Still Going To The Gym?

We’ve rolled into a new decade and, no doubt, many of us at the turn of the clock from 23:59 to 00:00 thought we could have a new start. Marketing and social media is ever-so-helpful when it comes to making such resolutions. The franchised weight loss signs appear everywhere. Adverts for getting that new career are on the radio and TV. Dating sites to find that partner of your dreams. And getting that oh so fit body that we really should have.

Thighbrow (noun): The crease between your thigh and your hip that appears when you sit or kneel down. Originating from Instagram, and used in sentences like: 'look at my thighbrow', and 'my thighbrows are totally great today'

WTF?

Before I get into worrying about things we needn’t worry about and that worrying doesn’t achieve anything, action does, I’ll get back to the subject…..

A survey from the Mirror newspaper said that of 1000 gym members surveyed 110 hadn’t gone for nearly a year. A further 210 had only been 3 times in the past year. Some years back my dad was one of those people. He’d signed up at the beginning of the year with best intent. Yet, several years later, was still paying ￡25 per month for nothing. I invited him to hand me the money to burn in front of him (which he declined).

Money aside, we are in a world where the external is king. What we look like , how we dress, the shape we have. I visited Stone Henge a few weeks ago and was amazed by how everyone wanted the selfie in which they must have the perfect pose. Therefore, the stones. Those 5000-year-old stones, were actually secondary.

So we go to the gym to get the firm this and the rippling that. Possibly do some cardio too. Yet how many of us spend time exercising our mind? If work is fairly repetitive our mind is not getting flexed there. If we’re scrolling through Insta, FB or TickTock we’re unlikely to get it there.

The brain is an oh-so important part of us which we often ignore when it comes to getting exercise. We crack on with our routines. We douse ourselves in box-sets while scrolling social. So our mind gets used to this. It starts closing off (or forgetting) the neural pathways it doesn’t need in favour of what is most used. Sounds ok and yet of six points on Alzheimer’s Society website for dementia prevention is Exercise Your Mind.

If your resolution was to get fit then consider getting your mind fit at the same time. Here’s a few ideas:

·        Get some classes in – Zumba or similar. Requires coordination while you tone.

·        Pick up a sport – if there’s a sport you did at school maybe get back into that. Great for fitness, great for firing up the brain. What’s more, it’s social.

·        Games – not on your device, silly! A decent card game or board game is social and gets the mind whirring. Although I think my dauhgter might prefer to 'tap and go'. There are some decent brain games on the app store too.

·  Help your child with homework – in January I learned about medieval Baghdad and sharpened my (well-blunted) mental maths.

·        Read a book – here’s a challenge. Get your tongue round Fox in Socks by Dr Seuss. But anything from fact to fiction so long as it’s stretching your mind.

·        Read to your children – double-whammy! You read stuff and get parent-child time thrown in. To make it challenging give the story emphasis tone and tempo and with accents for the characters.

·        Write or draw – something to get you creative. I write blogs (obvs).

Get fit – socially, mentally, physically.

WithOutLimit is a Career and Life Coaching Service. Created in Royal Berkshire, UK. Digitally delivered to the world.

PS. Confession time. I didn’t read much as a child but have been blessed with the opportunity to read to my children. Without that opportunity the joys of The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, Magic Wishing Chair, The Magic Faraway Tree, Paddington, Dr Seuss….and so many more would have passed me by.

PPS. Happy Valentine's y'all