Wait! Think Twice Before You Sign That Gym Membership.

How many of us have wasted money on gym memberships? I have!!! And I know that I am not alone. The emotional part of us that wants to lose weight quickly can also lead us to make “not so wise” decisions. To me, a gym membership can fall under the heading of “Impulse Spending’ which we all know is something we should try our best to stay away from. So all I’m asking of you is to STOP and PRAY about it before you sign on the dotted line. If you know yourself really well, you may not have to pray about it. Because if you are one who gets all excited and gun hoe in the beginning about things but has trouble sticking it out, then you probably know the answer to how much you are actually going to go to the gym each week once the excitement of it all fades. And if you’ve had gym memberships in the past and did not use them, you should honestly ask yourself “What is different about this time?”

If you are a person who really has not been very active on the exercise front, I suggest you try walking for starters. It is free and something you will be able to do easily. If you live in an area where the winters are harsh and you find yourself inside a lot, you might want to try an exercise video or dancing for 30 minutes a few times a week. This form of exercise is inexpensive and easy to start off with.

Treadmills are fun only if you really like them. Personally it is my favorite piece of exercise equipment to have, but I have owned others and ended up giving them away, so before you shell out big bucks for a treadmill or any other type of equipment make sure you like using it.

If you can find a gym that has a low monthly fee (or pay as you go) and will not tie you into a contract, then I say go for it and see how you do. But don’t jump out there all hyped and find yourself paying for something each month that will end up not benefiting you physically, emotionally or monetarily. If you are not going it doesn’t help you physically, and emotionally you will have guilt and regret every time you pay that monthly bill. ~Smile~

The secret to weight loss is not really a secret at all. There are two basic principles and that is “Eat Less” and “Exercise.” Nothing profound or complicated about that, but yet we (especially Americans) fail at achieving the goal of longtime weight loss. So with that being said, take your time easing into whatever form of exercise you choose. Tryout a few things to see what you like or what you don’t like. Ask yourself, can you realistically keep up the plan you have set for yourself on a daily bases? Think about how you can incorporate excise in your daily tasks, such as taking the stairs at work or getting off the bus a few blocks before your stop or parking further away from your place of work. Taking a 15 minute walk each day at lunch time. Little things like this start to add up along with changing your eating habits. But most of all, it will become another lifestyle change that can help you maintain an ideal weight for the rest of your lifetime.

If you have ever watched the show “The Biggest Loser” then by now you probably know that many of the contestants on the show have gained back a lot or all of their weight. Why? Because they couldn’t keep up the 4-6 hours of exercise a day in their normal everyday lives and the root cause for their obesity was never dealt with. So keep in mind that slow and steady from permanent lifestyle changes is how you are going to achieve and maintain a healthier you.

Monday we looked at setting realistic goals for ourselves, Tuesday we started working on loving who we are, Wednesday we looked at how to change the way we view food and cook it. And today we’re thinking about a realistic exercise regiment we can sustain for the long haul.

Tomorrow is Friday and we will finish up our week by looking at the “Spiritual” aspect of our journey to a healthier us. Hope to see you then



Love & Hugs
Ponnie

See you tomorrow!