Adapting Your Move Time in Real Time

This post is by Shaina Weisgerber.

The glitter of the New Year is beginning to fade away and the mundane is settling in. Sometimes we can get a few weeks into the year and decide that all of that new year energy isn’t enough to sustain us through the weeks and months ahead. Resolutions and goals fade away. All of our big plans we had for our year just seem to disappear and the same old ways settle back in. We quit the gym, set aside the Bible reading plan, close our calendars, quit meal planning, let the chores stack up and underneath it all we wish we could just get something under control. 

The New Year is not magical; there isn’t anything special about January or a new number on the calendar. I think, at times, we all think the new year is the prime time for us to dream up these big health goals. We’re going to go to the gym every day, workout hard, lose weight, stay active, and be ready for summertime and swimsuits. We tend to set a whole bunch of health goals all at once in the new year and about three to four weeks in we decide that it’s all a bit too much, so we quit things. 

Quitting isn’t the end of all things. Learning to find out why we quit is key to helping healthy habits, like move time, become a rhythm of our life. 

When thinking about move time and what that looks like in your life, be honest with yourself. You must start where you really are. Trying to start a huge new routine at the gym might not be setting yourself up for success. Take some personal inventory of your current physical status and then make a plan that makes sense for your schedule, your physical abilities and your budget. You may want to start extremely simple and then build from there. The biggest thing is to just start! 

You can start with something as small as taking deep breaths in the morning and becoming more aware of your body. You can start with an amount of steps you want to hit each day, so instead of a workout routine, you’re just adding more movement throughout your usual day, schedule, routine. Perhaps you are just burned out on your workout regimen that you have in place and you need to mix things up. Adjust, pivot, rearrange, and make sure you are adapting movement into your actual life. If going to a group class three times a week is not an option, then don’t blame yourself or feel bad for that not being the way you move your body. Let go of the fact you can’t do group classes and do something you can!

The Hello Mornings three minute morning routine includes “move time” in it and that is a perfect place to start implementing even the thought of a move time. Start with 10 deep breaths, or drinking a glass of water. Grow into stretching, then add some movement. Over time you can establish a healthy rhythm of moving your body daily. 

Evaluate your current life. 

Make an inventory of your needs and your goals. 

Choose one small step to start. 

Invite others in to help.

As you address move time, don’t be afraid. Be patient with yourself as you begin making these important steps! No one is grading you on this process and you are free to change and adapt it to your life and needs! Good luck and find me in the academy if you need someone to cheer you on! 

Shaina Weisgerber lives in the Texas panhandle with her husband Nick, a graphic designer/financial coach/drummer and her two daughters, ages 11 and 7. Nick and Shaina had a son between their two daughters, he was born with heart defects and passed away at 5 months old. Since then Shaina has longed to help other women seek and experience the goodness and healing of God in everyday life. Shaina was a staff worship pastor for years and is now currently managing a local flower shop! In her “spare time”, whatever that is, she loves being with her family, leading worship for small gatherings, reading, cooking, and writing for Hello Mornings and her personal blog Sycamore & Sparrow. Join her on instagram @sycamoreandsparrow and on Facebook at Sycamore & Sparrow or join her newsletter by going to www.sycamoresparrow.wordpress.com/blog

Photo by Hayley Murray on Unsplash