Tag Archives: weight loss

Pain-ini

Last week I whined about the juice bar in our gym on base selling what I presumed were pizzas at lunch time during my workout.
I’m all for unhealthy food choices as an exercise motivator. We used to celebrate Push For Your Pie Fridays at work, where we’d have a goal of total push-ups performed by the office team, with a pie to share at the end of the day as a reward. (I may re institute this plan in my next job.)
I’m the Spin Instructor who confessed I was only turning the pedals so I could justify a Caramel Macchiato later.
But at the 45:00 point in an hour on the elliptical, the aroma of fresh toasted panini is over the line of what is reasonable!

The political side of me says this is smart and this is capitalism. They have a perfect crowd of hungry customers.

But my rage will not forgive this affront.

It’s the Anti-Thin, the Abomination of Dietary Desolation. It is a wrong thing, a trap for the unwary. And there is nothing but despair within.

This is why I can’t come in here with money.

I want to burn that place to the ground.

I guess I’ll go eat my stinking can of tuna with some steamed green beans instead. And it will taste like ash, as my heart seethes with hatred.

They should know better than to mess with people on a diet.

20140421-132025.jpg

Staying Honest

Does one of your New Year’s resolutions have something to do with fitness?

Are you out to achieve a specific number of pounds off the scale or inches off your waistline?

There’s an old adage that the true magic occurs not in the gym but in the kitchen.

Diet has a great deal to do with fitness… not “diet” like “planned starvation” but diet like taking into account what all you’re eating and making healthy choices.

While counting calories is never fun, I suggest taking advantage of useful resources like the MyFitnessPal app or sites like www.sparkpeople.com to track food consumption.

20140108-203035.jpg

The app gives you a calorie goal based on your activity level, current weight, and goals. There’s a database of foods, you can scan UPCs to make entries, and you can create your own recipes for future use. Sites like sparkpeople have similar capabilities along with resources and articles.

Even if I don’t make my goal on a given day, entering everything keeps me honest and conscious of what all I’m taking in. For a non-marathon-running, non-Crossfit-joining average guy like me, the key to any fitness success has been regular exercise combined with calorie counting.

Give it a shot if you’re not already doing it. I’d love to hear how you like it.

Also, if you already have a tool or method, I’m curious what works best for you.

And best of luck meeting those goals, whether it’s a New Year resolution or a simple desire for a fit lifestyle.