I have a confession to make. I am addicted to suspense novels. Whodunits, if you will. I have been addicted to them since I was old enough to check out the Hardy Boys at my local library in Spokane. Now, while my predilection to pulp fiction may offend the finer sensibilities of the pure bibliophiles out there, I make no apologies. They are fun and fast to read and a distraction from some of the true crime that goes on in our society. (I do also read some socially relevant prose, but it is usually only when my oldest daughter shames me into it…)
In addition suspenseful novels, I also appreciate indulging in some of the more salient crime genre on the tube. But my favorite is Prime Suspect; a BBC production from the 90’s which stars Helen Mirren. She is absolutely riveting in her role as Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison. A brilliant actress, needless to say.(Stay with me, I am getting closer to the point).
So what does this have to do with working out, BMR, adaptation, homeostasis and the like? Well, on the surface, nothing at all, but bear with me, and all will be revealed.
The common thread for these thrillers, whether film or print, is catching the bad guy (person). In order to do this, and for him (her) to be convicted, the following three components must be established: means, motive and opportunity. Oddly enough, this started me thinking about how similar this is to establishing a good workout routine. (Finally got there!)
Many of us have good intentions about making positive changes in our lives. The impetus for these changes can be vanity-based, or simply a desire to feel better about ourselves. But as we all know, good intentions can often be derailed.
Now back to our thriller. Consider yourself the Prime Suspect. But the twist here is that instead of proving that you have committed a crime, we want to ensure that you will actually be “charged” with committing to a goal. With that in mind, we have Means, Motive and Opportunity to consider.
In US criminal law (and British, as well), “means” refers to a suspect’s ability to commit the crime. For our purposes, we will assume that since you have decided to make a change in your life, and for all intents and purposes, you have the ability. If, however, you are 75 years old, and your goal is to beat the best time of Usain Bolt, the fastest man alive http://www.usainbolt.com/, you may want to adjust your goal a bit. Say, for instance, you want to work towards running a 12 minute mile, or completing a 5K or 10K run. That might be doable, and within reach.
Most of us possess some type of motive for making a change in our lives. It could be a milestone birthday, an upcoming class reunion, or fitting into a wedding gown or tuxedo for a 25th anniversary. Some motives are stronger than others. For instance, if you are about to become a grandparent, and you are unable to bend over, pick up more than 5 pounds, or stand for longer than 5 minutes at a time, starting an exercise routine might be in your future. So, motives are important, and according to the National Weight Control Registry, most people who started a life-changing program did so as a result of a momentous incident in their life. (Some people call it an “Ah-Ha!” moment)
Opportunity seems to be the biggest hang-up for most people. As a trainer, I have seen people with the least amount of time and opportunity capitalize on the time they have available to fit in a workout. Conversely, I have listened to people who appear to have means, motive and plenty of opportunity to exercise lament the lack of sufficient time to do so. (Note: 5 hours per week works out to about 3% of an entire week devoted to exercise. If you count sleeping 8 hours a night, it comes out to 4.4%). I suggest to the jury that in this case, the motive isn’t strong enough to convict or commit. I submit to you that by possessing a strong motive, means and opportunity become more apparent. I rest my case.
Next up: You've been convicted, now how to serve your time?
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