Shut Up and Try It

Image: Wikipedia

I know you’re asking yourself, “self, where is that bleeping technology post that she keeps promising us?”

Well, I assure you that I have some excellent excuses.

1. I am writing my master’s thesis in the biomechanics of human movement. You want me to be a master of human movement, don’t you?
2. I got a vicious computer virus and am now forced to work on a mac. They are easier to use, you say? Phooey! I spend half the time trying to figure out where my little program window ran off to.
3. I was cutting up some chayote yesterday and my hand went totally numb then started to peel. I thought I was going to die. OK, this didn’t really interfere with blogging but it did totally freaked me out for at least 3 minutes.

So today I have, for your enjoyment, not the technology post.

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The Entire Point

I was thinking about why I started this website and I realized that we haven’t really addressed the real point of it.

Over my life, I have tried a LOT of diets and fitness programs. I know that most people (especially women) do try and fail with a lot of programs to either lose weight or improve their fitness level.

As an exercise physiologist, I’ve learned a lot about what is effective on the human body and, more importantly, on the human mind.

The real crux of the issue is that it’s a LOT easier to find ways to lose weight and get in shape than it is to find a routine that you can stick with in the long-term.

Hence, the Shut Up and Try It approach.

It really matters very little whether you reduce your calories, take up kickboxing, cut back on carbs, work in a community garden, go on a yoga retreat or become a vegetarian.

All of these things have the potential to get a person to his/her health goals.

The only question is which of those things will get YOU to YOUR health goals.

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And the Answer Is… I Don’t Know.

I really don’t know and you probably don’t either, which means it does require a little bit of experimentation to find your fitness groove.

I believe that by knowing this ahead of time, you will feel less frustrated when a program doesn’t really click for you.

Do you get bent out of shape when your sister wears purple shoes that you find hideous? Are you offended that your husband hates mushrooms even though you think they are divine?

Of course not! You know that everyone has different tastes and preferences in life. And that goes for what to eat and how to exercise. Just because a certain diet or fitness class worked for your BFF doesn’t mean you’re going to fall in love with it.

So you have to know that you’re going to try a few things before you find something that works…

…And that it might not work forever. Remember blue eyeshadow? How you used to feather you hair? Wouldn’t be caught dead in those looks now, but you LOVED them back then (don’t deny it, I’ve seen the photos). So it is with your health habits. Over time, you will find yourself dreading Tae-bo and preferring a fork to the eye over another bite of tofu. That’s totally fine. You just need to be willing to be flexible and move on to the next healthy idea that sounds like it might have a place in your life.

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Give Peas a Chance

The only little catch is that change isn’t particularly easy for humans. We like routine and we like less work instead of more (that sounds like you? me too!).

So many health habits that could ultimately change your life are laid by the wayside after a week or two of discomfort.

Before you abandon a diet or fitness program, do try to give it at least 6 weeks. This will help you get over the initial effort and perhaps settle into a comfortable routine with your new program.

I will say that there are exceptions. If a change is threatening your well-being, it has to go. This includes:

• Overtraining – some exercise is good, more is not necessarily better.
• Undertraining – if your fitness program has you dreading the gym enough to stop going, it’s time to try something else.
• Malnutrition – I’m all for achieving a healthy weight but not at the expense of the nutrients your body needs for general health.
• Insomnia/Lack of sleep – whether it’s skipping out on sleep you need to hit the gym or a diet that has you up all night, 7-8 hours of sleep per night is a must.

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Choose Wisely

As with marriage, the success of health habits is assured in the selection, as much as in the implementation. Pick diets and exercise programs that sound good to you – that sound exciting, easy, fun, reasonable, achievable, whatever it is you are looking for.

Keep in mind your own very personal preferences. You are way better off finding a way to work with your personality and interests than overhauling your whole being.

Social butterfly? Take group classes, start a neighborhood fitness group, get a workout buddy. Lone ranger? Build a home gym, use the track off-hours, make a collection of home workout videos.

You are much more likely to succeed if you are excited about the changes you are making, rather than feeling overwhelmed or limited by your program.

So, spend some time thinking about what might work for you. Look through the ideas that I am collecting on the site. Google some stuff. Make a goal list. Then quit your excuses/complaining/procrastinating and just try it.

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Did you find a way to mesh your personality and interests with your health habits? How do you know when it’s time to give up on a program that you’ve committed to? Did you know that Mexican squash could be so dangerous? Share your thoughts in the comments!!!

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TRY IT: Eat Better, Not Less

Image: Creativity+ Timothy K Hamilton

As part of a series on the common New Year’s resolution of losing weight, LifeHacker covered some tips on changing what you eat instead of how much you eat.

This is advice I often give to people who are new to making lifestyle changes.

Sometimes I even suggest eating MORE – adding healthy fruits/veg/whole wheat/yogurt on top of normal meals  – to start the transition to a better diet.

The LifeHacker post covers:

• Using basic recipes to incorporate new, healthier foods into your diet.
• Simplifying your “diet” – in other words, try to eat less meat or more veggies instead of following a complex regime set out in many diet books.
• Use rice cookers, crockpots and microwaves to simplify cooking.
• Follow the USDA Food Pyramid for easy food guidelines.

I loved this article because it really focuses on reducing the barriers that most people face to healthy eating.

Changing habits can be overwhelming, so making simple first steps can make the difference between giving up or changing your life. Of course, everyone is different so if any of this advice sounds hard/stupid/boring, don’t do it!

Find changes that are comfortable for you and when those are easy-peasey, move on to the next step.

On a personal note, my husband would be dead of starvation if we didn’t have a slow cooker (crockpot, same thing). You can find them for literally $20. You cut up veggies, throw them on top of meat/beans/rice/lentils/spices, hit a button, come back in 6-10 hours and eat it. It can be a big help if the food preparation part of healthy eating seems like torture.

So, what are ways that you’ve simplified your eating plan? Do you focus on eating well or eating less? What kitchen tools and tricks have made healthy eating a breeze for your household?