I Want it and I Want it NOW!!

Seems like everyone is impatient to see results. If things don't happen fast enough, they give up or give in. I hear this from so many people. "I tried to get in shape but I just couldn't so I gave up," or "I lost a couple pounds but then it just stopped so I thought I'd just go back to eating. At least I'm getting some satisfaction from food." Then there's my fave: "I just don't have time now. I'll try to get in shape next summer. Or next year." Or never?



The trouble is, everyone progresses at a different rate. Some people lose weight just by cutting back on calories a wee bit. Some are able to bulk up with tons of rock hard muscle in a matter of months while others struggle to gain a mere half inch.


But no one, and I mean no one attains everything they want as fast as they want. And you can't compare yourself with the perfect physiques you see on this website because you have no idea what it took for them to look like that!


There are four kinds of people / attitudes when it comes to transforming their bodies:


1. Those who's heart was never really in it and they give up before they even start, spending more time making excuses than anything else;


2. Those who give it a halfway try and wind up a tad better than they were, peter out and will likely be back at square one in a few months;


3. Those who plan their strategy and live it, taking each success in stride and moving forward toward their goal, understanding that it takes time; and


4. Those who are so dedicated (usually due to an upcoming competition or transformation challenge) that they put their entire body and soul into it and acheive results quickly.


BUT--and any of you who have been in category 3 know this--it is rare for a person to stay in peak condition year round. It is just too much work! Even the fittest of the fit have off-seasons when they lose all semblance of the ripped god or goddess in the pictures. They just know they'll have to amp the diet and exercise back up to reveal that stunning bod!


So, my point is, don't expect miracles. Don't expect to work out for six months and look like Ava Cowan. Probably ain't gonna happen.


Instead:

-Give yourself and your body time to adjust to what you are trying to achieve.

-Set realistic goals that are achievable, to do otherwise is to set yourself up for failure.

-Keep a log or journal of your progress and note what seems to be working and what is not.

-When you feel like quitting, get some support from people who want to help you achieve your goals.

-Celebrate each milestone (even the small ones) by rewarding yourself. It doesn't have to be huge, maybe a new pair of lifting gloves or work out shorts or even a little cheat treat like a Mocha Latte from Starbuck's.

-And always remember, Rome was not built in a day. Anybody in a fitness magazine that you admire will tell you it takes a heck of a lot of time and dedication to get to the place they are and nearly as much to stay there.

If it's worth having, it's worth waiting for. And your new body is definitely worth having AND waiting for!!

Go for it and never look back! You'll be so glad you did.



Sue

Obesity and Depression Go Hand in Hand

Over the past couple days I have talked to more than a few women who are depressed because they are overweight and can’t seem to do anything (consistently) about it. Often they feel like failures.


Then I happened on an interesting article explaining that middle-aged women are much more likely to be depressed if theyare obese, and vice versa. Rising excess weight goes along with less physical activity, higher calorie intake — and depression — according to the research.

The reason, said lead author Gregory Simon, M.D., is that depression and obesity likely fuel one another. “When people gain weight, they’re more likely to become depressed, and when they get depressed, they have more trouble losing weight,” said Simon, a psychiatrist and researcher at Group Health Cooperative in Seattle.

For the study, researchers interviewed 4,641 female health-plan enrollees, ages 40 to 65, by phone. The women were asked questions regarding height, weight, exercise levels, dietary habits and body image. They also completed the Patient Health Questionnaire, a measure of depression symptoms.

Women withclinical depression were more than twice as likely to be obese, defined as having a body-mass index (BMI) of 30 or more; likewise, obese women were more than twice as likely to be depressed.

Not surprisingly, women with BMIs at or above 30 exercised the least, had the poorest body image and ingested 20 percent more calories than those with lower BMIs. The depression-obesity association held even when the researchers factored in marital status, education, tobacco use and antidepressant use.

The association was stronger in this study than in previous, comparable ones — possibly because the sample was predominantly white and middle-class. “There is some evidence that being overweight is less stigmatized for men, for lower-income people and for women in nonwhite ethnic groups,” Simon said.

The stigma of being overweight could hurt self-esteem, and thus, efforts to lose weight, Simon said. “It’s not that these women are clueless,” he said. “It’s that they’re hopeless. The takeaway for obese women is to focus on rebuilding their spirit, which can help with losing pounds,” he said.

My take on this is that we need to give all the support we can to the women (and men) who wish to make a change to not only their physical size but to their life and well being.  No one wants (or needs) to be overweight, much less depressed. Life is too short...we need to enjoy every minute and be able to enjoy the bodies we live in!!

Sleep Yourself Thin

I just found an interesting study by the Eastern Virginia Medical School…they found that thin people sleep an average of two hours more per week than overweight people.




They think that lack of sleep causes hormonal changes that could make you gain weight.




Interesting, isn’t it? I have always been a good sleeper. Even now I sleep nine hours a night on average. And I’ve always been what would be considered "thin." My sleep isn't always quality sleep; I wake up several times each night but usually can get back to sleep fairly easily. I would say that overall I average eight good hours of sleep most nights.



If you are trying to lose weight, it might be worth a try to get some extra shuteye. It calculates out to 17 extra minutes per day or night. A nice afternoon catnap just might make the difference. I’m not a napper, but if I was I would sure give it a go!

Sleep Good Everyone!