Tuesday, March 15, 2011

How to Exercise When You Would Rather Just Eat Cake


A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise. ~A.A. Milne



Is it just me or does everyone seem to be running these days?    I tried running too, and after a mere 4 weeks, I realized "Gee - I really do not like running".    (Actually it was very apparent after week 1, but I thought that my distaste for it might pass)

That realization, coupled with the one I had this evening "Gee - I really do like cake....and steak..and pasta" (all food really), puts me and the extra weight that I am carrying in a very difficult position. 

So, while I am probably the right person to come to if want me to taste test your mother's devil's food cake recipe, I am probably not the best person to tell you to get out and exercise.   My own attempts at sticking to a routine have been rife with inconsistency and do-overs.   I am not perfect....I am working at this self care thing too!

I have done some thinking and a little bit of research on the subject to help us both out.   This is my unofficial exercise guide for those of us who would just rather have our cake and then take a nap, but who know that we must take good care of our bodies.  

Here goes:
  1. You will not be successful if you give up everything you love and make yourself do everything you don't love.    If you love red velvet cake, eat red velvet cake.   Just don't eat a whole red velvet cake every day (no matter how tempting that may be).  If you don't like to run, do not start training for a half marathon just because everyone else is.   (the latter is more of a note to myself)
  2. Do something active every day.  I don't like to run, but I do like to walk.   I have found that a little stroll at lunch time is a nice break.   It helps me to clear my mind and sort out my thoughts and make plans.   It doesn't feel like exercise.   Find an activity that invigorates you.   
  3. Work out with a friend.   Find a friend who likes to walk in the morning or hike on the weekend, join a dance class, an indoor soccer league or another active activity that involves others.   Accountability and social interaction can make exercising more fun and not so easy to avoid.   Playing with your kids is also a good way to make exercise enjoyable.
  4. Purchase a stability ball and use it as a chair.  This is my favorite, because it involves just sitting.  A stability ball is a really big rubber ball.   When you sit on a stability ball, instead of a chair, you engage muscles in your core (mid-section).   Strengthening muscles in this area help your posture and can help you alleviate back problems.   It is also difficult to sit still when you sit on a ball...go ahead see if you can use a stability ball without bouncing around.  Good fun!
  5. Define a Compelling Reason for exercising regularly.  For some of my runner friends, a marathon or 5 K on the horizon compels them to hit the pavement each day.   For my non-running, cake eating friends, a different compelling reason may be in order.   Your compelling reason may be as simple and a short term as the rejuvination that a lunch time walk provides each day.   Or it may be a long term goal to lower your blood pressure, to increase your flexibility so you can keep up with the grandkids, or to ensure that you and your hubby have a long and healthy life together.  
Ultimately, our bodies were made for movement.   The important thing is not what you do for exercise, but that you undertake some form of regular activity.   Losing weight is difficult (Believe me, I know this!)   Take things a little bit at a time and be gentle with yourself along the way.   Find something you love to do and regular exercise will be a piece of cake!

9 comments:

Muriel said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Muriel said...

Hi Thanks for visiting my blog. I love yours and your advice makes sense - but I can't help having chocolate every day. Am a new follower!

Jenn (@mommy_grrl) said...

I HATE to run. I still don't know if it's because I suck at it (and I hate that) or because I hate running. I also love to walk, and I have a spaniel puppy would could walk for days, so I'm making her my personal trainer.

I could have chocolate every day, too, like MuMuGB, but I've learned that I'm just as happy with a Chocolate Digestive (2 WW points) with my cup of tea as a piece of cake.

Everything in moderation, right???

I'm a new follower, too!

Self Care Girl said...

Welcome MuMuGB and Jenn! Thank you for stopping by!

sskcraftshop @ Hooks, Needles and Brushes said...

hi, New follower came through blog hop...you can visit me at http://seemask.blogspot.com
http://potspansandspices.blogspot.com
http://cakes4ralloccasion.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

How is it that you are talking to me when I just found you?

I too am surrounded by all these crazed lovers of running. I tried it. I went to the track put on my shiny new running shoes. I stretched. I stretched some more, I liked the stretching part. Counting off the "ready, set, go!" I was off. It was a crazy jiggly, awkward mess. I know because the only witness on the track looked severely upset. The initial goal run the straight parts of the track. I don't think I realized how very long that straight part is. It was like eating a salad in a wooden bowl it just kept growing. When the stitch in my side was too unbearable I limped to a stop, a mere twenty, okay maybe it was more like thirty feet from the first curve in the track. I am sticking with walking. Way more cool, way less jiggling.

I'm with you, I pick cake anytime over running.

thingsthatkeepmesane.com said...

Good tips, I used to hate running. I grew to love it. Thanks for stopping by tonight! Heather
www.thingsthatkeepmesane.com

Samantha Sotto said...

Hi, Self Care Girl! Thanks for stopping by my blog. So glad I went to the gym before I read your post. I don't feel guilty now. LOL :D I'm following you now.

BOWquet said...

Thanks for visiting my blog! :)
And love this post! I'd choose cake over running any day ;)