7 Steps to a Better Body
I found these 7 Step to a Better Body at WebMD, originally published in Prevention Magazine.
I'm usually dismissive of these types of articles. "The answer is common sense" I tell myself. Okay, but the self can use a common sense slap in the noggin every once in awhile, and I felt like it was time to slap my common sense.
drum roll please......the 7 steps to a better body are....
1. Learn what "build slowly" means - In other words, if you have been a sofa spud, don't go out and run 5 miles tomorrow. You'll kill yourself if you do. Start smart, do 20 minutes of moderate exercise and build up from there. If you are inclined, get a trainer. If not, get a good book, or keep reading this blog.
2. Keep an activity log - Confession time....I don't do this enough. When I do, I stay on track and I can really see the progress. But then yadda yadda yadda, whiny excuse, whiny excuse, whiny excuse, I stop. This for me is a really good idea.
3. Prepare for post-workout hunger - Okay, so finish workouts within an hour of eating. Not a problem for me. What happens when you are hungry an hour after you finished eating? That's when it kicks in for me.
4. Be alert to prime drop-out time - Most folks quit within two months of starting a program. Get a partner, join a class, set a goal (like a marathon in Vegas!!) and you will more likely stay on track.
5. Take breaks - It doesn't hurt to drop a night or two, and for your mental health, its probably not a bad thing to vegetate every once in a while. I dropped my 5 mile run tonight in order to read a book with my son. Reading a book or 5 mile run. I really wanted to run, but he really wanted me to read. In the future, I'll forget this run, but he won't forget the time we read together.
6. Splurge-then get up and move - So, if you down half a large pizza, get up off your keister and do something. Excuse me....I need to run tonight after all....
7. Put the treadmill in a pretty room - Uhm, okay...Let's put a different spin on this...If you work out in a room that is boring, the exercise will feel boring. I'm not sure if this fitness tip wrapped in an interior design tip, or just the opposite. I can see some validity to this point, so the Wide-Body recommends that you change the scenery regularly, even if it is just a different room.
Overall, these are pretty good ideas.
I'm usually dismissive of these types of articles. "The answer is common sense" I tell myself. Okay, but the self can use a common sense slap in the noggin every once in awhile, and I felt like it was time to slap my common sense.
drum roll please......the 7 steps to a better body are....
1. Learn what "build slowly" means - In other words, if you have been a sofa spud, don't go out and run 5 miles tomorrow. You'll kill yourself if you do. Start smart, do 20 minutes of moderate exercise and build up from there. If you are inclined, get a trainer. If not, get a good book, or keep reading this blog.
2. Keep an activity log - Confession time....I don't do this enough. When I do, I stay on track and I can really see the progress. But then yadda yadda yadda, whiny excuse, whiny excuse, whiny excuse, I stop. This for me is a really good idea.
3. Prepare for post-workout hunger - Okay, so finish workouts within an hour of eating. Not a problem for me. What happens when you are hungry an hour after you finished eating? That's when it kicks in for me.
4. Be alert to prime drop-out time - Most folks quit within two months of starting a program. Get a partner, join a class, set a goal (like a marathon in Vegas!!) and you will more likely stay on track.
5. Take breaks - It doesn't hurt to drop a night or two, and for your mental health, its probably not a bad thing to vegetate every once in a while. I dropped my 5 mile run tonight in order to read a book with my son. Reading a book or 5 mile run. I really wanted to run, but he really wanted me to read. In the future, I'll forget this run, but he won't forget the time we read together.
6. Splurge-then get up and move - So, if you down half a large pizza, get up off your keister and do something. Excuse me....I need to run tonight after all....
7. Put the treadmill in a pretty room - Uhm, okay...Let's put a different spin on this...If you work out in a room that is boring, the exercise will feel boring. I'm not sure if this fitness tip wrapped in an interior design tip, or just the opposite. I can see some validity to this point, so the Wide-Body recommends that you change the scenery regularly, even if it is just a different room.
Overall, these are pretty good ideas.
Love those 7 steps and know the pizza thing all too well! In addition to keeping a log, I find using a heart rate monitor keeps me on my pace. Does not have to be expensive, as there are several ones for under $60 that work real well (and you need one that has a chest strap).
To me it is a vital piece of equipment - kind of like a tachometer in your car/suv, telling you when you are pushing it too far. It assist me in keep a good pace without going into the red and getting injured (especially in the heat). Typically I aim for 80%-90% of my maximum heart rate which is known as MHR (calculation: 220 - your age = MHR). For me my range is 140 - 161 and toward the top of the range for more intensive and longer workouts. Any pace above that I can feel instantly and need to back off before I explode (more like can not breath with my heart pounding louder than a drummer at a rock concert, forcing me to stop completely). The good thing is, the more you work out in you target zone the better shape you will get in. Your heart rate will drop over time, allowing you to go faster and accomplish more in the same amount of time (an then indulge in some good burgers, pizza or ice-cream - all in moderation).
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My mantra is Get fit. Stay fit. Be fit. It can be tough to authentically take on a fitness lifestyle if that's never been a priority. But, game over. The evidence is in. Exercising regularly and consistently - and following a food plan that works for you - are the two keys to being healthy, long-term. It's up to each of us to make the choice. Not as a "have-to" or "should", but a choice.
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Well said, David. Welcome to the blog, please stop in frequently, and don't forget to make your voice heard over at the Forum on www.wide-body.com.
Later this week, plannned posts include are for some healthy and tasty recipes, training through pain, and training tips for triathletes. Its going to be a great week!
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