All my life I have struggled with my weight. I have tried lots of different diets and I was always starving on them. Finally, this January, I tried an online fitness program that combines diet and exercise. They had a quiz on there which helps you eat right for your body type. I usually think those things are ridiculous, but, since I had nothing to lose (but weight, of course) I decided to follow the guidelines. I had to cut out wheat and sugar completely. The only fruits I can eat are apples and pears. Yes, there are no bananas for me. Religiously I have stuck to it. Not too easy, as you might imagine. The only bread I can eat is a bread made from lentils and sprouted wheat (yes, sprouted wheat is wheat, but when it sprouts it changes the protein and apparently this is OK.) These guidelines are actually working. I am utterly amazed, especially at the fact that I am not starving all the time. After a lifetime of trying to eat "naturally," it turns out that all those whole wheat foods were the problem to begin with!
I look at this as a lifelong fast and I offer the lack of my special foods (pasta, for one) as a sacrifice. Well, the big, black circles have disappeared from my eyes, I have lost 2 dress sizes and I have more energy. Now I actually have the strength to exercise! I have the strength but where do I find the time? I know I should exercise in the morning when the kids are still in bed, but that is my prayer time.
I prayed for God to find the time for me. One day, at Mass, a thought popped into my head that I should exercise and pray the rosary at the same time. I tried it the next day. Instead of praying it by myself, I turned on my trusty MP3 player with the rosary loaded onto it as soon as the alarm rang. I offered up the beginning and ending prayers for my hubby and each decade for one of my kids (it is very convenient that I have 5 of them). During each decade I did a different type of strength training; crunches, arm work with the weights, etc. (I did the crunches first because you have to be laying down for them and I was tired.) Then, when I was done, I went and took my vitamins. I started taking B6 for the stress and I have increased that to 2 tabs a day. The past few days have been the least stressful of my life.
So, my healthy trinity is prayer, exercise and vitamins.
Now, if I can just find the time to do my cardio...
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I'm a little lax, of late, with my exercising, but I am trying to control the amount of intake. I figure that if less goes in. Seems to be working, but i know that I feel better when I'm doing my walks, plus I wouldn't be posting comments on blogs at 12:15 AM, on a work night! Yep, gonna have to get back into that walking routine, I think.
ReplyDeleteI tried for 42 years to avoid exercise. I have come to the sad, painful conclusion that it has to be done in order to lose weight. Keep up that walking. Hope it helps!
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this. I still have to check out that website you recommended. I just haven't had the time.....Anyhow, I know what you mean about changing the food you eat and how much better you feel. I've noticed that too with just the things I've changed. Still trying to find my groove with the exercise, but at least I'm doing something, which is better than what I used to do, which was nothing.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless.