21.1.10

Do or Die

If you're anything like me, year-after-year, you tell yourself, "THIS YEAR I'll get my act together." "THIS YEAR I'll give up the cookies, cocaine and cigarettes." "THIS YEAR I'll exercise at least three times a week. THIS YEAR.,,,

Totally kidding about the cocaine--no interventions please.

But, let's get real. Intrinsic motiviation only goes so far and cookies are delicious. Grand and lofty goals like "get in shape" and "eat right" are seldom realized, and our "failure" to meet them often leads to self-loathing.

THIS YEAR, I'm trying something different, a little-something called "positive reinforcement." Or maybe it should be called "do or die"--I'm not sure yet.

Instead of making promises to go to the gym or jog each morning, I'm planning an adventure. Specifically, I am making plans to join a guided milt-day hike--maybe The W hike through the Patagonian Andes, or possibly a rim-to-rim Grand Canyon hike--that requires me to be in great shape. If I train sufficiently, the hike will be my reward. And, if I don't, well that's the "die" part. 

The point is, I need to be in better shape. My motivation is not vanity, but health-related. I have mechanical scoliosis, and well-toned, strong muscles are key to keeping my back from curving into an "s." The curvature in my spine is the result of breaking my left femur bone in a car accident when I was just ten years old. Instead of being put into a body cast, I had a metal rod attached with pins to the broken bone. Thanks to the stress caused by the impact of the accident, my femur refused to heal and the rod eventually broke. I had another surgery and a new rod inserted, but that one broke too. For the third surgery, the rod was upgraded from stainless steel to titanium and bone from hip was graphed around the break. During one of these surgeries, the doctors cut through a growth plate, stunting the growth of my left leg. I wear a lift on my left shoe to make up the difference, but to this day my left leg is weaker than the right, making my hips and spine uneven.

A few years ago, during a regular check-up, my doctor suggested I have surgery to lengthen my left leg. I left that appointment in tears, and sought a second opinion from a doctor at the Maryland Spine Center in Baltimore. My new doctor's approach suited me much better; her biggest recommendation was to exercise to keep my back and leg muscles strong. And, for the first year after that appointment, I was a fitness manaic. I took pilates and yoga. I walked everywhere and hiked every weekend.

I'm not sure why or how, but after that first year, my dedication to fitness wore off. Not only have I gained about 15 pounds, but also I feel slow, weak and imbalanced. I've had enough of feeling like a sloth--it's time to act.

14 comments:

  1. I like the idea of a goal at the end of getting fit and the reward being something you have to get fit for. And, if you don't get fit and attempt one of those hikes, you just might get buzzards swriling overhead waiting for you to stop moving.

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  2. That is a great idea to plan an adventure...I think that alone will make the working out more fun!

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  3. I'm with you girl. Lets do this thing!

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  4. I'm working along those lines as well. I seriously need to lose weight (my BMI is scarily high), but most of all what I need is to feel fit again! I haven't felt that way in years, particularly the past 3 since my back was constantly bothering me, froze on me 3 times, and at the 3rd I finally got an MRI and discovered a lovely aneurism in a lower spine disc that presses on my sciatic nerve (wonderful! ugh), and another one forming. I need to re-develop and use my abdominal and lower back muscles. I need to tone my thighs so I stop ripping all my pants at the inseam there. I need to feel good about walking up 6 flights of stairs.
    I wish I had the funding to plan an adventure, for the moment I'll have to settle with a 6-month registration at the gym and hope the health motivation (plus the not-wanting-to-waste-money-akready-spent motivation) is enough to keep me going.

    Good luck with the adventure planning!

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  5. I'm with you & I'm working to get healthier too because of my health issues. I like your idea of adventure planning - I hadn't looked at it from that pov before. Thank you for the inspiration!

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  6. This new plan you've got sounds perfect for you and like something you really have needed. Good for you! You need to do this to make you feel better and you're doing it... that's fantastic!

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  7. I am with you, lady. And am very impressed by your motivation.

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  8. A few years back, I had a goal so similar to yours. I looked into what crazy physical feat I wanted to accomplish and decided on America's Most Beautiful Ride--100 miles of cycling around Lake Tahoe. It was incredible and whooped me into incredible shape. I knew I needed help, so I joined up with Team in Training through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. You fundraise for them, and in return they teach you to become a triathlete, marathoner or cyclist. It was an awesome experience. It kept me in shape, on target, gave me a coach and a team...plus I raised money for an amazing organization. Good Luck with where ever your adventure takes you!!!

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  9. wow, what an ordeal you went through and a good way to draw motivation to achieve your goal, so much better than working out everyday, going to the gym can be a real drag sometimes, I'd much rather be outdoors and being active. good luck lady!

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  10. You go! It reminds me of your daily humidity workout on the second floor of the gym in Costa Rica that got you ready for the Machu Pichu hike! You know you can do anything you put your mind to.

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  11. Excellent idea about the hike, MJ!

    Not only do I feel it's a great means of exercise, but also an awesome way to absorb all that wonderful healing energy through nature. For me, I always feel more balanced (physically, emotionally, spiritually) while spending time in nature.

    You GO, girl!

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  12. I am sure you have a high Emotional IQ quotient....to have decided such a course. Simply great...i feel inspired...i can very well correlate to that thrice a week schedule of exercise. You will do it..am sure.

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  13. Sounds like a great idea and very ambitious too AND for the right reasons. I'm so sorry to hear about your accident and all the impact that followed. I will be your cheerleader for you hike training!!! You can do it!!

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