Are You Willing to Make a Change?
You can get into whatever shape you want, if you’re willing to do what’s required. Professional athletes are strict in their diets and exercise plans during their on-season (you’ve seen off-season athletes). Being strict with their intake is part of the process, and they just do it. Look at actors who have to lose a lot of weight to play a starving person in a role. They do it, because they’re paid millions of dollars to do so (makes it easier, I’ll bet), but it still would be difficult – and frankly I wouldn’t want to risk screwing up my head in that way, but it is their job and they do what they must do.
Bodybuilders are another good example because you’ve probably seen what can be done with a fairly rigid clean-eating plan, and consistent resistance exercise. You can whittle your body into whatever shape you want, but first you must decide to what extent you are willing to go.
What is a Clean Diet?
Clean eating or a clean diet is simply eating whole foods with little or no additives, fruits, vegetables, grains, steamed fish and chicken, little or no gravies or sauces, etc. Just clean. Little or no fast foods, and little or no processed foods. They do eat lots of protein powders and food bars though (not really clean, but they need the added calories, and frankly they get sick of having to eat all the time).
So what are you willing to do? If you find you’re not even willing to get started, then okay, you’ve made a conscious decision that you are okay where you are. Be okay with that. Stop giving yourself such a hard time about a decision you’ve made. Either make a different decision or get off your own back.
I’m into the fourth week of a consistent weight lifting program. I’ve been trying for the last two years to get something consistent going and I’ve been telling myself I don’t have time, it’s too hard to do it in the afternoons, I can’t get up earlier, etc. All these reasons why I can’t were keeping me from accomplishing what I said I wanted. Now I’ve found a way that I can do it, plus amazingly I seem to have more time in the process!
I call it Kathryn’s Amazing Multi-tasking Exercise Program and here’s how it works: If you’re familiar with weight lifting you’ll know that you must take a short rest between each set — 1 min or so is okay, sometimes 90 seconds. During that time most people just sit and look around. If you’re at home, this is partly why weight training seems so boring as there is just nothing to look at. Nothing to distract you for those few seconds.
My old schedule worked like this: 6:AM up, 6:15 – 6:30 working on website (morning routine). 6:30 – 7:00 goofing off, reading e-mail, following links, checking out software, reading some news, morning rant, etc. 7:00 – 7:15 breakfast while still doing above at computer. 7:15 – 7:45 more goofing off, until I realize it’s time to get dressed, and now I’m rushing around to put on makeup, find clothes, get my things together. Whew. It’s busy, right?
Now, my new plan is thus: I still get up and work until 6:30 AM at which time I grab my makeup kit and go into my gym (it’s at home). There I start my routine, and between each set I put on a smudge of my makeup. Guys, I know you can’t shave while you exercise, but indulge me here. There is enough time between each set to write down my reps and weight, mark what I’m doing next, put on some makeup, and then back to the next set. Time flies, and I’m getting my makeup on while I’m working out! Voila. I come back up stairs shortly after 7:00, (the workout takes me about 34 minutes total, split routine, four days a week), and then I can eat breakfast. What I’ve found is suddenly it seems like I have more time since I’m actually making better use of the time I already had!
It’s great, and I’m in the middle of the fourth week of consistent weight training. I’m excited as the weights are what make the difference for me. I’ll write more on this soon. Think of your own day. Are there places where you think you don’t have time, but you’re actually just wasting time anyway? Could you add some weight training during the commercials on TV? Think about it, and let me know if you come up with some ideas.
