Don’t Exercise!

When would I ever advise you not to exercise?  I can think of two situations. The first is if the doctor tells you not to, due to illness or injury.  My number one rule is to follow your doctor’s advice.  If you don’t want to do as your physician instructs, please find another doctor, one you trust and will abide by.

The other time I would tell you not to exercise is if the activity is not enjoyable to you.  I know many people have the notion that exercise is drudgery, something to be shunned because it’s hard, boring, and/or painful.  Other people dread it because, like me, they have childhood memories of being humiliated on the playing field or in P.E. class.  The truth is that being active doesn’t have to be an unpleasant experience - and if it is, don’t do it!  Forcing yourself to exercise when you dislike it defeats the purpose; any benefit you’d gain physically is counteracted by the damage done to your spirit.  And while I don’t have proof, I’ll bet your chance of injury is greater than if you were doing something you loved!

Instead, find an activity that you will enjoy and stick with.  In my initial health assessment, I ask my clients about their preferences regarding 36 different forms of exercise, and I know my list is not exhaustive.  Your choices are almost endless, even if you don’t consider yourself to be athletic.  For instance, I love to dance.  How many different types of dancing can you think of?  And that is just ONE form of activity!

The trick is to stop telling yourself that you hate to exercise. Instead, remind yourself that with over 600 major muscle groups you are designed to move.  Make a list of ways to be active that you’ve enjoyed in the past or would be willing to try.  Choose one, and get moving!

Be Well by Showing Up

“You’ve got to be in it to win it.” That was slogan of the New York State lottery when I lived there in the 1990s.  I think we can say that about everything.  In fact, it seems to me that we get halfway to success just by showing up.  What does it mean to “show up” when it comes to being well?

Let’s begin with memberships.  The most important thing about joining Weight Watchers, signing up for a gym membership, or enrolling in a Zumba class is showing up!  “It works if you work it,” Rev. Johnnie Coleman used to say.  Then there’s the equipment you purchased: the universal home gym; the treadmill; the NordicTrack; and the DVDs, free weights, and other paraphernalia you have stashed in the back of your closet.  Dig them out, set them up, and use them.  Ten minutes a day is the perfect way to start.

How about your diet? Show up at the breakfast table, the farmers’ market, and the supermarket.  One of the first assignments I give my clients is to go food shopping.  You can’t eat it if it’s not in the house.  Or maybe you need to show up on the scale to see what your weight really is or at the doctor’s office for that annual physical or mammogram.  Is it time to show up at your dentist’s office?

All of the things I’ve suggested are pretty simple steps.  Showing up is like that.  It takes no special skills or knowledge.  Just get there and see what happens.

Tune Up Your Habits

Over the years, most of my clients have gotten frustrated at some point when the pounds stopped dropping.    They would complain about  the dreaded “plateau.”  In the weight loss world, we know that weight does not change systematically, in a nice linear fashion.  We could see no movement on the scale for a week only to wake up one morning three pounds lighter.  A true plateau occurs when weight does not change for three weeks.

When clients experience a real plateau, we examine their habits, because typically there is a behavior change behind it.  We can shift our habits so gradually that we’re barely aware of it, until the scale or our clothes get our attention.  If you’re not having the results you used to have, take a moment with the checklist of good habits below. See if you’ve gotten away from any of these successful behaviors.  If you never did practice these, pick just one to try this week.  And remember, you don’t have to be perfect!

• Measure your serving sizes. Use measuring cups/spoons or a scale or go ahead and count out the number of chips you eat. (We won’t tell.)
• Ask for your salad dressing on the side.
• Choose unsweetened beverages.
• Select the sandwich without the mayo or cheese.
• Opt for marinara rather than Alfredo or cream sauce.
• Order a side salad or fruit, not chips or fries.
• Request that the server not bring the bread or chip basket to your table.
• Order a small-sized everything except calorie free beverages.
• Snack on fruits and veggies rather than cheese and crackers or candy.
• Watch for the unexpected calories in seemingly healthy foods: dried fruit, nuts, cheese, peanut butter, granola, trail mix, cereals, and whole grain foods.
• Take the dog for a walk every morning or evening.
• Make it a rum and diet coke for 65 calories or 4 oz. of red wine for 80, rather than a 6 oz. margarita for 250. 
• Park in the back of parking lot and walk in when temperatures permit.
• Take the stairs when it’s feasible.
• Schedule your exercise on your calendar just as you do your meetings.
• Keep your old pair of gym shoes at your desk or in your trunk and look for opportunities to use them.
• Go to the park or the pool with the kids, not the movies.

Things We Need to Teach Our Kids

Parents are leaders, and I’d love to see parents take a stronger leadership role in teaching their children to be well.  If I ruled the world, here are some of the things I’d have parents teach their kids:

-          There is nothing good about smoking.  When my daughters were young, we’d play a little game where I’d ask them, “What’s good about smoking?”  They’d shout back, “Nothing!”  I’d repeat, “What’s good?” and again they’d tell me nothing is.  (Yes, they were very young then - but that’s the time to start the message!)

-          Exercise is like brushing teeth: it’s to be done daily.  Most kids know to brush their teeth at least once a day, but exercise is presented as optional. It’s not.  Being physically active is the one of the two things anyone can do to lower their likelihood of contracting a major disease.  (Not smoking is the other thing; see bullet #1. J)

-          Always wear a helmet when riding a bike.  Here, parents have to lead by example.  It distressing to see so many parents out riding bikes with their children and only the kids have helmets on.   It’s ironic - the kids have a shorter distance to fall and are probably better at landing safely than the adults.  Everyone needs to wear a bike helmet - period.

-          Cookies, chips, regular soda, and candy are treats, not snacks.  Parents, you don’t have to buy that stuff just because you have kids in the house.  They can snack on raisins, carrot sticks, apple slices with peanut butter, cheese sticks, yogurt cups, graham crackers with skim milk, and the like, just as you do.

Grandparents, this goes for you, too!  (Okay, I’ve gotten that out of my system!)