The recent controversial Peloton commercial depicting a young woman receiving a gift of a Peloton bike from her husband made me think. If you haven’t seen it, you can take a look here: The Gift That Gives Back | Peloton Bike Commercial. There has been plenty written and said about the underlying messages the commercial may or may not be sending, and I will spare you another post in that regard.
However, the commercial does bring to mind the question of “what’s practical” regarding fitness. For the woman in the ad, it appears riding her Peloton every day for 365 days straight was practical (though, in reality, adequate rest and recovery would be advisable). She did appear to achieve her Peloton-related goal and also appeared to be rightfully proud of it. For some people, a goal like that may be practical. For many others, the reality of incorporating such a routine into their life, may not be realistic.
What’s “Practical” when it comes to Exercise and Nutrition?
This brings me to the main topic of this post which is the question of “What’s YOUR practical?” when it comes to exercise and nutrition. In my mind, the answer to that question is strictly based on the individual. That is, what is truly practical to do from a workout, or nutrition perspective is completely dependent up the multi-faceted attributes of you. I am a true believer of the adage, “the best exercise to do is the one you WILL do (consistently).” Likewise, the same concept can be applied to dietary habits, such that, if you embark on changing your diet, it needs to be something you can realistically stick to over time. If you embark on changes to your exercise or dietary patterns that are not realistic, specifically for you, then you lower the odds of sustaining those changes over the long-haul (i.e., months, years, a lifetime). Setting unrealistic exercise and dietary goals can be counterproductive and demoralizing. On the contrary, setting goals that are attainable and realistic to your specific situation, interests, and abilities can be both motivating and productive. Remember, goals should always be SMART such that they are Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Time-bound.
YOUR Practical Depends Entirely on YOU
In an attempt to wrap this post up with a festive red bow as was hanging off the woman’s Peloton bike in the commercial, I ask you, “What’s YOUR practical?” As we approach the beginning of 2020, many of you may be thinking about setting new goals for the new year. If you are thinking about exercise and dietary related goals (and my holiday wish for you, is that you always are), I recommend you give some careful, introspective, realistic thought to “What’s YOUR practical?” If it’s riding a Peloton almost every day for a year, and that’s an appropriate challenge for your interests, abilities, and current situation, then go for it. If it’s walking twenty minutes a day, five days a week, and eating an additional serving of vegetables a day to start, then that’s great, as well. Understand “YOUR Practical,” set some SMART goals and get going; I’m confident it will be a great ride for you!
Until next time, best & healthy regards,
Steve
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