Use it or Lose it

As it is the last day of 2008, I thought it would be an ideal time to post my weight loss and fitness resolutions for 2009.

In 2009, I resolve to:

• Go to the gym at least three times a week, for at least an hour at a time;

• To increase the number of different fruits and vegetables I eat to the recommended five portions each day – I have been very bad at doing this during 2008;

• To reach my ideal weight of 150lbs, aiming to lose 1-2lbs per week until I hit this; and

• To maintain a healthy weight once I have reached my ideal weight.

Obviously, these goals are really just about taking better care of myself, getting more exercise and eating better. As well as the boost to my self-esteem, this should hopefully improve my health and stop me from becoming ill again in the New Year.

What are your New Year’s resolutions, and what will you be doing to make sure you achieve them in 2009?

Happy New Year!

I wrote, on 20 December, that I had joined the gym with the intention of getting fit but had, at the time, still not managed to get there.

I was all geared up to get started at the gym before Christmas, figuring that if I managed to at least fit in one session before the excesses of the big day then I would be more inclined to get myself down there afterwards.

My boyfriend headed down there one night last week, while I got on with getting the place ready for everyone to descend upon us for Christmas Day, only to return ten minutes later. Worried, thinking something must have happened to him on the way there as he never spends less than an hour at the gym, I dashed out to the hallway to see what had happened. They’d only gone and closed it!

Now, I understand that people like to spend Christmas with their families. However, this isn’t just any gym. It is a hotel gym which offers membership to people in the local area. A hotel which was open all over the Christmas holiday – with guests staying (who, I would assume, would expect to be able to use the facilities) and events being held. Needless to say, neither of us were best pleased.

On Saturday, I finally managed to get myself there and do some exercise. I didn’t do a great deal, but it was a start and I thought it would get me on the right track.

It’s Tuesday now. I had planned to go tonight, to spend some time in the gym and then head down to the pool and maybe the jacuzzi for a bit of relaxation. I even went out and bought a nice new swimsuit. Instead, I’m laid up on the sofa, having pulled a muscle in my back while cleaning the bathroom.

I’m starting to wonder – am I just not meant to go to this gym? (Although, I am inclined to suggest that maybe cleaning should be avoided altogether, as it is clearly evil!)

Well, I joined the gym with all good intentions this week…

And still haven’t been.

I had intended to go when I was having a quiet day at home, instead of sitting on my backside watching TV all day. Unfortunately, I forgot to take into account the fact that it is the week before Christmas and I hadn’t done any real Christmas shopping!

Instead of getting down to the gym, working up a sweat and burning off some calories, I spent two days trawling the city centre buying gifts. Admittedly, this probably did burn off some calories, but I was also treated to a giant chilli burger. I guess that more than negated the good work of walking for hours on end and lugging big bags of shopping around!

I will make my first visit to the gym tomorrow, though. I don’t want to get into the mindset of waiting until after Christmas or the new year as that would that would be almost certainly setting myself up for failure.

Last thing tonight, I’ll get all my gym stuff together ready for a morning swim or a run on the treadmill. The sooner I get started the sooner it will pay dividends.

I’ve been umm-ing and ahh-ing about joining a gym for a while now. I haven’t had a very good track record with them in the past, but I know how beneficial it could be.

I tried going to two different gyms over the past year. The first was a ladies-only circuit style gym, that took 30 minutes to complete and you had to book in for each session in advance. This didn’t really work for me – the circuit quickly became boring, the results for me and my friends were very poor and the staff members were on you like a ton of bricks if you had to cancel a session for any reason. Not what you need when you’ve missed a session to visit a sick relative in hospital!

After a few months, I cancelled that membership. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who was dissatisfied with this gym as it closed down approximately three months later.

After that, I tried going to a local council gym for another few months. This was equipped with more exercise machines and there were a wider variety of activities to take part in, but I just couldn’t get into that one, either.

The thing is, I’m very well aware of how important exercise is in losing weight. When I previously lost weight, I was going to the gym regularly to run on the treadmill, use the exercise bike, swim and use the sauna and jacuzzi. It helped to speed up my weight loss and to give me a better shape, as well as a better self-image.

So, today I bit the bullet and joined the gym at a local hotel. It isn’t cheap, but it’s certainly not the most expensive in the area. The equipment is usually in good order, it has a swimming pool which is rarely busy, they run a number of classes and, now, I have a lot of time on my hands to go and exercise during the day while it isn’t busy, as I’ve been made redundant!

I hope to get started there tomorrow, because I feel regular exercise could work wonders for me at the moment. It would improve my sleep patterns, increase my energy, improve my health, help me to lose weight (of course) and radically improve my self-image.

I have high hopes, so fingers crossed I can get into the habit of exercising regularly!

Emotions can play havoc with anyone’s appetite. Some people respond to stress by over-eating or by a complete loss of appetite. Loneliness, boredom, sadness – all can lead to an increase in emotional eating. Heck, even happiness can cause overindulgence!

The key to dealing with emotional eating is identifying it. Once emotional eating is established as a cause, then the triggers causing overeating can be recognised. Being aware of the triggers for emotional eating allows action to be taken to avoid or deal with the triggers when they arise.

For instance, if someone recognises that boredom sends them straight to the fridge, they very fact that they know this means they can take action to distract themselves in some other way before the situation gets that far.

While this may seem like a small thing, admitting to emotional eating is a massive step and can be a turning point in a weight loss regime.

If you need a reason to escape your family and friends over the holidays - and while they may be loved ones, sometimes we all need a break - then exercise can be the perfect excuse.

If your holiday companions are aware that you’re watching your weight or are embarking on a healthy living/fitness regime, then they should already have an idea that you’re going to want to get some exercise.

Going for a brisk walk to take in the crisp, fresh winter air will probably bring the offer of one or two people to go along with you - great if you want company.

If you really are hoping to get some exercise and experience a bit of “me-time”, there’s nothing for it other than being honest. Tell them you prefer to exercise alone, as it keeps you motivated or you feel self-conscious exercising in front of people.

Failing that, you may have to threaten to break into a jog to burn off all those extra holiday calories!

Remember - it’s not an excuse. The exercise is necessary for your health and well-being (although the escape is good for your sanity ).

Happy Holidays!

Dieting during the holiday season can be incredibly difficult.

Trying to stick to a strict weight loss regime can be a lot of hard work. The guilt that can be experienced from overindulging in seasonal treats, or from failing to do as much exercise as you had hoped, could spoil your enjoyment of Christmas. Getting slightly off track could even lead you to completely abandon your weight loss goals.

Instead of attempting to stick rigidly to your diet, why not accept beforehand that the holiday season is all about enjoying yourself, enjoying your friends and family. Yes, sometimes there will be a little bit of indulgence, but that it needn’t mean giving up on weight loss.

A little bit of effort and self-control can keep you motivated and on the right track. A New Year also means the chance to renew your weight loss goals and resolve to reach them in 2009.