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Gym Rookies

I’ve heard people who are so self-conscious of their weight that they will forgo a gym membership just for that reason. Heck, I was probably one of them. Well, I actually thought gyms were for hardcore weight lifting men with excessive muscle. I had no idea that the gym was a regular place for regular people and their regular fitness routines until I joined one.

The first thing to remember is, some of these people started their fitness journeys in your same shoes. They may have been overweight, hesitant to join, and completely unsure of themselves in that new place. They know exactly how you’re feeling and can sympathize with your uncertainty. They are much more likely to be internally rooting for you rather than judging you. They’re more likely glad that you’re there, taking care of yourself, than not.

Second, everyone is really probably only thinking about themselves. People are very self-conscious when they’re grunting, sweating, and struggling in front of other people. They’re all worried about themselves. It’s actually sort of comical if you watch people for awhile. They all check themselves out in the mirrors around the gym. Don’t worry, they’re more worried about their own sagging skin than your cellulite. Or they’re busy focusing on their workout form.

Third, I’ve noticed, especially with runners, there is a sort of unspoken comaraderie among people who run. It doesn’t matter if you’re an elite athlete or a slow beginner. Runners cheer each other on. I have never seen so much enthusiasm or experienced so much encouragement as when I’m out running, especially in road races. At the gym, you’re doing something that most of the population disregards, and you can take pride in the fact that you’re there instead of glued to the tube.

The easiest way to acclimate yourself to a new gym is to take a tour, take the gym up on their free personal training sessions, or try out a group fitness class. Just getting accustomed to the lingo, equipment and faces let you dip your feet without drowning. Read up a little bit on fitness equipment before you head in and print off a few workouts you can try. Take a friend with you for those free weekly trials so you have a buddy in this unchartered territory. I also find that reading or listening to music helps me fall into my own little wonderland where I don’t even know what’s happening around me.

Happy Lifting!

Not All Opposites Attract

Here’s a little insight into the differences between someone who is healthy and someone who is not. Some of them might be overgeneralizations, but really, the habits between the two groups are significantly different. And in no way am I trying to be insulting, because I myself have been on both sides of the equation and know all too well the upsides and downsides of both. Here’s my experience with healthy vs. not-so-healthy.

1. Enthusiastic about each opportunity to walk instead of drive/Moan at the thought of having to cross a parking lot to reach a neighboring store.

2. Find little ways to incorporate activity into everything, even lunch/Barely leave their desk and would rather not even take the stairs.

3. Find time, no matter what the circumstances or how many kids they have, to work out several times each week/Offer an extensive list of excuses as to why exercise just isn’t feasible.

4. Take pride in trying out new fruits and vegetables and have a recipe collection for common favorites/Most fruits are ingested in juice form.

5. Knows what most fruits and vegetables look like/Not sure where to find an eggplant.

6. Pantries and fridges are full of healthy fare from the perimeter of the grocery store/Boxed meals and prepackaged goods usually make the cut.

7. Maintain a healthy lifestyle long-term/diet on and off; regularly sign up for different weight loss programs and quit after a short time.

8. Thoughts of the deep-frying process make you a bit nauseous/Thoughts of keeping down Brussels sprouts makes you turn up your nose.

9. Take charge, research and implement healthy living strategies/Wait for some miracle cure, supplement or equation to take all the guesswork out and require the least work possible.

10. Comfortable being uncomfortable for healthful gains/Huffing and puffing are avoided at all costs.

11. Have at least a basic idea of how to read nutrition labels and eyeball a serving size/Likely eat much more than one serving and think labels are way too scientific to even bother with.

12. Barely watch television and sometimes work out during commercials/Have at least 2 or more shows each weeknight that they catch on a regular basis.

13. Work at healthful habits one step and small goal at a time/Use an all-or-nothing approach and go all-out only to come crashing to a halt days later.

14. Small setbacks don’t completely derail the healthy lifestyle/A minor slip-up might completely sabotage willpower.

15. Enjoy small indulgences every once in awhile/Try to completely eliminate certain foods, label foods good and bad, and/or go overboard on portion size.

Impulsive Behavior at the Dinner Table

You know you’ve eaten too much during Easter when:

1. You’re seriously considering a crazy detox diet. Ok, I don’t really believe in this, but I keep joking about it because of all I’ve eaten. And really, the only thing that looks good in the fridge is the fresh produce. That could be a good thing.

2. You have absolutely no cravings left in your system. Maybe this is a good thing too. There’s no way I could have any vitamin deficiency as of right now!

3. You eat breakfast the day after Easter and feel really really full. Even though it’s the same type of breakfast you ate before Easter and it barely left you fulfilled until lunch.

4. The sound of your favorite food ever (cake! beef tips!) makes you feel a little queasy. Gosh, I wish this lasted for longer. I know by the end of the week, cake will tempt once again.

5. Your fridge will be full of leftovers for a good week. Yes, there really was that much food at our dinner table even after seconds and thirds.

6. You had Easter brunch at 11:00am and your normally healthy appetite still isn’t asking for anything at 8:00 at night.

7. You fear the wrath of the little dentist devil sitting on your shoulder.

8. You spent just as much *gasp* on one meal as you have been spending for entire weeks’ worth of groceries.

We had quite a few far-reaching family members at home for the last three days. After the Chinese buffet, two family potluck dinners and other out-to-eat meals in between, I think it’s safe to say I am FULL! I think these splurges are important every once in awhile and that it’s important not to feel one morsel of guilt for it, though I don’t recommend this for three days straight. The important thing is to get back on track Monday morning or the very next day, or the very next meal for that matter. One weekend won’t ruin everything unless you let that lapse continue. So, I’m licking the remnants from my lips and starting today fresh.

High Rollin’ on Skates

I’ve decided that today, a cross training day, will be dedicated to roller blades. The weather is finally shaping up and I have a pair of shiny new skates in the attic that have been waiting to come out of hiding. I bought them just as it was getting cold and snowy. So, I did a little research on roller blade workouts, because I don’t want to sell my workout short. Here are some different moves that I’ve come across that I might try when no one’s looking:

1. In N Out: While skating, get into squat position. From there, move legs out wide, bring them in and repeat.

2. One-legged In N Out: Same as In N Out, except move only one leg out to the side at a time during each rep.

3. Riding backwards: Basically the same as In N Out, just propelling yourself backwards.

4. Leg lifts: Grab a bench or tree for balance. Since the skates provide extra resistance, leg lifts to the side get an extra push.

5. Rear leg lift: Same as above; use skate for resistance and lift one leg behind you.

I found a whole lot more intricate moves as well that I am not even going to attempt. Even just braking is going to take some getting used to again. We’ll work on the more coordinated dance steps some other time:)

Breaking out the Bento

So, I’ve read about Bento boxes at least twice in the last few weeks. I wonder if they could be making headway into mainstream American society if the momentum keeps building.

The concept makes a whole lot of sense. You have a lunchbox that is partitioned into several different compartments. You fill the compartments with your lunch. You have built-in portion control, you incorporate a variety of food groups/colors into your meals, and it’s all in one spot–there’s only one dish to pack/clean. Instead of trying to eyeball or remember how much of your plate should be full of veggies and protein and so on, you need only let the Bento do it for you. Not only that, but brown-bagging it is an environmentally- and wallet-friendly way to do lunch.

Me likey.

I was thinking that without having to go out and buy a new lunchbox, I could easily incorporate the principles of the Bento box into my own lunch-making. I could just grab my measuring cups and find out exactly how much food fits into my most-used Tupperware dishes. Then, I could determine what portions of fruits, veggies, carbs, protein, etc I need for lunch and plan accordingly. If I already know which dish holds the standard 1/2-cup of cottage cheese, I won’t have to play any nutritional guessing games when I’m rushing around in the morning.

Diets Diets Everywhere

It’s kind of funny. Since I’ve climbed up the health hill, I’m much more apt to become annoyed when I hear people talk about diets. It seems almost silly, and I can tell when, like clockwork, they’ll totally ditch the plan in favor of all their previous indulgences. It’s really a tiresome process for everyone involved I think. I will be the first to applaud anyone’s weight loss and health goals, but it frustrates me when the “diet” (fad) followed isn’t sustainable, healthy, or taken very seriously.

Whenever a celeb or person we know loses weight, we all want to know what plan they followed. Then, we jump on the bandwagon only to fall off two weeks down the road. I think it helps to look at the big picture. Every infallible diet plan is based on some of the same basic diet principles. There’s no wand-waving, no juice or pill that will make everything better. And what does make everything better takes a whole lot of work. And it must be practiced for an entire lifetime.

Perhaps that’s what frustrates me most, when people think that they shouldn’t have to do much to watch the weight fall off. Or when they use every excuse ever devised. Anyone who has lost a significant amount of weight the natural way and kept it off knows that it takes a damn lot of work! And when someone thinks it’s supposed to be easy, it’s rather insulting to the hours of planning and sweat we have worked through over the years. Us losers take pride in the accomplishments we have achieved and the raw effort it took to get here. And yes, some of us have kids, full-time jobs, hobbies, homes in need of attention, and so much more that we have to work against every day in order to be healthy.

Anyhow, enough ranting. I truly do wish everyone the best in their healthful endeavors. I just wish that we weren’t so hardwired to get caught in all of the hype. I even fall victim to that every once in awhile.

Psychology to your Advantage

I just heard an interesting tidbit from a Social Psychology lecture I was listening to on a podcast (don’t ask). There was a study that said that individuals put forth more effort when other people are around. Thinking about this from a fitness standpoint, it would be beneficial to work out in a gym or other public facility. You might just work a little harder. Or perhaps you might try running in public. It feels good to breeze past homes where you occasionally see people sitting in front of the TV, or sitting around in general. Or when you sneak a peek at a cute guy, you can’t help but pick up your shoulders and your pace. Awww, c’mon, you know you do:) And you know people are watching you from their vehicles as they pass by, so you don’t want to appear haggard, right? Taking part in group exercise classes, in front of a mirror to boot, makes you more apt to perfect your form, follow through, and eek out every last rep so you don’t look like a schmuck. In the comfort of your own living room, you can get by with a little (or a lot) of slack.

The hugest boost I’ve ever had while running was when I was running in road races. I don’t think I would’ve survived the half-marathon if it weren’t for the supporters that cheered the entire length of the route. As silly as it may sound, it ticked me off, at the same time as it made me root for them, when these little kids or people much heavier than me would pass me up. That pushed me to run faster. And my mom even noticed that every time I saw my family at the mile markers, my pace seemed to pick up. So, there must be some truth in these psychological theories.

The opposite effect is true when you’re working out with other people or participating in a group effort. You’re actually more likely to work less hard. You start to rely on the strength and speed of others, such as in the case of something like a tug-of-war.

So, use these little tidbits to your advantage to push your workout to new heights!

Sweatin’ to the Oldies

Thank goodness the days of Richard Simmons and endless grapevines are gone. You can get fit, without sweating to the oldies, with the likes of Jillian, Ellen Barrett, Chalene Johnson, Sara Ivanhoe, and other modern-day fitness mavens. As technology progresses and trainers find new ways to sweat, we are blessed with more efficient and more enjoyable workouts.

I think when the background music, background decor, workout outfits are more tasteful and modern, the more favorably I look upon the video. It’s much easier to get into the groove of it when it doesn’t feel like I’m traveling back to the days of thong leotards and neon biker shorts. I don’t know exactly what it is.

Thank goodness for on-demand fitness television, online workout videos, online fitness information about anything you can think of, easier access to foreign forms of exercise, accessible exercise equipment and widespread chain fitness clubs in every city. This modern stuff is all very much to my benefit, for sure. I get bored very easily.

Witnessing a Success Story

Every once in awhile, you get to be a witness to a wicked transformation right before your eyes. A few months ago, a homely-looking couple at work began a weight loss program. Now, they’re both miniature replicas of their previous selves. Or should I say, better-dressed, taller-standing miniature versions of themselves. Suddenly, with their new haircuts and much brighter and closer-fitting clothing, they’ve become our stylish idols of change here at work. The swagger in both of their steps and the brighter smiles on their faces are highly motivating. It’s as though one positive change begins a snowball effect after with which confidence, style, poise and grace follow.

It’s just like when a girl gets a good haircut and style and thinks of all the places she needs to go that day just to get the most out of the great hair day and have it noticed by the most possible people. She suddenly injects a little swagger into her stride and perhaps stops off at the store to grab a bottle of potion to make her face look brighter within three days and a pair of sunglasses that perfectly frame her face. The effects of one positive change can be far-reaching.

These complete stunning changes only happen every once in a long while, so you just can’t help but stare.

Disc Golf

So, I’m thinking about adding this sport to my summer workout/entertainment repertoire. I’ve never played the game, but it seems quite enjoyable and of course, cheap. Something the whole family can participate in while enjoying the outdoors. And apparently there are several courses within only a few miles of my home. Who knew?

I’ve been exploring several other obscure activities this year. My husband and I took in a roller derby game a few months ago. I never even knew that game existed until I had a friend who joined a team. I don’t think I’ll be joining a team myself anytime soon though. I’m not sure I’m ready for those “interesting” uniforms.

I’m also considering letterboxing or geocaching. I probably would have fallen in love with these ventures as a kid, so I think it would be neat to treat my son to an adventure.

Have you ever tried disc golf, and what did you think? Are there any other “out there” fitness activities you’ve tried or considered?