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Let’s Get Real

Friday, June 6th, 2008

Some people procrastinate, as a way of life, tomorrow never gets here when it comes to making changes. So here’s the $20 million question, what are YOU waiting for? While it is true that proper mindset is crucial in making changes, it is also true that there is no magical date or time when it’s going to show up. This is true in regards to fitness more than any other area. There’s no denying that a vast majority of us are in denial. We have a thousand and one excuses for not getting started and even more for quitting. Different things spur individuals into action, whether it’s a less than favorable report from the doctor, or that dreaded three-way mirror in the fitting room.

Here are 7 Signs that it’s Time to Start a Fitness Program

When you climb a flight of stairs, do you stop at the top, bend over with your hands on your thighs, totally winded? Can you sing the ABC song without gasping for breath?When you sit down is your lower abdomen resting on your thighs?

When you push away from the table, does it move with you?

When waving goodbye, does the underside of your upper arm continue to wave after you stop?

When you step on the scales, do you remove all the change from your pockets and take off all your jewelry?

Have you ever put off a health exam for fear of the dreaded weigh-in?

Have you said more than once that you are big-boned, or that hips, thighs and butt run in your family?

Getting Started

OK, now that you are ready to spring into action, I want you to be honest about what you can and can’t accomplish. Don’t set out to run a marathon the first time out. Crawl before you walk, slow and steady wins the race; all the clichés are relevant here. If you have never exercised before, start with 10 minutes of your chosen activity. Why such a short time? You won’t hurt yourself, you won’t feel disheartened by not finishing a lengthy session, and you can only go up from there. On the other hand, go for at least 20-minute sessions the first week if you’ve been sidetracked and are getting back into the groove.Getting RealAlong with motivation and optimism there needs to be a healthy dose of reality with your fitness plans and goals. Have you seen the weight loss commercial where the newly thin woman announces that she is a size 2? Yippee for her if that actually happened, and if that’s was her target. In the real world that doesn’t happen often. If you’ve never worn a size 2, and wear higher than a 14-16 now, chances are that’s not going to be your outcome. I don’t say this to discourage you from reaching your goals; I say it so that you won’t be discouraged and give up, when the fantasy physique doesn’t appear.

Common MistakesGuys, I will admit that we women stake claim to this more than you do. Comparing yourself to what you see as the ideal woman whether she is Tyra Banks or Carmen Electra is setting yourself up for failure. All the aerobics and resistance training in the world will not change bone structure or give you longer legs. Quit comparing yourself to celebrities and work on becoming a healthier and slimmer you. Our other faux pas is overtraining specific body parts. There is no such thing as spot reducing. Train your entire body to achieve balance and avoid injury. While it is possible to hone in on certain muscles like your abs, there’s no need to do endless crunches. It’s better to do fewer with correct form. Also, keep in mind that you need to burn the layer of fat that is covering the muscles you are working.

Give in but Don’t Give UpThere will come a time whether you’re a newbie or a veteran that you just can’t/won’t/don’t have the energy or inclination to work out. It’s OK to sit one out, just don’t let one missed workout start a chain. When you’re sitting one out, pay particular attention to your dietary intake that day. Don‘t go overboard with the “I‘m taking a day off� theory.

My mom would always tell me nothing beats a failure but a try. If trying is the best you can do to work towards your fitness goals, then try try again. Eventually it will stick. Take Care and Be Well.

Thursday, June 5th, 2008

PaulPaladin060900041books.jpgHow’d the first set of common sense rules sit with you? Hey don’t shoot the messenger, I’m just trying to help. Following these practical tips can save you time, money and frustration. Tally ho!

  1. Tune in to Eat Less. Music soothes the savage beast and it can set the mood for overindulgence. Mid-tempo music keeps you at an even keel. Slower, mellow music relaxes you your resolve, leading you to think one more bite or drink won’t hurt.
  2. Throw Them Out. Not your relatives, your fat clothes. Don’t leave them in the closet or drawer as a reminder. Having an alternate wardrobe waiting in the event you regain the loss weight is not a good motivator.
  3. Get Over Yourself. Optimal health and fitness is serious business, but the rest of the world is still going on. While you are in the process get your mind off yourself and do something for someone else. Plant a tree, read to preschoolers or just smile and passersby.
  4. Be Grateful. Appreciation for what you have, however miniscule you think it may be goes a long way. You may not be happy with your present weight and current level of fitness but you’re alive and can do something about it.
  5. What Did You Say? Thunder thighs, bubble butt. Lose the negative terms of endearment. Stop reinforcing what you don’t like and praise what you do. Yes, your eyes are very pretty.
  6. Step Off. Quit weighing yourself 2-3 times a day. Once a week, same day and same time will do. To often the numbers on the scale set the tone of our day. Keep in mind that most scales read in pounds and that ¼ - ½ pound you lost won’t show. Also the muscle you are gaining might register as weight gain.
  7. Flavor Flav. When it comes to healthy eating this is where it’s at. What’s in your spice cabinet? Salt, pepper and that bottle of Worcestershire sauce that you aren’t doing anything with. Experiment with different sauces and spices to add variety and keep the meals interesting.

Who You Gonna Call?

Friday, May 16th, 2008

4567510kirstie.jpgI’ve just about had it with weight loss commercials. Especially the ones that feature celebrities. Granted a few of them do use the products (at least I think they do). Valerie Bertinelli for instance, she looks great. She called Jenny, did what she had to do and made progress. On the other hand there’s Kirstie Alley. Jenny obviously didn’t answer when she called or girlfriend called the wrong number. Then she had the nerve to say she was starting her own weight loss line. Line of what, deep fried chocolate cake?

Testimonials like hers give way to serious concern about the validity of celebrity hawkings.I would guess that the celebs are paid to be mouthpieces for the companies. In cash and products. I wonder how much and do they “give it to charity�. Yeah right. Please don’t get me wrong I’m not saying Jenny doesn’t work, or Nutrisystem, whatever. Most plans will work, if you stick with them. To be sure there are some that are a crock of you know what and should be taken off the market, like most of the pills that are advertised. Kirstie had a company willing to pay and work with her to lose the weight and she still didn’t do it. Ms. O, bless her pea-pickin heart, has trainers, chefs and counselors at her beck and call and she still backslides. Oh I forgot she has a thyroid problem, my bad. It just goes to show you that it’s not about money, it’s about commitment. You can call whoever you want and buy tons of gadgets, pills and potions, but if you don’t commit for the long haul you’ll be yo-yoing for a long time. Next time call me.

Cool Diet Stories

Tuesday, August 7th, 2007

Do you have enough probiotics in your diet? These “friendly” microbes are found in breast milk and fermented foods such as yogurt, fermented milk drinks, aged cheese, miso and certain pickles and sauerkraut. They keep intestinal flora balanced and prevent bacteria from causing disease. Scientists have declared an “invisible epidemic of insufficient probiotics”. More here.

Sometimes I think remedies at home are great. In Ayurveda, there are dietary and herbal techniques that people use to fight the bulge. The idea in Ayurveda is to think in the long term. Although effects can take time, a good Ayurveda practitioner can help. Check out some weight loss home remedies.

Is Nintendo Wii the new route out of obesity? A Canadian health club in Vancouver is attracting huge interest with its Nintendo-based workout circuit.Users can punch, run and jump with the system’s movement-sensitive controller. How cool is burning 75 to 125 calories with Nintendo?:)

Some healthy juice combinations for you.

Blog Watch

Thursday, August 2nd, 2007

There is a lot of speculation about how blogging is unintelligent and is the cult of amateur. But I have learnt a lot from my blogging experience. I’ve enjoyed reading a whole lot of blogs and you can watch out for this space to see some posts that I’ve really enjoyed.

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There are a whole lot of diet gurus who lay out the rules of eating. And there are some people who follow these teachers to the tee. The others wonder what all the fuss is about and do not like to listen to nutritional experts with diet advise that is hard to swallow. I liked what Happy Medium had to say about her dilemma with handling restaurant food. Being a health writer myself, I’m torn between these two points of view.

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See what she has to say:

Eating healthy while eating out can be difficult. For me, it’s always been about finding something healthy that tastes good enough to make me forego all the unhealthy (but oh-so-tasty) crap on the menu. I’m sick of condescending and totally unrealistic magazine articles on “healthy eating in restaurants� tips. Order salad without dressing. Blech - I’d just as soon go graze in the backyard. Order fruit instead of dessert. Just when was the last time you were in a restaurant that offered an apple on the menu next to the chocolate cake? My all-time eye-rolling favorite was one I read recently. A nutritionist said, “If you can’t stop yourself at one or two slices of pizza, do what I do. Just order a big plate of steamed veggies instead!� Seriously. I wanted to magically reach through the magazine pages to ***** slap her. Let’s take this one apart, shall we? First, I don’t know anyone - except children and possibly my size 2 petite mother - who fills up on 1 or 2 average sized pizza slices.
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Since I’m interested in yoga, this post caught my fancy.Nita writes about how dangerous it is to do yoga with a teacher who can go wrong. Never do yoga looking at DVDs or under an instructor you haven’t really heard of. The best way to find a teacher would be through word of mouth.

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Says Nita:

Yoga is supposed to be gentle on the body, at least that is how I see it. But the teachers may not be gentle. The worst part of it is that a student may not understand his or her limits because the teacher herself doesn’t. She may not have asked you if you have blood pressure…or menstrual problems…or back problems. Who will then judge whether you are not already stretched to the limit?

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About Healthy B.P.M.

Do you want the heart beat of healthy living? Do you want daily updates on the health obsession? Welcome aboard people! Healthy B.P.M is a blog fattened by everything fat, fun and fitness. Not to mention the tragedy of eating disorders, the humor of unchanging weight scales, the luxury of spas and the never- ending pursuit for the ideal body and mind. Digestible language on diet do’s and don’ts. Read it.

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