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Week 7 Friday Meeting (February 19)
Topic of the Week: The Amazing Benefits of Exercise
Healthy eating isn’t the only way to reach your weight-loss goals. Exercise, whether you choose to walk outdoors or hit the gym, helps you lose weight faster.
Dr. Agatston designed the South Beach Diet Supercharged Fitness Program in two parts: Interval Walking and a Total Body Workout, which you will do on alternate days. Research has found that if you incorporate exercise into your daily routine you’ll not only rev up your metabolism and lose weight faster (getting off those frustrating weight-loss plateaus), you’ll also tone your body and take inches off your waistline. Take a look through our Daily Dish Fitness archive to learn the benefits of interval walking, get at-home core-strengthening exercises and more!
Now, let’s talk about getting started! Today's guest is Beth Piantoni, an American College of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer and a certified Wellness Coach.
Welcome, Beth!
(Note to all...I'm putting this up a bit early because I don't want to forget. The meeting "officially" will start at 3pm Eastern.)
Thanks, Teresa for the warm welcome!
When you think about starting a new fitness routine, it can get overwhelming. Too often, we worry so much about getting the perfect amount of exercise in, we end up getting no exercise at all. It doesn’t have to be this way! Let’s take some time to take a look at common obstacles that may stand in the way of exercise, and learn how to make exercise a permanent part of your life, without ever feeling overwhelmed.
Assess how you use your time: What are you willing to change or sacrifice so you can start making The South Beach Diet exercise routine a priority? Can you skip browsing on the Internet or watching the latest TV show? Maybe you could get up 30 minutes earlier to incorporate the online walking program or the total body workout plan workout instead of hitting the snooze button. Make a list of all the times you could exercise, no matter how short.
You don’t have to exercise at a certain time of the day: There is no perfect time to exercise. Find a time that’s most convenient for you and to which you can commit. Do what works best for you and your schedule.
Plan B: If you can’t fit in the online exercise recommendation for the day, than what can you do instead? Too many times we skip our workouts because we feel like the long sweaty workouts are the only ones that count. Can you do a 30-minute video after dinner? Can you take a 20-minute walk in the morning and then another at night? Remember, anything you can do for physical activity is better than doing nothing at all.
Practice, Practice, Practice: Set up a workout schedule and commit to practicing it for a few weeks. Then, reassess and see how you're doing. Do your workouts fit well with your current routines? Is it working, or do you need to make changes? Practice is how you determine what will work and what won't.
Now using all the information I just gave you, tell me how you can fit in a good exercise routine and feel good about it!
Best Wishes,
Beth
Hi Susie, that's a great question. I would suggest using positive affirmations and positive reinforcements for the life you want to lead. Try envisioning yourself as your best self--being strong, fit, active, and a good role model for those around you. If you need to, take some sticky notes, and put those words on the fridge or at your computer desk to help remind you of what it really feels like to be the healthy person that you want to be.
Thanks for being here today . I took your tips to heart last week and have started my exercise program back up again by getting in a 15 minute walk between my 2 jobs. I work from 0600AM-2PM and then job # 2 from 3PM- 7PM. I had been getting to the gym and doing 3 mile biking and about 10 machines for building my muscles and core thre times a week. The gym has not been constant lately but I plan to get back to it at least once on the weekend.
I have been thinking about purchasing a stationary bike for home. Any tips there ?
Thanks for the inspiration and tips!
Laurie
oh...and the saggy bits I see in the mirror when I get out of the shower are especially motivating. It was quite shocking to find out they were on me!
I am so glad my suggestions were helpful and inspired you to be more active. Getting into the habit of exercise takes time, but even the short 15-minute increments of exercise can be really beneficial, and help you build positive, permanent changes for life.
Getting a stationary bike for your health is a great idea. This allows you to get a great cardio exercise in the comfort of your own home. There are many different types of stationary bikes. My suggestion would be to do your research. Explore the Internet, and go to a few of your local sporting-good stores and talk to employees who specialize in cardio equipment; let them help you find the best bike for you. The seats on stationary bikes can be uncomfortable, and may take some adjustment to get used to, but a padded seat cover can help ensure a comfortable ride. Also, try to find a good DVD that can go with the bike, to help really motivate you.
Good luck and keep up the great work!
L
Visual motivation is a great reinforcement to keep you on track, we all have mental tricks to help us stick with our goals. I know for myself, fitting into my Seven Jeans is a great visual motivator, too! As long as you stay committed and dedicated, only the sky is the limit for you! Stick with it and soon you'll be fitting into that "killer dress"!
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that you get your heart rate up to 65-85% of your maximum heart rate for cardiovascular exercise. To figure this out, take 220, subtract your age, and then multiply it by .65 to .85 to get the target heart range. Or you can get a heart rate monitor.
Overall, I encourage you to not worry too much about being in a fat-burning zone, because ultimately you want to work out at an intensity that challenges you, and you want to make sure that you're burning those calories to help you with weight loss. In the end, it's the calories that count.
Thank you for your helpful advice. I am probably not alone when I say that the time crunch is my biggest barrier to exercise. I try to make a point of carving out a time in my day to go to the gym most days in the week and while I am there I try to be as efficient as possible to get the best workout for the time spent. Sometimes I have to make a choice between the gym and another important use of the time, knowing that I am going to feel pressured later because of it. I try to get exercise in with other tasks; housecleaning, gardening, walking the dog, etc. I don't think there is a perfect world where we always are motivated and have the time to exercise. I think we have to accept that there will always have to be compromises in time, money, and energy expenditures. What is important is that we have to understand that exercise is not a luxury or a treat, but important enough to get equal consideration with all of our other daily activities.
First, it's great that you're incorporating this workout into your exercise routine. I've done his workouts myself, and they're definitely a great challenge. Definitely stick with it. If you're not seeing results on the scale, I would suggest taking a look at your eating plan and calories. Are you watching your portion sizes? Sticking with the "Foods to Enjoy" list? If not, you may want to play closer attention, and stick with this to see if it makes a difference. Also, I encourage you to add some additional cardio. Consider any extra cardio you do a bonus -- the more cardio you do, the more calories you burn to support your weight loss. Try these tips. I have a good feeling that it will help.
And remember, right now you're making some really great changes in your life, so don't let the scale be a reflection of the positive changes you are making. Keep moving forward -- I know you can do this!