Fitness For Life

I'm not sure why I gravitated to walking. Perhaps it's because taking jaunts on the trails was always something my husband and me enjoyed--but only on weekends. I decided that I would walk. I found several websites about walking. The goal on most was to shoot for 10,000 steps a day. My first source for info was Fitness Walking for Dummies. I filled in the charts of before info about weight, fitness, and measurements. Yikes. I had a lot of work ahead of me. I followed the plan of strength training, stretching, and walking, of course.

I discovered Walking.About.com. What a great website! I found walking logs and programs. I started following a few where I was doing a virtual walk of the Applachian Trail among others. This was really motivating. It wasn't long before my five times a week walks were up to 3.5 miles.

Keeping track of my steps each day, I knew that I had to up my steps to get to the new goal of 12,000 to 14,000 steps. From what I read, 10,000 steps was just to stay healthy; 12,000 steps would maintain your weight; but to really lose, you had to shoot for 14,000 steps a day.

The walks were going well. I looked forward to my time outside. I walked all through winter, even on the coldest days. I learned the importance of performance clothing. No matter what the weather, I was out walking. It paid off. I was seeing results.

My big day came when I would see my family that June, 2006. We gathered for a family reunion. I unveiled the new me--35 pounds lighter, a new haircut, down three pants sizes, and with muscles to boot. I never forget the words of a friend who told me before the trip was over. As she hugged me good-bye she said, "You won." That's exactly what I felt like.

I started a new workout/diet plan. I felt that I had hit a plateau. I was getting bored with my workouts and to say nothing of the dreaded "last 10 pounds". I decided to follow the The Abs Diet. The diet itself is simple to follow; no stages, no calorie counting. The focus is on 12 power foods which include no-brainer healthy choices like spinach, whole grains, and olive oil. Meals are built with these 12 power foods, trying to include as many as possible for the optimal benefit. The book does include recipes which are quick and tasty. The diet plan includes 3 meals and 3 snacks, to keep your metabolism running.

The rest of the book concerns workouts. The author encourages a regime of 3 total body workouts a week, 2 emphasizing the abs and 1 for the legs. An extra ab workout is throw in for good measure. There is a cardio component too and this is where I found the advice almost contrary to what I've read in the past.

The author's theory is that if one does low-intensity workouts muscle is not being built. Calories are being burned, but to maximize the benefit of muscle building you have to build it through weightlifting. He goes on to say that weightlifing increases muscle mass which increases metabolism. A session of weightlifing revs up the metabolism for hours afterwards, much longer than a cardio workout.

He also suggests a shorter workout. After 20-30 minutes of cardio, your body may be forced to break down protein for energy. He emphasizes shorter, more intense workouts. The author, for example, suggests different exercises with every ab workout to keep your muscles guessing, as it were. Works for me.

For my part, I've noticed that I'm stronger. I feel more energized. I highly recommend this book for anyone serious about making a change.

My rating:

A major part of my journey was a change in my diet. While I was good about using only olive oil and canola oil in cooking, there was lots of room for improvement. I began with the Sonoma Diet. I was attracted to its easy portion type of approach. I liked the fact too that you were encouraged to savor your meal, sometimes with a glass of wine. While following the familiar three stage process that marked other diets like Atkins, this was not a total low carb approach. Rather the emphasis was on healthy choices for carbs. I was eating things I never had before--barley, quinoa, for example.

While I did achieve some success, the recipes in the The Sonoma Diet: Trimmer Waist, Better Health in Just 10 Days! book are quite delicious, they are time-consuming. Though I've since moved on, I do go back to Sonoma every now and again. I have to admit to be intriqued by the The Sonoma Diet Cookbook book now out.

During my journey, I began to scrutinize my nutrition. Was I getting enough of the right things? One of the first websites that I consulted was the USDA Food Pyramid site. This was a revelation to me. The diet that I thought was adequate was missing a few things, mainly enough fruits and veggies. I made it a point to include more in my diet. I used the online food and activity journal to track my progress. While other sources may have different takes on dieting, I felt I could trust this information. Afterall, anything food or diet-related did have to go through their scrutiny. If you do nothing else, then use this site for a few days to see where you really are with your diet.

After awhile, I felt like I wanted more of an online journal. I was using it most days, trying to be as honest as possible. I found a few other websites that were more powerful and dare I say, more attractive. The Free Online Diet Plan at SparkPeople.com is my current program. After trying out sites that cost and some of those with very little information, I was amazed to locate this free site. The amount of information is overwhelming. The site's forum is one of the most active I've ever encountered. A point system is a nice motivator. Other great features are online demos, online exercise videos, a powerful food journal, and a goal setting section. The food journal is one of the easiest I've used.

The site approaches dieting from a perspective of making lifestyle changes. The resource section contains numerous articles on motivation. What I especially liked was how it encouraged you to take your fitness success to other goals in your life. Very powerful and worth a visit.

I've been living my healthy lifestyle for a year and a half now. Though I will indulge in favorite foods like pizza or pasta every now and again, I've given up fried foods and sugary snacks. I don't drink pop. Haven't for years actually. My diet is good. I'm very conscious of knowing when I feel full. I try to make good choices.

My husband and I made decided to join a health club. We joined SnapFitness. It's one of those 24/7 places. Bare bones, but just what you need. We've been working out four times a week. It's a bit hard on work days. I'm not a fan of evening workouts, but we're doing okay.

After being at it nearly two months now, I can say that I'm stronger than ever. I've hit the machines hard. I'm using the treadmill and the stationary bike for my cardio workouts. We had a long stretch of below zero weather recently, making walks outside not the best of choices.

I like it. It's great exercising with my husband. We motivate each other. He's so enthusiatic about it. I'm glad. I want us both to be healthy. My goals now are to lose just a few more pounds and to get sculpted.

I've explored other areas of wellness, including yoga and Pilates. There is much to be said for mind-body fitness. It's hard to describe, but doing these exercises gives you a feeling of peace that you don't get from other activities. It's different that the euphoria you feel after you've worked out.

Now speaking of peace, another aspect to my fitness is hiking. Hiking becomes more of a walking meditation for me. A walk alone in the woods is just about the best cure for whatever ails me. I get the most out of a walk in the woods if I feel free. I can concentrate fully on my surroundings and enjoy