In the The Right Body at the Wrong Time series, we are working through the six steps of behavior change needed to make a permanent, new healthier way of life. The last post covered step #5, maintenance.
This would be a good time to read the previous posts so you can relate to the earlier steps in the process.
Your brain is the means to achieving the final step.
Here's why.
To get to this point, step #6, you have:
Moved from ignorance and/or denial to awareness.
You have educated yourself and now understand just how crucial taking charge of your own health is.
You continue to research and learn about what it takes to be healthy in today's society.
You set goals and progressed to a state of healthful well-being.
You've seen amazing improvement in appearance, physical capability and medical health markers.
You have a support network that gives you feedback and encouragement.
At this point, success is achieved through vigilance.
You can actually eat a piece of chocolate layer cake with ice cream.
You can actually go a week without exercise.
However, your brain will NOT allow you to continue these behaviors.
That's because you have a NEW rnormal; a healthy lifestyle.
Whereas before you used to dread exercise, crave junk food and ignore well-meaning people trying to inform and help you; now, everything is reversed!
I call it flipping the switch.
To assist you with the permanent process, there are many tools.
Here are some examples.
Exercise log.
I put this together so that the three main types of exercise can be tracked on one log sheet.
Notice stretches are mentioned AFTER the exercise. That's because doing it this way builds muscle faster and lessens chance of injury.
Stretching a cold muscle is NOT a good thing. How many years have you heard that you should stretch first?
Ideas become accepted dogma simply because some expert or authority thinks it's logical, Others, including organizations join in, and it becomes accepted practice, even though no science has been done to prove it correct.
The correct order is: Warm-up, at least ten minutes. Then do the exercise you planned to do, and then stretch.
Your muscles will thank you for it, and there's less chance of injury.
For aerobic or cardio, about 80% of your maximum effort gets the best result.
For fat loss, the effort needs to be LESS, about 70%.
If you work too hard, too fast, the body taps into it's glycogen stores and uses carbs first, making fat loss more difficult.
That's why a good moderate to fast walking pace, about 3+ miles per hour is great for fat loss. The elliptical machines and/or rowers are excellent as well and have the added benefit of no impact; easier on the knees and ankles.
For resistance/strength training, 10-12 reps of weight that is about 20% of your intended goal gets the joint ready to go. Then, do as much weight as you can, for just a few reps! Intensity is the key to effective weight training.
Then, it's time for a good stretch. Each muscle group should be stretched right after you exercise it!
Here's another simpler log that helps you stay on the track.
The point is, keep these logs visible! On the door of the fridge, on your way out, places where seeing them will remind you to do the exercise..
Also keep track of what and how you eat.
Here's two examples, one detailed, the other more simple. Choose what works for you.
Personally, I hate calorie counting-for me all I have to do is see what's going in my mouth, and I can adjust to get the result I'm after-lose fat, gain weight etc. (This is after 3 years of educatiing myself on food)
The simple log plan? Just write down everything!
If you BITE IT, You WRITE IT!
You review your notes after, say, four days or a week and you'll be surprised.
Then, pick the bad food easiest for you to reduce or eliminate and start there.
Follow what has been discussed in this blog and you'll accomplish your goals.
There are many websites that can help, many with advertisers trying to sell you "special weight loss food".
DON'T fall for that!
The websites offer really good info, but you don't have to pay for any of it. You'll see as you navigate through the various areas.
IT"S A BEAUTIFUL THING!
Next and last installment on the decision-making process and why it's so difficult, is the event we trainers NEVER mention to our clients as the they progress and become happier and more confident---
RELAPSE- it happens.
I'll tell you why, and how to deal with it.
