The Numbers that Actually Matter
I am a bit fired up (and it’s really late for me) so please forgive my rant.
I woke up this morning thinking I was going to do a bit of online shopping. Being a new year and everything (hello 2023!) I wanted to get rid of my old, ripped, and stained pyjamas and replace them with something new. I hop online and look at La Vie en Rose. I sort through their 300 styles of “pyjamas” and find the pair I would like to purchase. Hop onto their size chart, measure myself and find that if I want to purchase their tank top and shorts style pyjamas - I need an XL top and an XXL shorts.
If you have met me - in person, or even seen photos of me you would probably say I am “average” size (whatever that means). I am tall and generally look average weight for my height. I have never been described as thin, but I wouldn’t typically walk into a store and think I am an XXL. I could go into details on my weight, but I will spare you and give you the quick notes of my thoughts on this XXL crap.
Clothing companies, magazines, and BMI have made me feel overweight my entire life. I am not. What I am is strong and healthy. I could also go on about BMI, how muscle weighs more than fat, body types, etc., but that is not why I am writing this. I am writing this because I want to talk about the numbers that actually matter.
The Numbers that Actually Matter
The numbers that matter correlates with my goals. No not the one that shows up on a scale, or the ones that show up in a dressing room, but the ones that make me feel good for who I am and who I want to be, not who society, social media, and magazines want me to be. So here’s my numbers.
18-06-2023: The date I want to beat my half-marathon PR.
2:15:00: The time I want to complete my half-marathon.
75lbs: The weight I want to power clean this year.
200lbs: The weight I want to deadlift this year.
150lbs: The weight I want to squat this year.
12: The number of books I want to read this year.
Why? Because these are the goals that will truly make me happy.
When I am 80, no one is going to care what I weighed when I was 35, but I will care if I am healthy, and to me, healthy means that I can:
Keep up with my son, or my grandchildren.
Go for a walk.
Get up off the floor.
Grow old with my husband.
And to achieve those goals, I have to have good bone density and good cardiovascular health, and I already have those - I just want to maintain them and improve them in any way that I can.
Benefits of Strength Training
Canadian guidelines recommend:
A minimum of 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of exercise per week. This averages out to just under 25 minutes per day.
With a focus on moderate to vigorous activities in bouts of 10 min or more. Meaning try and get your heart rate up.
And spend at least 2 days a week on strength training.
Strength training can:
Improve your overall mental health.
Improve your cardiovascular system.
Increase bone density. THIS one is big!
According to Osteoporosis Canada 1 in 3 women will suffer from an osteoporotic fracture during their lifetime. In 2015, 11.9% of Canadians over the age of 40 were diagnosed with osteoporosis, and 80% of them were women. That number is HUGE!
In a 60-second search, I could show you 10 different good research articles that support strength training as prevention of osteoporosis. So please, get out there and move heavy shit!
Not sure how? Nervous about it? Give me a call and I will guide you toward reaching your goals!
-Cheers to good health and a good year :)
ps. did you know that in some parts of the world, pyjamas are also spelled pajamas?
