I turned 27 on August 29th. For the last four years, I have journaled the night before my birthday about how I wanted to “change” in my upcoming trip around the sun. These “goals” have revolved around changing my appearance (from minor things to more major weight loss goals that logically I KNOW will not happen) to my personality (my 24th birthday was a weird one).
My first workout after I turned 27 happened on the 30th, because if there is one thing you should not have to do on your birthday, it is exercise. I took a faux-run on the beach with my dog that morning when we caught a beautifully cloudy sunrise, and that was plenty for me.
This workout was different than any I had had in the past 7 years. Why? I did it without any sort of calorie/exertion tracker strapped to my wrist. No Fitbit telling me I reached my step goal. No Apple Watch letting me know that I hit my “Move” goal for the day.
The experience left me feeling more energized than any workout in the last six months. I didn’t spend the whole time glancing down at my left wrist to check where I was with my heart rate, calorie burn, or time. I was focused on hitting a mileage amount on the bike’s tracker, but that was it. I let my body tell me when I could speed up or slow down, not the heart rate monitor.
