The New Year
Yes, once again, the inevitable New Year’s resolutions are upon us. For many of us, this involves a resolve to take better care of ourselves. And this often involves a vow to increase our exercise regimen. While exercise is by far one of the most important things we can do for our current and future health, there is the tendency to overdo. Sometimes we overdo simply because we forget how long it’s been since we exercised so vigorously or used specific muscle groups. Sometimes just it’s our emotions over-riding our common sense. Sound familiar? Well, I plead guilty to this tendency, too.
Take my Atlantic Ocean boogie boarding adventures this past August. Post-hurricane waves were rolling in…well, in waves. But, no fear. I was boldly banging my way in and out of the surf, one arm or the other leashed to the board and thrashing wildly. Exciting. Exhilarating. Exultant. I loved it.
Next day, of course, I could hardly lift my arms. Excruciating. Exhausting. Exasperating. It was more than a week before they felt even close to normal. What? You think I overdid it?
And then there was the recent bowling-alley incident with my son, Julian. He bowled six games; I bowled one. Next day, Julian’s unfazed, but I’m thinking, “What have I done to my right arm?”
My point here is not that I’m out of shape. (Though I have to admit that being — shall we say? — “not as young as I once was” may be involved.) It’s that each activity we do puts different muscles and combinations of muscles into play. So, we need to take things slowly. Establish our own pace and not try to keep up with the next guy. Or with the twenty-something Olympics coxswain in our head. It means listening to our bodies very carefully. If we do, we’ll usually get some indication when we’re overdoing it. Unfortunately, we’re quite skilled at ignoring or rationalizing these helpful messages.
Sure, sometimes we’ll have to “work through” the pain. But, more often, we need to listen to the pain, and work with it not through it. That can mean a variety of things. Like stretching. Yes, stretching our imaginations, our comfort zones, and our bodies. We can benefit from stretching in more ways and places than any of us realize. Each time I return to my twice-a-week yoga sessions, I’m amazed at how tight I’ve become again.
Let’s face it — keeping healthy and fit requires a fair amount of effort, but it sure beats the alternative. It means getting the right amounts and kinds of exercise for your body type. Stretching and warming up. Staying hydrated. Maintaining a diet that truly feeds your body type and chemistry. Taking supplements targeted to your unique needs. Keeping a positive attitude.
And, need I say, the right chiropractic physician can work with you to design a plan and tune your body. (For example, when increasing your exercise regimen to get into shape, musculoskeletal adjustments can keep you out of trouble and on track.)
Total Wellness. It’s the pathway to achieving all your resolutions for the New Year.
Take my Atlantic Ocean boogie boarding adventures this past August. Post-hurricane waves were rolling in…well, in waves. But, no fear. I was boldly banging my way in and out of the surf, one arm or the other leashed to the board and thrashing wildly. Exciting. Exhilarating. Exultant. I loved it.
Next day, of course, I could hardly lift my arms. Excruciating. Exhausting. Exasperating. It was more than a week before they felt even close to normal. What? You think I overdid it?
And then there was the recent bowling-alley incident with my son, Julian. He bowled six games; I bowled one. Next day, Julian’s unfazed, but I’m thinking, “What have I done to my right arm?”
My point here is not that I’m out of shape. (Though I have to admit that being — shall we say? — “not as young as I once was” may be involved.) It’s that each activity we do puts different muscles and combinations of muscles into play. So, we need to take things slowly. Establish our own pace and not try to keep up with the next guy. Or with the twenty-something Olympics coxswain in our head. It means listening to our bodies very carefully. If we do, we’ll usually get some indication when we’re overdoing it. Unfortunately, we’re quite skilled at ignoring or rationalizing these helpful messages.
Sure, sometimes we’ll have to “work through” the pain. But, more often, we need to listen to the pain, and work with it not through it. That can mean a variety of things. Like stretching. Yes, stretching our imaginations, our comfort zones, and our bodies. We can benefit from stretching in more ways and places than any of us realize. Each time I return to my twice-a-week yoga sessions, I’m amazed at how tight I’ve become again.
Let’s face it — keeping healthy and fit requires a fair amount of effort, but it sure beats the alternative. It means getting the right amounts and kinds of exercise for your body type. Stretching and warming up. Staying hydrated. Maintaining a diet that truly feeds your body type and chemistry. Taking supplements targeted to your unique needs. Keeping a positive attitude.
And, need I say, the right chiropractic physician can work with you to design a plan and tune your body. (For example, when increasing your exercise regimen to get into shape, musculoskeletal adjustments can keep you out of trouble and on track.)
Total Wellness. It’s the pathway to achieving all your resolutions for the New Year.
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