Keep Moving!

In a previous post, I wrote about some health lies we tell ourselves to make ourselves feel better about our habits.  Today I want to address the topic of just how much exercise you are getting.

One way we are told we can burn more calories is to take the stairs or park further from our building.  Now if you live or work in a building with 20 floors, I'm sure that's good advice.  But in my town, the tallest building we have is probably only 3 or 4 stories tall.  And considering that climbing stairs burns about 5-10 calories per minute (depending on weight), I might burn all of 30 calories going from basement to top.  That's not much.

Instead, consider finding an activity you enjoy and doing it long enough to make a real difference.  Here's a handy chart for you to look up the calorie burn for some common exercises. [Calorie Burn Chart]

Of course, using the stairs is still a good idea and we should all do that when we can.  Now if we only lived in a 20-story walk-up with stairs like these:

Getting Back on Track

Winter is the time of promise because there is so little to do - or because you can now and then permit yourself the luxury of thinking so.  ~Stanley Crawford


School started back up for me last week, then was quickly canceled later in the week due to snow.  I spent the weekend with a headache, and just generally felt rotten.  Needless to say, I didn't get much exercising done, only a little yoga.

So this is going to be a good week to get back into the swing of things.  Temps won't be quite as low, no snow (fingers crossed), lesson planning is caught up, and I woke up headache-free this morning!  So no excuses for me.  I think I'm going to start on some upper-body strength routines, add in some miles at the park, and keep up the yoga.

What nice thing are you going to do for yourself this week?

Related Rant

You know what I really hate?  I hate those commercials where the person says that it's so easy to lose weight on the so-and-so system.  NO, IT'S NOT!!!

Sleeping late is easy.  Sitting on the couch is easy.  Watching TV is easy.  Snacking on ice cream and cake is easy.  Driving from one store to another across the road is easy.  Taking a nap rather than doing yoga is easy.  Easy gets us what we've already got.  Easy gets us a belly and big hips.  Easy gets us high blood pressure and high cholesterol.  Easy gets us blocked arteries and heart disease.  Easy gets us diabetes.

Losing weight is HARD.  It's hard to change your lifestyle.  It's hard to eat healthy, nutritious foods every day.  It's hard to get up early to get in a workout before work.  It's hard to put down the remote, turn off the computer, and go outside for a run.  It's hard to make the changes in our lives that are necessary to lose weight, get healthy, and stay that way.

So stop lying to us, stupid commercial ladies.

The Big One

As I mentioned yesterday, losing weight or achieving a specific athletic goal is the number one New Year's Resolution each and every year.  It's probably on many of your lists this year, as it has been on mine in the past.  The thing is, there are tons of misconceptions about losing weight.

Put simply, in order to lose weight, one must take in fewer calories than one expends.  It takes a deficit of 3500 calories to lose one pound.  That deficit can be created by eating/drinking less, exercising more, or some combination of both.  Let's begin by looking at the intake side of things.

Ask any doctor how to lose weight and you will be told, "diet and exercise."  The problem is with that word "diet."  The word comes from several old words, including the Greek word diaita, meaning "way of life," and the Latin word dieta, "daily food allowance."  In the 14th century, the word began to take on a meaning of restriction of food, and in 1650, diet took on the additional meaning "regulate one's food intake against fatness."

Today, a diet is that awful way of starving yourself half to death, making yourself and everyone around you miserable, only to lose 2 pounds.  And when you stop dieting, you gain it all back.

What we need to do is to take back the ancient definition of diet.  Your diet is your "way of life."  It doesn't mean deprivation and starvation.  Your diet is your way of eating and drinking.  Let's make an effort for that diet to be a healthy one.

Follow these links to learn more about good nutrition and a healthy diet from the U.S. Government, helpguide.org, UC Berkeley, and the Mayo Clinic.
Click here to read about the health impact of soda.

Roll With the Changes

My Poor Ankle!

Life can be ironic sometimes, can't it?  I recently wrote about how I was going to increase my efforts and try to double the number of days I exercise for the remainder of the year.  And when I did try to increase my mileage, I messed up my Achilles' Tendon!

So now I have to stay off my foot as much as possible while my tendon heals, which could take weeks or even months.

I suppose I could whine, cry, complain or just give up on exercise altogether.  But instead, I'm going to try working on my upper body strength and core since I won't be running for quite awhile.

That's the way life is, though.  We make plans and then life interferes with those plans.  We lose the dream job, the relationship doesn't work out, the best friend moves away.  Whatever.  What we need to do is not give up or act childishly.  Instead, we need to be the mature people we are and respond appropriately, find an alternate course, and go on.  We need to roll with the changes.

Be Goal Oriented

I don't care how much power, brilliance or energy you have, if you don't harness it and focus it on a specific target, and hold it there you're never going to accomplish as much as your ability warrants.  ~ Zig Ziglar

I was flipping through an old Prevention magazine and read a story about some women who lost weight and felt younger after participating in a 12-week program.  I was berating myself for not having lost as much weight as these women have (have you noticed that I do that to myself a lot?), and wondering what I could do differently to speed up the weight loss.  I realized that part of the problem was that I didn't have a solid goal for the remainder of the year.

As I explained in a previous post, my exercise goal for the year was simply to exercise 80 days this year.  I achieved that goal in August.  I have some long-term exercise goals (next year's triathlon at the lake being the main one), but not short ones - the ones that kick you out of bed in the morning and yell at you to get moving.

I was thinking about this as I went to change the calendar in my bedroom when lo and behold!  I came to my own rescue.  In January, when I set my goal, I thought ahead and periodically wrote at the beginning of the month little notes like, "How many days now?", "Are you there yet?", and other encouragements.  On October, I'd written, "Have you reached your goal yet?  Can you double it?"  Wow!  I guess in January I knew just what kind of kick in the pants I'd need this month.

So, yes, my new goal for the rest of the year is to double last year's exercise days of 79 for the year.  Which means that to reach 158 days for the year, I have only 67 to go.  I can do that.

Hooray for thinking ahead and double hooray for short-term goal setting.  

What are your short-term goals?

No Complaints Here

Recently, I've been struggling with getting anywhere with my running.  I seem to have gotten over my lower leg issues, but I'm having to do an awful lot of walking mixed in with my running.  I was feeling a little sorry for myself about this while I ran/walked this morning.  Then I got home and found this video in my in-box from Runner's World.

I think I'll shut up about not gaining much ground now.

Reward Yourself!

This!!

Not this!!

Did you work out this week and last?  How many times?  Did you do better than you usually do?  Then maybe you should reward yourself for a job well done.

One of the things I learned about in my child development courses was the concept of positive reinforcement.  Sure, the idea is taught for teachers to "use" on children, but we can use it on ourselves as well.  Rewarding yourself for making positive changes is a good way to keep doing those things.  

Just don't sabotage your efforts by rewarding with junk food.  Instead, get some great gear.  You can head over to your local sports store and find some excellent choices, or you can check out these links and buy some fun, energizing items online.  Whichever you choose, I hope you'll be kind to your body and give it something to make your workouts even more enjoyable.

Mymottoz.com is a fun site that sells workout gear and jewelry for men and women.  I like their list of fun clothing mottoes.  I think my fave is "pain is temporary, quitting is forever."  

CoolclothingUSA.com is a site that features clothing made in the US and made of moisture wicking material.

Shoes are a whole other issue.  Since our feet are very different from other people's, what one person likes might be awful to another.  I personally like something light and airy and I don't like an arch support that is too far back in the shoe.  So I tend to like Reebok and Puma, though Adidas has some I like.  Lots of people swear by Asics, but I find them uncomfortable.  Anyway, here's a page with reviews and links to some great shoes.  I wouldn't buy shoes online unless I was sure of the brand's fit on my foot, but if you feel comfy doing so, order away!

The "Richter Scale" of Weight...and Other Impediments to Weight Loss

Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it. ~ Plato

It's not easy to lose weight.  I don't care what any celebrity says about any diet plan, exercise regimen, or diet supplement, unless you only have 5 pounds to lose, it will not be easy.  There are so many things that make it difficult, some of them not even cropping up until after you've made significant, positive changes.  Today I'm going to talk about some of the ones I've encountered, and what can be done about each.

The first is what I like to call the Richter Scale of weight loss.  Sure, the Richter Scale is used to measure earthquakes, but did you know that each individual number is 10 times more than the previous one?  That means that a 5 on the scale is 10 times more powerful than a 4.  In the world of weight loss, it seems to me that needing to lose 10 pounds is not 5 more pounds than losing 5 pounds, but is actually 5x10, or 50 times harder.  Okay, not exactly, but it feels that way, doesn't it?  What can you do about it?

• Step it up a notch.  Maybe to lose weight in the past all you did was change a few eating habits, but if you've got more to lose now, you'll have to add in some exercise.  Maybe a lot.  Maybe as much as 7 hours or more per week.  That's an hour an day.  Every day!  (But you can always break it up.)
• Be realistic.  You will probably not lose 10 pounds as quickly as you did 5, unless you go for maximum effort.  But we can't all go to exercise boot camp, and many of us have no desire to do so.  So be kind to yourself and do the best you can.

Another thing that gets in the way of weight loss is not being cued in to what you're really consuming and expending.  We often think that the occasional splurge on a burger or ice cream is not that big a deal, and it may not be if you make good choices, but if you look here and here, you'll see that there are some common, popular fast food items that contain more calories and fat than you need in an entire day, leaving nothing on the menu for the rest of the day but celery sticks, which is not going to happen, right?  So what can you do?

• Keep track.  Write down everything you eat and all the exercise you do so you'll have a good sense of what you're taking in and burning.  You may only need to do this for awhile until you are aware enough of your habits that you can make changes without logging it.  I still write down all my exercise, though.
• Pay attention to the little things.  Take the stairs, park further from the store, walk to the corner for milk, switch to low-calorie creamer for your coffee, give up sodas altogether.  There are lots of things that you can do that when added together equal big change.

The final thing I wanted to mention is a strange and seemingly oxymoronic response to increasing your exercise that could get in the way of progress if you're not careful, and that is you get really hungry.  After I've worked out for an hour, I am ravenous!  How am I supposed to lose weight if exercising only makes me want more food?

• Listen to your body.  Realize first of all that this is a sign that your metabolism is working.  Yay!  That's what we want.  So do what your body says and eat something.  Eating within 1/2 an hour of exercising will catch your body at its metabolic peak and you'll get the full benefit of the nutrients without fat gain.
• Make sure you are eating the right food.  I can't emphasize enough that food is fuel.  But just as if I tried to put diesel into my unleaded-only car, putting junk food into my body is going to yield a very bad result.  I need to be eating whole grains, complex carbs, lean protein, fruits and vegetables, mono- and polyunsaturated fats, and drinking water.  Anything that does not fall into one of those categories is suspect and should either be avoided altogether or indulged in only rarely (and by rarely I mean no more than once a month.  The idea that you can splurge every weekend is a fallacy!).

Trying to get in shape is not easy, and frankly, it's not always fun.  But you know what is fun?  Buying a pair of jeans a size smaller than last time you shopped.  Being able to walk up a set of stairs without huffing and puffing at the top.  Running around the back yard with a child and not feeling like you're going to have a coronary.  The looks on the faces of your friends when they see how great you look.  Avoiding a hospital stay due to a heart attack.  Living long enough to see your children grow up and perhaps have children of their own.  It is worth it.  No matter how hard getting in shape is for you now, or is going to be when you read this and then start a new exercise regimen, it is going to be worth it in the end.

Change is Hard

We would rather be ruined than changed;
We would rather die in our dread
Than climb the cross of the moment
And let our illusions die.
~W.H. Auden

My husband and I have been living in the same house for 15 years. In all that time, our trash was always picked up on Mondays. About 3 months ago we changed companies because the new one is less expensive and more flexible on what they will pick up. However, the new company picks up trash on Friday. This past week, for the 4th time, we forgot to put out the trash, only remembering we should have as we heard the trash truck drive by. This after we had even "reminded" ourselves on Thursday morning that we would need to put the trash out later.

Growing up, I was always the kid with her nose in a book. I never played any kind of sport - ever! No softball in the summer, no volleyball in school, no gymnastics in the evenings, nothing. And I didn't care. I didn't want to do sports and I loved my books, so what did it matter?

Now that I'm older, trying to get more fit, and concerned about staying healthy as I age, not having that background in sports makes it so much harder to develop a healthy habit. I've got 40 years experience in being inactive. There are still days, like today, that I can't seem to get up and go for that morning run.

But tomorrow, I'm going to get up and run. I'm also going to put the trash out early.

Running Newb Part Deux

"Don't Make No Promises (Your Body Can't Keep)" - Scorpions

A few more pointers:

5. Eat right. When I first started running, I read something from a trainer. He said, "If you're on a no/low-carb diet, stop it right now!" Carbs are your fuel source - it's how you build up the glycogen your muscles need to run. Granted, you should eat whole grains and other complex carbs, lean protein, and your fruits and veggies, but don't deprive your body of its number one energy source. You've heard of carb-loading before a race for a reason.

6. Appropriate gear. The main things to start off with here are good shoes, a good sports bra, and comfortable outerwear. Your shoes should be made for running and should feel comfortable as soon as you buy them. Shoes should NEVER have to be broken in to be comfortable. (If you want to go shoeless, the new trend, do it only indoors for short distances until your feet are calloused enough to handle more.) A sports bra should restrict movement as much as possible. Gravity is doing its darndest to get us - don't give it any help. Your outerwear should be what is comfortable to you. I love my tank top with the pocket for my cell phone and my shorts with a Velcro-close pocket for my car key. Moisture-wicking materials are a major bonus, too.

7. Forgive yourself for lapses. Okay, so you missed a day...or a week...or a month of work-outs. That doesn't mean you stop for good. You circle a date on the calendar that you're getting back out there, and when that day arrives, you do the best you can. Do your best, celebrate small victories, keep trying, repeat.

8. Have fun! There are lots of ways to make running fun. Run with a friend, join a running club, sign up for your favorite charity's 5K, load your MP3 player with all your beloved up-beat tunes, form a team and train for an Urban Adventure Race, set a goal and give it your all. Whatever you do, just enjoy that you are doing something good for yourself.

I love running. I don't always like the way my legs or lungs feel while I'm running, but I love the feeling of accomplishment. I love the solitude. I love the time to think without interruptions. I hope you will come to love it, too, but if you don't, that's okay. You can still apply these tips to your favorite exercise routine, and to your life in general.

Here are two more links for you:

http://running.about.com/od/runningforbeginners/u/Beginners.htm

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml