Excusersize

No this isn’t a name of the latest craze going around the gym.  It is something we all fall prey to at one time or another.  We make excuses for not exercising.

So what kind of excuses have you made?  Here are some:

• it’s too boring
• it’s too hard
• I’m too tired
• I don’t know how to do that type of exercise
• takes too much time
• the weather isn’t right to (walk/run)

Getting the body moving is obviously healthy (and this doesn’t mean having to spend hours at the gym either) but what other benefits are there?  Here are some that our members came up with:

• it can help to lower your blood pressure and/or cholesterol
• can lessen the amount of medication you may need to take for some conditions (but don’t substitute exercise for meds without checking with your doctor first)
• can help to lower stress
• can help elevate your mood (especially good if you are prone to depression)
• can get more done in a day if you are up early and get the exercise out-of-the-way
• gives you more energy
• it can be a social activity and can help you make friends (dog walking, group exercise classes, etc.)
• vent to a friend while walking (good for your mental and physical health)

So we know it’s good for us and we know the excuses we come up with but what can we do to keep “excusersize” out of our lives?

Members suggested the following:

• be creative – one lady does squats while drying her hair!
• break activities into small chunks – makes doing exercise more manageable
• start small – you don’t have to run a marathon – walk before you learn to run
• sneak it in whenever you can – you don’t have to set aside a formal time to do it, just find 10 mins here or there and MOVE
• check your expectations – don’t set them too high so that you fail make them realistic
• starting out slow and build gradually
• challenge yourself when you get stuck on a plateau – ramp it up just a little to get over that hump
• have a Plan B in case Plan A doesn’t work (can’t run because of the weather – do your exercise inside on a Wii Fit or something)
• remember it doesn’t have to be so regimented – not always the same time every day – mix it up a little
• go at your own pace – don’t worry about others around you they also started at a slower pace when they were beginning
• park at the further end of the parking lot
• take the steps instead of the elevator
• Most importantly if you don’t exercise when you  had planned to – let it go, forgive yourself and MOVE on.   Just get out the next day and move.

Our leader, Pat, asked by show of hands who liked exercise and who didn’t.  I’ll admit I’m definitely in the “don’t like” category.  But I’ve learned that I need it.  I can’t maintain a healthy life and enjoy the things I want to do without it.  All the time I wasn’t exercising I was paying for it.   It is hard for me to get up at 4:50 every morning and go to the gym but I love the benefits.  I feel better than I have in years, I have more energy, I love the feeling after a good workout (endorphins), I look better too!  So every time I go to excusersize I try to remember how much I love the benefits of exercise even if I don’t like doing the exercise itself.

Get Up Off Your Seat & Get Up On Your Feet

Another Saturday morning meeting and again helpful information was once again provided at our Weight Watchers meeting.   Exercise seemed to be the topic of the day but especially moving more and sitting less.   We talked about TV time and what you can do to keep active.  Commercial television, DVR or TiVo and the pause button on remotes can be your best friend.

One member said you can move during the commercials instead of channel flipping (something we are guilty of in our household).  Suggestions ranged from cleaning up the kitchen after dinner or throwing in a load of laundry to at least keeping your hands busy by doing some cross-stitch, knitting, crocheting or scrap booking. One person even mentioned they do their tracking for the day while watching TV.

DVR or TiVo your favorite shows.  Then you can watch for 40 mins (if hour-long show) by fast forwarding through the commercials.  You’ll have at least 20 mins. left in that hour to find a way to MOVE.  Take those 20 minutes to pack tomorrow’s lunch, take out the trash or even a “potty break” (but use the furthest bathroom in the house to get the move moves in).

Another member said she only allows herself to watch her shows if she is exercising.  Whatever you do, whether it’s exercising on a machine or with weights or just getting up from the “Boob Tube” during commercials it will go a long way towards helping you.  For instance did you know by sitting for long periods of time you are actual more at risk for certain types of cancer?  Check out this video from Lynne Brick of Brick Bodies (my gym).  She sent out this Fitness Tip the same weekend as my meeting!

Who Moved My Cheese?

I attended my weekly Weight Watchers meeting this morning but went at a different time.  Since I was having guests over I needed to get my day started a bit earlier.  Same great leader, Pat, but different time and different group of members.  It was nice to sit back and observe this group.  One thing that became very clear for me is these members were close-knit and had become quite fast friends.

As usual lots of great ideas and experience was shared this morning.  However, we also had some rather disheartening news as well.  Our Weight Watchers center is being shut down.  3 in all are being closed and our leaders and receptionists are moving to the new location.  The group of close-knit members took this very hard.  I can understand why.  As one member said earlier in the meeting “Pat (our leader) YOU set the tone and energy for us.”  Pat being her usual gracious self thought that we did the same for her.  I guess I believe it’s a mix of both – the leader helps the group and the group helps the leader.  Point being none of us wanted to leave Pat!

Good news is she will be moving to the new location – 6356 York Road – but her Saturday morning meetings will change.  Looks like the earliest will be 11 am with her.

I believe a good leader is like a good hair dresser – you’ll follow them anywhere because they are few and far between.

I understand that Weight Watchers is a big business and that they have to make business decisions that make the most sense for their company.  It’s a shame since NorthWest Baltimore County has so few meeting locations that they are moving this one.  I’m still processing this and I’m not sure how I feel about it.

It is human nature to resist change (hence my title).  We all made big changes in our lives by joining Weight Watchers.  But moving an established center with loyal members and great staff is a rather big change that is going to take some adjustment.  Unfortunately, we only have 2 weeks to make that adjustments.  The next 2 weeks Timonium Weight Watchers will still exist but after that we’ll have to go to another center.

I have faith that this won’t derail any of us from our weight loss journey.  We may experience a bump (or in this case a major detour) but hopefully we will realize that no matter what the path that we chose and the one that Pat helps us to follow is the right one no matter what the location.