I've always been utterly conflicted between my laziness/busy-ness AND my desire to look/become physically fit. If you think about it, a 30-minute jog shouldn't be so difficult! But then, I imagine myself sitting down on a couch and just staring at the TV as it delivers pretty high-speed images and motions, and I just can't help choosing the latter, especially after a long hard day at work typing away in front of a dull computer screen.
I haven't given up on the grandeur of feeling like a million bucks though (I surmise that being healthy will make you feel that way). So for the past few weeks, I've been trying to sneak in some exercise routines into my lifestyle - things that aren't too drastic, that my mind will figure out what I'm tricking it to accept, yet not too easy either that they serve no purpose to my overall well-being.
I am proud to say that I've thought of three extremely practical and unobtrusive routines you can sneak into your daily routine!
1. You don't need a lift.
My office is located at the eighth floor, and I have begun boycotting the very convenient elevator lift to slowly shift my alliance to the old-reliable stairs. This means that I have to wake up 5 to 10 minutes earlier than usual to accommodate the now longer "travel" to the office, but I think this is a small enough sacrifice to take. My goal is to go up the stairs to my office at least once a day. If I'm in a hurry in the morning (like there's a meeting I need to attend to), I do my stair-climbing over the lunch break instead.
I'm 1 week into this "program", I confess that I am still panting and wheezing like an asthmatic after just taking the first half of the flights, but I'm getting there.
2. Reach for the stars (or get down)
This sounds a bit counter-intuitive but I've rearranged my kitchen cupboards, shoe racks, bedroom/bathroom cabinets, so that the items I need every day to get ready for work are now at the least accessible place they should be. For instance, my cereal bowl and cereal box are now at the top-most shelf, and I've moved the shoes I use most frequently to the bottom-most row. This means I'd need to get some stretching and squatting done each day before I can leave the office, and another round when I need to return them to their new proper places.
3. Best of Both Worlds
I'm a TV addict. I fully admit to that. But it doesn't mean that I can't have my daily dose of tube and a good "run" at the same time! I've moved my exercise bike across the television set so I can now watch and bike at the same time. When the show is good and I'm hanging on the words of every actor, I just unconsciously pedal as well, and I've managed to trick myself into biking longer.
These three examples are just some of the little things we can do. There's a whole LOT of other tricks we can pull on our head. Try to analyze your current lifestyle and see what you can tweak. Then come back here to TheFitFactorY.Blogspot.Com and tell us what worked for you! :)
Monday, July 27, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
Fit FactorY: Losing Weight for the Summertime - the Ups and the Downs of Diets
It's summertime, which means you can't hide yourself under a stack of clothes anymore. Plus, there's always the trip to the beach that we all look forward to, which means swimsuits for us women, and trunks for the boys.
This is probably the season when people are all scouring for weight-loss tips and I attempted to read through a couple of the more popular weight loss diets out there.
1. The Atkins Diet focuses on controlling the levels of insulin in our bodies. "If we consume large amounts of refined carbohydrates our insulin levels will rise rapidly, and then fall rapidly. Rising insulin levels will trigger our bodies to store as much of the energy we eat as possible - it will also make it less likely that our bodies use stored fat as a source of energy". Those who follow the Atkins Diet will stock up on more proteins and avoid the bad carbs (like white bread). The disadvantages of this diet are vitamin deficiencies and constipation. Worst disadvantage: People on this diet regain all the weight they lose once they get back on the carbs.
2. The Zone Diet "aims for a nutritional balance of 40% carbohydrates, 30% fats, and 30% protein each time we eat". It has the following basic rules:
a. Eat a small portion of protein every meal.
b. Have 2 snacks a day, both of which have some protein.
c. Carbs portion of the meal/snack should be twice the protein portion. Stick to good carbs like lentils and beans.
d. Every meal/snack should have good fat (nuts, olive oil, fish oil)
Cons? It's an expensive diet to follow, and is very time-consuming and difficult for people to fit into their hectic lifestyle.
Bottom line is we can't have it all. For the risk of sounding resigned: here's one saying that I am itching to publish here at the FitFactorY.Com si com sa (sorry did I spell it right?). Most diets have their advantages and disadvantages, and it seems that there aren't really any terrific diet plans out there. Just so so plans you can try to follow in hopes that they will help you lose your needed weight.
Hopefully though, if you pair this with the right amount of exercise, you might really be successfully in your weight loss program.
Source:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/7379.php
This is probably the season when people are all scouring for weight-loss tips and I attempted to read through a couple of the more popular weight loss diets out there.
1. The Atkins Diet focuses on controlling the levels of insulin in our bodies. "If we consume large amounts of refined carbohydrates our insulin levels will rise rapidly, and then fall rapidly. Rising insulin levels will trigger our bodies to store as much of the energy we eat as possible - it will also make it less likely that our bodies use stored fat as a source of energy". Those who follow the Atkins Diet will stock up on more proteins and avoid the bad carbs (like white bread). The disadvantages of this diet are vitamin deficiencies and constipation. Worst disadvantage: People on this diet regain all the weight they lose once they get back on the carbs.
2. The Zone Diet "aims for a nutritional balance of 40% carbohydrates, 30% fats, and 30% protein each time we eat". It has the following basic rules:
a. Eat a small portion of protein every meal.
b. Have 2 snacks a day, both of which have some protein.
c. Carbs portion of the meal/snack should be twice the protein portion. Stick to good carbs like lentils and beans.
d. Every meal/snack should have good fat (nuts, olive oil, fish oil)
Cons? It's an expensive diet to follow, and is very time-consuming and difficult for people to fit into their hectic lifestyle.
Bottom line is we can't have it all. For the risk of sounding resigned: here's one saying that I am itching to publish here at the FitFactorY.Com si com sa (sorry did I spell it right?). Most diets have their advantages and disadvantages, and it seems that there aren't really any terrific diet plans out there. Just so so plans you can try to follow in hopes that they will help you lose your needed weight.
Hopefully though, if you pair this with the right amount of exercise, you might really be successfully in your weight loss program.
Source:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/7379.php
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
