Exercise

I have been able to enjoy a more active life style because of the exercise program I follow.

Any "expert" will tell you that you need to burn more calories than you consume in order to lose weight. Lose weight and you will feel more energetic. Feel more energetic and exercise will become easier and easier. The more you exercise the better quality of life you will enjoy. Sounds easy, right? Well, in reality it is easy. It's the getting started part that is the killer. Once you get started it seems crazy that you used to dread diet and exercise.

However, there is one more important component in my opinion to losing weight and maintaining an active lifestyle. Change. You need to change things up. If you don't two big problems can occur. Your body will get used to the routine and therefore become more efficient. This sounds like a good thing, but it isn't in a way. The more efficient you become with your exercise and diet, the less calories your body will burn. So, you need to change things up from time to time to ensure continued weight loss. Once you have reached your desired weight, it's a whole different story. The second problem is that your routine can get boring and therefore discouraging.

If you are out there trying to lose weight; first, get started. Second, develop a routine that works for you (both exercise and diet). Third, change that routine up from time to time.

As odd as it sounds, rest is important too. Your body does funny things if there is not enough rest time between work outs or programs you may employ to help your cause. For example, a weight lifter who lifts weights everyday for the same muscle set won't get much bigger. The reason why is that your muscles need some rest periodically in order to "heal" or "grow bigger". To continue with the example it is suggested that you work your upper body out every other day and your lower body out every other day with the 7th day off. This gives your muscles time to build after work outs. I think weight loss is the same. I think you can work out 6 of the 7 days a week. But, you need an off day.

I guess the fourth step to be added to the paragraph two above this one is; fourth, rest periodically according to your specific routine.

Lately, I have been hitting the treadmill in the morning for an hour and then either biking or hiking for an hour in the afternoon. Trust me it took me 3 months to get from my lethargic state to exercising two hours a day.

I also keep a calorie diary. It's not so much to control my diet as it is to give me an idea of my calorie consumption. This isn't the best as calories are not the only component to a good or bad diet. But, it does help me control what I am eating. If I was purely dieting I would have to do more. However, with diet and exercise I find that if I keep my calories in check in accordance with my workout routines I lose the weight each and every week.

I feel better now than I have in years. It's funny what some control to your food consumption and an active lifestyle through exercise can do. I even joke now that I am used to the "sore" feeling that you get with exercise. It's almost like even that "sore" feeling feels good.

I am not going to lie. Getting started was difficult. I had an excellent friend nudge me down the path at the beginning and helped motivate me through that ever so difficult beginning stage. Without that friend I would still weigh 285 lbs and wonder why I was so tired and achy all the time. Thanks friend, you're the best. You really did me a solid on this one.

If you're feeling bad and you think diet and exercise will help, just get started. After you are doing at least something there are a million ideas on the Internet to get you focused and headed in the right direction. Just be careful of all the scams and crazy cheats out there. It's like my dad (a total health nut with the results to back him up) always says, "if it promises to be fast or easy they are lying or it isn't healthy. Weight loss takes time and effort." I think that is true. I'm weary of the bills or the medical procedures. Someone even told me that they are now using growth hormones to try and help people lose weight. You just have to be very careful. They may be totally legit, but you need to do your homework and consult with your doctor. Which you should do for any weight loss program, not just the pills, etc.

Anyway, enough is enough. Get out there and be healthy! If you can and if you dare!! :-)