I have mentioned it before, but I wanted to elaborate a little more. I am currently dieting and exercising and writing about it on my other blog (http://wedding-weightloss.blogspot.com). My reasoning and motivation behind this is very special to me. I don't want to be the father that is lazy and out of shape, I want to be the father that my son can't keep up with. I know a lot of fathers that I know are busy men with no time for dieting and working out, and I also know that all of these men share one thing in common... good excuses.
Working 40 hours a week and leading a family can be almost too much for a man to deal with and free time can be hard to come by. Being in shape can extend your life so my view is that the time spent is returned to you later in life. Most children I know will tell you that their father is the strongest man in the world, and that is an amazing thing to hear. When a father really is the strongest man in the world it is even more amazing.
America on average is an overweight/obese country and we the American men can band together and change that. Just think if every father took 30 minutes out of their day to exercise that stereotype could fade out tremendously. We have one thing going for us that is a great secret weapon, Testosterone. This hormone gives us the ability to build big muscles and be strong. Now don't get me wrong, women can be strong too, but ask any woman that is losing weight and trying to build muscle they really do have it harder.
I want to be the father that other fathers look at and think I wish I could be that physically fit. Quit kidding yourself men, you can be that fit and I want to be the one to show you all it is possible. Run, swim, lift weights, jog, take up boxing, go to the gym, or even take exercise classes. The possibilities are endless and just imagine what the father-son sporting events could be like. If you take an interest in your fitness, I can promise you that you child will as well.
This doesn't mean that you need to get rid of your video games, favorite recliner, or even your favorite foods. The word of the day is moderation, read it, love it, and remind yourself of it everyday. Forget about the beers on the weekend, cut back to a few but don't overdo it. When you order chicken wings get a smaller order and have carrots and celery to fill you up. Don't bring the whole bag of chips to your chair to watch the game, put some in a small bowl and when they are gone don't get up for more. It really is all of the little things that lead us to be overweight.
Convenience is one of the biggest obstacles to overcome. As cheesy as this may sound, just think if it is convenient it probably isn't healthy. Instead of eating a convenient TV dinner, cook up some fresh food and make some extra for lunches and when you are busy. I know we are all busy, but we all know that home cooked meals are the best.
Count calories, it isn't just for chicks anymore. Men can do it too and I think that we all should. You can keep it to yourself, instead of saying I am close to my calorie allotment for the day just say you aren't hungry. You probably really aren't hungry anyways. Check out MyFitnessPal.com and get the app for your smart phone and start today. My other blog (http://wedding-weightloss.blogspot.com) has a post today with more information about this.
If you do weight lifting in addition to cardio, avoid the scale for a while. You may be losing fat, but if you are gaining muscle that scale isn't going to move much. Maybe weigh once a month to get an idea and look in the mirror more often. Visual results are always much nicer than the number on the scale. Set a goal, but don't be frustrated if you don't reach it. You may want to lose 50 pounds and only lose 25, but be the epitome of physical fitness. I would say if that is the case you found your goal and blew right past it!
My final advice is, DON'T PROCRASTINATE! Please don't read this and utter the words, I'll start tomorrow. Start now, every minute we waste with bad health is another minute we could be doing something about it. Even if you ate terrible food all day, still count the calories and see where you were before you started.
Dude, I can relate to some of your problems (save for the familial bit) but if you want I can impart some of the wisdoms that I learnt over the years I started building my body upwards.
ReplyDeleteMy body ain't that of a bodybuilder but for a 17 year old I guess I could be lean.
Here's a video to help you out, I know it did me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG2N0WKmquE
Plus don't get caught up in those crappy exercise/diet gimmicks (ab machines, programs, etc) on the internet and the shopping networks. I mean no one really has the time to count how many calories are in a salad right? Even for me I thought it was a waste of time. They are a load of marketing crap and do nothing but tear a whole in your pocket.
DeleteJust eat and exercise, NO DIETS! You exchange food into energy, energy produces heat which makes you lose fat - that's basic principle. But remember, don't have too much of everything - all things must be taken in moderation.
You know my email, just mail me if you have questions. I could help you out on them.
Thank you for the motivation. I watched a little bit of the video, but I will look into more tonight. I am trying not to get caught up in fad diets, I am only counting calories to keep myself on a leash. I didn't keep up on my counting last night and got way ahead of myself. To me it is more of a reminder that a golden rule.
ReplyDelete-Ryan