Just Make It Better

This is part 2 of my series on weight loss. As I said before, I used to be twenty pounds  heavier and would like to share what I learned from losing it. I’m not professional in any sense, just an experienced person who has applied a realistic method to losing weight and keeping it off.  Unlike other sites which may list ten tips for good abs,  similar to the Crap Detox series, this is designed to create a basic understanding about weight loss, food and lifestyle change. One that should, if you’re open to it, create a paradigm shift with regards to weight loss and its entities.

Part one covered food.  This post will cover fitness.

photo by: Ana_Cotta

If you limit your caloric intake enough you can lose weight regardless if you hit the gym. That is not recommended because  it doesn’t allow as much leeway in regards to food choices, and often results in a thinner, yet squishy version of your previous self. (Not to mention the host of internal health benefits.)

What to do

Cardio

I despise cardio, puttering on a treadmill bores the crap out of me. I prefer it when being directed by someone else or in a play setting. Nevertheless, I’ve accepted that cardio needs to be a part of life.

Three types:

Depending on your fitness goals, there are parameters to work in.

1. High intensity, interval style

If you really want to tighten up,  get in shape in a few months or vanity is your main motivator then do HIIT. It hurts, sometimes makes me want to cry and often leaves me cursing out my training partner. But it melts fat like butter in a scalding pan.

2. Long distance

This is for those that like to run and run and run. And run some more.

3. Leisurely

If you can’t get yourself to work that hard (bah!) then you can do longer sessions at a more relaxed pace. This is where power walking, a light jog and people who read on the elliptical come in. You won’t see results as quickly and you’ll have to devote more time than with HIIT, but it’s still an option.

The rule is this: you should at least be sweating and at a point where you wouldn’t want to put in the extra effort to talk.

Integrate it everywhere

Those days of scaling the lot for the closest parking space are over. No more escalators or elevators. If it takes less than ten minutes to walk there, don’t drive.

Doing things that allow you to move when you would have otherwise is paramount to keeping weight off and keeping your right to occasionally eat pasta.

Each step counts. Each step is moving towards whatever fitness goal you have. Better yet, each step you choose NOT to take is one less bite of cheesecake.

Stop being lazy and take the damn stairs.

Losing weight means having to work harder than you normally would. Any movement is good but intentionally doing cardiovascular exercise is better.

Strength training

Too many people opt out of this part of a workout. It’s a huge mistake. Strength training is what differentiates a person with a tight body and those with a droopy one. It’s what creates definition and tone. If you want to get in shape, it should be done right. And right means incorporating strength training.

photo by: √oхέƒx™

Personal Training

I highly recommend starting with a personal trainer. Not always necessary for the long term, they are very helpful with the inexperienced and overwhelmed.

I’ve worked in three major gym chains in NYC and from my observations a lot of PT’s are lazy and inattentive. Still, there are plenty diamonds in the rough and if you intend on finding an effective PT, then you will eventually.

I got in shape with the help of a close friend that has been training her entire life. She used a gym I worked at and allowed me to tag along during her (5x’s a week) workouts. In three months I lost twenty pounds,  three dress sizes and had total strangers asking me what I do. My friend is amazing and with her motivation and knowledge I propelled into weight loss.

Having a trainer or a situation like mine is ideal because:

• You’re accountable because someone else is relying on your arrival.
• It’s a great jumping off point when one usually feels winded and overwhelmed.
• They can teach you how to appropriately train your specific body.
• Form and function are rigid components of a proper workout. Without them, most training is ineffective and can lead to injury. A good trainer will modify and educate you.
• After learning how to correctly train, you can adhere to those methods independently and in the long term.
• Any fear of the free weights or machines will be diminished because you’ll no longer be a novice.

Many will argue they cannot afford a trainer. I concur that a few could not. If you think you’re one of them yet smoke, drink, eat out, have cable, get your hair done, gamble, go to sports arenas, etc etc than you can afford it but choose to spend your money elsewhere. That’s appropriate for your life, but don’t say you cannot. You choose not and there’s a difference.

When it comes to weight loss and exercise there are a host of other points that could be made, specific to each category, and there are better qualified sources in which to get your information.

This series is about accepting truths regarding weight loss. After a decade of excess pounds, I’ve learned that these, along with food, are essential adopters to even consider changing your life.

Subscribe via RSS for the next part of the series. Fitness, emotional eating and the long term still to come (oh my).

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