We all know what fitness is like, right? I don’t think I have to tell you how healthy it is either. As a fitness professional, I don’t have to tell you because the media takes care of that for me. You’ve seen the commercials, so you know being fit means waking up at 5am, strapping on the latest Fit-Zapper 3000, and hitting the trails while the morning dew shimmers on the blades of grass. Don’t forget to run those last few meters home in slow motion (like they do on TV) and finally collapse in a puddle of sweat on the front steps… I think if you have the Rocky theme playing in the background. He also burns more calories! Or how about hitting the gym in your new $200 Under Armor workout gear and “hitting with weights” in front of the mirror while you and the boys try out for the bicep gear…that HAS to be what it’s all about fitness, right? Well, if not, then surely walking on the treadmill with your Lulu lemons while posting selfies on social media is what looks like being fit.
If you’re new to all the “I want get fit and lose weight,” then it can become overwhelming about where to start, and what to believe and what not to believe. okay…it’s time for a little lowdown on what fitness really is and isn’t and how to get there for 2016:
1. Fitness is not what you see on TV. Forget the ads, forget the commercials. They want to sell you something and use fitness models or professional athletes to do it. Don’t compare yourself to these people because you, and I included, are not fitness models or athletes. Fitness models and athletes have a team of trainers, nutritionists, and trainers (not to mention Photoshop) to help them 24/7. You and I don’t have all of that so stop comparing yourself because it’s not healthy or realistic.
It’s you and all the good times you’ve had in life, you’ve had them in YOUR body. All the bad moments you have had, you have overcome them in YOUR body. YOUR body is capable of incredible things, so no matter what size or shape, how many warts, freckles or pimples… love the body you have. I’m willing to bet someone already loves you just the way you are, so why can’t you?
2. Fitness is missing on the latest devices. Stop worrying about keeping up with the latest trends, equipment and sportswear; It’s a chase that will never end! You need two things to be healthier, stronger and fitter: your body and gravity, and both are FREE. I know that if I’m tired in the morning, I didn’t get enough sleep. I know that if I’m wheezing during exercise, then I’m exercising at the right intensity (I don’t need the latest gadget or app to tell) and that I’ll likely see health benefits in my $5 Walmart since I wear Nikes when I exercise. Hey if having the latest and greatest motivates you to keep moving then great a lot of people really benefit from that and I’m not criticizing it at all but my point is if you’re just starting out then you don’t NEED it.
3. Your diet has a name… Really? The Paleo diet, the Atkins diet, the Abs diet, the Zone diet… the list could go on. Keep it simple and don’t give your diet a name. Eat more fruits and vegetables and a little less chocolate cake and potato chips. If you want to lose weight, then you have to eat a little less than what you are eating now. The formula has not changed and that formula is Calories in must be less than calories out to lose weight.
There are no foods that are off limits (actually there are — don’t eat furniture, staples or rugs – anything else is fine…in moderation) and please…don’t get your nutrition facts from 1- award holders. You already know the; “Latest Study Finds Bacon Causes Cancer” Let me quote from an article by Precision Nutrition and Dr. James Heathers. He said: “…when you realize that your chance of dying from that horrible type of cancer without bacon (or broccoli) is only 1 in 100,000 (or 0.00001 percent). And that a 10 percent increase per eating bacon (or broccoli) means your chance increases to 1.1 in 100,000 (or 0.000011 percent).
Meh.
Since we’re all going to die anyway, medical scare tactics just aren’t scary (especially when you know what the data really means). Nor do they motivate change.”
Trust me, stay away from the 3 items on my Never Eat list, stick to healthy portions, and try to include more fruits and vegetables and you’ll be fine. You are more likely to be scared by reading the headlines than the ill effects of eating the things the headlines are trying to steer you away from.
4. “No pain, no gain.” LOL…or how about this one from Jillian Michaels “Unless you throw up, pass out or die, keep going.” Jillian really? How about using this quote instead “Listen to your body to avoid injury” Do you want to live longer so you can play with the grandkids? Then she starts to move you.
To see big improvements in health, you only need a minimum of 30 minutes of activity a day…and it doesn’t even have to be consecutive minutes. Sure, it’s best if you can set aside 30 minutes for yourself, but if you only have 10-15 minutes in the morning and another 10-15 in the evening, you’re good to go. Don’t have time or money for a gym? Then don’t go! Go for a walk, throw a ball with the kids, play fetch with the dog. How about dancing in your living room when your favorite song is playing on the radio or TV? Just move for 30 minutes a day and you’ll be doing the right thing if you want to lower your cholesterol, improve your blood pressure, maintain your range of motion, ensure healthy joints and bones, and many more benefits.
5. Variety. Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder even sang about it when they recorded “Variety and Ivory live together in perfect harmony” or something like that. There is more to maintaining your health than jogging or lifting weights. Did you know that you will do 1000 times more for your body if you stretch a little in front of the TV for 30 minutes than if you sit on the couch? And hardly any power is needed at all. Or how about spending 30 minutes doing a hobby that you enjoy; there is more stress relief in that activity than spending an hour in the gym. Health isn’t always about sweat and blood (well, it should never be about blood), but you do need a little Yin to your Yang.
Look, I’m really talking to people who just want to start doing something good for their bodies. All the boot camps and HIIT training…all of that can come later…and only if you want it to! But if you’ve made a resolution to improve your health and fitness this year, you can have great success simply by keeping things simple. Want to see how far you can go by this time next year? So here’s the simple truth formula… just move a little more than you are now, eat a little less than you are now, swap cake and cookies for fruits and vegetables a few more times, and set aside a quiet time for you. from time to time to relieve stress. Everything else is just pesticide-free, low-fat, grain-fed chicken gravy of course!