| So you're overweight, "fat"--to be | | | | all this have to do with watching your |
| honest--and you want to start exercising. | | | | weight? To keep on schedule with this as your |
| Before you take off like an overlarge | | | | original goal, you also have to keep that |
| airplane and start preparing for the Olympics | | | | commitment to lose enough poundage to be a |
| trials, stop right there. You may have it all | | | | healthy, happy and physically fit person. |
| figured out by now, after checking with your | | | | |
| friends, the media and finally that fickle | | | | First of all, you have to figure out exactly |
| fiend known as the bathroom mirror, that a | | | | what you're expecting to accomplish. Are you |
| regular exercise program is the only way to | | | | looking for optimal health, or do you really |
| fly when it comes to permanent weight loss. | | | | want to fit into slinky clothes better? |
| That entails working out or otherwise flexing | | | | Either way, you're going to have to set goals |
| your physical and psychological muscles on a | | | | and try to attain them as you go. It helps to |
| regular basis, perhaps three times a week, or | | | | clearly keep in mind what you're aiming for, |
| maybe even once per day. | | | | and it helps to visualize yourself at your |
| | | | ideal weight several times a day. This image |
| But therein lies the rub. How do you get | | | | impresses itself upon your subconscious and |
| started? How often do you exercise? Most | | | | inwardly motivates you to continue your |
| importantly, if you've been very sedate or at | | | | program with a bulldog's sheer tenacity and |
| least somewhat off your feet for awhile, | | | | motivation. You want that; whatever happens, |
| what's the safest way to begin an effective, | | | | you don't want to stress out and quit. Try |
| weight-loss centered exercise program? | | | | looking at old photographs of yourself at |
| | | | your ideal weight and picturing realistically |
| Beginning a Righteous Program--Realistically | | | | what you'll look like when you're back there |
| | | | again. Don't expect the Fountain of Youth, |
| First of all, follow the old saw about | | | | but you'd be shocked how close you can get to |
| consulting with your doctor. Don't start | | | | your mental picture, and how good you're |
| thinking you can just begin running around | | | | going to feel as you move your body, eat less |
| the block. That's why the medical profession | | | | liberally and become fit and not fat. |
| exists, to advise and keep you safe. You | | | | |
| doctor will recommend specific types of | | | | You must also remember to keep it simple when |
| exercise tailored to fit your own individual | | | | you're losing weight. In most cases, burning |
| lifestyle, personal health needs and | | | | more calories than you ingest is the biggest |
| concerns. But you don't need to make it | | | | concern. You have to expend approximately |
| entirely clinical when you begin an exercise | | | | 3,500 calories to lose one pound of adipose |
| program. | | | | fat tissue. Water weight doesn't count, and |
| | | | that's what a lot of people lose at first. |
| Most importantly, you need to pick something | | | | Also, the important thing about exercise is |
| you're going to stick with. What do you like | | | | that you can eat almost normally and still |
| in the way of sports? If you're | | | | lose the weight at a healthy and reasonable |
| people-oriented, you should look into joining | | | | pace. If you don't exercise and try to lose |
| a team sports program of some kind in your | | | | weight, you'll be tempted to embark on a |
| area, one created for adult participation. | | | | starvation diet. This has been shown to make |
| You can look for a local softball league, | | | | you lose lean muscle mass instead of fat in |
| take a beginning aerobics class at a fitness | | | | most cases, and although you'll drop some |
| center, or play regular games of basketball | | | | pounds, they may be the wrongest ones. |
| at a gym with your buddies. And then there's | | | | Chances are that if you're unfit while you're |
| golf, the perennial favorite of people who | | | | losing weight, you'll get physically tired, |
| want to perform fun and interesting mild | | | | sleep less, become overly emotional, and |
| exercise. All you have to do is motivate | | | | stress out and become extremely irritable. It |
| yourself and perhaps some friends to get | | | | simply isn't healthy to do it that way, so |
| started. Or if you're a loner, you can take | | | | you need at least a moderate exercise |
| up an individualized sport such as bicycle | | | | program. |
| touring, which can also be done in small | | | | |
| groups, or laps swimming at your community | | | | Try keeping a journal of your progress every |
| pool. | | | | day, and consult with it when you want to |
| | | | know how far along you've come. You can also |
| But be realistic, and work with your doctor. | | | | use it to gauge how you're doing, and whether |
| You want to aim for something fun that you'll | | | | or not you're losing weight at a reasonable |
| keep committing to doing regularly. If it's | | | | pace. Congratulate yourself every time you |
| something you hate, perhaps such as running | | | | ate the right thing, kept to your walking |
| on a track, climbing stairs or using what | | | | schedule, or didn't give in to temptation |
| seems to you to be boring exercise equipment, | | | | that day by making a brief note about it. |
| forget it! Don't spend all your money on | | | | Read the journal to inspire you about what |
| something you can't keep doing because you | | | | you're doing whenever you feel the urge to |
| feel guilty, or think you have to punish | | | | let go. |
| yourself into exercising. Be sure you like | | | | |
| what you're going to do before you get | | | | Don't forget to share any successes or |
| started. Simply walking around the block is a | | | | failures with your friends and family. Tell |
| very inexpensive and potentially fun way to | | | | them all about how proud you are of the new |
| go from a sedentary state to a beginning new | | | | lifestyle choices you're making, and share in |
| level of much better health and fitness. You | | | | their enthusiasm. They want you to be healthy |
| must start with something easy and simple if | | | | and go on living, and so do you. But some of |
| you haven't been exercising for decades, and | | | | them may worry that you're starving yourself |
| you should gradually increase your level of | | | | or are in a state of denial. Reassure them, |
| activity as you feel comfortable with it. | | | | and proceed carefully with your healthy diet |
| Move by inches, not by miles. | | | | and exercise plans, while always knowing that |
| | | | it's exactly what you need to do to look |
| Eventually, you can try exercising every | | | | better, feel stronger and live longer. |
| single day, anywhere from twenty minutes to a | | | | |
| full hour. But especially at first--and that | | | | Easy Dieting Tips to Live By--Starting Now |
| may be for several months--don't push | | | | |
| yourself too hard. Don't go all out, and get | | | | - Never eat after 7 pm. Studies prove that |
| frustrated because you can't keep it up. You | | | | your body's metabolism begins to shut down in |
| don't have to be a college athlete, and you | | | | the early evening. It needed fuel to function |
| can seriously hurt your heart by pushing too | | | | earlier, but at night you're getting yourself |
| hard or overdoing it. Remember, you're doing | | | | ready to fall asleep. Eat the bulk of your |
| this for fun, for health reasons and to feel | | | | daily food intake around noon--that's when |
| good about yourself. Don't try to become an | | | | you're burning the most calories. But if you |
| "athlete" unless you think that will be | | | | work nights, do it the other way around, of |
| something you'll want to commit to on a much | | | | course. It's not the time of day that's |
| more rigorous schedule. Later! | | | | important; it's the fact that your body is |
| | | | well-adjusted to a cycle where it doesn't |
| Easy Exercise Comes--Naturally | | | | burn many calories before and during bedtime. |
| | | | |
| Americans tend to think of exercise as more | | | | - Limit your intake of saturated fats, sugars |
| their duty than as a part of their culture, | | | | and any other substances in food proven to |
| or "way of life." But it's a true lifestyle | | | | add empty calories to your daily diet. Don't |
| preference. Throughout the world, many forms | | | | drink any pop or sodas at all as they're very |
| of regular exercise are taking hold of whole | | | | bad for you generally, being full of |
| general populations. Take walking, for | | | | chemicals. Diet sodas tempt you into drinking |
| example. In Europe, people are flocking to | | | | the sugary ones, and all soda pop robs water |
| their local well-developed public hiking | | | | from your system and makes you thirstier. |
| trails, and there's quite a few of those | | | | That can lead to eating more food. |
| spread across the USA as well. Walking of a | | | | |
| moderate type is called Volkssport in Europe, | | | | - Eat lots of vegetables and fruits. You |
| and it's really been around for many | | | | might want to go easy on some of the |
| centuries. | | | | higher-calorie fruits such as starchy |
| | | | bananas, and don't eat lots of high-fat |
| Easy-going exercise such as walking continues | | | | avocados. But in general veggies are a |
| to stave off heart disease, osteoporosis, | | | | dieter's best friend. You might want to |
| high cholesterol and many types of cancer, as | | | | always eat your veggies with some meat |
| well as taking care of most of your belly | | | | protein to curb any histamines that might |
| flab. It doesn't sound like much, but it will | | | | ravage your system and make it harder for you |
| really tighten your whole body up. Your legs | | | | to breathe. Also, eating plenty of veggies |
| will especially benefit, and your buns will | | | | kills the hunger signals from your brain, due |
| automatically grow firmer as you stroll. Not | | | | to their sheer bulk and fiber. And the |
| to mention that the worst investment you need | | | | nutrients in fruits and veggies will increase |
| to make is a pair of comfy, sturdy sensible | | | | your physical strength. Eat your spinach! |
| shoes, preferably made of leather or canvas | | | | |
| with rubber soles. You may think that yoga is | | | | - Also eat lots of whole grains, which |
| some uncomfortable form of Eastern | | | | provide antioxidants that fight cancer and |
| self-punishment and mysticism, but it's not. | | | | help you feel satisfied in a manner similar |
| Yoga is great for toning your body, as it's | | | | to that of eating veggies. But whole grains |
| extremely gentle when done correctly. It | | | | are even more filling, and help you digest |
| combines traditional breathing and relaxation | | | | your food. You want to eat plenty of fibrous |
| techniques with simple stretching. It's good | | | | foods, plus drinking lots of water, to flush |
| to use yoga during a weight-loss program when | | | | toxins left over in your body from the |
| you're sedentary, as it's very easy on your | | | | dieting completely out of your system. |
| body, you don't have to repeat the same | | | | |
| exercises every day, and it requires a | | | | - Take a healthy multivitamin. Don't go |
| minimal time commitment. Yoga can be used in | | | | overboard and try to take everything, because |
| conjunction with a more rigorous exercise | | | | some of the substances we need interact |
| program to help maintain your overall state | | | | non-positively and can cause chemical |
| of fitness. "Yoga doesn't take over your | | | | imbalances. Consult with your doctor and see |
| life, it enhances it," says Alice Cristensen, | | | | what's recommended nowadays. One good |
| founder and executive director of the | | | | wholistic multivitamin and mineral |
| American Yoga Association. | | | | supplement--not a megadose of potentially |
| | | | harmful chemicals--can improve your skin, |
| Continuing Your Program--Goals and Motivation | | | | hair, overall appearance in general, and also |
| | | | your chances of managing on a little bit less |
| Okay, so you've gotten started, but what does | | | | food. |