I read this thing by Jillian Michaels a while back about writing down your weight-loss goals. Well, actually I read it as “fitness goals” because I am sort of bored with focusing on weight loss, and that in itself is a funny thing which I will get to in a minute when I’m good and ready. Anyhow, I resist things like writing down goals because it feels so motivational speaker affirm-y to me, like I’m some 80’s go-getter in a power suit trying to scrabble my way up the corporate ladder, or a New-Age-y lady in flowing pants determined to find my myself via a spirit animal or some shit. (By the way, my spirit animal today is a manatee, thanks to too much fucking cake. All hail the sea cow!) Anyhow, writing down goals might be a very sensible thing to do, as it makes what you want more concrete in your mind and gives you some direction and all that.
So I was thinking about when I started running regularly, and at that time, if I had written down my fitness goals, my list would probably have looked like this:
-Lose the hummada hummada pounds I gained during pregnancy and get skinnier
See? I didn’t give a shit about stronger or more badass, that wasn’t even in my vocabulary. And certainly goals like pull ups and learning to box were nowhere on my mind. I just wanted to wear pants with a button-fly again. I wanted to lose weight.
So anyway, if we fast-forward to now I clearly got more than that out of hurling myself into this exercise shit. And when I originally wrote this post, I had a whole blah-blah about feeling stronger and athletic and confident and then my usual caveat about how exercise isn’t magic, and how you shouldn’t trust gurus that promise you a big life change, but fuck, how many times can I say that? So now I’m trying this new thing called editing, it might be exciting but don’t expect it to last. Anyway, if you want to hear about all that, pick any post at random and you’ll probably see it. Not that I’m suggesting you read FF. The bitch who writes it is crazy.
Anyway, I got more out of exercise than the loss of some jiggly, and yeah, in my case it did have some big results like, oh, a career change. But actually today I was thinking more about a few other things I never, ever would have thought to put on my original goals list. Like:
-I get to learn new things all the time. I love learning, it’s responsible for so much of the dork in me. Exercise probably saved me from being one of those people who hangs around grad schools and community classes forever. I get to learn new things all the time, and I have so much to learn about the things I even know something about, and it’s great. There’s always sports and athletic shit I want to pursue, and now I have the baseline fitness level and confidence to try it, and if I had my way, I’d probably take seventeen different classes a day, and probably drop dead of sweaty exhaustion in a week, but die happy.
-I have an opportunity to challenge myself in activities that makes me feel wussy and lame on some days, and giddy and elated on other days, and frustrated with myself pretty regularly, but I like it all anyway. I guess I’m saying it’s a great way to pass the time.
-But probably most significantly and unexpectedly, doing these fitness-y things has introduced me to many people I adore, and a few people I love fiercely. I certainly did not anticipate that when I started exercise. Know what it feels like to be a fish out of water in most places and then have the chance to find people who make you laugh, and tell you that you are alright, and who look out for you and make you happy? Well it means alot to me, and shut up, I’m not welling up, it’s just allergies or possibly the early stages of swine flu.
So I’m thinking sometimes you start with a tiny little goal that seems really big at the time, but actually you end up with things you never imagined you’d get out of the whole enterprise. And the goal ends up being more like a nice bonus compared to the other things you get. I doubt you can plan for that shit, but it sure is nice.
Verklempt. Talk amongst yourselves. Topic: Goals, bonuses, swine flu, your walk-up song. Discuss.
I love this post. It completely nails where I am right now.
Miz
May 7th, 2009
I LOVE this post with a big puffy heart.
Like you, I went into fitness to lose weight. Along the way, I found joy, confidence, a deep and powerful love for how hard women work, a desire to make their lives better. I’m taking the CPT test next week… and hope to make the same career change you did. (and hopefully work mostly with my women: the peri-post menopausal woman who thinks her body betrayed her.)
When I started, I didn’t even believe I could do this for myself.
Life is funny sometimes, isn’t she?
deb
May 7th, 2009
Good post.
I am wondering if you’ve seen this: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-05-06/the-exercise-myth/
Sorry for dropping the huge link on you.
My jaw dropped when I saw this, discouraging people from exercising. Horrifying!
Belinda
May 7th, 2009
I never wrote down goals when I started all this fitness stuff several years ago, but it would have been something like: Lose a bunch of weight so I look better, don’t get stomach aches, and don’t have back aches all the time.
I’ve exceeded my wildest dreams. Besides feeling like a million bucks, I’m now part of a community of gym buddies. This weekend we’re all meeting up at The Human Race (a charity fundraiser) and having a potluck brunch/bar-b-que afterwards. We all know how to be fit and have fun at the same time. Life is good!
dragonmamma/
May 7th, 2009
the goals were in my head,, based on sports I wanted to get back into my life. And thanks to people like you Kelly, and your three W’s- wit, wisdom and workouts - this year I added back skiing, basketball and tennis. Three of my favorites that I thought I’d never get back. Surfing the paddleboard is next! So glad you had a career change! xo
surfmom
May 7th, 2009
My exercise goals were and still are — be able to enjoy food without guild and to forestall death due to some lame excuse like broken hip due to loss of bone density, heart disease, etc. Suddenly at 40 I started to worry SLIGHTLY less about weight and more about mortality.
Then I saw Michelle Obama’s arms and added a third objective to the list… gain ability scare right wing conservatives with strong arm muscles.
she
May 7th, 2009
I heart you.
And appreciate that you ate all the cake. Thanks!
Shari
May 8th, 2009
Manatee, snrk!
Hmm, walk-up song would probably be something by Joan Jett - “Fetish”? Or just about anything by AC/DC. As long as I got to stride in slow motion to it.
My original goal was a little less self-hate and wanting to be able to jump on a fun outdoorsy trip at a moment’s notice, not “Oh, wait a minute, I need a couple of months to get in shape before I can go on that hike/bike/climb”. But these days, making goals really helps to keep me regular (hee!) in my fitness routine, and like you and deb mentioned, it has also let to a new career path, as well as an intro into new sports.
Actually, just before I checked your blog, I was sitting here at work putting together my new weight training program and monthly cardio program, which of course requires two different calendars and multiple color codings. Doesn’t work for everyone, but I love being able to see just exactly what I have planned and then I get to cross it off once it’s done. The OCD in me is practically orgasmic at the thought! And now that summer’s here, my goal is nice big guns for those cute little tank tops.
Hoolia
May 8th, 2009
ditto ditto ditto. You summed it up nicely. I LOVE all the people I’ve met along the way…
ErinG
May 9th, 2009
Guess we all feel the same way up in here. Could have written this myself. Except for the manatee part. Haven’t found my spirit animal (but I think I may have met a cat last week who qualifies), but pretty sure it doesn’t live in water.
Currently, I have a sheet of paper with two (creepy stalkerish) pictures of girls in my triathlon age group. It has their race times, their USA Triathlon rankings, and a few little details about them. And at the bottom it says “TRAIN TO WIN!”
Honestly, it doesn’t help me much. But it’s kind of cool for my clients to see it hanging on my desk.
Jamie
May 14th, 2009
Exercise can open a lot of doors. Its not only a change in your body but a change in lifestyle. You meet new people, experience new things, and discover a new world. Active people tend to stick together, and now you’re one of them!
Best of luck on your journey. We’ll be following.
Tyler
May 16th, 2009
I am 80 days into a goal of 100 days without missing a workout. This blog is exactly what I needed to get me through the final stretch!
Boxing Dad
May 16th, 2009