Exercise tzedakah

I know that "New Year's Resolutions" aren't particularly common around the Jewish New Year. I mean, we may resolve to do better, to hurt fewer people, to give more. But I've got something more specific in mind.

I finally joined the JCC.

This was a big step for me. To say that I am unathletic would be a gross understatement.

I walk everywhere, and watch what I eat, but I've never been to a gym in my life (except for one bad Curves experience).

So, last Thursday, I made the call, and met a really cool lady named Barb. She showed me around and reassured me in a low voice that this wasn't a place full of muscle men and tiny skinny girls--that people of all sizes and ages use the facilities, and that I would totally fit in. It was really sweet of her to do that, because I'm sure I had a little bit of a deer-in-headlights look about me.

I signed on the dotted line just before I had to go to work, so my first workout was on Friday. I used a recumbent stepper for 20 minutes, and a rowing machine (OUCH!) for 7 minutes, then walked around the indoor track for 10 minutes.

The gym was closed for Sukkot, but reopened today, and I did a 45-minute high-impact water aerobics class, 7 painful minutes on the rowing machine, 10 minutes/2 miles of biking, and 10 minutes of track walking.

I thought of a way to integrate my faith and my need to keep motivated: Exercise tzedakah. (Tzedakah is giving money to charitable causes.) Every day that I exercise at least 30 minutes, I get to put a quarter in my special exercise tzedakah jar. So, when 5770 is drawing close to an end, I can check out how much I did for myself over the past year, set new goals for the next year, and then give the money away. It's like sponsoring myself in a year-long exercise challenge.

I know that I may not be motivated to make it to the gym for myself. But if I know that I'm helping someone else by doing it, I think it will make it that much easier to peel myself out of bed in the morning.

What helps you to motivate yourself?

Warmth

I had some healing to do during this high holiday season, and the warmth of my shul community helped me so much. I never sat alone during any of the services, and at one point a woman next to me asked, "This is your first real Yom Kippur, isn't it?" I smiled, and said yes. She asked how it felt, and I said, "Before, I was fasting and being a part of the day, but I didn't feel like the words included me. But this time, I know they do. I know this is meant for me." She smiled, gave me a little hug.

I have more to tell, but for now I will wait.

I think 5770 is going to be a good year.