey. Incremental improvements — even if it's a single rep or one-second improvement — add up and before you know it you'll look back in a year's time, proud that you changed your lifestyle for the better."
