Weighty Issues
Posted: Wed 31 December, 2008 Filed under: Domestic, Health, Introspective 4 Comments »Over 2008, one thing I planned to do was lose some weight. I know I’ve added more on, and I wrote about it back in August time when we joined up with the new gym that opened locally. At the moment I’ve still got a couple of months ’til the first dollop of membership expires, and in that time I really should start going.
You see, over the last three months I just haven’t had the motivation. (Or, in a lot of cases, the time) I know I should go, I know I need to go in order to lose the weight I’ve put on – but despite that knowing, the actual “OK, I’m going” hasn’t clicked into place.
The thing is, I don’t over-eat – I don’t sit at my desk with chocolate galore, nor am I a biscuit fiend, or a fast-food junkie. (Well, OK, I am a biscuit-fiend, but as a result we don’t buy many biscuits at all, otherwise I’d have an excuse) At home we both eat healthily (Usually vegetarian, occasionally fish, and very little ‘junk’ food) and not to excess. I admit, my portion control could probably do with a bit of work, but that’s it. Even on a diet, I don’t lose much weight – and most of the people we’ve talked to about it say I should eat more, not less, which is something I just can’t get my head round at all.
The lack of motivation gym-wise isn’t helped by the fact that the gym is now in exactly the opposite direction to my workplace, so to go to the gym I drive past the route home. It’s not much of an excuse – it’s not meant to be – but it still contributes. Equally, it’s not open late in the evenings, so we can’t go home, eat, relax, then go.
But all told, it’s really the motivation thing – I know I should go, and I should organise myself better in order to go. I just haven’t done so.
The stupid thing about it all is that I’m not actually happy with my weight being where it is – but at the same time, nor do I worry/care enough about it to want to do anything about it. It’s all a bit of a Catch 22 at the moment – logic and emotion tell me I need to do it, but the motivation side of things, yeah, that’s just not happening. And I don’t really understand why.
I want to go back in the New Year, and see how it goes. But if I’m honest, I don’t know – we’ll see.
I know what you mean. I’m finding it really difficult to find time or motivation to get about on my bike at present. But if you can force yourself to have a go, it’s surprising how a small amount of extra exercise can raise your metabolism enough to start losing weight. Usually, I cycle between 3 and 5 miles, most days. Say 20 miles a week. That, with careful attention to what I ate, though not with eating less, was enough for me to lose a stone and a half in a year. Most people, I find, start by being very ambitious and want to lose 2lbs every week, fail and are discouraged. Or they go all out on the gym equipment and build up a lot of muscle and then run out of time or steam, stop going and pile weight back on again.
Lyle ….. do what your body tells you. From what you say ur diet is pretty good, I give you top marks for that. I lost 4 stone (some of it for resons beyond my control) but afterwards just because I ate less and changed what I did eat. I’m stuck on about 14-14 n a quarter stones, can’t seem to shift the half a stone I need to be my ideal weight. My tricks weren’t any great shakes, I used my bike, I played golf (shit game) on my own cos no-one else was about when I was ill. More importantly I got a dog – she is responsible for most of my exercise and that seems to keep me reasonably trim. I learnt a lot about my body, which foods to avoid, which weren’t too bad and which were pretty good. Mostly it is pasta and potatoes which have all but disappeared. I also eat a decent lunch rather than a huge evening meal. Not much more to it really. You must remember how big I’d got, I was 18.5 stone at my biggest.
I think the trick is to find your lowest resistance exercise and go with that – and it sounds like the gym isn’t yours (wasn’t mine either for many of the reasons you’re giving). I found going on a proper bike ride around my local woods three times a week was fun and more effortless to actually get out the door, iyswim. Have been semi-successful with a stationary bike but going off it. Ditto various exercise vids and strength training equipment.
Did get a wii fit for Christmas though and so far it seems good fun though BOY it’s hard work, and I thought I was fairly fit beforehand!
Trouble is, if you start exercising, then stop, you will end up in a worse place than you started. Particularly as you get clser to/over 40.