Well, I didn't write my blog first thing this morning, as I usually do, because I scheduled a whole bunch of exercise instead. I know, it's an excuse. I need to examine my priorities, right? Oh yeah, exercise IS my top priority.
This morning, I walked the dogs with my husband, as we do every morning. Then I went to the gym (in our garage) to do some power lifting: only three exercises, only three reps in a set, only 5 sets of each, but using some mighty heavy weights. I set a new PR (personal record) on the deadlift: 105 lbs. I don't know if this sounds impressive to anyone, but I tell you, it was DARN heavy! My low back continues to whine to me about it as I sit here typing. After a quick shower, I headed to the park to go for another long walk with a friend and her dog.
So if I am doing a whole bunch of exercise, why would I even need to watch what I eat? Well, anyone who has attempted to eat whatever they like and just exercise away those calories either has a gold-standard metabolism or has failed in that endeavor. No, let me backtrack: if you are young, say under 30, you might be able to get away with that plan. Before I hit 30 and became simultaneously pregnant, I could eat massive amounts of carbohydrates of the bagel and muffin variety while maintaining a teeny, tiny waist and a weight barely topping 100 pounds. Those happy days are long gone, my friends. Today every cookie and carbolicious treat immediately adheres to my lower abdomen in the form of a protruding food baby. Not pretty.
Then all this exercise, isn't it just a waste of time? If I could lose all the weight while simply dieting, and watching British detective shows from my cushy couch, why would I ever even attempt a deadlift? The bottom line is exercise will not give you much of a boost in your weight loss endeavors. Multiple recent studies (at least 2 that I have read about) show that exercise alone is not a reliable method for fat loss. Diet is way more effective. However, exercise has been shown to assist in MAINTAINING weight loss. So the two really do go hand in hand. Not to mention that exercise is the ONLY way to achieve FITNESS!
Okay, so I have to get off the couch and do SOMETHING. What exactly should I be doing? And how often? And for how long? Well, here is where the "experts" are all over the place with their recommendations. I have read everything from short bouts of 10 minutes, 2-3 times per day, are enough to at least one hour per day of exercise at a pace that makes you sweat and breathe heavily. But when you are trying to decide how much is enough, you need to take a personal inventory. How fit are you already? Are you trying to maintain a basic level of fitness, or trying to challenge yourself to rise to a higher level? Are you interested in becoming stronger, more agile, more flexible, more aerobically fit? And your age is an important consideration.
When I was young, not only could I consume carbs like they were going out of style, I could never get enough exercise. While going to grad school in NYC, I often rehearsed with a dance company for 4-6 hours of grueling sweaty work, then changed my clothes and hiked more than 50 blocks uptown to Columbia University for my dance (and other) classes. At the end of the day, I was tired but just thinking about it now makes me yearn for a nap. As middle-agers, we need more rest and recovery time to allow muscles to heal and therefore grow stronger. Today, I like to pack my workouts into 3 days per week with days off in between. If I happen to have extra energy on those days off, I might go for a longer hike or do some more strenuous yard work. But if I am truly exhausted and sore, I might just take a long bath and a nap!
Your workouts should offer enough intensity so that you are at least a little bit sore that following day. If you want to gain strength, you will have to endure a bit of pain. However, the pain should be in the muscles, not the joints. Joint pain is something we always want to avoid. If your muscles are sore, drink PLENTY of water, take a warm bath (epsom salts are great for soreness), and do some very gentle stretching and massaging. After a day of pampering, you should be ready to hit the gym again!
And one more thing: variety is not only the spice of life when it comes to your diet, variety is also the key to making strides in your fitness level. Our bodies are wonderfully adaptable. Your muscles, including your heart, will quickly adapt to the intensity, duration, and type of exercise that you do repeatedly. If you want to make gains in any facet of your fitness, you have to mix it up. If you run all the time, try rollerblading or mountain biking instead. If you only take Pilates and yoga classes, give Zumba or Bodypump a try. If you usually play tennis, try soccer or basketball. And if you do Zumba, Pilates, yoga, and bootcamp, then what is left? Power lifting out in the garage!
Even if exercise won't melt those excess pounds off your body, it will definitely make you feel and look better. So grab a friend, canine or human or both, and go for a walk today!
This morning, I walked the dogs with my husband, as we do every morning. Then I went to the gym (in our garage) to do some power lifting: only three exercises, only three reps in a set, only 5 sets of each, but using some mighty heavy weights. I set a new PR (personal record) on the deadlift: 105 lbs. I don't know if this sounds impressive to anyone, but I tell you, it was DARN heavy! My low back continues to whine to me about it as I sit here typing. After a quick shower, I headed to the park to go for another long walk with a friend and her dog.
So if I am doing a whole bunch of exercise, why would I even need to watch what I eat? Well, anyone who has attempted to eat whatever they like and just exercise away those calories either has a gold-standard metabolism or has failed in that endeavor. No, let me backtrack: if you are young, say under 30, you might be able to get away with that plan. Before I hit 30 and became simultaneously pregnant, I could eat massive amounts of carbohydrates of the bagel and muffin variety while maintaining a teeny, tiny waist and a weight barely topping 100 pounds. Those happy days are long gone, my friends. Today every cookie and carbolicious treat immediately adheres to my lower abdomen in the form of a protruding food baby. Not pretty.
Then all this exercise, isn't it just a waste of time? If I could lose all the weight while simply dieting, and watching British detective shows from my cushy couch, why would I ever even attempt a deadlift? The bottom line is exercise will not give you much of a boost in your weight loss endeavors. Multiple recent studies (at least 2 that I have read about) show that exercise alone is not a reliable method for fat loss. Diet is way more effective. However, exercise has been shown to assist in MAINTAINING weight loss. So the two really do go hand in hand. Not to mention that exercise is the ONLY way to achieve FITNESS!
Okay, so I have to get off the couch and do SOMETHING. What exactly should I be doing? And how often? And for how long? Well, here is where the "experts" are all over the place with their recommendations. I have read everything from short bouts of 10 minutes, 2-3 times per day, are enough to at least one hour per day of exercise at a pace that makes you sweat and breathe heavily. But when you are trying to decide how much is enough, you need to take a personal inventory. How fit are you already? Are you trying to maintain a basic level of fitness, or trying to challenge yourself to rise to a higher level? Are you interested in becoming stronger, more agile, more flexible, more aerobically fit? And your age is an important consideration.
When I was young, not only could I consume carbs like they were going out of style, I could never get enough exercise. While going to grad school in NYC, I often rehearsed with a dance company for 4-6 hours of grueling sweaty work, then changed my clothes and hiked more than 50 blocks uptown to Columbia University for my dance (and other) classes. At the end of the day, I was tired but just thinking about it now makes me yearn for a nap. As middle-agers, we need more rest and recovery time to allow muscles to heal and therefore grow stronger. Today, I like to pack my workouts into 3 days per week with days off in between. If I happen to have extra energy on those days off, I might go for a longer hike or do some more strenuous yard work. But if I am truly exhausted and sore, I might just take a long bath and a nap!
Your workouts should offer enough intensity so that you are at least a little bit sore that following day. If you want to gain strength, you will have to endure a bit of pain. However, the pain should be in the muscles, not the joints. Joint pain is something we always want to avoid. If your muscles are sore, drink PLENTY of water, take a warm bath (epsom salts are great for soreness), and do some very gentle stretching and massaging. After a day of pampering, you should be ready to hit the gym again!
And one more thing: variety is not only the spice of life when it comes to your diet, variety is also the key to making strides in your fitness level. Our bodies are wonderfully adaptable. Your muscles, including your heart, will quickly adapt to the intensity, duration, and type of exercise that you do repeatedly. If you want to make gains in any facet of your fitness, you have to mix it up. If you run all the time, try rollerblading or mountain biking instead. If you only take Pilates and yoga classes, give Zumba or Bodypump a try. If you usually play tennis, try soccer or basketball. And if you do Zumba, Pilates, yoga, and bootcamp, then what is left? Power lifting out in the garage!
Even if exercise won't melt those excess pounds off your body, it will definitely make you feel and look better. So grab a friend, canine or human or both, and go for a walk today!
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