Fast, Healthy and Achievable: Losing Weight the Right Way, Part 2 - Exercise!
Recap
This is the second hub in my three-part series outlining the steps to fast and healthy weight loss:
So, let's move on to Step 2...
Exercise!
Anyone who knows anything about weight-loss knows that no matter what diet plan you may be on, you need to exercise as well.
Even if you wouldn't consider its weight-loss benefits, exercise does so much good for your body that today experts are saying a lack of exercise is the leading cause of debilitating diseases such as cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure! Your body is not meant to hold on to the waste and toxins that you take in each and every day. It must either eliminate or work off what it cannot use. If you don't exercise, you are allowing those poisons to clutter up your insides and you are depriving your cells of the room they need to multiply and heal you.
The Plan:
So, now you're thinking, "Okay, I guess I should exercise..." But what to do?
There are so many thousands of exercise options these days, and it would be both impossible and narcissistic of me to claim to know which is the right one for you. Everyone's bodies are different, not to mention that your surroundings and what is available to you may differ greatly from someone who lives on the other side of the globe. The best way to find out if a certain form of exercise suits you best is to give it a try!
A few things you could consider when coming up with a good exercise plan for yourself are:
· Is it achievable?
· Is it effective?
· Is it affordable?
· Is it enjoyable?
Is it Achievable?
Is it something you are able to do, considering your surroundings and what materials you have available to you?
For example, you may have heard that you could burn off excess fat by mountain climbing, but you live in downtown New York, and the truth is you only have about 30 minutes of free time to exercise each day.
Choose a plan that will take the minimal amount of planning and that will be easy for you to get up off of your butt and do. The psycho-cybernetic mechanism in your brain will automatically try to keep you within your comfort zone. So make it easy for your mind to allow you to exercise.
An example of an achievable exercise plan for someone in the above-mentioned New York scenario would be running. This way, all you would have to do is grab a pair of sneakers and head out the door.
Is it Effective?
Is it working? Are you seeing and feeling the results?
What you don’t want to do is make it so easy on yourself that your plan is entirely ineffective.
If you’ve been following a certain routine for many years now with little or no results, it’s time to change the plan. Or maybe your routine is just fine, but you’re not exercising for a long enough time.
On the other hand, if you have rarely ever made time for exercise in your life, it can be tough to start now. Begin with a ten-minute routine and gradually build up to 20, then 30, then 40 minutes. Pay attention to your body, and note whether you’ve pushed it far enough or not.
The important thing is that what you are doing is working for you. Don’t just waste time to say that you’ve got in your 30 minutes of exercise. Depending on factors such as your height, body weight, diet, and even your culture and habits, something that works for someone else may not work for you. Don’t be afraid to try a few new things until you find something that really works for you.
Check your progress regularly to ensure your exercise plan is helping you to shed the pounds. You could do this through making a simple chart for yourself that spans a few months’ time. (This could also help you to remember to exercise.) Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see a difference overnight, but if it’s been three or four months, and you still haven’t made any progress with your weight-loss whatsoever, then tweak the plan.
A very important point to keep in mind when you choose your plan is that certain forms of exercise – such as some contact sports and weight-lifting – will actually bulk you up on weight. You need to do your research before starting with any exercise plan.
Simple Exercise Chart Sample
Date:
| Weight Check:
| Exercise Method Used:
|
---|---|---|
January
| ||
February
| ||
March
| ||
April
| ||
May
|
Exercise Tools:
Is it Affordable?
Do you have both the time and money to do it?
This is the real clincher for some people when it comes to exercise and weight-loss. The first excuse I’ll hear is, “I don’t have enough time to exercise!” followed closely by, “I can’t afford to exercise!” These are very valid concerns. However, the question you should instead be asking yourself is, “Can I afford not to?”
I don’t mean that you should go into debt over spanking new exercise equipment or an overpriced gym membership. I mean that you should put a priority on your exercise over other less important things in your life, because when it comes down to it, this is your health we’re talking about. Without your health, you’ll be dead!
On a less morbid note:
There are hundreds of absolutely free ways to exercise that most people may not think of.
I found some very good links on the web that give some ideas and ways you can save time and money while still getting a lot out of your exercise:
http://www.pioneerthinking.com/lb_easyexercise.html
http://zenhabits.net/48-fun-exercises/
http://www.fitwatch.com/exercise/10-ways-you-can-exercise-at-home-without-any-equipment-10.html
http://www.dumblittleman.com/2009/01/5-easy-ways-to-fit-exercise-into-your.html
http://www.thedigeratilife.com/blog/index.php/2007/10/11/top-10-cheapest-ways-to-exercise/
Is it Enjoyable?
Does it make you want to exercise? Or do you dread it instead?
Most people, when they think of exercise, picture hard work, sweat, sacrifice and no fun at all! But it really doesn’t have to be that way! In fact, any exercise can be turned into an enjoyable experience.
As I’ll explain more in “Fast and Healthy: Losing Weight the Right Way, Part 3 – Think Positive!”, a happy mind creates a happy and healthy body! If you’re having fun as you exercise, your body has a much higher success rate in bringing your weight down to a healthy level.
Of course, if you’re the kind of person that has never enjoyed sports or any other form of exercise, in the beginning it may be difficult for you to enjoy making your body work. But I guarantee that there is something out there you could find that would be both fun and effective for you. You just have to do a little digging.
Personally, I’ve found dancing to be my perfect exercise option. I enjoy dancing immensely, so I look forward to my time of exercise. This causes me to make it a priority, and I don’t miss out on scheduling it in. And you know what else? It really works! I’ve lost 9 kilos (approximately 20 lbs) in two months through dancing. I’m sold on it!
Finding Fun Exercises To Do:
Cardio is Your Friend!
Now that you have hopefully gotten an idea of what you'd like to start with, I want to point out that on top of whatever exercise you may have chosen, or as a main part of it, cardio workouts are a MUST in any weight-loss program. Do your research, by all means, and find a workout that suits you, but make sure you're including at least 50% cardio!
You can find some amazing workout programs these days that combine cardio with ab work, toning, stretching, endurance, core-building, Pilates and even yoga! I've found that starting off the workout with cardio exercises helps to warm up your body and put you in the mood to keep going further!
If you're up to it and you have the stamina, join a spinning class at your local gym. - A tough, but guaranteed fast weight-loss tool!
The Timing:
Finding the right time to exercise for you is something you’ll have to figure out on your own. Some people find that exercising in the morning works better for them, and others are more afternoon sports players, or evening joggers.
A caution about exercise in the evening: Studies have shown that if you exercise too close to the time you sleep, your sleep can be adversely affected. Try to leave at least 1-2 hours between the time you finish your exercise and the time you go to sleep.
In Conclusion:
Again, if you want to lose weight, you will need to exercise. It is the fastest and healthiest way to lose weight, I promise you.
Remember that we all have the same amount of hours in our day as you do. You will make time for the things that are important to you. You will find that the more you make exercise a habit, the easier it will become for you.
And you’ll smile as you watch the pounds disappear...
(Continued in Fast and Healthy: Losing Weight the Right Way, Part 3 - Think Positive)
Related Links:
- Fast, Healthy and Achievable: Losing Weight the Right Way, Part 3 - Think Positively!
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