Setting goals that promote positive mental health as well as physical health.

KEEPING IN TOUCH
By Aubrey Hammack
Setting Goals

Talking with people about goals happens to be a part of my job as a counselor. It is very interesting that it is a lot harder to set goals personally than to help others do this. A few weeks ago, I pondered this in an environment that was very conducive for such thoughts. It was over lunch at the Hotel Upson. It was a nippy, overcast day, and sitting at a table facing the street, I realized that, for the first time in a good while, I had no goals of any significance at this time in my life.
Since the fall is my favorite time of year, I don’t believe it was an accident that goal setting entered my mind when it did. It sounds strange in one sense to set goals after the first of the year as people traditionally do. It makes more sense to set them at a time when you feel a natural high. Most people seem to be emotionally down to some degree in January, so maybe the New Year’s resolutions come at the wrong time.
For some time now, being in better physical condition certainly has been in my mind. It seems that one of the things that people do is give a lot of lip service to making changes, especially where physical fitness is concerned. I am as guilty of this as anyone. A few years ago this was not true . It was always easier then to find some friends who shared the same interest here. At least a couple of times a week, there was always a group that got together to play pick-up basketball and football games. At that time, keeping fit was fairly easy.
As years passed and people went their separate ways, things changed. I was not in touch with friends as much. Some moved away, and a job and responsibilities took away opportunities to continue in some of these relationships. So not getting enough exercise kind of evolved slowly, especially for the person that had been extremely active before.
People have told me many times they wanted to be in better physical shape and that they planned to jog, walk, ride bikes, play tennis, or do some other physical activity. It seems like most of them would give up soon after setting these goals. In looking back at why people fail, I think one reason is discipline.
A few weeks ago when I decided to lose a few pounds, it was obvious to me that what I needed was to become obsessed with sticking to an exercise program. I decided to use the odometer on the car to measure 2 miles from my house and back. Walking two miles a night was the starting point for this program. It became apparent after the first two or three nights that I was becoming increasingly bored and thought of giving up. I decided a diversion was needed so I bought a Walkman am/fm cassette radio. This investment was probably the kicker that really got me hooked. Listening to the music detracts from the pain and mundaneness of the exercise. The one danger here is that you can’t hear the traffic, so I use only one side of the headset. When walking became no challenge, I added seven miles of stationary bike riding to the program. Later, I added sit-ups. These were not the traditional ones, but those that involve the bending of the knees to protect the back.
After being on this routine for 4 weeks plus now, I am proud to say that I have lost eight pounds. Even more importantly, I am feeling great. Over the years, I have noticed that when I’ve felt best always was when exercising. Contrary to the way it sounds, a lot of exercise is a great relaxer. Have you ever been highly stressed at the end of a day and did some exercises and then felt much more alive, fresh, and relaxed?
The magic that takes place when this happens has to do with brain chemicals, research tells us. We are told that a chemical called endorphin is produced. Endorphins are small biochemicals called “opioid peptides” that plug into receptors. Throughout our brains, spines and bloodstreams, these chemicals are present. They are either working, disintegrating at high speeds or remaining inactive. What has been found is that, during exercise, endorphins increase. So, obviously the high that I’ve always gotten when exercising is induced by this chemical.
So one route, I believe, to better mental health is exercise. It can cost close to nothing. Your cardio-vascular system is improved. A program of fitness, however, should start with a physical examination from your doctor. When this is done, and he gives you the go ahead, then all you need are dedication, obsession, and discipline. These hold the key to meeting the goals you set for yourself. Then put your plan into action and let your endorphins run wild.