I was browsing the ACS website and came across something really interesting. Turns out, I don't have to always spend hours at the gym.
Last week my roommate and I were talking about why it is we don't workout as often as we should. What did it boil down to? Time. In our minds, workouts have to be 45-60 minutes. Plus you throw in the time getting there, getting back, showering, and that takes up 90-120 minutes. That's not something we all have time to do.
But that's now how it has to be. According to ACS, it may work better for some people to break it down into three of four 10-minute workouts. Working out doesn't have to be so daunting and time-consuming. It'd be great if I could get the recommended 30 minutes five days a week, but I could break it up. Chances are I'd be more inclined to get my butt out of bed in the morning 10 minutes early to pop in a workout DVD for ten minutes as opposed to getting up an hour earlier. It's all about the baby steps.
Perhaps that will be my goal for next week. I'll try 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes during my lunch break and then 10+ minutes during the evening. Maybe then the task won't seem so time-consuming and I'll have energy throughout the entire day. It's worth a shot, right?
Any tips you have on squeezing in your physical activity?
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Deceiving
I've decided I no longer care about the number on the scale. This semester has been busy and stressful, leading me to eat more junk than I normally would and work out far less. Actually, I've only worked out twice this semester. I'm not feeling healthy at all, and it's reflected in my attitude toward myself and dieting.
But this weekend when I was home, I stepped on the scale. I've lost 5 pounds since Jan. 1.
I realized then and there that the number no longer matters to me. Yes, I'm five pounds less, but I do not feel healthy. I don't feel good about the "weight-loss" because it wasn't done in the right manner.
A friend and I were talking tonight about how working out doesn't even have to yeild results on the scale. What matters is how you feel about it. Looking back on times when I felt healthy and really felt like I was on the path to leading a healthy lifestyle, I felt wonderful. I didn't necessarily care if the scale budged. I just felt good knowing that I was working out consistently and taking my health seriously.
My hope is that this will serve as a wake-up call for me. I want to feel healthy again. I want to go back to having my calendar filled with stickers (I put a sticker on each day that I workout, which motivates me to keep working out consistently). Mostly, though, I want to feel pride in stepping on the scale, knowing that I lost weight the right way. It's not about a number for me anymore. It's about feeling and being healthy. That's what counts.
But this weekend when I was home, I stepped on the scale. I've lost 5 pounds since Jan. 1.
I realized then and there that the number no longer matters to me. Yes, I'm five pounds less, but I do not feel healthy. I don't feel good about the "weight-loss" because it wasn't done in the right manner.
A friend and I were talking tonight about how working out doesn't even have to yeild results on the scale. What matters is how you feel about it. Looking back on times when I felt healthy and really felt like I was on the path to leading a healthy lifestyle, I felt wonderful. I didn't necessarily care if the scale budged. I just felt good knowing that I was working out consistently and taking my health seriously.
My hope is that this will serve as a wake-up call for me. I want to feel healthy again. I want to go back to having my calendar filled with stickers (I put a sticker on each day that I workout, which motivates me to keep working out consistently). Mostly, though, I want to feel pride in stepping on the scale, knowing that I lost weight the right way. It's not about a number for me anymore. It's about feeling and being healthy. That's what counts.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Good Intentions
Yesterday two good friends of mine and I were going to detox for the weekend. We all feel like we put a lot of crap into our bodies between the food we eat and all the pop we drink. We wanted to flush out our bodies and then start a healthy lifestyle on Monday.
That was the goal.
We didn't make it.
Initially we didn't think the detoxing would be that hard. For lunch and dinner you have a cup of whole grains (they suggested 100% natural rice), 3 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables. We thought it would be okay. After lunch when I was in the library, however, I realized that I couldn't just go cold turkey on things like carbs, protein and caffeine. I couldn't focus, my stomach was growling and I was just in a terrible mood. Who knew you could feel like that after eating healthy?
Ultimately, the three of us decided that's it's not about restricting yourself. That's something I learned from the American Cancer Society last summer. It's about portion control. It's about listening to your body and knowing when you're hungry and full. So today, I started fresh. I had yogurt and orange juice for breakfast, and then a sandwich and salad for lunch. I don't need to detox to feel healthy. I can just make better food choices.
Here's to a new year...a month later. But, I suppose it's better than waiting another 11 months, right?
That was the goal.
We didn't make it.
Initially we didn't think the detoxing would be that hard. For lunch and dinner you have a cup of whole grains (they suggested 100% natural rice), 3 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables. We thought it would be okay. After lunch when I was in the library, however, I realized that I couldn't just go cold turkey on things like carbs, protein and caffeine. I couldn't focus, my stomach was growling and I was just in a terrible mood. Who knew you could feel like that after eating healthy?
Ultimately, the three of us decided that's it's not about restricting yourself. That's something I learned from the American Cancer Society last summer. It's about portion control. It's about listening to your body and knowing when you're hungry and full. So today, I started fresh. I had yogurt and orange juice for breakfast, and then a sandwich and salad for lunch. I don't need to detox to feel healthy. I can just make better food choices.
Here's to a new year...a month later. But, I suppose it's better than waiting another 11 months, right?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
