It's OK to Refuse to Diet

I just read another blogger's post giving us permission to Refuse to Diet...since he was touting "my" line I of course had to read his take on it.

His site is more about exercise, but he admits that most people can't fit in an hour every day--a realist in that regard. He also mentions that counting calories isn't the answer...after all

let's be real, you won't be able to count calories for the rest of your life.

Yes, I agree moving your body is important for your health, and yes I agree you don't have to exercise an hour ever day, and yes I do not believe counting calories (or fat grams or carbs) is the answer. So while we are on the same page so far, that is where our paths start to diverge.

The answer from this guy is the typical mathematical equation...eat less and move more. Not bad advice, it just isn't really the answer. Real weight loss success (by that I mean the permanent kind...not just another roller coaster ride down a size and up two) is determined by our mindset, not the stuff we put in our mouths or what we do with our bodies. It starts with what we put in our minds!

This guy's solution?

be careful what you eat after 4 p.m. and don't overeat. Eat until you get comfortable and not until you get full.

Said like someone who has never had a weight or eating problem!

If you only have a couple pounds to lose, or if you have a temporary weight gain then losing weight can be a simple formula...but if you have carried excess weight most of your life despite your efforts at dieting...or if you weight a significant amount over a healthy amount...then "being careful" to not overeat is waaaaaaay too much of a simplification.

I will say I like this guy's low impact exercises, so go ahead and check him out at http://www.guampdn.com

Low impact exercises are so important when you are just starting out or if you have a lot of weight to lose. Face it, if you are carrying 40, 50, 100 or more extra pounds that is already a lot of impact. Definitely check out isometric and other low impact exercises but also be sure to just move in any way you can...whatever YOUR body will allow. Do it for your health, and yes, it will help you to lose weight too.

Yes, by all means, Refuse to Diet...but don't set arbitrary rules like be careful what you eat after 4pm or don't eat after 7pm unless you believe that is something you can keep up with 80% of the time for the rest of your life! I use 80% as my benchmark because I know there will always be exceptions (life happens, you know what I mean?) Besides, arbitrary rules are...well, arbitrary. They don't take into account YOUR life, your abilities and your lifestyle.

Start with your mind...figure out why you want to lose weight, recognize what may be holding you back...and become a conscious eater. Engage your mind and you WILL lose weight.

If you want specific tools to help you figure this out, check out my book, Refuse To Diet, available on Amazon. And if you have any questions about the worksheets that I developed to help me in my 125 pound weight loss journey let me know...I'd love to help!

Baby It's Cold Outside: Winter Exercising for Weight Loss Success

Brrr...it is about 2 degrees (Farenheit) outside...and frankly, I don't want to go out if I don't have to. So there will be no outdoor activity for me today...but that doesn't mean I want to skip my workout--so what are my options?

First, my definition of a "workout" is very different from your high school P.E. teacher's, Jack Lalanne's, and just about anybody else out there deigned a fitness expert. During the course of losing 125 pounds I realized that the best exercise for losing weight (specifically fat) is one that you will actually do! So rather than believing I have to do a specific type of exercise, or I have to exercise for "X" period of time, I figured out what would work for me--what I will do every day...or at least 6 days a week.

My basic philosophy is that ANY increase in movement is better than none. I call it the One Jumping Jack Theory...where if you commit to doing a single jumping jack and do it, you are better off than the person who commits to doing an hour of exercise and can't fit it in.

This is based on personal experience and on scientific research...but I won't go into all that today. Instead, I'll offer some of the creative ways I get in exercise when it is cold enough I don't want to even go get my mail!

Of course you can do traditional jumping jacks, push-ups and the like...but (1) that isn't very creative and (2) it isn't a lot of fun in my book, but it is an option.

You can also drive to a local mall and walk around inside...but if you don't want to drive on the slick roads that won't be the best fit.

If you own an exercise DVD you can turn that on...my personal favorite is Bounce and Shake from Dr. John Gray--I modify it and do my own version most days. There are also great videos/DVDs on all sorts of exercises from yoga to T'ai Chi to kickboxing...(these links will take you to Amazon)

You can also refer back to the Isometrics exercises that I wrote about a while ago...

But if you don't own a DVD or you want to try something new, here are a few suggestions that you can do TODAY...and they are FREE!

• Turn on your favorite tunes and dance, dance, dance
• Use your staircase--the original stair master. Go up and down one step, or an entire flight of stairs. (Don't try to do 15 minutes of this!)
  
• Cleaning the house can be a great workout--vacuuming, changing bedlinens, mopping floors, all work. Be sure to stretch, reach, and breathe.
• Do you decorate for the holidays? You can make that a workout by bending, reaching, rearranging
• Don't have weights? Don't need 'em...use water bottles or canned goods and do some simple curls and arm raises
• Strengthen your legs with mini squats using a dining room chair--start to sit down, keeping your chin up, stop before you sit and stand back up.
• Easy pushups using a counter--being sure you won't slip, place both hands on the counter about should width apart, step away from the counter while you hold onto it so your body is at an incline, slowly lower yourself towards the counter and push yourself back up
• Putting away laundry...focus on things that go up high or low--stretch for the top shelf, bend and reach for the bottom drawer
• Use the kitchen counter to tone your leg muscles--holding on to the counter for balance, keep your back straight and raise your legs to the side, to the front and to the back. You may have to turn around to be able to lift your leg in all directions. These should be slow lifts not kicks. Switch and do the same thing with the other leg.

Mix it up and do a combination of some of these...you may choose putting away the laundry and staircase master...cool, don't take all the clothes up at one time, instead take one or two items up (or down) the stairs, put them away and then get more.

This isn't about efficiently completely a "chore"...this is about getting in some extra movement, taking a task you would do anyway and getting some additional physical benefit from it.

Try to get to a pace where it is slightly difficult to talk while you do it...if you are easily singing to the tunes you aren't dancing hard enough!

Once you have done 15 minutes worth at this level, shake it out, and you can go back to being "efficient" if your task isn't completely done!

Oh My Aching...Weight Loss Tips

Do you have any body parts that ache once in a while? How about most of the time? How about all the time?

Truth is, if you are extremely overweight you probably do. And if you don't (yet) then you will, unless you do something about it. Consider losing weight as a way to improve your health...and have fewer aches and pains.

So while you are working on your health and fitness, be sure you take care of your body.

I had 3 knee surgeries, so those are obviously issues for me. Knees are a common pain spot for overweight people. No wonder. There is a lot of pressure placed on these joints. Painful feet are also a common complaint. With painful knees and/or feet it can seem like a challenge to exercise, but there are options that won't stress your joints.

Of course swimming is one option...but a lot of people who are overweight are shy about appearing in public in a swimming suit. While I encourage you to go to a pool, I know not everyone will.

Why are swimming pools great places to exercise? The water is buoyant, so you feel lighter, there is less pressure on those aching joints. The water also provides resistance against your movement...so even if you can't swim, you can get a really good work out in a pool just by walking in the water. Check out your local pools...they may have classes in water aerobics, water walking, or swimming...and some will even have special classes for the obese. Pools with these special classes may offer them at times when the pool is closed to the regular public. If you can't find a program like that in your area and it sounds like something you'd be interested in, contact your pool manager and ask about the possibility.

But you don't have to get all wet to get gentle exercises in...isometric exercises are another option that is easy on the joints while building muscle. If you missed it, earlier this week I got some great tips from a personal trainer on isometric exercises

I also had problems with my back...hmmm, do I think that maybe the extra weight I was carrying in front might have had a little to do with that? I sure do...and do exercises to strengthen my abs may help, but they don't reduce the stomach. Yes, your abdomen is your back's back, so making it stronger will help your back, but you also want to stretch your back. The best tip for an aching back that makes you want to not exercise...keep moving! Even if you have to move while laying on your bed or sitting on the couch. Start wherever you are. Every little bit that you move will help.

Look, it is never too late to lose weight and gain health. You can't be too old. You can't be too heavy. You don't have to exercise like a fiend...it is small changes that yield big results over time.

While you are making these changes, take care of yourself. Take care of your feet. Stretch. Take warm showers and baths. Get massages once in a while. Your body is working hard just carrying you around...be kind to it. You want to prevent injury...that is one of the biggest reasons to take things slow if you haven't been working out in a while. Injuries will keep you out for a long time and can really set you back...so start small.

And on days when you just don't feel like exercising at all...just do 1 minute. If you are doing okay after that then do one more. Even if you only do a couple 1 minutes exercise "breaks" scattered throughout the day...if you are doing a few more minutes than you did before then you are taking steps in the right direction!

Exercises Anyone Can Do for Health and Weight Loss Success

As you know, I do not believe in being a slave to the gym. That doesn't mean that we don't have to move our bodies in order to be healthy. It does mean that we can find quick and easy solutions to exercise that help us to be fit and lose weight.

If you think that you can't stand to exercise, or that exercise has to be time-consuming, or expensive, or requires a ton of special equipment...then it is time to change your mindset about exercising. Does 15 minutes a day in the comfort of your own home sound good? It does to me...and that is what I do...what has allowed me to drop 125lbs.

I have met some wonderful folks who can help you with exercises...I do believe that variety is great...and that no one exercise is perfect for every single person. That's why I will refer to various exercises and coaches. Find the one(s) that work for you...the best exercise for weight loss is the one that you will do!

Gena Livings is an awesome personal trainer whom I have met. She has a great mindset as well as body...I was talking to Gena recently about Isometric exercises...one of the reasons I like isometrics is because anyone can do them. They require little or no equipment. You can do lots of isometrics just by using your own body. They are easy on our joints. They are also easy to adapt to your physical condition...and as you get stronger they will grow with you.

Because of this, isometrics are good if you are on a financial budget--you don't have to go to the gym or buy a lot of equipment.

Isometrics are good if you don't want to exercise in public--again, no need to go to the gym...you can do these in the privacy of your own home...even if you live in a studio apartment.

Isometrics are also great if you aren't in the best physical condition...whether it is from an injury, surgery, lack of exercise or obesity...anyone can start with isometric exercises.

Isometrics use one of my basic tenets..."start where you are"...no matter where that is! You can always get better, as long as you start!

Anyway, I was talking to Gena and I told her I was looking for a great resource on isometric exercises to share with my readers. I was so excited when Gena created a special blog post on isometric exercises. She provides info on what isometric exercises are, and she gives specific exercises for arms, legs, back, abs...your entire body. Be sure to check out Gena's blog and put her exercises into practice...you will feel yourself getting stronger! And being physically stronger is a great step for your health and weight loss success!

Traveling and Exercising

While driving vast distances, it is a challenge to get any exercise at all. I find it a perfect chance to practice isometric exercises. Whether you are the driver or passenger, you can clench muscles of any group. Start with you buttocks, holding them about 10 seconds, repeat about 10 times. Then move to another muscle group.

By doing this I have strengthened my abdomen, my leg muscles and my biceps.

At each stop we stretched a bit...but with little time we didn't get much "real" exercise in.

We did out 15 minute "bounce and shake" work out every morning. That fits right in to the traveling schedule.

Once we reached our destination we tried to get in walks when possible. Since our first stop was a conference where we started our days early and ended late, we frequently didn't get much of a walk in--from the conference room to our room and back a few times and that was it.

Our next stop did allow for a nice walk and we have been able to have a walk every day since then. Felt really good to get some extra stretching in after days in the car and days in a conference room!

Getting Stronger

What can you do to create more strength...without building huge muscles, without pumping iron and without taking a lot of time?

Here are a couple easy, no cost (or free) tips on building strength...

Take a 2 cans from the pantry...try soup cans at first. If they are too heavy, try cans of tuna. Hold the cans while you are doing some bounce and shake exercises or walking or dancing around the house. Or hold them while you stretch and reach. If cans aren't comfortable try water bottles. You can increase the size of the cans or water bottles as long as you can comfortably hold them in your hands.

Isometric exercises: squeeze the muscle and hold for a count of ten and then release. These are great for post-surgery and beginning to get back into condition. Isometric exercises focus on specific muscles rather than an overall conditioning.

Clench your thighs, calves, butt muscles and even your abdomen while seated at your chair, or on the couch, or lying on the bed. If you don't scrunch up your face you can even do it at work and no one will be the wiser!

Arms require a bit more obvious motion--so reserve them for break time if you are at work. Easy to do while watching television though, take advantage of a commercial break or two--bend your elbows, place your palms together and press them together. Start with them at chest height. Do a couple sets there and then move up to shoulder height, face high, and over the head. Final squeeze is with arms straight squeezing against your head. Repeat the process on the way down.