Some Insight on my Objective

A very good friend of mine (thanks Danielle!) pointed out that while my intentions are to celebrate one's love for themselves and have a positive outlook on body image, I may come under fire for promoting obesity.

I am not a doctor, health consultant, personal trainer, nor do I possess any type of knowledge or skill that would qualify me as someone to be giving out health advice. If fact, I am quite the opposite. I am overweight, not a healthy eater (don't get me wrong, I do enjoy a salad and whatnot but damn, I like to eat!) and I have been these things pretty much all my life. However, I do believe that in order to lead a healthy life, it's important to take care of yourself. There are easy and even fun ways to do so! Contrary to what many of us big men and woman may believe:

-Water is not poison
-Fruit does not always have to be accompanied with ice cream/whipped cream/chocolate syrup/whatever else we have hiding in the cabinet
-That's not mold in your pot-it's actually broccoli
-The gym is not hell. It's just hot in there.

After a horrific doctor's visit recently (Not only did I gain back the weight I'd lost when I moved to Santa Barbara, but then some!), I've been trying to eat better. In the past I learned to accept my weight and work with what I've got. Now I am at a point where I really need to be mindful of my health, so I am taking action. With Lent coming up, I plan on giving up red meat, soda and juice, and eating out. I've done red meat many times; its the soda/juice (most specifically, juice) and eating out that I'm worried about!

I have also been trying to be more diligent about going to the gym. I suppose on average I go in two times a week, for an hour each visit. I just hop on the elliptical, work my butt off for 60 minutes!

Lack motivation? Here are some tips to get that I CAN DO IT mentality:

1) The Buddy System: You don't have to suffer alone! Doesn't doing everything with friends make things seem a little more enjoyable? You can go for walks together, take a dance class together, whatever appeals to you both. Or, if only one of you has a gym membership, check your gym's website to see if they offer guest passes, then if your buddy really enjoys it, if they want to sign up you both may receive some type of extra incentive for the referral.

2) Make it Fun: Why put yourself through torture? If you love to dance, why are you taking that boot camp class? If you hate smelling like chlorine, then why the hell are you in that water aerobics class? By finding something that you are actually interested in (Advanced Tiddlywinks doesn't count!) you'll look forward to working out rather than thinking of excuses to cop out. Besides, how often can you fake cramps without suspicion?

3) Reward Yourself: This can be a whole RANGE of things, you have total control over what your reward is and what you have to do to get it. Anything from, "If I burn this many calories at the gym today then I can buy that new eyeshadow" or "If I lose this many pounds in a month I'll buy that new skirt". If money is an issue, maybe reward yourself by taking an extra day off, if you have vacation time to spare. Word of caution: don't cheat yourself! If you feel entitled to a reward every single time you hit the gym, or you make excuses ("I worked out today, so it's okay to pig out!) not only will you not make any progress but you may come to resent yourself and give up entirely on the whole endeavor!

If any of you have ideas on building up motivation, I'd love to hear them! Lord knows I have those days where I just want to sit at home and eat EVERYTHING.

Like I said, I am not a doctor. All I can offer are my experiences and opinions and I hope that they will help someone out there. For more serious concerns, I suggest visiting your physician for evaluation on your health. If you are willing to make the commitment to hit up a gym, or just need some advice as to what you can do to target certain areas of your body or how to lose weight in a healthy manner, have a consultation with a personal trainer (most of the time they are free, just be ready to defend yourself from never-ending sales attempts). Getting started is just half the battle, so I encourage everyone to go out there and fight!

Til next time...