Battling on in the Winter

I've been using this blog to keep on with my fitness journey quite a bit. I've been writing less frequently as habits are being instilled. Still, it's good to check up and it might be getting time to pivot on to other things that this journey is enabling. 

First off, a quick check in though. Since the holidays, I've been maintaining my weight fairly well. The added level of consciousness from daily weigh-ins along with having some good baseline habits is making this task easier. In rambling on with a friend this week, as well as some past discussions with others, being able to maintain in challenging times like winter is a victory in and of itself. I'll take it.

When the weather warms and heading outside becomes more comfortable, work can continue on the "next level" goals. That's not to say I can't and shouldn't take advantage of some extra walking or cardio time when I can. Nor does it mean I shouldn't keep working on better eating habits, but the main thing I'm learning about myself is that things need to be easy and accessible for me to take advantage.

The "keep it easy" mantra is something I'm noticing in a lot of areas for me. It's necessary to simplify things down in energy, time and space to have prolonged success. If I want to play music/guitar regularly, the instruments need to be within reach in my main living area. If I want to stay on top of growing my startup business, the "tools of the trade", i.e. my 3D printers and shipping peripherals need to be not tucked away in the bowels of my basement. If I want to work out regularly, the gym needs to be nearby and readily accessible. The grocery store routine needs to follow a basic pattern where I know what I'm getting; there's no point in putting too much effort in vain, ecclectic meal plans to be fancy or un-boring. 

I need the practicality of things that get the job done, everything else is wasted energy. Energy that I'd much rather put towards house projects, making things and being useful beyond my baseline routines. I'm even finding in writing that I use a lot of wavery, inefficient words; talking "around" things as Minnesotans can often do. Indeed, I'm on the prowl for efficiency improvements everywhere. For the writing, I'm not meaning I should minimize feel and content. I know at least one person who is so obsessed with terse "active voice" that everything feels like you're reading from a bulleted list. That's extremely inhuman and boring, and results in something no one wants to read. The real magic is to get rid of the "sort of/kind of"s and more concisely say what I mean.

 Digressing, good weather makes activity easier. It creates freedom to go places and helps add perspective.  As with many creatures, winter becomes a dormant time; so it is (to some extent) for those of us trying to improve. Still, progress we must, even if it's a bit slower. I'm finding it a good time for reinforcing the good habits and challenging myself to keep going. The "next level" is out there and I'm sure it will appear at the right time.