So, I have been trying to write to you about fats: good v. bad; low fat v. no fat v. high fat diets; basically, trying to give you the skinny on fat. Problem is, there is a lot of new and conflicting information out there so it is taking me a while to put it all together. Anyway, in the meantime, I saw something today that I have never seen before and, quite honestly, didn't think I would ever see.
I was at the gym doing my workout when I heard a women talking on her cell phone. The gym was really empty and the only other person in that section of the gym was a woman doing squats. I didn't pay any attention to the voice I heard talking on the phone until I realized that it had to be the woman who was doing squats as there was nobody else there.
I tried to be discrete at first but when I saw what she was doing I actually stood there and stared. This ridiculous woman was doing squats with a barbell across her back, holding the barbell with one hand and holding her phone to her ear with the other. When she finished doing squats she started doing another exercise while still taking on the phone. Unbelievable!
Now, lots of people bring their cell phones out on to the gym floor and these same people waste a lot of time texting and talking on their phones when they should be exercising. This is bad enough; but until today I had never seen anyone try to lift weights while talking on their phone. Stupid, dangerous, ridiculous, are all words that come to mind, and if you are going to be so distracted that you must talk on the telephone while exercising at the gym, why bother even going?
Yes, exercising is hard work but the benefits are too numerous and substantial not to put in the effort. It should be challenging and it should also be fun and rewarding. Going to the gym only to read a magazine while you walk on the treadmill or, and I can't believe that I need to say this, talk on your cell while you do squats is not fun, rewarding, challenging or really even exercising.
Come on folks, lets get motivated and lets get fit and healthy.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
So now what?
Well, its official, the holidays are over. Hanukkah, Christmas, New Years and Three Kings Day have all come and gone. The only question is: what do you have to show for it besides a new sweater or, much worse, 5 or 10 new pounds?
If you are like a lot of people, you over indulged this holiday season and you once again resolved to get into shape or back into shape for those of you that were in shape once upon a time.
If you are serious about getting into shape, and I hope you are, then you are going to need a serious strategy. A game plan so to speak for defeating all the negative and undermining influences in your life and, once again, if you are like most people there are many.
Getting and staying motivated; finding the time; finding the inspiration; changing your diet and more importantly your attitude toward food; actually exercising, consistently and for the rest of your life, not just for 6 months and then quitting and one you may not have expected. Believe it or not your family may become jealous of the time you spend taking care of yourself and they may become even more jealous of the way you look and feel.
In my experience this holds true especially for moms (and some dads) who are expected, mostly by themselves, to do so much for everyone in the house and always place their own needs last. I have seen it many times, and I always tell my clients that they have to take care of themselves and place their health first. Without good health and the energy that comes with it, you can't possibly do everything you need and want to do for your family. Yes, there will be an adjustment period but soon enough your family will accept that you have placed a priority on your health and they will learn how to manage for themselves while you are at the gym or out for a walk or whatever. The point is you should never feel guilty about taking care of yourself. Exercising and eating right are not luxuries; they are necessities.
One way to minimize the adjustment is to plan group activities that involve and are fun for the entire family. After all, exercising and eating right are necessary for everyone and individuals are much more likely to stick with their programs if the entire family is doing it together. And, with childhood obesity on the rise, you also owe it to your children to see that they get enough exercise and are eating right.
So, the good news is that with the internet and with the gym industry competing for your business there are so many affordable ways to exercise that money should not be an issue. The internet has thousands of web pages with exercise routines and magazines like Shape and Fitness have web sites filled with free information. With more and more gyms opening there is more competition and prices have really come down. I know of several area gyms that are offering memberships for $30 a month.
Time could be an issue but it really shouldn’t be. You can workout at home, 30 minutes a day and, with the right program, you can see dramatic results. If you have a gym close by and can take advantage of the equipment and the classes , even better.
So, you are committed, motivated, inspired and determined to live a long, healthy and happy life. You are going to exercise, eat right (I will talk more about diet next time) and you are going to get everyone around you involved. That’s what I call a game plan.
Until next time,
Peace and Health
Dave
If you are like a lot of people, you over indulged this holiday season and you once again resolved to get into shape or back into shape for those of you that were in shape once upon a time.
If you are serious about getting into shape, and I hope you are, then you are going to need a serious strategy. A game plan so to speak for defeating all the negative and undermining influences in your life and, once again, if you are like most people there are many.
Getting and staying motivated; finding the time; finding the inspiration; changing your diet and more importantly your attitude toward food; actually exercising, consistently and for the rest of your life, not just for 6 months and then quitting and one you may not have expected. Believe it or not your family may become jealous of the time you spend taking care of yourself and they may become even more jealous of the way you look and feel.
In my experience this holds true especially for moms (and some dads) who are expected, mostly by themselves, to do so much for everyone in the house and always place their own needs last. I have seen it many times, and I always tell my clients that they have to take care of themselves and place their health first. Without good health and the energy that comes with it, you can't possibly do everything you need and want to do for your family. Yes, there will be an adjustment period but soon enough your family will accept that you have placed a priority on your health and they will learn how to manage for themselves while you are at the gym or out for a walk or whatever. The point is you should never feel guilty about taking care of yourself. Exercising and eating right are not luxuries; they are necessities.
One way to minimize the adjustment is to plan group activities that involve and are fun for the entire family. After all, exercising and eating right are necessary for everyone and individuals are much more likely to stick with their programs if the entire family is doing it together. And, with childhood obesity on the rise, you also owe it to your children to see that they get enough exercise and are eating right.
So, the good news is that with the internet and with the gym industry competing for your business there are so many affordable ways to exercise that money should not be an issue. The internet has thousands of web pages with exercise routines and magazines like Shape and Fitness have web sites filled with free information. With more and more gyms opening there is more competition and prices have really come down. I know of several area gyms that are offering memberships for $30 a month.
Time could be an issue but it really shouldn’t be. You can workout at home, 30 minutes a day and, with the right program, you can see dramatic results. If you have a gym close by and can take advantage of the equipment and the classes , even better.
So, you are committed, motivated, inspired and determined to live a long, healthy and happy life. You are going to exercise, eat right (I will talk more about diet next time) and you are going to get everyone around you involved. That’s what I call a game plan.
Until next time,
Peace and Health
Dave
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