2007: Your Year To Get In Shape!

[ttdriver]

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2007 !!! Here's hoping all the best for you and your family this year!!!

A new year .. what does it offer you? The opportunity to improve your cardiovascular health, that's what!!! Today, challenge yourself to achieving more than last year .. make a COMMITMENT (notice the lack of the word "resolution") TO IMPROVING YOUR STRENGTH, YOUR FITNESS, YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE! Is it easy? No..............is it worth it? YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT!!! Need I remind you of the man who told us all that "exercise is non-negotiable"???? After all, look what it did for him: he worked full-time, walked 2 miles each way to work 365 days a year and played tennis regularly ... ALL AT AGE 72!!! Would he be pleased to see the effort YOU are putting in to stay physically fit??

I've often said "if you don't move, neither will the scale" .. and it is so true. Folks, I hate to admit it, but the nutritionists are right; you simply MUST burn more calories than you take in if you hope to lose the weight. AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, statistics show that those who are successful in KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF FOR GOOD are regular exercisers! After all, who wants to lose the weight and look like a balloon with the air let out of it??

They say that if you do something for 2 weeks, it becomes a habit. I challenge you to set a 2 week goal of cardiovascular exercise a minimum of 40 minutes a day everyday. See how you feel at the end of those two weeks. My money is on the fact that you will love how you look, how much energy you have, how clearly you can think and how well you will sleep that you will NEVER want to stop!!!

What are you waiting for? The body does NOT deteriorate from over-use, but rather the LACK OF IT .............. GET MOVING TODAY!!! NO EXCUSES. We're all given 24 hours in a day .. its all about PRIORITIES and what's more important than your health??

Happy endorphins!

Betty

[julirama723]

Re: 2007: Your Year To Get In Shape!

Betty, great post and it's SO TRUE!

And one thing that people either forget or don't realize is that EXERCISING gives you MORE energy! There are some days where I am tired, feeling lazy, and somewhat unmotivated. But instead of ditching the cardio or weights, I know this is the PERFECT time to exercise! There have been countless times where I've had MORE energy after the workout than before.

Another thing to know--exercising is an addiction--a great one! I HATE missing a day of exercise because my body just doesn't feel the same without it. Scientists have actually done studies proving that when regular exercisers miss a workout session, their morale drops and mood decreases.

Make 2007 YOUR YEAR FOR FITNESS!

[carina]

Re: 2007: Your Year To Get In Shape!

Happy New Year, Betty!!

I've been on the plan a week now and have my eating figured out. But I've been dragging my feet on the exercise part. I'd already decided since this was the new year, no more excuses - today the exercise starts too. And your post certainly reinforced that.

Thanks!

And best of luck on your marathon!

[Adena]

Re: 2007: Your Year To Get In Shape!

Great post, Betty! I've recommitted to getting serious about exercise over the past week, and it feels great. (I've also joined the January no-weigh challenge, because the exercise does wreak havoic on the scale -- at least at first -- as I build all those great muscles!). I've committed to a 6-day a week schedule. I'm training for the ING Georgia Marathon and have a 3 day walking/running and 3 day weight training schedule. I also joined a gym last week. Anyway, yesterday was my "rest day," yet I still felt the urge to go to the gym -- and did!

So, YES, this will be the year that I make exercise a regular, DAILY part of my life. A co-worker of mine put it this way: you don't debate with yourself each morning whether or not you're going to brush your teeth. He considers exercise an equivalant, non-negotiable necessity.

[carina]

Re: 2007: Your Year To Get In Shape!

A co-worker of mine put it this way: you don't debate with yourself each morning whether or not you're going to brush your teeth. He considers exercise an equivalant, non-negotiable necessity.

I love that! We all need to think of exercise exactly like that every day.

[julirama723]

Re: 2007: Your Year To Get In Shape!

I will say that I have WAY more fun exercising than I do brushing my teeth!

[ttdriver]

Re: 2007: Your Year To Get In Shape!

LOVE THE PICTURE!!!!

Betty

[HeidiE]

Re: 2007: Your Year To Get In Shape!

OK I am going to excercise!!!! OK OK OK OK OK!!!!!!


blech

[HeidiE]

Re: 2007: Your Year To Get In Shape!

I get a lot of endorphins from my job why do I want more?

OOOXXX
Happy New Year Betty! where is that belly button ring anyway?

[ttdriver]

Re: 2007: Your Year To Get In Shape!

Attagirl, Heidi!!

Yikes, I still don't have the belly button ring, but its on my TO-DO LIST!! Just gotta get my nerve up first! Yeah, I can run 26.2 miles no problem, but come at me with PAIN and ....................

Betty

[SunnySmile501]

Re: 2007: Your Year To Get In Shape!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2007 !!! Need I remind you of the man who told us all that "exercise is non-negotiable"???? After all, look what it did for him: he worked full-time, walked 2 miles each way to work 365 days a year and played tennis regularly ... ALL AT AGE 72!!! Would he be pleased to see the effort YOU are putting in to stay physically fit??

Betty

I'm in Betty! I am doing so much better than last year with my exercise program, but this year I need to hone it and learn to not push so hard that I have to stop for days.

Dr. Atkins didn't like exercise any more than we do, but he did it because he knew that he had to move to be healthy. That's why he picked tennis--it was the one thing that he could do without feeling like it was exercise. I so admire him for practicing what he preached! I do find it sad that keeping his commitment to walk the two miles to and from work, no matter the weather, was the reason for his early demise. Every time I feel whiny about my exercise, I think about him falling on the ice doing his walk so he could be an example to the rest of us, and I just get my butt in gear and go. He will forever be my hero!

Sunny!

[ttdriver]

Re: 2007: Your Year To Get In Shape!

I so totally agree, Sunny!!!!! I will be forever in his debt!!!! I only wish I would have had the opportunity to personally thank him for radically changing my life forever!

Keep up the great work!!!!!!

Betty

[sallyseachange]

Re: 2007: Your Year To Get In Shape!

Great post Betty! Thank you!

Now I feel really encouraged to keep up the commitment to exercise that I took last year (not really believing it would work, and of course having to totally re-think that!!!). I'd like to increase some too... maybe, for the first time in my life join a gym!!!! (Oh my! What on earth do I wear to a gym???? Can hardly go in my doggie walking outfit of the most disreputable jeans ever and mud caked walking boots!!! Lol They'd have a fit!! Here in Italy people are soooooo horribly 'dress right' conscious! Ok... I know that's no good reason to procrastinate!).

Onward ever onward to better health!

[ValidRouge]

Re: 2007: Your Year To Get In Shape!

Great Post, Betty! I am recommitting to exercise today for 2007. Tomorrow is my 1 year Atkins Anniversary for this time around. This past year has taught me so many things, and one of them is that exercise is KEY...AND that I CAN DO IT.

I can RUN. I've never been a runner in my life, BUT I AM NOW. I've never been an exerciser in my life, BUT I AM NOW. Wow, what a change. I started running for 10 seconds at a time. YES FOLKS, 10 seconds was all I could do. But, the next week, I pushed for 15 seconds, and then 30 seconds and then 1 minute etc etc. Here I am 5 months later, and I can run .5 mile intervals, and then walk for about 30 seconds for rest and go again for another .5 mile (or sometimes more).

It's about doing what you can do at first and then pushing yourself for that LITTLE bit more week after week. Before you know it, you are running with the big dogs so to speak (or at least I hope to soon).

I'm recommitting to both Strength(resistance) training and cardiovascular training (running) in 2007. Dr. Atkins said that both types of exercise are beneficial.

I am shooting for GOAL in 2007 of 21% body fat, whatever that might weigh for me.

[ttdriver]

Re: 2007: Your Year To Get In Shape!

I can RUN. I've never been a runner in my life, BUT I AM NOW. I've never been an exerciser in my life, BUT I AM NOW. Wow, what a change. I started running for 10 seconds at a time. YES FOLKS, 10 seconds was all I could do. But, the next week, I pushed for 15 seconds, and then 30 seconds and then 1 minute etc etc. Here I am 5 months later, and I can run .5 mile intervals, and then walk for about 30 seconds for rest and go again for another .5 mile (or sometimes more).

It's about doing what you can do at first and then pushing yourself for that LITTLE bit more week after week. Before you know it, you are running with the big dogs so to speak (or at least I hope to soon).

OMG, HOW INSPIRING IS THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!! Girl, I am oh oh oh so so so proud of you!! You are right; YOU ARE A RUNNER! And you've gone about it totally THE RIGHT WAY .. slowly, consistently, persistently, perseveringly!!! WOW!!!!

I COULD NOT AGREE MORE!!! Congrats on the atkinsversary; you have done an outstanding job thusfar! MANY MANY MANY MORE HAPPY HEALTHY YEARS FOR YOU!!!

Whatcha say, you & me...Disney Marathon 2008?

Betty