Angie Miller

Article written for Rush-Copley Healthplex Website

 

Exercise and Weight Loss: Five Simple Steps to Success!
Written by Angie Miller

It’s a new year, but the articles, the ads, and the mass marketing frenzy is the same. Turn on the TV or open up a magazine and you’re bombarded with the latest gadgets, the most recent findings, and the quickest ways to lose fat, firm up muscles, and have the perfect body you’ve always wanted. It leaves me to ponder, with all of this new information and these cool gadgets, why are we still hanging on to those last 10 pounds?

Weight loss and exercise really aren’t that complicated, and you don’t need the hottest diet on the market or even a degree in exercise science to figure it all out. If you want to establish a new exercise routine and lose those last 10 pounds, consider these simple steps before you begin.

* Realize there’s one simple formula for weight loss – calories in vs. calories out! You have to burn more calories than you consume. What you consume is important when it comes to body composition, energy level, and overall health and wellness, but the bottom line when it comes to weight loss is you need to burn more than you consume.

* Accept that there is no quick fix! You’ve heard this one time and time again, yet those clever marketers know just how to target our emotions and convince us otherwise. Despite the testimonials, despite the beautiful bodies you see on the infomercials, there isn’t a gadget, tool, machine, ball, or otherwise, that can give you a perfect body in just 10 minutes.

* Find activities that you enjoy! Just because your best friend claims to have lost 10 pounds taking her favorite indoor cycling class doesn’t mean that it’s the answer for you. If you try the class several times, and despite your best efforts it still doesn’t make your heart sing, then move on. Investing time and energy into activities we don’t enjoy is a surefire recipe for disaster. It won’t be long before doing laundry and picking the lint out of the dryer will seem like a more viable alternative. There are so many excellent ways to get a great workout. Find something that makes you want to get out of bed in the morning.

* Be realistic and don’t overdo it! If you’ve never exercised in your whole life, or if you haven’t exercised for a year, or even six months, be realistic about the amount of time you will devote to this new endeavor. You’ll be more likely to succeed if you start gradually and work your way up, that way it won’t feel invasive or overwhelming. To begin with, choose three days a week that you will be able to exercise consistently - i.e., Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Then decide the location, the time, and the type of exercise you will do. After you’ve managed this successfully for at least one month, you can reevaluate and decide if you’re ready to tackle another day. Diving into something headfirst is never a good idea, but diving too quickly into an exercise regime can be downright dangerous. Sore muscles aside, you could risk burnout and possible injury if you do too much too soon.

* Establish a routine ASAP! Routines are good! They’re predictable, they give us a much needed sense of control over our lives, and they allow us to manage our time more efficiently. Now that you’ve tackled number four, you have already created your new exercise routine. Take it to the next level and write out your schedule, post it on the fridge, and share it with your family. Make sure everyone knows that your exercise time is not something you’re willing to compromise. Encourage them to keep you accountable. Kids love doing this! You get to ask them if they did their homework, they get to ask you if you did your exercise.

In the end, we’d all love those pounds to melt off as easy as a chocolate bar melts in our mouth. Who doesn’t love immediate gratification? But when you think about any skill or talent you have cultivated, you know it was hard work and dedication that brought you success. Weight loss and exercise is no different. They go hand in hand, and with a positive, realistic approach, they can be the perfect blend of ingredients that bring you a recipe for long-term health and happiness.

Angie Miller, MS, is a national fitness presenter, personal trainer, and fitness instructor at the Rush-Copley Healthplex in Aurora. She has over 18 years experience in the fitness industry. She is the star of the top selling fitness DVD, Core and Strength Fusion, and the soon to be released, Kettlebell Bootcamp. A former teacher and counselor, Angie resides in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and two daughters.