I always thought that all my weight and body image problems would be solved if I became a runner. I mean, you don’t generally see fat runners, right?
Where I used to live, I had a neighbor that ran all the time. In fact, her whole family ran. She belonged to a running club. But she wasn’t skinny like the typical marathon runners. She was meaty, in a fit way.
I was at her house one night where she was having some sort of home cooking party and all of her running club friends were there. In my naivete, I looked at them and said, “Wow. I bet you can eat whatever you want.”
The answer was a surprising (for me) NO! They ran to stay in shape and keep fit but it wasn’t a invitation to eat cheeseburgers and french fries every day. So I became a little disillusioned with running but I was determined to find another exercise that worked for me. I didn’t want to change my diet so I was willing to just exercise instead.
When I joined an athletic club about a year ago, I had an initial fitness assessment with one of their trainers, who casually told me I wasn’t in ideal shape. I told her I was ready to work out and lose the weight. And then asked about food.
How important is diet if I really work out a lot? Can I still eat what I want?
And she said no.
insert a very sad face here
She told me that generally diet makes up about 70% of your weight loss and fitness goals and 30% is exercise (I’ve also heard the same stat as 60-40. The point is that diet IS important.)
I didn’t really hop on the exercise bandwagon and I didn’t change my diet. The worst of both worlds.
Now you know what really led me to start my Shaklee 180. And I made the diet changes and added some exercise. Then I dropped off on the exercise. Then I didn’t do well with the Shaklee plan.
I swore to go back to the basics to help me lose weight and THIS time I was really going to add in the exercise. And I did!
If you’re like me and you don’t love to exercise and even if you do, you find it difficult to make time for it, then I’ve got the video for you. I shot a few clips over the past month to show you some of the ways I fitting fitness in and I promise none of it includes a treadmill (or running for that matter).
How are you getting fitness into your life? I’d love to hear some of the ways you’re getting your exercise in (formally or informally).
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This is a sponsored post as part of the Shaklee Corporation blogger program. I have received free products, online support and incentives for participating in the Shaklee Corporation blogger program. My opinions are my own.
Read all my posts on my Shaklee 180 journey.
10 comments
I have found success comes when I make small, steady changes. I can’t just jump in on a Monday and say “ok, all salad and working out 4 hours a day” because I won’t stick to it. I have been slowly making changes over the past 6 months to eat cleaner, to eat food that fuels me instead of just feeding my cravings, and I’ve slowly started back to running. But you are 100% right – it only works when you work on BOTH aspects at the same time. I squeeze in workouts wherever I can – I work from home so I have more flexibility than many, but I will also get up earlier and use my lunch break for workouts a lot when things are busy.
That’s EXACTLY right. I can’t do the all or nothing changes. I feel so deprived. I’ve been slowly increasing my exercise and monitoring my eating (it’s more about moderation for me and making healthier choices). I’m used to the diet and the exercise is slowly becoming part of my life. That’s probably the biggest, most positive change for me.
I walk with my neighbor every day. She keeps me accountable. I know this, because when she can’t walk, I don’t walk. I’m pretty sure she has no idea the power she wields.
I also belong to a gym, which is pretty expensive. Money is a strong motivator.
I don’t think of the money for the gym (although I should). I think only about what I want to do and if it’s exercise I hate, I’ll find every excise in the book not to do it. My neighbor often does gym classes with me and for a while if one of us bowed out, the other wouldn’t go. Now I have the confidence to go even if she can’t. Glad you have a walking buddy!
That is exactly my struggle. I can walk away from all those fat foods and I stop eating when I am no longer hungry. But man, I have the hardest time getting off my butt and doing something.
I wish I could say I was doing better but we did move and I have found taking care of a new house and 6 acres has me sweating on a daily basis.
Hey – don’t knock the calories you burn working on a new house. Some days, my exercise is PAINTING. If you add in a few things to make your muscles feel stronger, YOU will feel stronger too. And I still miss those fattening foods.
Great post! When my sister ( Mrs. Zero Percent Body Fat) asked me to do CrossFit with her I was like, hell to the no…everyone will be skinny. Then I went and was shocked to find the opposite to be true. They were fit, strong but skinny wasn’t the word I would use to describe the group. Athletic and amazing, yes! Which made me realize that I need to strive for healthy and fit not “skinny” and it helped change my perception. I still have fat to lose but I am healthier and stronger and that makes me happy.
I have to say that recently I’ve changed my perception about how I want to look. I have lots of skinny friends. AND they happen to be fit. But they’re different people with different habits and weaknesses. I may not be getting a lot smaller but the fat is slowly disappearing and the muscles are finally forming and the posture is the biggest bonus for me!
Thank you for taking us to so many of your favorite locations. I love keeping track of my steps and feel motivated to reach that 10,000 goal everyday. I love your scooter experience and Just Dance is awesome !!! Kudos to you for Yoga !!
Just Dance makes me sweat so hard and gets my heart rate up but I just find it so much more pleasant than running or any of the aerobic type classes. I’ve yet to reach 10,000 steps. I must make that a goal during this next month!