Don't Diet. Just Eat Well.

A few days ago, I talked about why exercising simply to lose weight is not enough. Exercise is something that needs to be incorporated into your life – it’s not something you should stop once you hit some random number on the scale. 

The same rule applies to nutrition. 

I used to diet when I wanted to lose weight. By that, I mean I would severely cut back what I was eating, feel hungry and miserable. Then, after losing a few pounds, I would go back to eating the way I did before the diet. Remarkably, I never kept the pounds off. 

Fortunately, this changed for me once I started working out. At first, my motivation wasn’t in the right place. When I first got started, I picked the hardest workout program I could find because I wanted to lose weight without changing my nutrition habits. Fortunately, I realized that at the very least, I needed control portion sizes - so that’s where I started.

By making that one simple change, I started to lose weight. I figured out about how many calories I should be eating, and adjusted my portions accordingly. Soon, I realized that the healthier my food choices were, the more food I could eat (thus avoiding hunger). I started to incorporate a wider range of vegetables and lean meats into our diets. I started buying quinoa and kale, and chose organic foods whenever possible.  I started drinking Shakeology – a high-nutrient shake – almost every afternoon because I learned that it kept me from snacking. Gradually over time, I made changes that improved my nutrition, I achieved my target weight, and I built muscle that makes me feel like I can take on the world.

And I didn’t diet.

Instead, I made changes that will last. My grocery cart looks very different than it did just one year ago. But I don’t feel deprived in the slightest. And, if we’re out at a restaurant or enjoying a special occasion, I feel free to indulge from time to time, because my fitness and nutrition fundamentals are sound.

That’s the goal, isn’t it? To develop good nutritional habits that you can live with over the long haul.

Don't work out JUST to lose weight.

                Does that sound counter-intuitive? Don’t a lot of people start an exercise program because they want to lose weight?

                Yes, that’s true – and that’s also why most people who start an exercise program quit within weeks.

                If you really want to get into shape (and notice, I didn’t say “get thin”), you need to do two things. First, you have to make exercise a habit, and not view it as a means to a (weight loss) end. Second, you have to focus on nutrition and healthy eating. It’s a not a question of “dieting” – rather, it’s a matter of gradually changing your mindset, away from “losing weight” and toward “healthy living”.  

In this post, I want to focus on the exercise side of the equation.

Humans aren’t supposed to be sedentary. Before the 20^th century, people lived far more active lives by necessity. There were no cars. There were no washing machines, power mowers, vacuum cleaners and other appliances that made our lives easier. Manual labor was a part of everyday life. Who needed a gym when you had to wash the family’s clothing on a scrub board?

People are made to live active lives, so if you’re stuck at a desk or in a car for most of each day, you need to carve out some time to get your heart rates up and break a sweat.  30 minutes of solid exercise, 5 days a week, will do wonders for your health. You’ll build muscle mass, retain it much better as you age, improve your flexibility, gain endurance and safeguard your future mobility.

If you’re currently out of shape, and you start an exercise program, that’s a really important step. But it’s essential not to see exercise as a means to an end. Taking care of our bodies is a life-long project. It doesn’t mean that once you hit that magic number on the scale, that the job is done.

One last thing – and it’s something I see in my on-line fitness group every day. The more committed people are to exercise, the less concerned they are with reaching a magical “goal weight”. They see the benefits of daily exercise in their daily lives – strong core, powerful legs, well-defined arms, increased flexibility, greater endurance – the list goes on and on. People report increased energy, improved sleep patterns, better moods, and start paying attention to how their bodies look and feel, rather than a random number.

Much of the time, dedication to exercise leads to vastly improved nutrition, because a fit body craves healthier foods. And yes, a lot of the time, this leads to weight loss.  By keeping the focus on what the body needs over the long haul, and you’re far more likely to achieve a strong, fit body that will serve you well throughout your life.

When it's time to make a change...

One year ago this month, I realized that my pants were getting tight, my back hurt and my overall fitness level was basically shot. I’d always seen myself as a relatively fit person. After all, six years earlier I’d run two marathons, so at some level I think I was resting on my laurels. But last February I finally looked in the mirror and realized that I’d gotten soft. Before, I’d just kind of chalked it up to aging and figured it was inevitable. But on that day last February, something in me woke up. I was ready to make some changes. Now, just one year later, so much has changed – I wonder why I didn’t start sooner, but I also wonder where I would be if I hadn’t taken those first steps.

I decided it was time to lose weight, and around the same time I bought my first home fitness program – Insanity. Billed as the toughest workout program on DVD, I figured it was just the thing (when I tackle something, I tend to go big). But it was hard – the workouts were tough, and I had to dedicate 40-60 minutes out of my schedule, six days a week.

Looking back, I think there were two main factors which drove me to continue, and ultimately led me to start my own fitness groups. First, soon after I started Insanity, I joined an on-line message board, where people posted their workouts and basically helped each other out. I started to understand that, even though I was exercising alone at my house, I could be part of a virtual community that expected to hear from me every day, where people cared whether or not I was actually pushing play. Accountability can be a powerful tool, even among strangers.

Second, some of my friends started doing the workouts with me. I was the only one doing all the workouts on the schedule, but 3-4 times a week, at least one of my friends would join in. We were able to help each other improve our fitness and keep each other motivated. I also took some pride in the fact that I’d introduced my friends to some amazing workouts.

Over the past year, I’ve become a big believer in home fitness programs, and I lost the extra weight that I’d been slowly gathering over the past decade. I had lousy core strength when I started – every time I went running my back would hurt - but over time my abdominal and back muscles gained strength, and now I can run pain-free. I badly injured my knee many years ago, and when I first started these workouts I had to invest in a serious knee brace. Now the brace is in my closet – the muscles supporting my knee joint got stronger, my flexibility improved, and I’m far less likely to have mobility problems as I age. My nutrition has improved too – I buy healthier foods so the whole family is eating better. I’ve discovered the joys of kale and quinoa. Instead of a multivitamin, I have a nice nutritional shake in the afternoon as a snack – a good pick-me-up that keeps me from snacking my way to dinner.

Lots of people have other methods of staying  fit - they’re serious runners, cyclists or swimmers, or they’re absolutely committed to working out at the gym. But too many people either hit the gym once or twice a week, maybe do some walking – and aren’t able to maintain an optimal fitness level. Our bodies tend to lose muscle mass as we age, leading to a slower metabolism and weight gain. Daily workouts that incorporate cardio, resistance and strength training can slow down and even reverse this process. I firmly believe that by dedicating one half hour to home fitness, 5 or 6 times a week, most people can achieve remarkable gains in fitness that can make a real difference in their daily lives.

Taking your fitness to the next level - at home

When I mention to friends that I do most of my workouts at home, they often tell me that they prefer to go to the gym. They’ll mention the social part of gym membership – the fact that it’s easier to force yourself work out if you know that someone’s waiting to meet you. I can’t disagree – I like working out with other people. It’s fun to take group classes, then hit the coffee shop afterwards to catch up.

But here’s the downside – most people only get to the gym 2-3 times a week. They might intend to go work out every day – and I know there are people who do. But people get busy, classes get cancelled, and things come up which can make it impossible to carve out 2 hours every day for the gym (travel time, workout, cool-down, shower, etc.)

While it’s possible to maintain a basic level of fitness working out a couple of times a week, it is often not enough to achieve the kind of results that many people hope for- reaching their ideal weight, creating defined, sculpted arms, and even finding those long-buried abs.

Achieving a high level of fitness requires careful attention to nutrition and a regular, non-negotiable exercise program, 5-6 days a week. Fortunately, this doesn’t mean that you have to jump around your living room for 1+ hours a day. Today you can choose from a wide range of 25-30 minute workouts that will build endurance, develop muscle definition and keep you in fighting form.

For me, hitting the gym or a class is a bonus. It’s something I do in addition to my scheduled daily workout. For me, these home workouts are non-negotiable. They ensure that I stay strong and flexible, can wear all the clothes in my closet and am able to take on any physical challenge I choose. They make it easy for me to get in 3+ hours of high quality exercise every week, without leaving the house. I’ve got my body back, and now I know how to maintain it.