WHO'S WORLD OF FANTASY WILL YOU DIVE INTO NEXT?

ISN’T IT FITTING, regardless of the time in between now and my previous article, that this one is set to be published in the New Year? I saw a meme somewhere that said that this is the only time Kenyans have been known to look forward to Monday. Haha, does this also apply to you wherever you are? I would definitely want to know 🙂

Tell me, how have you been since our last interaction? Any new milestones yet? Did you get to achieve your goals by the end of the year 2023?

A new year tends to bring much with it, including the promise of a new beginning, which in a way, it is; if nothing else, you get to buy a new calendar :). There’s a certain feeling of being reborn – out with the old and in with the new. Though if you do think about it, there really is nothing wrong with ‘old’ or ‘age’. After all, I hear the best wines are those that have been allowed to age – I hear; I’m no expert.

One of the New Year practices or traditions is setting resolutions, many of which tend to fall by the wayside before the first day is over – or is that an exaggeration? I would tend to imagine that a resolution such as to eliminate sugar from one’s diet would fail the test of time by the time the person was heading to bed. Don’t get me wrong, it is a worthwhile resolution since it is also super healthy! Remember our previous conversation on sugar intake and its relationship to high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes? It is, therefore, a noble resolution, one that I think you should totally make.

I have a feeling you may have been waiting (and cringing) for a ‘but’ in the previous paragraph. Not quite the flow of thought you had expected, huh? Well, there’s more of that :).

As a Physical Educator, you can imagine that my attention would then shift to fitness resolutions. Interestingly, I came across a YouTube video which hinted that losing weight may not be a compelling reason to begin exercising. Allegedly, its time has been overtaken by events; and neither is fear a motivator. What are your thoughts on this? If you saw an ad inviting you to join their fitness classes to lose weight, how much water would that hold with you?

Another interesting statement I came across was: “Your body size and shape does not determine your fitness capability; you could be plump and active OR lean and inactive. What you do is what counts”.

Fascinating, isn’t it? I would say it gives hope to the many of us who have been struggling to get to the ‘ideal’ weight and body size only to be met with frustration at little to no results. And really, it does make a lot of sense since our fitness is measured against certain health- and skill-related components.

In the end, the effort you make to get up and jog around the block or ride your bike over the weekend or to work counts a lot more than if there were no intentional action. In my aquafitness classes (fondly known as hydro by my athletes), the effort is what matters. I mean, you may come for the first class and be unable to run in the water; yet if you keep trying session after session, the results speak for themselves.

Hey, you must be asking, why the lengthy article? We’d like to catch a snooze after staying up all night for the New Year!

Haha, chill, I’m almost done :).

Perhaps an interesting motivator for exercise – for the civilian – at this time and age is to continually grow and maintain the brain. Like it or not, whatever your occupation, you need your brain at its highest capacity. Physical inactivity tends to shut it down and prevent new growth. I mean, yes it is there, yet it could be a lot better! The Nairobi River, although still flowing, could as well be the Thames if such an effort were to be applied, no?

Therefore, move and exercise and stay active for the sake of your brain! If for nothing else, do it for your main control centre. Who knows, you may yet manage to keep Dementia at bay in your old age due to the massive, intentional movement you made starting now! 🙂

As I wrap up, it’s been an incredible year, and you have been an amazing audience. The thought of what to write each week while keeping you entertained is a challenge I do not get elsewhere, and I totally love it! Feel free to drop me a comment or email me at josemariambui@gmail.com

Oh, also, in case you need some assistance with keeping your fitness resolutions, getting into a training routine; or even if you are an athlete (or frequent exerciser) and would require my services in strength and conditioning, injury prevention, injury rehabilitation, a new training experience…please have a look at my Aquafitness poster below :). As strange as it sounds, there is a lot you can gain by working out in water.

I wish you the very best!

Cheers, mate!