Get fit, live long, save money. It sounds simple but it’s easier than you think. Here’s how.
Sticking to fitness is about taking steps towards a fitter, better life. No-one can lead, motivate or inspire you to shape up unless you have made the decision to do so.If you are out of shape, you are negatively affecting your health. Making the decision to shape up has to come from you, no matter how difficult it is. Think about how great you will feel with more energy; make up your mind and find your power today!
Start by going to the doctor. If you are obese, they will likely tell you that this means disease risk factors have increased drastically (hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, type II diabetes, hypertension and chance of a stroke) since you hit this body weight. Get medical clearance to begin exercising.
Once you’ve got the green light, start looking into shape-up options in your community; group training, fitness classes at your local gym, outdoor opportunities. Ask around your friends and see if they will join you. Its spring, people are thinking fitness!
If you are obese, water exercise is even better than walking – you will love the freedom of movement in water that […]
Facing your sweet temptations – sometimes it’s not the right time to resist.
I had overwhelming urges for milky sweet chocolate.
It wasn’t the kind of craving that goes away by calling a friend and a tall glass of water. Nor was it the kind of moment that could be substituted. This was the kind of desperation that you’d walk five miles in the rain for, dominating my thoughts for at least two hours. The weirdest thing is, I was in the middle of a workout and the only place I felt like running was to the vending machine.
When I got in sight of chocolate I suddenly lost interest. Perhaps it was the fact that I was ‘allowed’ to eat chocolate, that made it less devious. Or perhaps it was the fat kids clutching candy bars that turned me off. Regardless, I decided to compromise with a push-button treat, artificial enough to give me my fix. Seven assortments of hot chocolate varieties awaited me: banana flambé, French toast, English toffee….but no sign of plain old hot chocolate. When did chocolate lose appeal in its pure form?
Indulging in sweet delights on occasion is as necessary as eating your daily five to seven […]
Need to lose weight for summer, but not sure where to start? Here’s how to take the first step
No-one can lead, motivate or inspire you to shape up unless you have made the decision to do so.
The first step is recognizing that you are negatively affecting your health by not exercising or eating a proper diet. Getting out of this stage has to come from you, no matter how difficult it is to admit it, so stop kidding yourself. You can do this! You CAN feel more energized, you CAN start changing your mindset – find your power today!
Start by going to the doctor. If you are obese, they will likely tell you that this means disease risk factors have increased drastically (hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, type II diabetes, hypertension and chance of a stroke) since you hit this body weight.
There’s a big difference between wanting to lose weight for esthetical reasons, and having your doctor confirm that your body composition is a health risk. If you, or someone you love, have ballooned into a size that has become restrictive to carry out normal activities, don’t wait for a health scare to do something about it. The facts are scary enough to motivate you to step 2.
The […]
Thinking about working out burns between zero and zero calories. It’s time to exercise today!!
There’s always a way to talk ourselves into not exercising. Too busy, too tired, too sore. It’s up to us to take the steps to improved health and realize that we CAN get in shape, CAN feel more energized, CAN live a better life. And above everything….we can find the time – we just have to know how to find the motivation.
Even if your driving factor for now is weight loss, once you get started that will seem far off into the distance because nothing compares to having incredible amounts of energy, and to be in the cycle of allowing your body to crave what it wants. Says Justine Ewart (37), a regular exerciser “There are days that I take off and my body will be talking to me, telling me to walk the stairs instead of using the elevator. It is truly amazing how the motivation comes naturally. Don’t forget you have to start first. It took some time for my body and mind to adjust and after about the 21st day I noticed a change and I was on my way to a […]
Old school nutrition: why it’s time to move past the overcooked broccoli and ask Grandma for advice.
There is a mountain of conflicting health advice these days – how do you sort out the facts from the fiction?
Such a great question but unfortunately even the most knowledgeable fitness experts don’t have the straight up answer. Although the best fitness and nutritional information is logical, new discoveries happen daily and it’s a tough job for anyone to keep up!
For example, all salad is good for you – right? Wrong. Did you know that Wendy’s Taco salad boasts a whopping 730 calories, 20 grams of ‘bad fat’ nad almost the entire days quota of sodium. Add the bread, crackers or pop and you’ve about the same ammount of energy as three chocolate bars. And how about hitting your arteries with some good old comfort food, like Stoffers Macaroni and Cheese? Each package has half a days saturated and trans fat (12 grams), whopping sodium levels and almost 500 calories. Although it may be lower in calories than some pre-packaged foods (such as Shepards Pie) there is more to a ‘good food’ than just the calorie count.
So who has the accurate information? Although I’d love to say […]
