{"id":17160,"date":"2023-01-27T13:12:48","date_gmt":"2023-01-27T18:12:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/update.midlandps.org\/?p=17160"},"modified":"2023-01-27T13:12:50","modified_gmt":"2023-01-27T18:12:50","slug":"exercising-diligence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/update.midlandps.org\/index.php\/2023\/01\/exercising-diligence\/","title":{"rendered":"Exercising diligence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n

The new year wakes up a desire for change. On Jan. 1, resolutions come piling in, especially related to health. Everyone says this is the year they\u2019ll get abs, lose weight, or bench 200 lbs. The first week of the year, gyms are packed with active hopefuls pushing towards their fitness goals. But as school and life pick up again, and the cold weather keeps people indoors, the motivation fueling these daily workouts quickly runs dry.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cResearch suggests the average New Year’s resolution only lasts about 10 days,\u201d psychology teacher Claire Fries said. \u201cFor many New Year’s resolutions, people just say something that they want to accomplish, like \u2018I want to drink more water,\u2019 but they don’t make good, clean goals to make it happen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to empty wishes, unrealistic expectations also cause disillusionment that curbs success.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMany fitness goals, like losing weight, take time to accomplish, but people want immediate results,\u201d Health and Wellness and Lifelong Fitness teacher Matthew Schurman said. \u201cWorking out and eating healthy doesn’t give immediate results. It takes time to see the results of exercise and a good diet.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So how can people set effective goals they\u2019ll actually accomplish? The first step is clearly identifying what they\u2019ll do. Fries suggests writing SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timely) goals as one effective method.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to say \u2018I want to do this,\u2019 and write it down,\u201d Fries said. \u201cPut it on your phone, put it on your bedroom wall, but you need to write it down. The research suggests that you are 20% more likely to achieve a goal if you take it out of your head and make it into something physical\u00a0 and visible.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With a clear picture of their intentions, goal-setters can determine how to take action.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen you need to make a path or plan to achieve that goal,\u201d Fries said. \u201cFor example, dedicating a certain amount of time each day towards your physical health, whether it is going for a walk, going to the gym, etc.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

By breaking down big goals into smaller baby steps, they become easier to achieve, track, and schedule. This keeps people conscious of their progress.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s hard for us, as humans, to think about a big goal all the time,\u201d Fries said. \u201cWhen we have external reminders in the form of small things to help us get there, that’s what helps us stay accountable and manage things. For example, our brain has a much easier time saying, \u2018I can lift 10 pounds,\u2019 and then when that gets lighter, you go up to 15, and so on and so forth, instead of just setting one big goal of 100 lbs. Your brain gets very overwhelmed by that, because the first thing you think is, \u2018I can’t do that right now.\u2019 You shut yourself down. By creating these baby steps, your brain has much more confidence of \u2018I can do that. I can build towards it,\u2019 and that feeling grows as you go on with your goal.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But often, the problem is not setting the goal or steps, but following through. Missing one workout leads to another, and soon even the most optimistic exercisers end up back where they started, feeling like failures. That\u2019s where being flexible and forgiving keeps motivation steady.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaking time to exercise is really about prioritizing and creating a balanced schedule, but you don’t want to wear yourself too thin, either,\u201d World History teacher and JV boys basketball coach Alex Karapas said. \u201cTake the necessary rest days, and try to make the things that you enjoy a priority also.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s a difference between excuses and leniency. If outside factors keep interfering with plans, it\u2019s time to reevaluate priorities and action steps. However, there will be days when things don\u2019t go as planned, and as Fries explains, that\u2019s part of the journey.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou’re going to mess up, you’re not going to be perfect,\u201d Fries said. \u201cWhat makes these long-term goals stick is by you being resilient through it. So acknowledge that it’s okay to mess up and have an off day. Just don’t let that one day set you off for the future.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Strong motivation helps in pulling through downfalls. Thinking about the reason, the \u201cwhy\u201d behind a goal, can help find that motivation. According to the <\/span>Harvard Business Review<\/span><\/a>, identifying a \u201cwhy\u201d blocks out distractions and gives deeper meaning to goals, making prioritizing easier when tough choices surface. Sometimes, a past shortcoming can even be the greatest motivation. Sophomore Jack Roberts focuses on his desire to improve in football to keep himself going.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just want to play more and get better,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cI feel like sometimes others talk bad about me, and it doesn\u2019t make me happy. Having that chip on my shoulder keeps me motivated to exercise and improve.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

For many DHS staff and students, including Karapas, caring for their mental health is another exercising \u201cwhy\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know I won\u2019t do well in other aspects of my life if I’m not taking care of myself first,\u201d Karapas said. \u201cGetting in the gym, getting in the weight room, running and things like that are good for my physical and mental health. If I don’t do those things, then I’m not going to be the best teacher or the best dad that I can be. So making it a priority to get those things down is important.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Rewarding successes and having a workout partner for support also maintain excitement and accountability. And exercising will reward participants back. Physically, working out gives energy and keeps the body strong and sickness-free. Its benefits also include reduced stress and better mood. As work gets busier, this relief is even more beneficial to students and teachers alike.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I exercise, whatever\u2019s bothering me, it\u2019s gone afterwards,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cStress from school, life, a long day. It’s just better after.\u201d
<\/span><\/p>\n

There are many ways to reap the benefits of exercise in the winter. Going for walks and doing sports like skiing and snowboarding are great ways to get out when it\u2019s cold. If the weather\u2019s too harsh, chores, volunteering, and the gym are other ways of staying active. With virtual workouts, it\u2019s even possible to get a good sweat in at home.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the end, the best way to be active is by doing what is personally most enjoyable. Listening to music and exercising with friends are all ways to make working out fun, and as a result, more sustainable.<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\"\"\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>\u00a0\"\"\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI always say, \u2018If you hate running, don’t do it. It’s gonna make you miserable,\u2019\u201d Fries said. \u201cIf you love to do yoga, do yoga, if you love to swim, swim. Find the exercise that you love. Any movement is good movement.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And when being healthy is something fun, exercise soon becomes an easily continuable celebration.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere’s too many negative things in our world today,\u201d Karapas said. \u201cAnd a lot of outside noise that tears us down. The last thing that we need is to tear ourselves down, so it’s important to be your own cheerleader. Be proud of who you are, be proud of what you have, and use that as that motivation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":14213,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17160","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-1-news"],"yoast_head":"\nExercising diligence - UPDATE ONLINE<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/update.midlandps.org\/index.php\/2023\/01\/exercising-diligence\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Exercising diligence - UPDATE ONLINE\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/update.midlandps.org\/index.php\/2023\/01\/exercising-diligence\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"UPDATE ONLINE\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DHSUpdate\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-01-27T18:12:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-01-27T18:12:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/update.midlandps.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/BabbySteps-300x232.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Elisa Costeux\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@DowHighUpdate\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@DowHighUpdate\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Elisa Costeux\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/index.php\\\/2023\\\/01\\\/exercising-diligence\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/index.php\\\/2023\\\/01\\\/exercising-diligence\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Elisa Costeux\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/7383181d93b79e5f952b1d948593f5a2\"},\"headline\":\"Exercising diligence\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-01-27T18:12:48+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-01-27T18:12:50+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/index.php\\\/2023\\\/01\\\/exercising-diligence\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1216,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/index.php\\\/2023\\\/01\\\/exercising-diligence\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/01\\\/BabbySteps-300x232.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"NEWS\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/index.php\\\/2023\\\/01\\\/exercising-diligence\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/index.php\\\/2023\\\/01\\\/exercising-diligence\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/index.php\\\/2023\\\/01\\\/exercising-diligence\\\/\",\"name\":\"Exercising diligence - 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