A few weeks ago I realized that I'd be seeing you soon, but was surprised it took until today. So you got a bit of a slow start, huh? That's OK. But as soon as I rolled into the parking garage at the gym at 6:30 this morning, there you were. I found a nice spot on the third level of the garage. I don't mind walking a bit, it's cool.
I wish I could be super-supportive, really I do. I think it's great that you've decided that 2007 is the year that you're going to get in shape, maybe drop a few pounds. Really, I do! But I'm sorry, I just can't help being a bit pessimistic about it. Maybe the dreary Seattle winter is getting ot me.
See, I've seen you every January now for about 10 years. Same thing every year. Full parking lots. Busy locker rooms. All the lanes in the pool doubled or tripled. Lines for much of the equipment. But then something changes, like magic, usually during the last two weeks in Februrary. You start to give up and things (quickly) go back to normal.
Which brings me to why I'm writing you this letter. I'd like to help you be a bit more successful in all of this, because the way you're going about it just doesn't work that well for either of us.
First of all, there is nothing harder than getting out of bed at 6am on a Seattle January morning. It's pitch dark out. It's cold. It's raining most of the time. It sucks. It doesn't exactly get you revved up.
Second, you'll have to deal with, well, yourself. If you're new to the Club, dealing with the crowds isn't a very inviting experience. It's one thing to be working out when you could be in bed, it's an entirely different thing to be standing around, waiting to work out, when you could be in bed.
Third, unless you're going to somewhere sunny for an extended period of time, you can't really do anything with the fitness you're gaining. So you'll be huddled inside wearing fleece most of the time...in better shape.
And finally, working-out-for-the-sake-of-working-out is really, really hard. It is! I did it for years. I was mostly successful but as soon as something came a long to disrupt my schedule - look out. "The gym? Oh, yeah, gotta get back in there..." Pick some goal, some raison d'etre for your exercise, and it'll be 10 times easier (and you might actually like it!).
So, New Years Resolutioner, here's my suggestion for you to help you make this one stick:
Make it your New Years Resolution to Start Excercising On June 1, 2007 Towards A Goal Like A 5K Run Or A Marathon Or Climbing Mt. Si Or STP Or A Triathlon Or Whatever Gets Your Ass Out of Bed. See, then you don't have to go to the stuffy old gym every day. You can go outside sometimes, which is kind of nice if you haven't tried it.
And then, since you're motivated, it'll become part of your routine and you just might make it right on through January 2008. And we can stand in line waiting for showers or sinks on the locker room and you can turn to me, sigh and say "...oh man, a line...New Year's Resolutions, huh?"
Best Wishes,
Shawn