Alright team. It's 2014. A new year and as good a time as any to get up offa that metaphorical thang and make some hard decisions about where you are and what you plan to do to be your healthiest you.
Yeah. I said it.
Been exercising? Good. What kind of exercise? Do you need to step your game up? Are you making excuses for not doing as much as you can? Well? Are you?
And what about the food? How are you doing with the fork? Have you been hitting the drive thru lines? Allowing yourself to eat a little bit of this and a little bit of that when hanging out with your friends or your boo? Allowing yourself the 500 calorie frozen drinks and french fries on the side of that sandwich?
Well? Are you?
Look. I know a lot of us have been trying to be healthier over these last few months. But I think January is a great time for us all to take an inventory of our progress and give ourselves a honest to goodness report card. And remember: It's NOT all about weight. Though weight is important. It's about cardiovascular health more than anything else and managing weight should be for that as your primary goal.
At least if you ask me.
So. Here's my report card:
Exercise? Well. I've done mostly okay. The goal was 150 minutes of cardiovascular activity per week or more. Through running I mostly get that. But not much more. And running has been it.
I need to get back to weight training. I used to do Body Pump religiously at the Y. Now I don't. Weight training makes your body stronger and also a more effective fat burner. It protects you from osteoporosis when you're older. So as far as that goes, I need to step my game up.
Food. Hmmm.
Okay, listen. I think I do well with this because I eat with awareness. I don't blindly eat anything. Unless you count candy sometimes and I have my friend Stacy H. to slap my hand when I do. Otherwise, when I do enjoy naughty treats, it isn't reckless. Which, I think, is great for weight management.
That reminds me: You need to have people who will keep you in check. I mean that.
What else? Oh. I suck at food prep. I do. I don't plan meals well. So often times I eat light things at night that aren't exactly nutritious. I need to do better with that. I do. I think my whole family would benefit from that.
So for that? I get an F. I spend too much money on last minute meals. Food prep needs to be a part of my 2014 game plan.
Health Maintenance:
I get an A here. I have seen my primary MD and gotten all of my age appropriate stuff. My cholesterol is bragworthy and my BMI is in a healthy range. I've had the cold metal crushers on my chest this year and they checked out just fine.
AND I saw the dentist, too. Because remember when we said that gingivitis is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease? Well, it is. So don't be a yuck mouth. I'm just saying.
And if anyone reading this smokes cigarettes? To that I say:
Please. Stop.
Absolutely positively NOTHING good comes from it. Don't believe me? Okay. Here is what smoking affords you:
- Greater chance of heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Strokes
- Erectile dysfunction (the equipment won't work)
- Bad breath
- Brown teeth
- Lung cancer
- More cervical cancer
- Poor circulation
- Which leads to amputations
- COPD and emphysema
- Worsening of asthma
- Bladder cancer
- Mouth cancer
- Throat cancer
- Lost money
- Wrinkles
- Looking way older than you are
- Pneumonia from standing outside of places that don't allow smoking
- Eyerolls from people who hate smokers
- Kids with ear infections
- Kids with asthma
- Kids who smoke
I'm sure there's more but that's a start. Yeah, so if you or someone you love is doing that? Tell them right this second to CUT. IT. OUT. Also show them a picture of their kids/grandkids/loved ones and tell them that we can guarantee that eventually something bad will happen to separate them from their loved ones if they keep smoking. Basically, smoking is a bad, bad, bad idea.
Yeah.
So. Give yourself an assessment. Then step your game up, if need be. Because you have one heart and one life. And likely a whole slew of folks who are counting on you to protect it.
Primary goal: Heart health.
Secondary goal: Looking hot.
Keep that in mind and don't forget to keep them in that order.
Get fit in the gym. Lose weight in the kitchen. Put down the fork and pick up the pace. Be honest with yourself and align yourself with people who will hold you accountable. And who are okay with meeting you for something OTHER than food and alcohol. Hello?
January 2014. And the realness don't stop, yo.
***
Happy Thursday.
I have a friend who eats by a food plan. She downloads it off the web and shops with the list they provide. She does all the prep on the weekends and has everything ready to go when she's cooking...way too effecient for me. Plus I don't want to give control of my diet away. I usually get by defrosting things in warm water in the sink. That still leaves me chopping and prepping at the last minute, forget marinating anything. Sometimes it's easier to pick up a rotisserie chicken and throw some vegetables in the blender for gazpatcho.
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