My November

I haven't posted in awhile, so I thought I'd share some of what I've been doing lately. My goal is to work out for 1 hour, 6 days a week. The number of days tends to vary for me because if I overdo it in a strength training class then I'll give myself the next day to recover. I define "overdoing it" as "I can hardly walk the next day." Starting out new to squats can do that to you. Especially when doing squats with weights...ouch.

So far I've found 2 classes that I really love, and I take each of them twice a week. My Body Vive class is awesome. I always get a good workout without feeling like I'm gonna die. The class has about 30 minutes of cardio dance movement and then the remainder of the class is strength training. For the current class, that includes squats, lunges, and resistance training of the shoulders, biceps, and hips. We also do push ups and a series of exercises for the abs. The previous version of the class included resistance training for triceps instead of biceps.

The other class I take is Body Pump. That class totally intimidates me, but it is such an important class. It is an hour of strength training that focuses on high repetition of low weight. The goal isn't necessarily to increase muscle mass, but to increase muscle endurance.

Strength training is so important to me because it helps you lose weight faster by building your lean muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn just going about your regular day, which means it will be easier to control your weight. Ever watch "The Biggest Loser"? They aren't just running on a treadmill all day. They strength train! It is especially important for women to strength train because weight-bearing activities increase bone density, and women are at a higher risk for osteoporosis. Hear that, ladies? Strength training isn't just a man's game!

I made an observation a few weeks ago that really helped me change some previous perceptions I've had. I noticed how there are different kinds of thin. There is supermodel thin, and there is what I call personal trainer thin or athlete thin. When you think about models, you probably think they don't eat much, and you'd probably be right. Chances are they even participate in unhealthy behavior, or an eating disorder, to maintain their thinness. Eating a slice of pizza would be out of the question. But when I see my friends who are athletic, who are still thin, but strong, I notice that they eat correctly, and they can manage to eat normal portions. They eat healthy, but they still indulge on occasion. Eating a piece of pizza is no big deal when it's an occasion thing. Yes, some people are just blessed with a nice metabolism, but for the rest of us, we need to make the connection: a strong, properly-fed body is a healthy body. A body that you don't have to obsess over. Isn't that what we really want, to stop this compulsion to worry about our bodies every day?

What's the goal here? Is it to be thin, or is it to be healthy? Sure, starving yourself or living off of 100-calorie snack packs will make you thin, but it's not healthy. Any "diet" you plan on stopping at some point is not maintainable. And if it's not maintainable, it's not going to work. You will gain the weight back, probably more. There is no quick fix. In fact, do it the right way and it's still pretty darn quick, and you won't have to do it over and over again. I hear way too many people talking about their dieting endeavors and they'll say, "Oh this diet is killing me!" I've lost almost 40 pounds since May, and I don't feel exhausted. I don't feel deprived. I don't feel like quitting. I'm more excited than ever!

Let's help our friends and family learn the right ways to eat and exercise. Let them know that it's not impossible, and that you don't have to be miserable. The key to living longer, better lives is health, not jean size.