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Stop making excuses: How to get fit

Mar . 28 . 2007
posted in: personal
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Just about everyone I know hates working out and so I do. Why? It takes time and like you, I’m busy. Other things in life are just more enjoyable than getting sweaty – like watching ‘Dirt’ on FX and eating French fries. But take what Nike says, “Just do it”. That isn’t a secret. You HAVE to push your self even if you’re not in the mood to get moving. The biggest hurdle is motivation.

As a designer, I sit at my desk for about 8-10 hours a day and then I come home and sit some more (as I write this post). For me, it’s really important to stay active because I want to handle stress better, feel good about myself and stay healthy. That’s what motivates me. The bottom line – it’s not about dieting, it’s not about being skinny and there’s no such thing as a quick fix. It’s about feeling good. Staying active is a lifestyle. Make it just as important as catching your favorite TV show and you’ll start seeing changes. Heck, a lot of gyms have TV’s on the cardio machines.

I’m not a nutritionist nor a trainer but I want to share my personal knowledge from respected fitness professionals whom I’ve had the pleasure of training with. I highly recommend doing your own research and contacting your doctor before you start a major routine.

Common Mistakes & Myths:

Cardio alone is enough (FALSE) – Cardio burns fat and having more muscle increases your metabolism so adding muscle will help you burn more calories and loose more fat. Do a combo of weight training and cardio.

Weight training makes women ‘bulky’ or ‘masculine’ (FALSE) – That’s called ‘steroids’. Don’t be a girl when it comes to getting fit – lift some weight. See the point above.

Less pounds = success (FALSE) – Don’t listen to the scale. Muscle weighs more than fat. So you may actually gain weight when you workout. Use a measuring tape to determine the impact of your exercise in addition to a scale and please don’t weigh yourself daily! Your weight can fluctuate quite a bit day to day based on water weight and bowel movements (yummy).

Weight loss pills help (FALSE) – if it sounds too good to be true it is. Be natural and don’t fall into the “I want it now” mentality. All of those diet tablets are just marketing ploys. No one gains those extra 10 pounds in 1 day so it doesn’t make sense that a diet pill will fix that. It takes time and dedication. Eat smart and get moving.

Don’t eat carbs (FALSE) – This doesn’t mean you should overload on carbs. You need carbohydrates for energy but be sure to choose complex carbohydrates – it’s about the types of carbs and quantity in which you eat them. For example, you can have ice cream but try one scoop instead of two or three. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes for your brain to feel satisfied after eating.

What it takes to get fit:

  • Get exercise a minimum of 3 days a week.
  • Do cardio for at least 30 minutes each time
  • The last few reps of weight lifting count the most – so close your eyes and focus.
  • Alternate upper body workouts and lower body workouts
  • Listen to your body
  • Form is more important than how much weight you can handle
  • Switch it up and don’t get bored
  • Challenge yourself

Nutrition:

  • Drink Water, at least 8 glasses a day. It helps flush your system and keep you hydrated.
  • Eat Fiber (fruits and veggies)
  • Eat complex carbs (brown rice, wheat bread, sweet potatoes, and oatmeal)
  • Avoid white stuff (white bread, sugar, and white potatoes)
  • Lean protein is good (Grilled chicken no skin, tofu, lean beef, and fish)
  • Don’t drown your salads (Put dressing on the side and dip your fork in it)
  • Eat Slower (it takes 20 to 30 minutes for your brain to realize you’ve had enough)
  • Watch Portions (Bottom line – most portions are bigger than you need)
  • Eat Often (By eating 4 – 5 small meals a day you’ll feel more satisfied and have energy)
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  • http://www.garamiz.hu/blog G Zoli

    It is true, I realised, that when Im busy, and don’t have the time to go and train for 1-2 weeks, I feel tired, and even get tired easier.
    The best thing is swimming, when I go to swim and after I work through the night, it is much more better. I don’t feel tired at all.

  • http://www.truebluetitan.com Rob Schultz

    Excellent write-up! I find all too often that when people become stressed and busy it’s their workout that is the first thing to get dropped.

    To me, the diet is such an important part of the ‘get fit’ process. You can work out like a mad man, but until you start eating right you won’t see the gains in definition that you would like.

    If you want some kind of program to follow then I highly suggest the Body For Life challenge. A couple co-workers and I took the challenge and over the course of 3 months I lost roughly 20 lbs and 8% body fat.

    I’m planning on doing it again, this time with more protein in my diet, but the regiment of the diet and exercise plans really helped me to stay on track.

  • http://www.ronaldbeach.com Ron

    I went through a hospital program and they stressed almost everything you mentioned, especially the water. The end result is that I have lost 50 lbs but have another 50 to go. For me 50 lbs is not even one chin :) My blood pressure is much better and I have more energy to meet a demanding schedule.

    Going to the gym is great, when I stay on schedule, but once I fall off of the wagon it is hard to get going again. My goal is more energy and to make sure that I am with my wife for another 36 years.

  • http://recently.rainweb.net jacob harvey

    It is definitely refreshing to get some straight forward information like that. Especially the point about women and lifting weight. I can’t even count how many female friends have argued forever about weight lifting. Keep telling all this to your female friends. ;)

  • http://www.longzero.com Long Nguyen

    Doing all that while watching Dirt and also working while watching Dirt can be very entertaining.

  • http://www.search-this.com mark

    I work out about 4 days a week. But it never seems like a ‘work out’ – the reason is because I go to the gym with friends so it’s social too and even fun.

    If you are having a tough time getting your butt in the gym, I would find a friend to go with you and hold you accountable.

    And be sure to mix up your work out routine.

    Good point of the carbs too Larissa. The reality is people can eat whatever they want, but the catch is, you have to burn it. If you’re going to eat all that pasta and meatballs and then burn it off the next day, no problem. But, if you eat big and then sit around, big problem.

  • Mike

    Great tips Larissa!! All are 100% true!! I used to be a personal trainer and you nailed the top 5 things that my clients seemed to be mislead about when I first talked to them.
    If anyone reading this post has doubts, take it from me, Larissa is spot-on with her advice here!

  • willavie

    hey,i’m from China. i will start my work in july..the new one..and i think maybe some of ur points r right…treat it actively, u’ll find more happiness..just it..

  • http://www.jorgeq.com Jorge Quinteros

    Preach, Larissa, preach! Great entry. I think the operative word in the entire article is “lifestyle”. People generally get to consumed and caught up in trying to do so many things and anything to reach their desire look and it’s not about the whole process becoming an inconvenience but rather to incorporate it seamlessly into your life. I love working out and feeling that good soreness the day after.

  • Ryan

    “Busy” is just a bullshit excuse lazy people use, weight training takes an hour – that is the best amount of time for you to take doing weight training. Can’t find an hour in your day? that’s crap, wake up a little earlier, it isn’t hard at all to find that time.

    Oh and Mark (post #6), I disagree about eating whatever you want, yes if you burn those calories you are “fine”, but you have 500 calories from say ice cream, or 500 calories from chicken, are both going to be the same? Hell no, one is going pretty much straight to fat, one helps with muscle, a calorie isn’t just a calorie, there is so much more to it.

    I love doing weights, cardio, not so much but it needs to be done lol. Currently I just started doing Crossfit, a lot more satisfying then the regular weight lifting routine.

  • Matt

    Hi Larissa -
    You’ve written a great post here as the comments above are clear testament too. Just thought I add an extra ‘two-penneth’ if I may too…
    1) Remember that a calorie is not JUST a calorie – there are ‘good’ and ‘bad’ (i.e. ones our body’s can make decent use of, and those that are – for all intents and purposes empty – eg. sucrose)… scientist’s recent confirmation of this turned some theories from recent decades right on their head lol.
    2) Recovery is where the real change occurs. Quickest way to burn fat is to build some muscle – it’s known as an ‘active metabolic agent’ and literally burns calories just to stay there. However, to ensure you get some decent muscle, it ‘s imperative to give yourself enough time between workouts for your immune-, endocrine-, and nervous system to recover too.
    In a nutshell, a decent 45-min cardio session will elevate your heart DURING the session, and get your metabolic rate UP for a while after, but you’ll burn far more calories over the remaining 23-hour period if you add a little muscle to your frame.
    Thanks!