workin' on my fitness

i feel incredibly dorky doing this,. but since it is is one of my favorite things in life, i have decided to do some fitness or health related posts every once in awhile.

i will be the first to admit that i am by no means an expert and have no actual training or formal education on the subject.  i just love everything related to the body and being healthy.

if you read this and think i'm an idiot, i do not take offense.  if you read it and find something you like, then even better.  and if you read this and are embarrassed for me, then please tell me and i'll stop doing posts like this and we'll pretend it never happened.  deal?

i'm just gonna start off with my own fitness commandments, and the plan is to just post my own workouts or health tips every so often.  i'm not going to become a "fitness blogger".  i'm not going to post any radical ideas that no one has ever heard of.  and i don't think that my advice is better than anyone else's.

the main idea of my "commandments" is that it makes it my lifestyle.  it isn't a diet or fad or something extreme that i am going to only follow for a month.  it is my life, day in and day out, and has been for 5+ years now.  i'm not burning myself out or killing myself, so it makes being healthy and working out easier to do, and even enjoyable.  that's how i feel at least.


ok i think that's enough warnings.  now here goes nothing.


1.  weights are your best friend, and cardio is overrated.  
ok, maybe not ALL cardio is overrated.  i just hate it with a passion.  i haven't done more than 20 minutes on a treadmill/elliptical/bike in years.  girls are so afraid of lifting because they think they will be big and manly, but i can assure you that's false.  i used to be THAT girl on the elliptical... you know the one.  the girl who spends hours on the elliptical watching tv or reading at the same time, but never gets any skinnier.  i hated going to the gym.  then i started lifting and everything changed!!!  i lost weight and inches, and i loved working out.  it's simple people.  lifting gives you more muscle.  muscle takes up less space than fat, so if you have more muscle you are smaller.  the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns - even when you're NOT working out.  therefore, lifting = muscle = everything you want.

2.  aim to work out about 4 days a week, no longer than an hour each time.  
maybe you don't agree with this.  maybe you need to work out more often or for longer periods to feel like you are getting a good workout.  but for me, this is plenty.  i never work out on sundays, and then i have one or two free days a week.  this way i never feel guilty or bad for days that i don't have time or simply don't feel like working out.  i also never stay more than an hour, and usually it's more like half an hour.  that way i never feel like i can't fit it in or get bored at the gym, because that makes working out seem too stressful and hard to commit to.  but i also never rest when i work out.  it's 30 minutes non-stop (that way you get your heartrate up and boom - there's your cardiovascular workout!).  oh and i should also mention i don't ALWAYS go to the gym.  i have plenty of workouts that i can do without ever leaving my house (i also have days where i consider a long walk with my dog my workout). 

3.  when it comes to eating, follow the 80/20 rule.
once i went off sugar for a week.  only a week.  then i couldn't take it anymore, and i binged on anything and everything sugary and chocolatey.  it's obvious that i can't handle cutting the sweet stuff out completely (or dairy.  i can't leave out my cheese).  so now i just aim for eating healthy 80% of the time.  i don't cut out things because as soon as i do, it's all i can think about.  i eat cheese, ranch dressing, carbs, chocolate, etc.  it makes me happy.  however i eat it in moderation, because i don't want clogged arteries at the age of 25.  moderation doesn't work for some people.  but it works for me and i recommend it.  you will feel good because you are eating healthy the majority of the time, but you will be happy because when it's your friends birthday you can eat cake without feeling bad about it. (and P.S.  yes there are certain times in life where i don't follow 80/20 completely.  mainly when sugar and hormones combine.  being better about this is my new years resolutions)

4.  workout and eat clean to be healthy and live longer - NOT to be a fitness model.  
not dissing on fitness models.  you people rock and are more mentally tough then i ever could be.  but i'm not on a quest for a perfect, rock hard body (although i am envious of any girl with a 6-pack).  if i was, i wouldn't live by my above mentioned mottos.  i realize that i don't care enough to be that dedicated.  my main concern is my own health.  i want to avoid any illnesses or injuries that i possible can.  i want my body to be healthy and strong, and to be one of those old ladies that can still do cartwheels with my grandchildren.  i figure i'm only given one body, so i might as well make it the best body that i can (but still enjoy food, because i sure love food).


well i think that's a long enough post for one day, yeah?  in the future, these posts will be much less wordy and hopefully less boring.  or maybe i will feel too dumb and future posts will never happen.  i'm feeling a little embarrassed right now actually so i'm just going to stop here.

thanks for not judging me.