Exercise…To do or do not…
I think there might be a misconception in the world as to why some people exercise…
The basic mathematical equation behind weight loss is VERY simple and frankly, not really debateable…
You must expend more calories than you take in.
Period.
There are no magic beans.
There are no short cuts.
You can pop every pill you want…Follow any diet you want…
But the concept behind EVERY diet is the same regardless of what label we plastered on it. Even bariatric surgery reduces your ability to take in more calories. EVERY diet can work. EVERY diet will work.
If YOU follow it strictly…FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE…
Yeah…I hear ya…That seems to be the point where we all kind of struggle…
Now.
You CAN lose weight by merely exercising and NOT changing your diet.
AND
You CAN lose weight by merely dieting and NOT exercising
I have seen it happen and know it to be true.
But I am a firm firm believer that to be completely FIT and HEALTHY you must have both.
Notice, I did not say thin.
Exercise is not merely a weight loss tool.
It is a way to completely re-shape your body.
I know this to be a FACT because I lived it.
I was never really a fan of exercising. And I will never be. But for me, it is a necessity.
Have you ever watched a documentary on the human body? It really is a masterpiece. It’s a machine of wondrous proportions doing things for us we cant even fathom.
Why would we treat it any differently than any other wondrous machine we own???
It is a necessity for me, because at my best, I felt the best when I was exercising. And NOT because I exercised and then went out and ate a burger. No. Because when I exercise I feel empowered.
Exercise was NOT an excuse for me to go eat more…Exercise, as crappy as it was some nights, was a way for me to give back to my body in the only way I knew how.
I feel every muscle in my body moving. I feel my body shifting and changing. It clears my mind. It clears my soul. And I feel strong and fit. My heart feels better, my lungs feel cleaner, and I can almost feel the strength growing in my muscles.
There was a time when I had no ass. That’s right. I was flat cheeked…
Over the course of time, by using my elliptical, I got an ass. A very nice one at that. I very lovingly refer to my elliptical butt in several of my blogs. When you battle most of your life against your own body image, finding something you are proud of is a rare moment indeed.
I was proud of my elliptical butt. And while it might be slightly buried right now under a layer of fat, I know its there and will resurface in due time.
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes. That will be my ass…LOL…
Consistently exercising over the last six years of my life has allowed me to complete one 5k after another and even a few 10k’s.
I can go for weeks without exercising now, and then get right back in the game with just a brief adjustment period.
I can honestly say, even at my current weight, I am healthier and more fit than my “Thin” friends. I know this because I leave them in my dust when they exercise with me whether in the gym, on a 5k or a hike through the woods.
Thin does NOT equal fit. And that is a HUGE GIANT misconception amongst many.
So yes. You can sit on the couch, behind your computer, day after day, and achieve great weight loss by merely doing nothing but restricting calories…
But are you fit? Are you truly healthy? Your heart? Your lungs? Maybe…Maybe you are…But the science behind it says probably not…
And yes…You could spend 4 to 5 hours in a gym every day…And achieve a body that’s like a machine…But how realistic is that for MOST of the world??
Its not…
There is always a middle ground…
In weight loss, religion, politics…And in life…Aiming for somewhere in the middle…Taking the best of both worlds and combining them…That is where its at…
How nice would the world be if more people tried harder to meet in the middle than by declaring themselves owners of their own land and be damned if anyone thinks different…
The world is not so black and white. Not by a long shot. Sure, it would be easier if it were, but, well, there is a whole lotta gray in there!
I think when subjects like this come up I get frustrated for several reasons.
First, I am a defender of your blog being your blog and you have the right to say or not say whatever you want…Even when I disagree.
But within that right is also the right to social responsibility.
I believe along with being honest to ourselves and others. Being true to our morals and our beliefs. We must also be aware of who may be out there reading…And its not so much WHAT we are saying but HOW we are saying it.
Yes. People read what we write. Who knew, right? LOL.
I read some of these blogs that go into rants or raves about exercise. Certain diets. Pills. And I am dismayed. Not by your views, because I hate some of those things just as much as you, but its how your message is being delivered…It makes me sad. And disappointed.
I don’t WANT someone to always tell me I am right. Or pat me on the back. Or think that every little thing I do is magic. (Now that song shall be stuck in your head all day!)
If I am having a bad day, or I gained a pound, I want you to tell me to get off my ass and put the chip down, and get my ass to the gym. Don’t sit there and tell me “Its okay…Its okay…” Because its not.
Tough love. We all need it but few of us know how to give it respectfully.
I have more respect for my friends and family when they DON’T agree with me, then go about telling me why. Respectfully. I LOVE A GOOD DEBATE. And I love to discuss these things with people rational and intelligent enough to know the difference between a good debate and a down right witch hunt.
So I guess you can color me one of those silly little people who think you need be socially responsible in what you write. You can say what you need to say without ripping apart a community. You can say what you want to say while still keeping an open mind to those whose opinions may differ from yours.
Maybe, just maybe, you might learn something…If you are open to it…
If you are so stuck in your ways that you refuse to learn, then you might as well be dead, in my opinion, of course…Man…I don’t ever want to stop learning and growing…
Second, and this is a huge one, any one who thinks that America does not have a RISING obesity problem, especially amongst children, really has their head in the sand.
And if you have done any research at all on the topic, then you realize that not only has our food gotten crappy over the years, but our activity levels have decreased significantly.
Gone are the days when we had to be out in the fields at Dawn, pushing our plow behind our horses…Gone also are the days when we could eat steak and potatoes every night to have the energy to do so.
So to sit there and say that exercise is not really necessary, well, I call your bluff. For many people, it is. If you are the lucky one born with a super sonic metabolism, great! How incredibly awesome for you!!!
Sadly, most of us were not. And it’s apparent to anyone with eyeballs that our children were not.
That fact, coupled with the barrage of video games, fast food, processed food, and lack of physical activity has lead many of our streets and parks to be devoid of children running, playing and laughing.
It’s been far too long since I saw a kid in my neighborhood riding a bike after school.
So there you go.
There is not one way that works for everyone. Everyone must find their own way on this journey.
This community. Our friends. Family. Co-workers. They can inspire us. They can motivate us. They can support us. But this journey is OURS to make in any way we can in a way that will work LONG TERM for us.
This is not just a moment in time for most of us. This is not “I need to lose 10 pounds to fit into my wedding dress”. For most of us, we are embarking on a LIFE LONG journey, and the sooner you realize that, the more successful you will be…
And stumbling along the way IS going to happen. No doubt about it.
But picking yourself up and getting back on the path will eventually lead you to your destination.
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