Embrace the Strange:Enter Fitland
January 1st 2007 11:26
Amidst the silliness of New Year's resolutions which are dissolved almost as soon as they are resolved, there are those which take on a seriousness that merits some attention.
Recently I came upon a cry of desperation in a magazine from someone who was 17 years old and 50 lbs overweight. This is sad particularly since those of us over 30 know that its easier to get out of shape later in life than earlier. Let's say for the sake of argument that you are similarly as desperate to change your fitness level. What is it going to take?
In my last post I attempted to distinguish between the ingenuous resolution and the genuine revolution which it is going to take to bring about change. Simply put- You have to start and continue to do a bunch of stuff you don't want to do. The strange and the uncomfortable will have to be your new habitat.
If you are not a gym person, become one. Put your outfit on and go right in there. If you are self-conscious, beg a friend to go and sort of cling to them as your link to the familiar. If your friends are confirmed slugs, get a trainer-pay the money and then get your money's worth. All the strange equipment? Do what you understand and watch. The denizens of Fitland will show you what to do with those weird contraptions. Take a simple workout out of a magazine. Do it and go home. Go back in a couple of days and do it again. For fitness sake, don't show up on Monday or Wednesday evening. Its too crowded. Ask the manager when the gym is less crowded and get some workouts in at that time. After a few sessions you will be at home.
Eating? If you're out of shape, food probably had something to do with it. You will have to approach food in a strange way. How about as a necessary evil and not as the pleasure center of your life. Take a look at the vegetable/greens section of the grocery and plan to use these strange foods to sate your hunger. You already know the sections of the store to stay out of. Again its about comfort. Eating a head of cabbage and broccoli is going to be weird, but only until your belt isn't so tight and then the strange land of greens will seem hospitable if not cozy. Repeat after me:"Food is for fuel, not for pleasure. Loose fitting cloths are the real sensual delight."
You are going to have to creep into a dimension into which you may never have dreamed of entering: the discipline sphere. Set yourself down right this second, take a piece of paper and pen, and write out what your fitness level is going to be on July 1. How many sizes smaller are you going to be? How many sets of weights are you going to able to do in a 30 minute period. How many 30 minute workouts will you be doing in a week? Write it down and put it under the socks in your sock drawer which you never wear. Then sit down again and start to apply your intellect to a system that will start you on the track to the goals you outlined. For fun start visualizing what its going to be like when you are in shape and people are asking you how you did it.
Finally, review some of the posts at nomythfitness.com. What You Won't Do comes to mind, as do I Pursue the Holy Grail of Fitness, My Fitness Myth Buster Trust, A Diet That Makes Sense, and Aerobic Weight Training. The new you has got to be a fitness information junkie. I better see Muscle Mag and Muscular Development on you coffee table when I come over,too. Your servant, as always.
Recently I came upon a cry of desperation in a magazine from someone who was 17 years old and 50 lbs overweight. This is sad particularly since those of us over 30 know that its easier to get out of shape later in life than earlier. Let's say for the sake of argument that you are similarly as desperate to change your fitness level. What is it going to take?
In my last post I attempted to distinguish between the ingenuous resolution and the genuine revolution which it is going to take to bring about change. Simply put- You have to start and continue to do a bunch of stuff you don't want to do. The strange and the uncomfortable will have to be your new habitat.
If you are not a gym person, become one. Put your outfit on and go right in there. If you are self-conscious, beg a friend to go and sort of cling to them as your link to the familiar. If your friends are confirmed slugs, get a trainer-pay the money and then get your money's worth. All the strange equipment? Do what you understand and watch. The denizens of Fitland will show you what to do with those weird contraptions. Take a simple workout out of a magazine. Do it and go home. Go back in a couple of days and do it again. For fitness sake, don't show up on Monday or Wednesday evening. Its too crowded. Ask the manager when the gym is less crowded and get some workouts in at that time. After a few sessions you will be at home.
Eating? If you're out of shape, food probably had something to do with it. You will have to approach food in a strange way. How about as a necessary evil and not as the pleasure center of your life. Take a look at the vegetable/greens section of the grocery and plan to use these strange foods to sate your hunger. You already know the sections of the store to stay out of. Again its about comfort. Eating a head of cabbage and broccoli is going to be weird, but only until your belt isn't so tight and then the strange land of greens will seem hospitable if not cozy. Repeat after me:"Food is for fuel, not for pleasure. Loose fitting cloths are the real sensual delight."
You are going to have to creep into a dimension into which you may never have dreamed of entering: the discipline sphere. Set yourself down right this second, take a piece of paper and pen, and write out what your fitness level is going to be on July 1. How many sizes smaller are you going to be? How many sets of weights are you going to able to do in a 30 minute period. How many 30 minute workouts will you be doing in a week? Write it down and put it under the socks in your sock drawer which you never wear. Then sit down again and start to apply your intellect to a system that will start you on the track to the goals you outlined. For fun start visualizing what its going to be like when you are in shape and people are asking you how you did it.
Finally, review some of the posts at nomythfitness.com. What You Won't Do comes to mind, as do I Pursue the Holy Grail of Fitness, My Fitness Myth Buster Trust, A Diet That Makes Sense, and Aerobic Weight Training. The new you has got to be a fitness information junkie. I better see Muscle Mag and Muscular Development on you coffee table when I come over,too. Your servant, as always.
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Comment by katyzzz
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MS Paint Art
Really well done.
katyzzz
Comment by B
Comment by Joe Blogg
Joe Blogg's Blog
manchesterunited
collingwoodfootballclub
Set goals tubby!
And do as John says - write 'em down.
Chart your whole year from A to B.
And leave the fried chicken to us normal folk.
It drives me nuts on the rare times I do choose to indulge in crap food & the drive thrus are jammed with FBs buying everything on offer.
And stay off the beaches until May!!