Baby Steps
Out of all of the tips and tricks that can aid you in the losing weight--the one I think is the most useful is also the most simple. You need to move. It's time to close your computer (once you finish reading this post), get off the couch and move around.
You know the story...you wake up in the morning and go to the gym for a half hour, maybe even an hour before work. You feel great. Then you go to work and more often than not sit behind a desk of some sort for 8 plus hours. You leave work, go home, have dinner and sit down to watch TV or read --whatever your vice may be. But that's OK, right? You went to the gym in the morning -which of course is always commendable- but how active were you over the course of the entire day, including your gym time? The best way to know is to wear a pedometer.
I know what you are thinking. A pedometer is a total pain in the neck to wear. I thought that too, but after wearing it for a few days, you really do get used to it, and dare I say somewhat obsessed with it. A person is said to live an active lifestyle if he/she takes around 10,000 steps (approximately 5 miles) a day. Let me tell you, 10,000 steps is A LOT. If you are a walker, a runner, an elipticizer ( I know it's not a word)--whatever your exercise may be--pedometers easily count how many steps you take a day. There are all sorts of fancy ones out there but I like the ones that are simple, easy to operate. After all, you just need a good estimate--it doesn't need to be an exact number. This pedometer, the Yamax Digiwalker SW200, is my favorite because you don't even have to set it up--you just clip it on our belt and move. Plus it is fairly inexpensive (especially if you wear it every day). There are also fancier models to account for varying stride lengths depending on height but like I said, you just need an estimate.
Now--do not go out and get your pedometer and expect to make 10,000 steps on the first day (unless you lead a very active lifestyle already) -- believe me, it takes a lot of activity to get to 10,000 steps and if you are not in good shape already you could injure yourself. Check with your doctor before starting an activity routine and start slow. Aim for 2,000 steps for the first few days and see what happens. Then gradually aim for an extra 1,000 steps until you reach 10,000 (or more). Also, you do not have to get all of your steps at the gym. I would say on average, a little over half of my steps throughout the day come from a workout. The rest come from housework, climbing stairs, parking farther away when doing errands--little things that really do add up.
Hopefully you will find this to be helpful--I think it is a great motivator. Especially on my day off--it bugs me when I see that I haven't come close to my goal. So get out there and move and remember, if you burn more calories throughout the day than you take in, you will start to see results. Baby steps :).
Email me at nicolesilva@weightthatsit.com
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