Maintaining Habits June 4, 2008
Posted by Mike Oliveri in Advice, Routine.Tags: habits, karate
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Developing a routine is easy. Maintaining a routine is difficult.
At least it is for me. If I miss a couple of days — sometimes just a day — I completely fall off the routine. My running is a good example: I made my goal, then crummy weather returned and I ramped up my karate workouts in prep for a big review, and I haven’t run since. I want to rectify that, but I’m finding it difficult to shake the new routine, especially when we’ve been seeing thunderstorms and tornado warnings for the last week or so.
I’m glad I found Steve Pavlina’s blog post “How to Maintain Not-Quite-Daily Habits”. He offers five tips, most of them easy to follow. It’s easy to see how they could be effective, and I’m already looking into how I can start setting up one or two.
I’ll add a related note to the list, that of developing a specific workout routine. Rather than making up a karate workout as I go along, for example, I could develop a full calendar which would tell me exactly what to practice on a given night. It would help me both make sure I cover everything and give me a visual checklist for the day so I know when I have and haven’t worked out.
Anyone have a better way to maintain routines?
How Quickly We Fall May 7, 2008
Posted by Mike Oliveri in Routine.Tags: goals, habits, karate, nikeplus, running, setbacks
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Out of habits, that is.
I met my running goal on April 20th, then haven’t run since. Sure, I meant to, but my schedule went all to hell when I started concentrating on karate and hustling to meet a deadline for a comic script. Then the cold weather came back, and…
Excuses, excuses, excuses. Time to get back on the horse.
I think I’m going to start another “run 10 times in 4 weeks” goal, thus keeping it simple and attainable. I joined a Nike+ program via Twitter for most miles in 45 days, fully expecting to get my ass handed to me. I didn’t think of it at the time, but that’s not exactly a motivator, is it? I think I’ll stay signed up and just hope I’m not last.
Achieving goals, even small ones, is a nice little rush. I was absolutely thrilled when I met that first “10 times in 4 weeks” goal, and I think I’ll try to capture it again. My ultimate goal is still the same: beef up my endurance and shed a few more pounds.
The important part is to keep that in sight for the long term and not let this small setback throw me off.
SUCCESS! April 20, 2008
Posted by Mike Oliveri in Routine.Tags: goals, nikeplus, running
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I set a goal of 10 runs in 4 weeks, and today I made it! Check it out.
I thought I blew it because today the goal window said “0 days remaining.” A run Friday would have made the goal with time to spare, but I was out all day. I thought I’d make up for it Saturday, but once again, I was out all day.
This morning the timer still said “1 day remaining,” but by the time I woke up the Wife was already getting ready for church and I didn’t have time. I went out in the afternoon, but the track coach was prepping the track for a meet and someone was hitting golf balls in the field. We took the kids out instead, and by the time I checked the goal again it said 0 days.
That bummed me out, but rather than just start a new week tomorrow, I told myself to get out on the track and get it done anyway. I’m glad I did, because it looks like I had the time after all. It felt great to upload today’s run and see “CONGRATULATIONS!” show up on the goal window.
Now to set the next goal.
Overcoming Inertia April 10, 2008
Posted by Mike Oliveri in Advice, Routine, Workouts.Tags: discipline, inertia, laziness, physics, quitting
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I skipped Monday’s run to get some karate practice in before Tuesday night’s review (I did get promoted, by the way). Tuesday night a storm blew through, so I couldn’t run after karate. The weather turned on us again, and last night was cold and wet. My calves felt a bit sore, and I’ve been staying up way too late all week. On top of it all, I was just feeling plain lazy.
I ran anyway.
As Jack said, it’s a matter of discipline. If I bail now, it’ll set a precedent for bailing again and quitting will just get that much easier. I’m not about to let that happen.
The trick for me is just getting started. It’s Newton’s First Law: a body at rest tends to stay at rest and a body in motion tends to stay in motion unless influenced by an outside force. Sure, he was talking physics, but it applies to fitness as well.
If you’re sitting on the couch watching TV, it’s tough to get up and get started. My old man even calls it “overcoming inertia.” You’re comfortable, you’re content, and you don’t want to disturb that. It takes an outside force — in this case your mind — to jack things up and get you in gear. Once you’re up and running, it’s not so bad and the workout is over before you know it.
I feel that all the time. I may not be in the mood for karate practice some nights, but as soon as I start our normal warmup routine, my body knows what’s coming next. Next thing I know 45 minutes or so have passed and I’ve worked up a good sweat.
Running last night worked the same way: I dragged my feet while I got dressed, and I even plunked my ass back down on the couch to talk to the wife a bit.
“You’re just stalling,” she said. “Get out there!”
I couldn’t argue with that, so I walked out onto the porch, took a deep breath and a stretch, then hit the start button on the iPod and started my warm-up walk out to the track. It only took a few steps to feel the energy, and next thing I knew I was jogging.
Whatever your activity, choose your slogan — “just do it,” “git ‘er done,” whatever — and heed its advice. Once you get up and moving, you won’t regret it.
Discipline, Part 2 April 9, 2008
Posted by jackdrew in Advice, Routine.Tags: effort, goals, motivation, running, walking
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I know exactly why I did it and it’s not just the “because I can” mantra of mountain climbers. I did it because I was visiting the doctor today and wanted to prove to him and to myself that I am improving.
So I took the usual 5 minute brisk walk in the beginning this morning. That walk brings me to the top of my development and I mean the top – it’s an uphill climb when you get towards the last 200 yards. Once at the top, I cross the street, hit a brand new tune on the pathetic excuse for an mp3 player and I started to jog back down the hill and through my development.
And this morning I didn’t stop for 15 solid minutes.
I basically pushed myself to a limit (I won’t say my limit just yet – I think I’ve got a *bit* more in me till I totally break) and came out way further than I thought. Was I tired? Sure. Beat to hell. But I got 15 minutes in without a break. I didn’t even zombie-walk (which I tend to find myself doing in between jogs later in the hour).
I brisk-walked afterward for three minutes to allow myself to feel a little less wobbly and then I proceeded to run again. I was aimed at another 15 minutes to see what would happen but 5 minutes in, I stopped. I couldn’t do it anymore. I was physically spent. Couldn’t even walk but forced the legs to move their zombie walk back to the house (yeah, i skipped my remainder 20 minute walk due to exhaustion).
I’m not recommending this for everyone (hell, I’m not sure I’m recommending I do it again). But here’s the cool thing. Every time I go out there, I set up a challenge for myself. This one I didn’t even lay out ahead of time. I just said, “Let’s see how far we can go” and I went.
I don’t know if this applies to anyone else reading this but I tend to find myself bored by routine after a little while. Mike, I tip my hat to you and the track. I’d go bonkers in that situation after 2 days. I just like scenery too much. Or the pretty girls walking to the commuter’s lot. I’m not sure which I like more.
But if you find yourself bored of the routine, set up a different goal for yourself and see what you can do. You’ll surprise yourself. See that corner up ahead? I’m not stopping till I round it. The next day? I’m not stopping until 3 houses after it. The day after that? I’m not stopping till I get 6 houses past.
Pretty soon, the corner will be a distant memory (“I once jogged *just* to here???”). And you’ll be that much farther.
Off to bed so I can see 6am again!
L8r,
-Jack
The Art of Discipline April 7, 2008
Posted by jackdrew in Routine.Tags: fiction, running, walking
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So, I have a big problem: I’m a lazy sack.
It rained Friday and Saturday morning and I didn’t jog because I’m a lazy sack.
I wrote all night Saturday night and I didn’t jog because I’m a lazy sack.
I got up this morning and went out jogging …
… and did 6 minute jogs followed by 3 minute walks for 24 minutes because I’m a lazy sack.
There were times I thought for sure I was gonna hurl (but didn’t!) and I was wiped when I got to work this morning (coffee never tasted so good!) but I did 6 minute jogs three times!!
If I can keep doing that for the next week, I think I’ll be ready to bridge them together into a 12 minute jog at the very least (and an almost 20 minute jog on the outside).
One thing I’ve noticed, though. I was hoping to take the time I jog and use it creatively to help with the writing but once I start jogging, I’m focused only on that. Music distracts from the “I think I’m gonna die” thoughts and all, and that’s great. But all I find myself doing when I’m out there is counting breaths in and breaths out and making sure I’m getting enough oxygen. I don’t think about characters, I don’t think about plot or pacing or twists. Hell, I barely think about the cars on the road as I cross the street. I’m barely standing up most mornings.
Well, at least I’ll be thin and un-published.
-Jack
Conference Season March 31, 2008
Posted by regimit in Routine.Tags: exercise videos, Food, travel, walking
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Conference season is officially here, and it’s interfering with my routine. I haven’t been exercising much at all and am not eating very well either. I was out at a conference this weekend and am leaving for another one in Philly on Thursday. The good news is that the hotel in Philly has a microwave and refrigerator, so I can bring stuff with me or pick something up while I’m there that is a bit healthier than soda and chocolate chip cookies. I’m going to bring my exercise DVD this time, too, since I’ll be alone in the hotel room. The other good news is that a friend of mine is going, and we usually can carve out some time to walk a couple of miles. I’ve noticed that I feel completely run-down and just overall gross if I get out of my exercise routine. I’m anxious to get started on the Couch to 5K thing, but it may have to wait until I’m done with the dissertation. There’s just too much to do and not enough time to do it all.
