| Week of April 28, 2001 |
Weight:
224.00
Total Loss: 106.50 |
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20 GET MOVING MOTIVATORS,
By Garrett J. Braunreiter, CSCS, The Energy Coach
Studies have shown that carrying groceries, doing yardwork, and cleaning
your house counts as physical activity. So, while you're not exercising
per se, you're at least giving your body some physical benefits.
But still you know that this kind of activity isn't going to guarantee a
flatter stomach, greater strength, and a longevity boost. So how do find
time and energy reach your fitness goals? Here are every-day tips for
your exercise inspiration....
1. Take a picture of yourself and have it "morphed" at a photo shop.
Wanna see how you look 10, 20, 30 pounds lighter? Have the picture
people edit the picture in the image you like, then take home copies of
it and hang them everywhere you can see it. Harness the power of
visualization.
2. Keep a stack of your favorite magazines that you promise yourself you
can read only at the gym. If the issues start piling up, you know it's
time to schedule a workout.
3. Did you know that NOT exercising AT ALL is equivalent to smoking a
pack of cigarettes A DAY? (Fear is a good motivator for some.)
4. Your dog. If you want your pooch to enjoy a longer, healthier life,
s/he needs to get moving, too. You'll find as both of you get fit, s/he
is more enthusiastic, and will give you a challenging workout. If not,
YOU give him/her a challenging workout.
5. Work out with your spouse/life partner. Not only does it get both of
you healthy and strong, but can also spice up your romantic life.
6. Erase YEARS off your body. Chronologically you may be 40, but with
regular, vigorous exercise and healthy nutrition, people are going to do
a double-take and think you're in your mid-30's. Imagine how awesome
you'll feel, when you not only feel younger, but to OTHER people you
look younger. Act younger, too.
7. Begin an accomplishments journal. At the end of each day, write down
what you've accomplished that day to move you closer toward your fitness
and/or life goals. DO NOT WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU HAVEN'T ACCOMPLISHED. That
doesn't matter. What matters is what you ARE doing; we all need a
long-overdue, well-deserved pat on the back on a regular basis.
8. Use the TV. Here's the catch: work out only when your favorite show
is on. Or, record your favorite show and work out during that (but don't
fast forward through commercials - unless you have consecutive episodes
taped). Can help time to fly by faster.
9. Hire a personal trainer or coach. If you're having extreme difficulty
with motivation, hire a professional to get you to reorganize your life
to make taking care of yourself a top priority (which it should be). A
good coach or trainer will teach you how to help YOURSELF, without you
having to hold someone else's hand, and help you realize that YOU have
the power and ability to do this on your own.
10. Split your workouts. Some recent studies are showing that a split
workout can burn more calories than one full workout. So if time's an
issue (gee, there's a thought) try getting up 30 minutes earlier in the
morning for a short-burst 15 minute workout, then steal another 15-20
minutes at lunch or in the evening.
11. Use your daily planner. You have important commitments scheduled
into your planner, right? Volunteer work, doctor appointments,
children's activities, etc. Where's EXERCISE??? It's as important a
commitment (if not more) than your other activities. Quick tip: mark
"EXERCISE" in your planner with a bright colored marker, so it stands
out as a reminder to get your butt in gear.
12. Listen to audio books while you exercise. Self-improvement and
motivation books are GREAT here. You'll feel twice as productive, and
highly energized, and the time will fly.
13. Reward yourself. It never ceases to amaze me how hard we are on
ourselves when we don't accomplish, and how hard we are on ourselves
when we DO accomplish. Whenever you reach a milestone, have something in
mind, like a trip to the day spa, new shoes or clothes (as long as it's
NON-EDIBLE).
14. Have kids? Look at their pictures to remind you that you want to be
around to share life with them, with plenty of energy. You don't want
your 10-year old to be throwing you around the house, do you?
15. Want to keep fitting into your favorite jeans? You know, the ones
that fit you nicely several years ago? Keep them. Keep trying them on to
keep yourself in check to keep eating right and exercising.
16. Keep a journal of how you feel after exercise. Especially the great
workouts. On the days you just don't feel like exercising, look back on
the good workout days for some inspiration.
17. See exercise as a stress-releaser. A simple shift in attitude can do
wonders for your stress levels. If you've had a long, hard day at work,
exercise is something to LOOK FORWARD TO to relieve your stress and
revive yourself.
18. Check out the e-mail, chat, or discussion groups on the Internet
that deal with fitness, weight loss, diet, exercise, etc.
19. Have young kids? Use the day care at the gym - so there's no excuse
about who's going to watch the kids. Or, have a family member(s) or a
friend watch them. So there REALLY is no excuse for not working out.
20. Look in the mirror. Sometimes that is all you need to trigger you
into the lean, fit, and energized mode.
Angel Hugs,
"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word,
a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring,
all of which have the potential to turn a life around. "
- Leo Buscaglia, author
2001.04.30 PROBLEMS... What is your biggest problem?? Mine is time. There never seems to be enough. Time is needed to do the customary household chores, time is needed to eat, sleep & work, time is needed to walk the dog, and time is needed for exercise. If only we could just conjure up more time ...
When faced with this type of dilemma, the only alternative is to prioritize the things you need to do and start checking them off. I used to put my job on a VERY high pedestal. I worked 60 hours a week, forsaking all else. No more. By doing so, I missed a portion of my daughter's growing up. In addition, I let my health go to pot (belly).
Now, I try to balance things a little more equally. I still try very hard to accomplish all I can at work, but I also eat dinner at home every night, I walk the dog, AND I try to do a little extra walking for myself.
Evening is a favorite time of the day for my walking. The surrounding neighborhood has streets that are fairly well lit, and the traffic is almost non-existant after 9pm. So, I will go out and walk/jog my 2.4 mile circuit, getting in a brisk 30-40 minutes of exercise before bedtime.
On Sunday, Vicki & I did our weekly LONG walk, stopping 4 miles into it to enjoy breakfast at Denny's, and finishing with a 2.5 mile walk home. Earlier, I had walked the dog. After breakfast, we did some shopping, and I walked the dog in the afternoon for 30 minutes, and later in the evening for another 30 minutes. I tacked on another walk for myself around 10pm. My SportBrain recorded almost 30,000 steps for the day (~15 miles).
That was exceptional. However, a typical day goes something like this: Up at 5:45 & walk the dog for about 40 minutes (2 miles). Off to work. Lunch time - walk to the local Subway sandwich shop - 25 minutes (1.6 miles), eat and 25 minutes later back at work (1.6 miles). During the day, I average about 4000-5000 steps (~2 miles) just doing my job. In the evening, I walk the dog for 30-40 minutes (2 miles). That brings the total to 9.2 miles, and I haven't added anything for "my" walk.
And it really isn't that difficult to fit in 30-40 minutes here and there, but they do add up. For instance, I get up about 15 minutes earlier than I used to, can walk the dog for 2 miles and still have 20 minutes or so to kill after showering and having breakfast, before going to work. The time at lunch, if not used for walking to the Subway, would otherwise be spent working, or goofing off on the computer. The evening time is easy for me .. I put a much lower priority on TV. There are only a small handfull of shows that I care to see during the week, and I manage to fit them all in and do my walking.
Where are YOUR priorities?? If your REALLY want to lose weight, if you REALLY want to get fit, you can find the time for a reasonable exercise program without sacrificing your career or your life. And if you can get your significant other to join in, you have the perfect situation.
Come on, give it a try!!
2001.05.02 OXYGEN DEPRIVATION... That's a condition that one of my old bosses associated with people that engaged in recreational running. After this weekend, I might just agree with him. After all, what sane person would participate in a 7.5+ mile race (running or walking) that contained such obstacles to success as "Cemetary Hill", or "Doomsday Hill"?
This little piece of insanity will take place in Spokane, Washington as part ot their Lilac Bloomsday activities. Spokane, for those that are geographically challenged, is the major city on the East side of the state, just ~30 miles from the Idaho border.
We have been preparing and I have no doubt that we will finish (Vicki's family is from the area and some are joining us). It is still a little up in the air as to how much I will be able to jog - I haven't been as rigorous in my jog training. But we have been taking walks that amounted to ~7-8 miles, so the endurance is not a concern.
Spokane is a small city of about 300,000 that sits just to the "left" of a mountain range that includes the Continental Divide. The city has some formidable hills, some of which I have walked in the past. However, this being my first Bloomsday, I am not familiar with the specific course being run, nor the specific terrain. In any case, the weather is supposed to be almost ideal, the race should be "fun", and the city has an after race party planned, as well as having areas for vendors, etc.
I'll let you know next week my results from the race, including pics!
Thank You for Visiting!!
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Author: VernTallman( VTallman@aol.com ) Home page: http://members.aol.com/vtallman/index.html