Julie, Barbara and Ellen keep it real with fitness facts and Philly tips. | Disclaimer
JULIE, personal trainer and former athlete and coach: “I’ve got to start an exercise routine” and “I am starting an exercise routine” are the clear components to your question. If you are not committed to beginning the routine, you certainly will not be committed to the daily execution of the routine. Stop trying to disguise the five pounds from Thanksgiving and get your active pursuit of health in gear! Take the 10 pounds of Christmas cookies that are lying around and use them as weights to begin your fitness program today! You can find other nutrition tips at FoodAndHealth.com. And for inspiration, sing along:
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Oh, the weather outside is frightful But the gym is so delightful And since you don’t want to grow, Let us go! let us go! let us go!
It doesn’t show signs of stopping |
When you finally make it clear, That you hate how you look and feel You will know that a change is near And take steps to improve how you feel
Your fat cells are slowly dying |
BARBARA, retired teacher, singer and arts & cultural consultant: I say, life is full of indulgences and as Americans we have more than most people. If you’re reading this web page, you are one who also makes choices. So... you can start now or choose to wait until January.
Getting back to the indulgences....It’s all a mind game, and this time around you can change the rules. You know most of the time we all eat all of the goodies from November clear through New Year’s Day. So why not make life a bit more interesting and indulge every other day or at every other opportunity or better yet only on the weekends or only on, say, Tuesday? Or eat only the goodies served on red plates or china? Make a game out of it. And tell us, "your girlfriends," about your game plan. It might help us or someone else.
Another thing you can do is change your indulgences. I mean, sugar and butter are good, but so is getting your nails done or catching a movie alone. Get creative about it And make sure you do things that YOU want to do and that help propel you into the new year with a jumpstart on your health and fitness goals.
ELLEN, journalist and fitness dummy: I lost 30 pounds last year and I’ve put a little back on, but it’s been a rough year with the economy crashing and the prospect of war always hanging on the horizon. I sure would understand someone eating her way through the holidays. This is why they call it comfort food. It’s comforting. Exercise is hard work.
Sister Mary's story on our opening page is certainly inspirational. I figure if she can do it, so can I. I truly despise getting up early in the morning to go exercise in the winter. I'm pretty sure it's some form of seasonal affect disorder. So here's my one tip. I will sleep in my workout clothes so I can just roll out of bed and stumble to the car to drive to the gym. I also am looking this year for lo-cal holiday recipes and would love to hear from those of you --- men and women --- reading this site.
Julie will tell you that developing more muscles helps you burn off calories quicker. However, after having hit the big 5-0 this year, I really have to watch the sweets and alcohol or I turn into the Michelin Woman. I monitor weightwatchers.com for some lo-cal tips. And I use this really terrific recipe for a festive but nonalcoholic drink that I got at a fundraiser for the Caron Foundation, a chemical dependency treatment facility in Wernersville with new offices in Philadelphia:
Avenue B Sparkling Metropolitan
Chill a martini glass. In shaker filled wih ice, add orange syrup, lime juice and cranberry juice. Shake well. Pour mixture into martini glass. Fill martini glass with cold Aranciata. Garnish with an orange zest.
My weekends are very busy. Is it best to exercise on certain days of the week and take the weekend off? Or should you try to get a fitness routine everyday? Twice a week is about all I have time for.
Posted by: wilma on November 30, 2002 03:00 PMI spend a lot of time alone. I am too young to drive to a gym. Is there a book or a TV show after school that I can watch that could help me learn an exercise routine?
Posted by: jasper on November 30, 2002 03:06 PMRaking leaves works for me!
Posted by: tom on November 30, 2002 06:12 PMFittness should start today. If you continue toeat everything yousee during the holiday you will be better off if you are exercising. Get started!
Posted by: Garth on November 30, 2002 07:34 PMI've just turned 50, and I never exercised much. In the warm weather, I'd walk or ride a bike on the weekends, but I hate the cold so I tended to spend the entire winter indoors. The idea of going to a gym and seeing younger women in cool clothes and totally fit really was a turn-off. Then I heard about Pilates, a stretching/fitness routine that's been around since the 1920's or 1930's. I signed up for a class nearly two years ago, and I'm totally hooked. I now take a one-hour class twice a week, and I rarely miss a session. Even when I'm tired and stressed and think I just can't do it, once I get there it's the absolute best thing. I feel better, and it's great to know that I've really strengthened my core (stomach and back). I'm also sure that it will help delay the onset of arthritis, which has hit nearly every older woman in my family. I'm in much better shape than I ever was. I know it sounds silly, but Pilates has changed my life.
Posted by: Catherine Vellotti on December 1, 2002 01:46 PMI try to do things in moderation including eating, drinking, exercising, sleeping. A sweet tooth (Dad was a dentist) is a problem particularly at night. I always have dessert, and I don't mean fresh fruit. The best way for me to cut down on evening sweets is not having anything around that is gooey and sweet. The holidays won't be different in terms of exercise and eating. If I do overdue it for a few days, then I shall try and cut back for a few days after the splurge.
Posted by: Susan Jaffe on December 1, 2002 10:37 PMThanksgiving is my favorite American holiday.We all eat more than we should just because we can. I love it! Christmas brings even more feasting and New Year's follows close behind. Who thinks about diet and fitness when chocolate and champagne are so available? I intend to eat my way into the New Year, but on January 2nd I will once again resolve to mend my ways. Perhaps you girlfriends will inspire me to use my exercise equipment and to watch the fitness videotapes well beyond January 3rd! In any case I look forward to reading your column.
Posted by: Reisa on December 2, 2002 12:01 AMI think it's never too early to start your fitness program. During the holidays you seem to do a lot more walking anyway due to shopping. Why not park further away from the store to get a little extra exercise in.
Posted by: marge on December 3, 2002 12:47 PMJust do it! Go out and excerize. Trying running around the block. See if you can run for five to ten munites. It wouldn't take long and you'll be doing it.
I never used to excercize at all, but about 12 years ago I got fed up with being overweight and always having to watch what I eat. I started running. For a long time, maybe my whole first year of running, it was enough for me to run ten minutes, which probably equaled about a mile. Now I run for about 40 minutes four or five times a week. I don't have time do work out; I make the time, but I do it.
Start out slowly, like I did, and build up and your own pace. excercize will make you feel great.
Posted by: Bob Salvin on December 3, 2002 01:16 PMIt is great to start exercising in the holiday season because you will learn how to exercise with a busy schedule. After the holidays, when you are not as busy, it will be much easier to workout.
Posted by: Jeremy on December 4, 2002 09:20 AMJulie is the best trainer in the universe! i was so thrilled to read about her in your article. i am a fashion designer (www.paulahian.com)and have to always look good and could not do it without julie!
Posted by: paula hian on December 4, 2002 12:02 PMJulie is the best trainer in the universe! i was so thrilled to read about her in your article. i am a fashion designer (www.paulahian.com)and have to always look good and could not do it without julie!
Posted by: paula hian on December 4, 2002 12:02 PMI just read the articles written on the question concerning the Atkins diet. I began the Atkin diet last summer. I followed it strickly the first month or two with good results. After the first two months I began to eat more carbohydrates. I do not usually eat bread or pasta or refined sugars. I do eat vegtables and fruits along with the proteins. I find that not eating the breads and refined sugars doesn't make me crave food. I am under a doctors care and my cholestral has gone way down and so has my blood pressure.
But I have to agree with Julie about the exercising. I walk about 2 miles a day 4 days a week and that certainly has helped in the weight loss. Although the weather has turned cold, I have a tread mill and have been using that. I think diet and exercise is the best way to go!
would like to lose 15lbs. I walk 1 mile a day about 6 days a week and am very active. any suggestion?
Posted by: myrna allen on April 15, 2003 03:02 PMSed quis custodiet ipsos custodes? - Who watches the watchmen? (Juvenal)
Sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes? - Who watches the watchmen? (Juvenal)
Melius frangi quam flecti - It is better to break than to bend
In vinculis etiam audax - In chains yet still bold (free)
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Prehende uxorem meam, sis! - Take my wife, please!
Aut viam inveniam aut faciam - I'll either find a way or make one
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