Kathy Kaehler
Since the start of this year I have been busy doing a series called "Get Fit Today" for the NBC Today Show. You may have seen one of the segments.
We are dealing with four teams of five people from across the country. Each team is trying to lose weight and inches from a diet and exercise program put together by a nutritionist and myself. I had the chance to meet with each and every participant. I really got to know them by exercising with them and having a meal.
I found out how they were doing and what has been the biggest challenge. One of the team members talked to me about how hard the eating has been for her since she started. She told me that she hadn't been to a restaurant since the program had started and that if she sees another salad she is going to scream.
I believe this is a very common mistake that people make - they try to lose weight by cutting back on everything and living on rabbit food. Even with all the information that was given she still went back to this common practice.
If you have done this before or are doing it now - living on lettuce to lose a few pounds - let me just say: quit that now! There are other choices!
Number one you cannot be afraid to go out. How you eat should be a lifestyle not a diet or a plan. Eating everything in moderation is the goal. Balanced nutrition will bring you balanced weight. Go back to the food pyramid that we all have seen somewhere and live by it.
Going back to what I told her to do, I talked to her about ways to make food more interesting and delicious. Here are some suggestions:
- Grilled chicken on top of steamed spinach with garlic
- Pouched fish on a small bed of brown rice with steamed tomatoes.
- Egg white omelet stuffed with finely chopped veggies with cottage cheese.
The ideas are endless. There are hundreds of cookbooks that are out there now that can show you how to make this for you and your family without breaking the bank I might add. You can make your own cookbook with some of the recipes that you can get out of magazines and on the web. Eating right does take some organization and some planning. But what really comes easy? We certainly know that staying fit doesn't. You have to work at it in order to get it and keep it.
Speaking of exercise it is getting to be that time of year that when you take a visit to the mall the stores are showing off their latest swimwear fashions. And I bet many of you are turning right around and going into another department. It doesn't have to be that way but you have to start now.
Getting into shape takes a plan and motivation, which I will get to a little later. To really see some change you need to commit to this. Set aside four days a week for physical activity. It can be less an hour but I guarantee you that once you get started you will love the way you feel and look and you will find that hour no matter what.
The best exercise is walking. This will tone your body and help to shed some fat. You can use your Mio watch to make sure you are working out at the right intensity as well. Build up so that you can walk for at least 45 minutes and that you are covering 3 miles. Adding in some strength training will help as well. Twice a week.
Simply classic exercises like pull-ups, pushups, crunches, lunges, squats, and dips work great. Once you are consistent at doing this you can add different workouts in. For instance, taking a class, biking, and running, doing a video, working out with a partner. All this will get you to where you want to go. The key is to start today and don't stop.
So how do I keep it up? The intentions are there but the follow through gets fouled up.Goal setting is my recommendation. Set simple realistic goals that will keep you on track. Take out a measuring tape and measure your body. Keep a chart and use this as a guide for yourself instead of the scale. Pick a date on your calendar and that will be your goal. Up until then set short-term goals.
Don't just focus on the appearance for your goals but set some goals that rely on your physical skills. Lets say that when you start you can only do 5 pushups. So maybe half way through you say the goal is going to be to do 10 pushups and then by summer I will be able to do 2 sets of 25.
You may also sign up for a walk/run. They are offered everywhere and you could prepare for it as your goal. Having someone to workout with who is looking at similar goals as you can help. Working out with someone else can get you to exercise more often and sometimes more intensely. The ultimate motivation is how you feel.
Back to the program that I am doing for NBC. I can't tell you how much these people have talked about their new energy. They feel great ALL day long. No more four o'clock in the afternoon I think I need a nap feeling. They jump up in the morning after sleeping really well the night before. They just feel great. That is enough motivation for me.
I missed my workout yesterday so I am getting on my treadmill just as soon as this message posts for you to read. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding this newsletter or anything else fitness related.
Get fit and stay fit for this summer and the many more to come!
