At the age of 49, I was slim & trim. Sure I’d had a couple of bouts of weight gain through out my life, but I’d always managed to get it sorted quite easily.
Then…. Bam! I left my husband of 29 years, ( I won’t go into all that again, it’s covered in my other posts) had a hysterectomy & ended up with some depression.
My weight ballooned by 15kg (33lbs) in about a year and At the time I just couldn’t seem to stop it happening.
In hind sight, I can see why it happened. And that’s the key to losing it.
- Lifestyle change
- Eating & drinking out
- Working longer hours
- Trips away
- Loss of usual exercise routine
2. Major Surgery/Menopause
3. Depression
All these factors would be enough to derail most people from their health & fitness goals! I couldn’t see that at the time though, and just quietly blamed myself for being weak. Sound familiar anyone?
So enough about me! What to do about it?
Today I’m just going to focus on adding exercise into your lifestyle.
I will address the other issues in another post.
The key is to not go on some crazy diet, & purchase an expensive gym membership. I just looked for something affordable (I was on a budget as are most of us) that I’d stick at.
- Get an Exercise Routine happening!
- Find a fitness class in your area that offers pay as you go options. The one I go to costs 12.50 a class with no membership fees. Find an instructor who is motivates & encourages you.
- Walk & talk with a friend – De-stress & excercise at the same time
- Leave the car at home and walk where possible.
- Do you love sport? If you play tennis, volleyball or what ever takes your fancy, join a team. It will be fun, you will make some friends & you’ll gain the benefit of excercise while you’re at it.
- Drag out that push bike! Find a like minded friend to ride with or ride to work.
- Take the dog for a walk, they will benefit as well as you.
Little by little you can change your lifestyle to a more active one without really trying. Even if the only thing you do is introduce some regular extra activity into your lifestyle, the benefits are huge.
- Regular exercise has a positive effect on the mood. When you feel better, you do better.
- Stronger bones
- Reduces your risk of lifestyle related conditions such as diabetes & heart disease
- Helps with weight control. This was a key point for me, because with out some regular activity, my weight just stubbornly stayed put.
But you already know all this stuff! It’s putting it into practice that is a challenge! So here’s what actually worked for me!
The big game changer was joining the fitness group. I’ve been going now for 3 years, I aim for 2-3 classes a week. It includes a mix of weights, core, cardio & flexibility. Building muscle/core means less fussing about calories as you burn more just going about your day. Cardio & flexibility is key as well, especially as we get older.
Rope your hubby/partner/friend in. I did. My man & I walk the dog together, or walk down to the local hotel or restaurant, football etc if we want a night out, then walk home after. It’s surprising how much we both enjoy it & its just normal to us now.
Lastly, make a decision to be fitter, healthier & therefore happier. There is plenty of times that I’m tempted to cancel that class or walk, but I don’t let my self do that anymore. The rewards are greater than the effort so I just do it now. I’m always glad I did.
Until next time
Have a great day
Loraine
The Inspiration Bench 