FitReaders: Commit to Exercise for January 2018
Happy New Year, FitReaders! Welcome to the 2018 Commit to Exercise sign-up. Another year, another fresh chance to set a movement intention with this lovely community. Drop your goal (big or small, specific or vague) in the comments below, and let us cheer each other on into a strong year of moving our bodies and reading great books.
How This Works
Each January, FitReaders members publicly commit to a movement goal for the new year. There is no fee, no app, no required goal type. The point is to put your intention into the world surrounded by friends who will cheer you on.
Drop your commitment in the comments. Some shapes it might take:
- A specific number (“aim for 600 walking miles this year”).
- A frequency (“move my body 4 times a week”).
- A qualitative goal (“show up for myself, even when I do not feel like it”).
- A new-thing goal (“try one new movement style this quarter”).
- A return-to-something goal (“get back to yoga after a year off”).
- A maintain goal (“hold steady at last year’s pace”).
All of these are valid. There is no right answer.
My 2018 Commitment
After two years of this group, I have learned what works for me. My 2018 commit is:
- Move my body at least 4 days a week, year-round.
- Walk at least 600 miles for the year.
- Add a strength training day every week (this is the one I keep failing at, and 2018 is the year I figure it out).
- Take a new fitness class once a quarter.
Consistency is the through-line. I would rather hit 4 days a week every week than have a couple of giant weeks and a bunch of zeros.
What I Learned in 2017
A few things I am bringing into 2018 from last year:
- Audiobook pairing matters. My most consistent walking weeks were always weeks I had a great audiobook going. I am queueing up January listens now.
- The community keeps me honest. When I missed a Friday check-in, I was usually also missing my workouts. The act of writing down my week makes the next week more likely.
- Recovery is not failure. I took a planned two-week off period in August and came back stronger. Rest is part of the program.
Tips for Newcomers
If this is your first January with FitReaders:
- Set a goal you can hit on a bad week. That is your real goal.
- Plan for February. The hardest month for any resolution is the second one. Decide now how you will keep going when motivation drops.
- Engage with other check-ins. The community piece is the magic.
- Be kind to yourself. The goal is to feel good in your body, not to perform.
Sign Up Below
Drop your commitment in the comments. Read a few others. Leave a little encouragement. Then come back next Friday for our first 2018 weekly check-in.
Welcome back, FitReaders. Let us make 2018 our most consistent year yet.