I’ve changed my way of eating. I now count carbs and I’ve
gotten into the habit of filling my grocery cart with fresh produce, fresh
seafood and meat when I shop. I’ve learned to avoid the interior aisles of the
store. When I do indulge, I make wise choices and pick Doctor’s CarbRite Diet
Brown Rice Cakes, which contain none of the “bad stuff” – they are completely
free of sugar, trans fats, preservatives and artificial sweeteners. In addition
to tasting great, they’re chocolate! I learned more about the nutritional
benefits of certain foods, and the scale rewarded me.
Something went wrong, though. In spite of all my efforts, my
weight loss hit a major stall and the scale, stubborn machine that it is,
simply wasn’t moving. I knew I needed to
do something different. I came to a crossroads and my body urged me to go
forward and take the next step.
Instinctively, I knew I needed to do more. Exercise was the answer. My
body was telling me to move and I decided to listen.
For years I lived a sedentary lifestyle. The majority of my
time is spent working on the computer or behind a desk and I am the walking
“excuse factory” for not exercising. For far too long, I told myself I didn’t
have time during the day to spend exercising; my morning was too rushed to add
one more thing to it; I was too tired after work to even think about adding exercise
to my routine; my knees wouldn’t take jumping around or running; my ankles are
weak, my back is a mess – I had that car accident, you know, and I’ve never
been the same since. I hurt too much to
exercise; I work full time, I’m a wife and mother – and I’m supposed to
exercise on top of that?
Get real. How dare more be expected of me? I’d get a look at
myself in a full length mirror and swear I would start to exercise –
tomorrow. Let me lose just a little bit
more weight, and then I’ll start to exercise next week – I don’t know how many
times I told myself that. I was #1 in the excuses department!
Succeeding at a low carb lifestyle depends on your mindset.
Once you make up your mind not to eat sugar or white bread, once you make up
your mind to learn about nutrition and use your knowledge and make wise food
changes and choices in your life it becomes second nature to fill the grocery
cart with produce instead of crackers and cookies. Only then will you succeed.
The next step is to make up your mind and add exercise to your life. It’s
mandatory! You made up your mind to toss the toast. Now make up your mind to
get up and move!
Start out small and keep things simple. Walking is often
called the perfect exercise for anyone, because it is low-impact, doesn’t
require equipment and can be done virtually anywhere. Begin your walking
routine by going to the end of the block and back. Once you’ve mastered that
route, go around the block twice. Then go around the block three times. Carry a
bottle of water in each hand or a small set of dumbbells.
Start parking at the very edge of the grocery or department
store parking lot and walk, instead of circling the lot until you snag that
space in front of the door. Do you have a staircase in your house? Go up and
down those stairs five trips a day for a week. Then add five more trips the
second week. Pick up the pace and start pumping your arms the fourth week. The
trick is to start out small and work up.
I didn’t start walking when I began my exercise routine. I
bought an expensive set of Pilates workout videos and after they sat on a shelf
in my office for a month I finally dusted them off and pushed the play button.
I watched the basic twenty minute workout video and thought, “I can do
this. This isn’t going to be hard at
all.” Did I get in the floor and start my exercise routine at that time? No, I
told myself I would start the next day.
I did start exercising the next day. I finally made the
commitment. After checking my email, I pushed the play button and started
following the coach. What looked so easy was not easy. I was stiff and my arms
would not stretch to my toes – how in the world could those women on the tape
stretch past their toes? I knew I was in
big trouble when I was flat on my back and the coach told me to walk my hands
up my thighs and sit up. I had to roll on my side and push myself up with my
hands. At least I was alone with my humiliation!
I couldn’t remember the last time I sat up from a prone
position – I think it was in the seventh grade when we did 50 sit-ups for the
yearly fitness competition. I could only make it through about half of the
exercises on the tape; I tried to rationalize my failure by telling myself the
models I was watching were half my age. I lay in the living room floor, gasping
like a fish out of water but I was determined to keep it up. The second day I
could do a bit more. The third day I went a little bit further in the routine.
Many Pilates exercises consist of a leg stretches straight
into the air. For the first week I could only stretch my leg out about halfway.
Many times I thought about quitting or skipping a day, but I didn’t. Two weeks after
my first date with the virtual exercise coach I could stretch that leg straight
up and I could sit up from a prone position on the floor. I was amazed at how
quickly I limbered up. Within just a few days of beginning my Pilates routine I
realized that I could move easier and didn’t have the “normal” muscle aches.
Today, I look forward to my morning workout. I’ve gone from a twenty minute session to
forty minutes. I can easily do multiple sets of exercises I couldn’t begin to
attempt that first workout. I no longer
check my email first thing – I go straight into my exercise routine and I find
myself aggravated at any obstacles that prevent me from jumping right in. That
bad back I mentioned? I’ve almost forgotten about it. I can’t believe I talked
myself out of feeling so good for so long!
Start your exercise program today and don’t let excuses get
in your way. Change your mindset. You’ll
be glad you did!
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