You may have noticed that you weren’t as hungry at “meal time” since we started Daylight Saving Time. But you’ll likely adapt to eating earlier easier than waking up earlier. Just try and use that reduced appetite to reduce a few calories. You can still satisfy the cravings that come later with a nice piece of fruit or high fiber cereal AFTER you take a walk in the daylight that is left at the end of your day.
TODAY: RENEW YOUR COMMITMENT TO EAT LESS AND EXERCISE MORE.
We’re into the first week of DST. (Unless you live in Arizona or Indiana) I love it. I can cook dinner on the grill, play with the dog and still see the glow of the sun fade, even after staying at work until almost 7:00. I know, we “lose” an hour of sleep, but we quickly adapt to that. Getting that precious daylight at the end of the day makes it easier to get some exercise in. It should also give you one less excuse.
So spring forward with your diet and get walking.
TODAY: TAKE AN EVENING WALK.
If you don’t get time to do a full workout, don’t give up. You only need 30 minutes a day, and it doesn’t have to all be at once. It only takes a mere 10 minutes at a time. Start with 10 when you wake up. 10 at lunch. And the last 10 in the evening, while watching TV is fine, or take a walk after dinner with your spouse or ride your bike with the kids. You may even have a basketball hoop at your house that has been ignored for a while. Take a few shots and dribble away some calories.
You get the idea. Now get motivated for a few minutes.
TODAY: GET 30 MINUTES OF EXERCISE.
Walking is good for your heart beat. It helps keep it beating! Studies ahow that mortality rates among retired men who walk less than one mile per day were nearly twice that among those who walked more than two miles per day. The health benefits and weight loss that comes from walking outweigh… you.
TODAY: WALK
Yesterday I told you to dig out that pedometer you have. I know one is around your house somewhere. McDonald’s even gave them away just a few months ago. The reason to use the pedometer is to find out how much you usually move around each day just doing what you normally do. They say that we take an average of 5,000 steps. I think that’s a bit low. Or maybe the average person is really sedentary. It may be revealing for you to find out this benchmark for exercise.
The next goal is to simply step it up. Add 1,000 steps to your total. Then the next day add some more. You get the idea. Think of the little device as giving your fitness a treat. Maybe you could call it a “peds dispenser”.
TODAY: TAKE MORE THAN YOUR AVERAGE NUMBER OF STEPS.
Did you know that you don’t have to do all of your daily exercise at once? That’s right. It turns out that you get much of the same long term benefit by exercising in 10 minute chunks as doing it in one swoop. It only takes 30 minutes a day to start, and you can do it 10 minutes at a time. Do these 10 minutes like a regular workout with a couple of minutes of warm up stretches, then at least 7 minutes of exercise at a medium or high intensity and minute of slower cool down.
Begin your day with 10 minutes before breakfast. Ten at lunch and the last 10 in the evening. Take a power walk after dinner and take one of the family members with you. It will help get those in your support system involved. They may even want to partner with you during the day. You’ll feel better and even sleep better in just a short time. You may also find you want to add some more time as well.
TODAY: TRY A BRISK WALK IN THREE TEN MINUTE SESSIONS.
Okay, I admit it. I had stopped riding my bike for a while. It was because of any number of convenient excuses. Not enough time, too cold, too hot, too wet… too lazy. I actually had to get spider webs off the tires, (I hate spiders.) before re-inflating them. It was simply a matter of motivation. I know I have to burn more calories. The bike works for me. I had grown to really look forward to the rides, especially longer ones on Saturday mornings. But for some reason I lost interest and it took mustering up energy again to get back in the saddle.
You may have a stepper, rider, weights, skates, or walking shoes that need to be dusted off. Now is as good a time as any to get going again. Take it easy at first. Getting stiff will just give you an excuse to stop again. Then watch your endurance go up and your weight go down. You’ll remember how. It’s just like riding a bike.
TODAY: START A NEW, OLD EXERCISE ROUTINE.
Daily Nag, Exercise | Diet Nag | 
March 15, 2011 6:09 am | 
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