I don't close my Rings anymore...

I've had an apple watch since 2017. I received it as a Christmas gift from my hubs and I had no clue really what it did. I have consistently worn it (or my newer versions) almost every day since. This is not an ad for a fitness watch, but I have loved so many features that I truly do feel naked without it now.

Things I love, not having to use my phone for everything: alarm, messaging, quick notifications and of course the workout tracker.

The workout tracker is great. It allows you to log so many ways to move, even pickleball! It tracks your time, calories, pace... so many metrics. The focus though is on the Calories. And that's where the Rings come in.

There are 3 basic rings to "close" each day:

1. Move - Set a Calorie Target to burn

2. Exercise - Set a target amount of minutes

3. Stand - Set a target amount of hours to get on your feet (for at least 1 minute of the hour)

   
   

   

   Satisfaction - all the rings are closed!

In the beginning I was super focused on closing my rings. Every.Single.Day. I was already active, so it wasn't too hard except that it was every single day. In my normal routine pre-watch, I'd workout 5-6 times a week. With the daily rings goal though, I became conditioned to never take a rest day.

I originally had my MOVE Target set at 450 - probably a factory default. When I beat that consistently I kept moving it up. I eventually set it to 800 and that was a challenge, but I would make it happen, or I couldn't close my rings. I remember being on a cruise and walking up and down the 10 levels of steps repeatedly till I could close my rings. I would hop on the treadmill to watch Netflix so I could close my rings. I have a friend that says she punches her arm around in the air at the end of the day to close her rings. I would choose only cardio workouts with the biggest "calorie burn" to close my rings. I would avoid spending time on slower workouts like lifting or yoga because it wouldn't close my rings. It was always about closing the damn rings. I wouldn't feel like I had accomplished anything that day if my rings weren't closed.

I know fitness trackers are a great thing overall. They encourage movement and mindfulness to get off our butts more. Most of us need that. But there is a drawback to a mass-produced product. It isn't the only or best way to getting your goals and its focus on calories can distract our attention on what our bodies truly need.

I haven't consistently closed my rings in over a year. I may once or twice a week. And I've changed my MOVE target back to 550 - reasonable for me. I will track my workouts, but I move with intention on what my body needs each day, whether lifting, cardio, yoga, mobility or a combo of all regardless on which method gives the most points (calories burned). My body has never felt better and I'm able to do all things that I enjoy! And the biggest win, I don't stress about hitting a specific number of "calories" because that's not the definition of a good workout. How I feel in the long term is.

So, what do I DO instead of close my rings to FEEL my best:

1. I MOVE every day. It may be a few minutes of stretching, a walk or it may be a focused workout. I consistently move because it feels better than when I don't. I try to hit 3-4 planned workouts a week at COREFIT and the other days I walk or hit up some mobility at home. I do check my watch to see how many steps I get. I love when I get 10,000 but I'm also happy to get over 6,000.

2. I NOURISH every day. I try to get some quality protein and produce in my body every day.

3. I REST. I have a bedtime. I stick to it. I love sleep and it loves me. I take rest days so that I can get back to the gym stronger and ready for more.

4. I HYDRATE. I take water everywhere I go. Sometimes I get fancy and mix in coconut water. But still water is the priority before other things.

5. I Surround myself with supportive people that bring me JOY.

I am not perfect. I enjoy occasional drinks, ice cream, staying up bingeing a show. But I consistently hit these Habits so I can afford to be inconsistent occasionally. I can honestly say I feel as good as I did 20 years ago. Maybe even better. And I can't wait to do this for another 46 years.

If closing your rings makes you happy without stressing you out - go for it. But if you notice you are checking your rings habitually throughout the day, maybe it's time for a little change up!

If you are a "ring closer" and you aren't closer to your goals or feeling your best, let's talk!

Let's see what habits aren't serving you and find ones that do!

If you've never closed a ring in your life ;), let's talk about how to get you moving and what movement is best for you!

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