01 September 2010

I found the Magic Pill

If somebody told you that there was a magic pill you could take that would allow you to lose weight, while gaining health & energy, would you do it?

There is: it's called exercise. Incorporating purposeful movement into my daily routine has been the single most important and life-changing thing I've done. No more whining about not having equipment, the right shoes, or knees that will carry around nearly 300 lbs without a complaint. You don't need all that stuff, any of it really, to burn calories and make a difference in your life.

Honestly, you don't even have to get up off the couch. But, you DO have to move. Every day. Whether or not you "feel like it." 

Any time I miss a day, I feel grumpy and miserable.  At first I may not even realize why I'm so moody. Then I tell myself I will walk purposefully for 10 minutes minimum and I end up feeling better and weighing less. If my knees ache, I do floor exercises or stretching. Some days I tell myself that I only have to do the warm-up session of a Richard Simmons tape. By the time we're stretched and ready, I'm willing to do more.

So whaddya say? You like the magic pill? It's free! C'mon, everybody's doing it!

14 comments:

  1. Well, since EVERYONE is doing it, then I'll do it, too!

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  2. I totally get the moody thing too. I need at least 15-30 minutes every single day, otherwise I also will fall off the agin, and won't do it at all.

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  3. I also feel better on days I get in a good workout. And I eat better too! For me though, losing weight is still more about the calories I take in that what I burn.

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  4. Good post, Lanie. But where's that magic pill where you can sit around and eat what you want and still lose weight....doesn't exist!!!

    Our bodies were meant to move and even if you're at a healthy weight and eating well you should still move it!

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  5. AMEN! I feel so much more balanced - and mostly it's mentally helpful for me.

    And let's face it, I need all the help I can get!

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  6. If I find THAT pill, I'm charging for it! This one (exercise) is free.

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  7. I have been frustrated b/c my previous coworker weighed 220 and had gastric and is now down to 160 and I have KILLED myself trying to lose and have lost almost 30...so frustrating! She does not exercise and I do every day!

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  8. Kristi - that IS frustrating! she's probably eating a lot less than you if she's sticking to the recommended diet. I have to keep reminding myself that it isn't a race to see who gets there fastest. I bet you'll be healthier in the long run than she is.

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  9. Unfortunately exercise is not free or easy for me. I do it 6x/week without fail, but I have to sneak off work to get it in, otherwise I'd be in the office 12 hours a day. Furthermore, I have worked out non-stop since I was 14 (I was a high level athlete), but only when I diet very specifically, too, can I lose weight.
    I would love a magic pill (such as one that doesn't cause oily leakage), and especially for it to be 'exercise', but for me unfortunately that isn't the case.
    But I do think it was a great motivating post!

    Polar's Mom
    www.polarspage.blogspot.com

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  10. Right. It's not a free ticket to eat whatever you want to. I could still GAIN weight if I ate like I used to, I'm sure.

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  11. I agree that it is not a free ticket, but sometimes, as in my case, too much exercise can be detrimental. This is the case with many professional athletes, most of whom eat healthy, and as soon as we get injured or retired, the weight piles on. Granted some just eat like pigs. But the rest of us get to the point where we have to drop calories greatly and still work out heavy in order to drop minimal pounds.
    I just wanted to let readers know exercise isn't always 'magic', and it can absolutely be detrimental to weight loss if your body is *too* used to it. That is why many people plateau and have to increase/adjust their exercise-their metabolism gets used to their current activity level and adjusts accordingly.
    And please-I don't want to seem smug because I exercise all the dang time, because since I stopped playing my sport working out is just plain miserable for me and I dread doing it.
    Love your blog!

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  12. Interesting. I highly doubt I'll ever be in that condition! :-)

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  13. I sooo agree with you, Lanie! Exercise makes life so much better. Thank you for this inspiration! I truly think it's one of the main keys to weight loss. I highly recommend a book called "Change Your Life, Change Your Body." There's a whole chapter on why exercise is sooo important for your whole system to function properly. In fact, now that I've remembered it, I'll post some of the stats on my blog for you to read... it's highly motivating!

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