Whenever you hear of people who has successfully lost weight they didn't take some magic pills, only eat carrot shavings, and waited for the fat to start melting off. They incorporated a lifestyle change. You can't exercise hours out of the day then go home and pig out on tacos, fried potatoes, and other of life's most delicious treats (tacos and fried potatoes are some of my very favorites!). Neither can you expect to loose a pound by eating only salads but vegging out on the couch. You have to do both. You need to eat right AND exercise if you want any results. I've been on both ends of the spectrum here. I tried eating right but not getting much exercise and then I've tried exercising a lot but eating whatever I wanted. Nothing happened. I stayed the same. Finally, my light bulb flipped on about two or three months before my wedding. I started eating better and exercising in the morning before I went to work. I hadn't noticed any results in the past three months that I had been exercising but when I tried this combo I started noticing a difference in only a couple of weeks. I lost five pounds in three weeks!!
Knowing that this will work, Pat and I have started eating right and try to exercise every morning through the week. I bought a healthy recipe book before we officially got started and it has been great! The book is So Easy by Ellie Krieger. I have really enjoyed it because no matter what I pic to fix I know that I will not be regretting it later! It's broken down into breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. Then it is broken down even further by meal that are quick and then some that take a bit more prep time for when you are home.
We are trying not to burn ourselves out by eating so strictly, so we decided that we would treat ourselves on the weekends (in moderation, of course). This way we'll have something to look forward to and will be less likely to give up.
Another way we a trimming down is exercising five days a week. We got an exercise bike at the beginning of the year (love sales!) that Pat has been using. He really likes it. We got the ProForm 110 R Bike from Sears. Instead of sitting directly over the peddles you sit back in a seat. This is suppose to be low impact for your knees (Patrick really needs that) and is easier on your back. Also, it is super quiet!! It makes practically no noise. You can plug your iPod into it listen to some rockin' tunes or an audio book. When I used it I read a magazine! It has different training programs that vary in difficulty so you get a great workout. It will track how many miles you have biked, calories burned, and your heart rate!
I tend to do best with workout videos. I have several Denise Austin DVDs. A great DVD of her's to get started with is her Personal Training System. You start out slow and work your way up as you get stronger.
I am currently trying out Jillian Michaels' DVD 30 Day Shred. I've just got started but hopefully I will start seeing results soon. It is hard!!
I think one of the reasons I like exercise DVDs so much is that I have someone pushing me along. If I feel like I can't do another bicep curl or crunch the trainer is there edging me on. Also, it gives me a chance to watch the pros to know the correct way to do these exercises so that I can maximize my results. If I am left to my own I will dilly-dally until I have wasted thirty minutes standing around just trying to figure out what to do! I like being able to turn my DVDs on, have someone show me what I need to be doing, and be done with it.
So far, this has been working well for us. We're starting our third (consecutive) week of our healthy living plan. We both can already tell that our cloths are fitting better! That is great motivation to keep going for good! We want to set a good example for our future children and live healthy enough to enjoy each other's company for years and years.
Wish us luck!
Jess
Good for you guys!! Keep it up!
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