Do The Math!

As a Christian woman I haltingly admit that I never thought much about my caloric intake or expenditure. I never equated it to the kind of godly stewardship that all followers of the Lord should strive for. I now know that my attitude is what got me to this place of having to work hard to lose excess pounds. I am not a health and fitness expert at all but I know the pain of seeing my weight go up and feeling helpless to control it. It seems like a no-brainer but I actually thought I wasn't eating that much so I didn't have to get up and get moving to burn it off. How silly is that?! Once I actually saw the numbers of how many calories are burned by doing virtually nothing and how many calories I was taking in I was horrified. I had been taking in far more than I was using up and every last jelly bean, every extra small slice of birthday cake, and every second helping of lasagna was just making itself right at home around my stomach and getting stored up as fat. I was pretty grossed out, I have to say. Something really had to change!

"Calories in, calories out" my friend, Alisha often says. We don't like to think about it but the real hard truth is that most people in this country consume far more calories than they are burning up. Let's face it, thinking about calories ranks up there with monthly budgeting or studying for college exams. We know we should do it but we avoid it, we procrastinate, we live in denial. Well, it's time to get our heads out of the Frito Lays and think about what we're putting into our bodies! And, if we need incentive, our health lives depend on it.

Daily exercise is ideal and even preferred. But there are days when our energy level just isn't up to it or when we've worked out so hard the previous day that we need some time for the muscles and joints to recover. That's okay, rest is good. So take it easy on the high calorie snacks and entrees. Opting for lower calories and lower carbs on those days when we're not likely to burn much more than the average couch potato will help keep the weight from creeping back up. If a heavy workout is planned for the following day then, conversely, a dinner of slightly higher calories than normal is fine. Just keep the appointment with the treadmill or free weights and the scale should balance out.

One very good way of balancing the calorie scale is knowing and even memorizing how many calories are in certain food products. Take my breakfast this morning, for example. I am only allowing myself 300 calories per meal and 5 meals a day. So I wanted to add a fruit and a protein to my first meal. I know that 1/4 cup of dried plums (I personally avoid saying prunes) is about 110 calories, as is 1/4 cup of basic granola, and 1/2 cup of plain yogurt. There is my 300 calorie meal. The same can be done with fruit, vegetables, whole grain foods and protein items. 3 Fat Chicks On A Diet has a neat little list of foods that are 100 calories, to help out.

So once all those calories have been carefully and thoughtfully taken in, how long does it take to use them up? Wait about an hour and you've just burned 100 calories doing nothing. If you don't want to wait that long or think you don't have time to work out for a half-hour or more, then 10 minutes of any of these activities will burn 100 calories. Extend the workout to 30 minutes or mix a few of them up to burn a small 300 calorie meal:

•Running - 1 mile
•Jumping rope
•Stepping - 30 steps per minute, 7 inch step
•Cycling - 13 mph
•High-impact aerobics
•Running up stairs
•Circuit training
•Calisthenics - pushups, jumping jacks, plyometric jumps and kickboxing-type moves

Remember: "Calories in, calories out." Thanks Alisha!

Glory

Set a Goal

"A goal?" you ask? Yes, a goal is one of the first important steps to making a change of any kind. Want to get better at time management? Determine a goal of getting specific tasks accomplished within a specific time frame. Want to get better organized? Plan a day or a week to get one area or room into shape. Want to lose weight? Decide what a healthy weight is for you and make a healthy plan of how long it would take to get there. Want to attain a better level of fitness? Set a goal and do whatever it takes to achieve it.

I know how it feels to set goals. It feels uncomfortable, even restrictive. It doesn't coordinate well with mid-morning talk shows and afternoon naps! Setting a goal is something many of us simply avoid doing because we don't want to work hard for it and don't want to fail at it. And who really wants to say, "I'm going to run the Boston Marathon this year!" when running to answer the phone is already a health hazzard?

That's where realistic yet challenging goals are important. It should be attainable but hard enough that it's worth the effort. It's not enough to say, "I'm going to lose 5 pounds this week." because all that would take is several skipped meals and passing up a fast-food meal. Is it worth it? Not really. But saying, "I'm going to exercise aerobically for 30 minutes for five consecutive days." could result in 5 pounds of weight loss and a significant step toward better health.

Getting off the couch and onto the treadmill or out onto the road doesn't have to be a mammoth feat. It will require a change of activity and a slight adjustment to the daily routine. But a goal is a powerful motivator and creates a milestone of accomplishment that's confidence building and gets the fire lit for the next goal. One place to start for help in setting goals are online sites that offer plans for either healthy eating or training for distance running. From Couch to 5K offers a wealth of information about training plans, nutrition, and apparel for running. Given that I have only 3 weeks before my first 5K I will be modifying their training plan to fit my time frame and also getting my husband Bill's advice on proper warm up and down along with other training tip he can give me. In other words, gathering resources is an important aspect of setting goals that can be attained.

Finally, realize that, even if the goal that was set is not acheived the ultimate purpose is to be better. And that is a winning attitude no matter what!

Glory

Why?

Why exercise? Why push my body to work harder? Why make the effort to start something I may get discouraged with and quit? Why change?

Yes, those are the questions I have asked myself many times in thinking about taking time to exercise. It's hard to decide to do something that doesn't feel good or produce instant results. Needing to do it is one thing but wanting to do it is completely another. Who really wants to walk, jog, or run anywhere unless it's for a live-or-die purpose? Who really wants to stretch, move, or lift weights to any uncomfortable degree unless it's to avoid red ants or snake bites or rescue a child from a turned-over toy box?

Hubby refers to people who are into body building or run marathons as "animals". I suppose, to some level, they must be to have such a primal need to exert themselves. There is the hunting instinct and there is the prey reaction: run for your life! That phrase is posted on our fridge, along with others that I am using to keep me motivated. I have walked more than 12 miles, this week, on purpose, out of choice, deciding to make the time and get it done.

Today, however, seems to be one of those days where I actually want to. I don't know how I got here but, honestly, it feels really good! At no other time in my life have I ever wanted to hurt and sweat and puff my way through 3 miles. Some people actually look pretty when they work out, even elegant. Not me. I look like someone needs to call 911 and scrape me off the pavement onto a gurney.

In asking why, however, these points were brought up by Chris Gomes:

1. Look better. By burning calories and building lean muscle, a regular exercise program will reshape your body by replacing unwanted body fat with muscular tone and definition. Who doesn't want to look better?

2. Feel better. There is a tremendous feeling of accomplishment that comes with setting and achieving a goal such as working out three times this week. You can do that, right?

3. Be better. Regular exercise improves your balance, coordination, stamina and agility. Simple everyday tasks are performed more efficiently and effectively. Life can be easier.

4. Live longer. One of the greatest benefits of physical exercise is that it has been shown to increase life expectancy. Those who exercise regularly are less susceptible to disease and illness and will typically outlive their sedentary counterparts.

5. Reduce stress. Exercise can provide an outlet for negative feelings and emotions. We all deal with stress, to some extent, each day, and a great workout can help to release these feelings in a positive way.

6. Reduce blood pressure. Why is exercise important to your blood pressure? Exercise strengthens and improves the function of the heart. A stronger heart has to beat less often to supply the body with blood, reducing high blood pressure.

7. Enhance mood. Research has shown that exercise can be a powerful antidepressant. The endorphins released during exercise (serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine) act as a natural mood enhancer and can leave you feeling euphoric.

8. Improve recovery time. Your body can be trained to repair and rebuild itself quicker during times of recovery from illness or injury with a regular exercise program. Less down time is definitely one of the benefits of physical exercise.

9. Sleep better. The natural rise and fall in body temperature caused by exercise can help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep more easily, and remain in a deep sleep for a longer period of time. When you are physically tired, you sleep more soundly.

10. Build confidence. Knowing that you are doing something positive for your body and improving the way you look is a tremendous builder of self esteem and promotes a strong self image.

There is probaby at least one thing in that list that any one of us would truly want. And if that's what we want, something needs to be done to achieve it, right? So, exercise is the answer. And just know that, in God's power and strength, it can happen!

Glory