fitness

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Do you like to read or do something else while you are working out?

November 20, 2008 in Editorials, Opinions, and Epiphanies | 4 comments

I think it’s better to be mentally focused on working out when you work out. Doing something else to distract yourself from working out reminds me of taking vocabulary courses instead of reading books. When you do that, you are missing the experience of the activity, to get to the side effect.

Of course, It is helpful to have a good vocabulary and it will probably increase your life to exercise regularly, but it is fun to read books and it is fun to be in your body. While you are here, you might as well get the full richness of life if you can.

I guess my low self-discipline in this area has turned out to be a benefit. There is no way I would force feed myself exercise while tuning my mind out. I want to get really connected with where my body is at and notice it even more. I hope you’ll try it. It is the difference between reading a great novel that you are totally absorbed in, and getting 5 vocabulary words a day to memorize.

For me, I get bored if I’m just trying to “get through” something. Enjoyable exercising for me could not include reading, watching tv or any other distraction, because enjoyable exercise for me is really getting in touch with my body.

When I first start a work out, it is hard to imagine that I will want to notice my body more, because  working out is so hard that I want to transcend, not be more in, my body. However, I highly reccomend trying the “be in your body” approach. I think that is one of the MAIN benefits of exercise. NIA is one exercise that is a good way for me to enjoy being in my body, and you can start enjoying your body while doing NIA at ANY level. Running does that for me too, but it takes more fitness for me to feel good while running.

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Can you be fit and fat?

April 20, 2008 in Editorials, Opinions, and Epiphanies | 4 comments

YES! Fitness and percentage of fatness may correlate but they are not the same thing. No, my friend, they are not. If you are one of those fat prejudiced people and you justify your judgment by saying that people who are fat are being unhealthy, it is time to stop that right now! Check out this new research that I found in Kathy Smith’s blog:

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“There was a lot of buzz this past week about a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Turns out fitness may trump fatness when it comes to living longer. In other words, it’s better to be fit and fat than to be at a normal weight and out of shape.

“I can’t tell you how happy this news makes someone like me. I feel like I’ve known this my whole life, but never really had the scientific proof to back it up. I’ve watched thousands of people shape up and experience medical transformations without necessarily reaching a weight most would call “slim.””
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Another note to any fat prejudiced people: Even if all people who have more fat on their bodies than you are comfortable with are unhealthy, that still does not give you an excuse to be rude, judgmental, or think that you are superior. You’re not!

(If you want to shift out of judgment: instead of thinking something along the lines of: “they shouldn’t be fat,” Try something along the lines of, “I prefer to be at about 15% body fat. That is my strong preference for myself. Other people can make different choices.” Check out this article by Steve Andreas for an in depth look at shaking the black hole of judgment.)

Sorry for the angry lecture, everyone else, the fact that some people think that fat prejudice is still acceptable really burns my tootsies.

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Kathy Smith’s fitness blog

April 19, 2008 in Uncategorized | 2 comments

Do you remember Kathy Smith, the star of many fitness videos? I found a couple of her videos at the thrift store today and decided to hop online and see what she had to say for herself these days. It turns out that she has quite a lot to say.

Click here to check out Kathy Smith’s fitness blog.

She is pro women’s sports, pro exercising and eating healthy, pro women of all shapes and sizes, and anti-deprivation. So, I think she’s my kind of gal. I found many of her posts to be really inspiring (even though some also link to her products.)

Check out what she says about deprivation:

“I’ve noticed that most people get caught up in that vicious cycle of dieting and then blowing the diet. It usually goes like this: You’re unhappy with the way you look and feel. You seek a diet that promises instant weight loss through complete control of what, when, and how you eat. Soon you discover that you can’t stick with it, and you end up right back where you started…

“To be successful, you have to move out of a diet mentality. Most plans don’t take into account what food really means to us. They don’t consider how the flavor and color and texture and presentation of food can give us so much pleasure. They don’t consider how eating foods that you don’t like leaves you unsatisfied.

“It was a good reminder for me today that, as I support others in their efforts to lose weight, choosing foods you truly love and that also enhance your physiological well-being are the key to becoming an independent eater.”

Well said, Kathy! And a timely reminder for me as I was about to launch into diet-like behavior by eating a protein shake on a regular basis, rather than a really yummy breakfast. My diet like thoughts may help explain why I was eating cake mix out of the package with a spoon this week. (I know, pretty image.)

When I just decide to eat really delicious and mostly healthy food, I end up eating a very healthy, balanced diet. (It doesn’t necessarily make me lose weight, but I do feel and look healthier.) But if I start thinking that I need to get thinner and then focus on that goal, the fearful gorging begins.

Breathe in, deep breath. I’m letting go of needing to look a certain way. That won’t guarantee me love. People of all shapes and sizes are loved. (I’m already loved, why am I trying to get all thin to get love?) Just focus on moving my awesome body and eating very delicious, mostly healthy food. Breath out…

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