Thursday, October 29, 2009

Splish Splash Cardio


I hate exercise, plain and simple. It’s nasty, sweaty and boring. Then I discovered water aerobics. Our local gym has a dynamite instructor and now three times a week I actually have fun exercising!
Our class is made up of 15 to 20 men and women of all ages and sizes. We jump around in the pool, using all our major muscles and the water’s resistance for a wonderful cardiovascular workout, increasing our flexibility and toning ourselves in the process. It is a great way to exercise, make new friends and, best of all, no sweating!

Saturday, October 24, 2009

My Enemy the Scale

I used to think getting on the scale was like going to the dentist – something I would put off until there was no other option. I didn’t want to visually confirm what my clothing was already telling me – I was gaining weight, seemingly overnight! It was depressing so I indulged in all the feel-good food that I shouldn’t be eating. I knew things were getting out of hand but I stubbornly refused to step on that device which seemed to be designed to measure my failure pound by unflattering pound. Passing the mirror I wondered who that chubby person was looking back at me.

This time, however, I have a new attitude. I look at the scale as my friend and guide, gently letting me know when to cut back or reminding me how good I’ve been. I will use it often. But how often is the question - every day, every couple of days, once a week?

Unfortunately there is no clear cut answer as to which is the best strategy. It is totally a personal choice. On one hand a daily weigh-in helps insure you keep yourself on track. If you overindulged you would see the bad news right away and do something about it rather than put it off until the damage is overwhelming. On the other hand I’m already obsessed with food, I don’t need another obsession.
I chose to weigh myself once a week. I’d rather wait than keep an eagle eye on my poundage. The National Weight Control Registry found that most people maintaining their weight weigh themselves more than once a week and nearly 4 out of 10 people weigh themselves daily. I never have been know to follow the crowd.
What about you? How often do you weigh yourself?

Saturday, October 17, 2009

My Very First Blog!

Last night I dreamt about cake, thick slices of heavenly moist cake; nutty, buttery carrot cake, deep dark fudgy chocolate cake, dense, flavorful banana cake – each piece generously topped with lots of creamy frosting. Yum. Of course cake is only something I can dream about right now. I am, as I have been so often in my life, on a diet. No fun, as you probably know.
This blog is not so much about dieting as about keeping off the pounds. Sadly the time to keep it off is not yet here, in fact, I am 16 pounds away from my goal. Who knows, when I get there I might be inspired to take off another 5 to 10 pounds. I am kind of playing it by ear, or should I say by mirror.