A good friend gave me the exact kick in the ass that I needed to make some changes in my life.
I’m fat. We all know this. And the battle to lose weight has always been difficult. I’ll get into a groove for a few months and the pounds will come off and then I get lazy. I get tired. I make excuses.
I’ve been doing really well with making good healthy food choices (except for when I make delicious banana bread with caramel frosting) but I suck at exercising on a consistent basis. I have always hated exercising but that is not a good excuse. There is no good excuse. Period.
As Casey said:
You have GOT to exercise. You can’t write it off as it’s too hard, it’s too cold, I don’t have time. Fifty percent of your heart health (at least) is tied to your physical activity levels.
Get up and get moving. You have to do it. If you won’t do it, you might as well write off diet too, because you can’t win the fight for your health by just doing one of the two necessary changes.
Well today I got up and I got moving. I took the dog for a long walk and then came home and jogged for 20 minutes on the treadmill. Tomorrow I’m going to get my bike looked at so I can feel more comfortable bike riding without the fear that the seat is going to break off or the whole thing is going to collapse under the sheer weight of my ass.
I know I can do this. I need to do this. I want to do this.
You got this Mel! You can totally do this. If I can do it, you can!!! I am pulling for you!!!
By: soapbox.SUPERSTARComment Permalink
Posted on: 11.13.2008
You can TOTALLY do this, GO MEL!! If you need support, you have my email, seriously . This is a constant struggle for me as well.
The single best piece of advice I got from a PHD/fitness educator was to not do the same exercise every day - that’s what leads to boredom and frustration and eventually giving up.
Now I take classes some days (circuit training, yoga, water aerobics) and other days I get on the machines or walk outside. So far, it’s kept me going and motivated longer than my usual few-months-then-give-up routine. WE CAN DO IT!!
By: chepookaComment Permalink
Posted on: 11.14.2008
What I also have to constantly remind myself is that my weight isn’t necessarily in direct correlation to my health. There was a time (just three short years ago) when I was about 30 pounds lighter. I ran a lot, but I ate very little and very poorly, mostly because I didn’t have much money and was completely unimaginative in the kitchen. Okay, I’m still completely unimaginative in the kitchen.
Now I eat a lot better (because I found someone to cook for me). I work out fairly regularly, but not with the rigor that I did when I was hardcore into the running. I’m pretty sure I’m a lot healthier than I have been in a while. I’d like to see lower numbers on the scale, but my weight has been pretty stable for about a year.
So, not to absolve anyone of working out. I just want to give some perspective. Some exercise is better than none. You do not have to be a champion triathlete. Comprehensive approach, whatnot.
I think Casey kicked a bunch of our asses.
By: EricaComment Permalink
Posted on: 11.14.2008
@soapbox - thanks! I’m hopeful
@cheepooka - thanks. I’m gonna switch things but because I do hate exercising and I can see how doing the same thing over and over again would become tedious. We can do it!
@erica - you have a great point. If I wasn’t *so* overweight, I would probably be okay with my lack of exercise. But add the overweight and the lack of exercise and I fear what I’ve been doing to myself all these years.
By:Comment Permalink
Posted on: 11.15.2008
For what it’s worth, I exercise pretty hard 3x a week and I’m still getting porky. Based on the fact that you guys are trying, I’ll agree to step it up a notch and re-up myself for the Couch to 5k thing. I’ll start tomorrow.
God, I hate the treadmill. But I need to just quit my bitching and do it.
By: CaseyComment Permalink
Posted on: 11.16.2008