No Substitutes, only fitness

No Substitutes

In recent days, an unusually large amount of advertisements slicks have promoted weight loss drugs on TV. They boast such things as, "lose weight while you sleep," or, "lose weight without exercise." As if there were some magic pill somewhere that could convert you into Vanna White or Charles Atlas while you sleep.

Not only is this notion ridiculous, but as any medical professional will tell you, any pill or drug you take will have some side effects that could be potentially hazardous. As usual, one should always consult their doctor before starting any new medication, or exercise routine. Nevertheless, there is no substitute for fitness and exercise.

Fitness starts with a good diet, which includes lots of fruit, vegetables and fiber in the form of whole-wheat or bran. I had always believed a good diet was important for many reasons, but like most people, I too, was unaware. That is until I saw a picture of a good friend that I did not recognize. As I knew him, he was a fit 155 pounds, full of energy and confidence. Little did I know he had a fat skeleton in his closet? He showed me a driver's license photo of himself taken just four years earlier weighing in at a whopping 260 pounds.

My friend began to tell me how he made his transformation. How he started watching his diet and doing exercises at home, bike riding, pull up's, sit up's and lifting weights. All this had him down to 190 pounds. Somehow, he couldn't drop his weight any lower. That is, until he read this article in a health magazine stating how the human body cannot break down sugar that has been bleached or flower. It seems that the body does not recognize the molecule after it has been bleached so it simply stores it as fat.

He began by cutting out all forms of white sugar. Of course, soda pop and suites of all kinds were kept to a minimum. He also began using whole-wheat pasta, bread and serial. He assured me, that it only took one month to lose 30 more pounds. I thought this was good information to have if you wanted to lose just a little weight.

Exercise also played a big role in his weight loss, of course. Many exercises can be done at home for the hard-core enthusiast. Nevertheless, if you're just an average Joe, like myself. You're looking for less strenuous ways to get in shape. Like long walks on the beach to flatten your stomach. Alternatively, some yard work to strengthen the back and legs. In addition, for the cardiovascular workout, try some flag football with the kids. It's a blast. Volleyball is another good way of getting both the cardiovascular workout and working the abdominals. Any exercise in the sand will flatten your stomach.   However, if you want to see results in a hurry, then I suggest you take up cross-country skiing. It combines the cardiovascular workout of jogging with the strength building of a stair climber. Watch out, it's tough but rewarding.

Some benefits that come with fitness and exercise are not obvious, but are still noteworthy. Benefits like, setting goals, and meeting them, building confidence in not only meeting your goals but also staying with your game plan. Set small goals at first. Such as, losing five pounds in the first month and as you meet the smaller goals, you can set your sights on bigger ones for the following months. Either way you look at it, that person in the mirror, will only get better looking as you go. You'll find that the children don't wear you out quite as fast and that helping them with their Little League sports suddenly isn’t such an inconvenience. Yes, the psychological benefits are there too, just waiting to be discovered.  Besides, when it is all said and done, I'll bet that you will not want to trade your new body for old.

I have found that not everybody has to work out at Gold’s GYM and looked like a Greek god. We simply should live healthy and be happy. In addition, it seems easier to be happy if you live healthy.