In my last post, I wrote about the composition of weight control and the methodology to do it. Well folks, it ain’t that easy. Those of you who are struggling with the excess pounds know what I am talking about.
I am diligently working at paying attention to my weight, and for a time it was looking pretty good. The ounces seemed to be slowly leaving. Then the weather got cold, and there was that period of adjustment where I just stayed inside, and my activity level decreased.
With the economy the way it is and the presidential election, I was paying a lot of attention and spending a lot of time on one of my other blogs, financialcommand.com. It seemed important that I research the mechanics and rules of the presidential election, the Constitution and Congress for myself and anyone else that was interested. And, I felt it important to fight the lie and rumor mill by researching the truth and publishing it.
In addition, I have been married for a good number of years, and I intend to stay married. That means I have control over my diet during the day, but I eat what my wife prepares. I try to minimize what I eat during the day, but she is an excellent cook, and although she is cooking smaller meals, I eat too much at night.
Now, nighttime is perhaps the worst time of the day to eat well. I remember the old adage,
‘Breakfast like a king, Lunch like a prince, and Dine like a pauper.’
Good advice there, but perhaps written by a single person.
Willpower, of course, is my failing. I spend many hours at my computer, typing, meeting deadlines, drinking coffee and researching. I am currently in a mode where dietetically I am doing most things wrong.
I overstay my regular feeding until hunger sends me an urgent message. Then I raid the refrigerator and eat too much. The first time is late in the morning, since I am still full from the previous night. The second time is late in the day, and too near dinner, since I am still digesting my first emergency feed. But that doesn’t stop me from eating a full dinner. Ugh!
Don’t get me wrong, I have not regained everything I ever lost, but I can see the pounds creeping up again. So, here’s my November resolutions (why wait for the New Year rush).
I will return to chewing my food to a pulp before swallowing, and putting down my utensils between bites.
- I will cut back on my evening consumption, eating only one portion (our stomachs are only as big as our two fists held together).
- My supper meal will be the last consumption of the day, so I can sleep on an empty stomach, and wake up hungry.
- I will get a regular full night’s sleep (too many deadlines recently).
- I will eat a portion-controlled breakfast within one hour of waking.
- I will lay out, in advance, small portions of food to consume at four-hour intervals, and eat them at those times.
- I will set my timer for one hour of work between 5-10 minute periods of stretching, cardio exercises and hand-weight activity, using whatever weight is comfortably heavy.
- I will focus on health and fitness and let weight follow those priorities.
I don’t necessarily want to be thin. I want to be strong. I want to live a few active years longer.
My body is a machine in which my life force resides. Medicine is advancing to the point where body parts can be replaced and life extended, but if my machine stops functioning, I die.
I’ve included some cardio and muscle activities that are easy to do in almost any room. They can be done in any order (except for stretching).
The only special equipment needed is a hand weight (or two). The weight is your choice. You can do the activities without any weights as well. The pull-up requires a pull-up bar that hangs from a doorframe without damage, available at around $29.
Stretch:
- Stretch first and last!!
- Reach up, lean to each side in turn
- Twist
- Spread legs, hang head down -hold
Cardio: get out of breath
- Power march
- Step tap legs apart, and raise arms
- Do the Chubby Checker twist
- Imitate throwing the Olympic hammer (or shot-put)
- Sit down on a chair and get up without use of hands – repeat
- Get down on the floor and get up – repeat (this uses all your muscles, and you are the weight)
Sculpt muscles:
- Squat with legs spread and return
- Sit in a chair and raise one or both legs and hold
- Hold the back of the chair and raise a leg and hold
- Lunge forward big step – repeat
- Lean back against a wall and slide down to sitting position – hold
- Pushup from knees with ankles crossed – hold, repeat
- Pull-up (requires door frame device – available for around $29)
- Sit-up slowly with legs held to the floor – repeat
- Straight crunch up from the floor – a few inches – hold, repeat
- Side crunch up reaching to side – hold, repeat, alternate sides
- Use weight for concentration curl each arm
- Use weight to reach behind head and hold
- Use weight while leaning over – simulate pulling on pants action – repeat
- Use weight while leaning over -swing weight back – repeat
Measure your current fitness with pushups, pull-ups, sit-ups, and wall-sit length.
If I do these for 10 minutes several times a day, I will be better for it. Want to join me?
Live aVital Life
BobG
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