Ultimately, the only power to which man should aspire is that which he exercises over himself. Elie Wiesel
Update (Monday): 30 minutes cardio (walking); 5 minutes toning (abs).
I went through
Kim Lyons’ book
Speaking of the Kim Lyon’s book ( optimum everything in 12 weeks!), it’s a useful tool for at-home exercise, plus a good overall fitness primer. She begins with an introduction to your body, then moves on to your mindset. Her discussion of habits is valuable for anyone wanting to make exercise and good nutrition a real part of life.
Because it’s really all about the habits. We can force ourselves to stick to a diet for a certain amount of time, to really push through on working out for a while, but it is only in forming habits that we get long-lasting benefits. That’s what these monthly challenges are all about: 30 days to form a habit.(Some people say 21, I know, but I’m going for 30 just to be safe.)
These life-improvement binges we go on don’t help us; in fact, they turn us off to making real, positive changes. I went on a diet once, when I was 17. My whole family did; Mom read about it in a magazine. It was called “
The Cabbage Soup Diet.” To this day, I don’t understand what dark, mysterious force compelled all 4 of us to agree to a week of eating cabbage soup. (That’s wrong right there, I don’t care who you are…)
I ate cabbage soup for a week and gained two pounds. I have never dieted since. One bad experience can turn you off from something that could be good. (Though I don’t think cabbage soup is ever that good.)
It’s better, far, far better to establish habits that you can maintain for a long time. You make small changes that produce small effects, but over months and years those small things become big. Diligence and consistency can accomplish lots more, and in a much more painless way, than fads and binges.
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Resources: From Fox News Health Blog, a 7-day log of the Cabbage Soup Diet experience. Read it and weep. (At least I did.)
From BPhoenix website, an article and list of fad diets. Yep, Cabbage Soup is on there.
From KidsHealth, an article on establishing habits that will help your kids be healthy eaters from ‘kidhood’ on. I don’t at all agree with their “avoid battles” concept of training toddlers how to eat… But then, I seldom agree with popular culture’s child-rearing philosophies. More on that some other time.
Tip: Think of one unhealthy habit you have now that you could change. It could be small, but small changes add up! Drink a glass of water every morning; eat a salad every night; snack on fruit instead of a Swiss Cake Roll. Pick one, and start making it a habit.
Say unto Wisdom, You are my sister; and call Understanding your intimate friend. Proverbs 7:4