CONTROL POUNDS AND INCHES

Let’s get the basics of this down first.  Pounds have to do with eating, and inches have to do with exercise. 

Anyone who has ever started on one of these programs may have achieved one without the other.  Or they may also have lost the pounds and found themselves still flabby, or exercised, lost inches, dropped a size and the scale hasn’t moved.

Usually, people want to do both, but there can be exceptions to the rule! 

If you get on the scale and don’t like what it says, usually diet is involved.  Now note I didn’t say to go on a diet, I merely mean that you may have to eat a certain way.  That may include cutting down on sweets or adding more fruits and vegetables.  If you don’t learn to change how and what you eat, when you go off your “diet” things will go back to normal.

Also remember that pounds fluctuate at different times of the month, can vary based on what you’ve eaten the day before, can change with medication you may be taking etc, so just use your weight as a general guideline.  Also try to weigh yourself on the same scale and at the same time of day when you do look at this because even one small thing can make a big difference.

Exercise does require effort as well.  There are various things you have to look at.  One is cardio which is important for fat burning and keeping the heart rate where it needs to be.  Stretching is important for flexibility and better movement and weight training is necessary for bone strength and development.  So you must have a program that incorporates all three.

The main thing to acknowledge is you are never too old to start a program and you can always adjust it to your physical condition.  First you must really like what it is you choose to do.  For example, I love step-aerobics and kick boxing, but not spinning.  I tolerate Pilates but don’t enjoy yoga or tai-chi.  I love working out with weights and resistance machines and prefer that to sports exercise.  I enjoy swimming and not jogging. 

There are enough choices for all of us.  You can do exercise in chairs or bikes, use 3 pound weights or go for eight or ten.  The most important thing is to do it.  Don’t slack off or make excuses.  And guess what?  It never changes or gets easier—you just have to do it. 

And remember, you can exercise like crazy, but if you eat the wrong things, you’ll still be overweight.  If you eat correctly and don’t exercise, you’ll be soft and flabby. 

I never said life was fair.