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★Thoughts about physical fitness and health.

I am certainly not a health and fitness expert. I do want to share some thoughts about physical fitness and health.

I’m becoming more aware of how important physical fitness is in improving your life overall. It’s something that can’t be overlooked, it’s essential and I don’t think there is any way around it. Having said that, what constitutes a physically fit, healthy lifestyle?

Is your real goal to look good or is it to be healthy? The thing is, if your goal is to look good, being healthier is a wonderful bonus. If your goal is to be healthier, looking better is a nice bonus.

Also, what level of fitness are you really trying to achieve? Are you really psyched about looking like a supermodel or a superhunk? Are you looking for a chiseled body or you just want to stop looking like a big fat, fatty? Are you looking to be a body builder or do you just want to be able to do twenty push-ups or climb a few flights of stairs without passing out? These, it seems to me, are pretty good things to think about.

If you want to be an athlete or a supermodel you are going to have a different approach to fitness than if you just want to be reasonably fit and healthy. Either goal is going to require consistent time and consistent effort. If your goal is just to get reasonably fit all you have to do, I think, is to begin exercising every other day and being just a bit more conscious of what you’re eating. Over time you’ll get in way better shape. It might take six months, but you don’t have to torture yourself. Actually, the benefits will become apparent in just a couple of weeks in your energy level. I know Laurie is going to kick my butt for this, but my feeling is that you can make a huge difference just by cutting out most of the soda-pops and ice cream. Cut back on bread a little. Make a conscious effort to eat fruit a little more often and a salad for dinner a couple of times a week. Okay, really I think Laurie would agree with me if the only options you are considering are doing nothing different and incorporating these simple things into your life.

What do you guys think?

All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.
— Gandalf, J.R.R. Tolkien
I’m Alright
Life Less Ordinary

Oh, I also wanted to say that the important thing is that it’s a lifestyle thing. You can feel changes quickly, but if you don’t make it a permanent change the improvements you made will quickly disappear. It’s not like when you paint a wall and it stays painted. You can make very real improvements in just a few weeks and get really, really fit in a matter of months, but if you stop you won’t stay fit. Most of the gains you’ve made will fade quickly. Most of them in as little as a month. Remember, it doesn’t have to be torture and you don’t have to starve yourself. You don’t have to make radical changes. Small changes over time have a HUGE impact. Just like most of the other things we talk about around here.

All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.
— Gandalf, J.R.R. Tolkien
I’m Alright
Life Less Ordinary

Hear hear! It really is just a case of living life successfully, one day at a time. Little and often but consistantly and as Laurie points out, if it can be part of your routine it will be a great help. As themadcookieman puts it, it needs to become part of your life if it’s going to be a permantant fix. I’m getting married to Beverley in June and thought I’d lose a few pounds for the day. The thing is, after losing 12 UK pounds, I’ve desided to stay 12 pounds lighter, so I’ve adopted a healthy routine with both my food and physical fitness. It’s great! Also, with me changing careers eventually, I’ll be able to have even more routine and really get my life sorted. As you may know, I’m an engineer and for the last twenty years, my life has not been my own, so these changes are not just important but long over-due and very welcome. These add up to great and significant changes in my life, but by taking one bite at a time, eventually, I’ll have eaten the whole elephant; so to speak.

Act positively, in the moment, with one eye on tomorrow. Freerace.

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