September is the real January now for many. The month when, after taking a break for a while, we start to get serious again, with new work and life projects, different hobbies and maybe a diet: the famous good resolutions.
I was reminded of this by a message from a gym where I went no more than three times over ten years ago and which is more than 500 kilometres from where I live now. The invitation was (of course) for September and included a free week to try out all the available classes, appealing to the desire of many to start doing sport after the ravages of the holidays.
Although the number of members soars this month, it is much easier to pay for a gym membership to feel at peace with yourself than to attend regularly. In the end, very few people really enjoy lifting weights locked in a room full of people in tank tops. Similarly, self-imposed intentions to lose weight and ambitions to save money often shipwreck.
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So perhaps it is time to say no more to the usual good intentions, which are hardly tangible and almost never realised. What is needed in September are concrete and attainable goals: in a word, sincere.
Start a course of therapy
If we stop and listen to each other for a while, everyone will quickly realise what their most urgent needs are. Well-being, however, almost always starts in the mind, and so it might be helpful to put aside all the paranoia and doubts of the previous months and start working on ourselves by agreeing to have someone help us. It is always a good time to start psychotherapy, but perhaps September is a little more so. And concrete results will not be long in coming.
Buying a bike
Nothing particularly against gyms, but to start (or restart) sport there are many other possibilities, many times underestimated. The bicycle, for example, is synonymous with outdoor sporting activity and at the same time is a fast and sustainable vehicle. Cycling offers an unparalleled feeling of freedom and in the city it will save you from rush-hour traffic.
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A good resolution to remember when you are queuing in the car or squashed like sardines in the metro. Besides cycling, running, walking in the mountains, climbing or swimming are also healthy, fun and cheaper activities than any Virgin.
Learn to cook
To lose weight, you need to eat well, and to eat well, you need to take the time to cook complete meals with natural, quality ingredients. Ergo, the first step to a balanced diet is to make an effort to learn how to prepare some healthy but tasty dishes. Although a course is always a good option, recipes and cooking tips are now everywhere, from social media to YouTube. All it takes is a little curiosity and a little patience at the beginning, but then cooking for yourself (and others) will be relaxing as well as essential for staying well.
Illustration by Gloria Dozio - Acrimònia Studios
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