Watching My Waist in 2011

I can't afford a gym membership, and I don't have a ton of exercise equipment, but each year, I shape up to the point of being rather proud of myself. If you're looking to do the same, please take a few minutes to read this article and be open to trying at least a few of them out for yourself.

About a year ago, my mom gifted me a Nintendo Wii for Christmas, along with Wii Fit! the fitness game. Although I don't weigh in every day as it suggests, I still use it often enough for it not to collect any dust. The games are fun, with the added bonus of burning calories, and challenging yourself is rather easy, since it keeps track of all of your previous scores. I typically jog with the Wii Fit and do a few of the aerobics exercises to start off.

As much as I love exercising with the Wii, if you noticed, I mentioned I only got it last Christmas. For years before that, I managed to get in shape other ways, and that is what I will expand on now.

DVDs and Exercise Videos

A rather cliche way of getting into shape is by whipping out your favorite aerobics DVD. Exercise videos are not as boring as I remember seeing them back in the day, but it's hard to stay committed to one video over and over again. I won't suggest you become an "Exercise video Junkie," but I do advise you stock up on a variety of videos. Check out garage sales, flea markets, Ebay, and Amazon.com, and pick up a few to rent even at your local video store. Libraries may have some to check out as well, and don't forget friends and family members. It seems these exercise DVDs end up getting used as drink coasters more often than not. You don't need a ton of equipment to go along with many of them. You can use hand-weights (or just a couple of soup cans), but usually just your own body weight is enough resistance to get you started. I have a few hand-weights, a weighted exercise ball, and a resistance band. They were all inexpensive, and best of all, I use every single one of them. I don't have a treadmill hanging out by my television, collecting dust. I only buy and keep the necessities.

You can also check out YouTube and various websites that give free tutorials on how to do various exercises.

Kids

Ah! The joy of being young and having endless energy, right? If you have kids or could borrow some from a close friend or relative, get a few of these imaginative creatures. My daughter's 4 years old, and before putting her to bed tonight, we played "Duck, Duck, Goose!" Just the two of us. Well, the dog played the first round, too, and he chased my daughter and everything, but he chased her whether she called him "Goose!" or not, so we made him sit out the last several rounds... Since it was just me and my daughter playing, I ended up getting quite a workout! We were playing hard core, bolting all over the house, and it truly was a blast! It was probably the funnest game I've played in quite a while, and it worked wonders de-stressing me from a long day at work! I know we don't always feel we have time or energy to play with our kids, but it is definitely worth it to make time for imagination, playing, and laughing together! Plus, it all burns calories!

Good Ol' Fashioned Walking

It's getting a bit brisk out, here in Ohio, but it's still ok walking weather. If you're lucky enough to live in a warmer climate, simply taking an early morning stroll around your neighborhood (or on the treadmill, if that's more appropriate) can really get your day started on the right foot. I, personally, need to get back in the habit of doing this myself because I noticed an increased mental alertness immediately after walking the dog. I've heard walking in the evening isn't a bad idea either. It's a wonderful way to wind down, and when you do it after eating dinner and a slice of chocolate cake for dessert, you don't feel so bad! (More on eating later...)

DIY Exercising

This is probably the easiest form of exercising and requires the least amount of preparation. If you know how to do crunches (or situps, if you have the correct form and back strength), pushups, and leg squats, you can really work your whole body while watching your favorite tv show. Try doing a repetition of 15 squats, 15 crunches, and 15 pushups. Alternate between each exercise and repeat over and over. This means you do squats, crunches, pushups, squats, crunches, pushups, etc... You can adjust the number of each to your ability and comfort level, but keep in mind that the object is to do as many cycles as you can for about 20 minutes. If you're not a regular exerciser, I suggest you start off easy and light and build up to the 20 minutes gradually.

Please check with your physician before starting any new exercise regimen!

On to Food!

I love food... I mean REALLY love food! Even though I love it, I won't eat huge portions. I used to eat until I was over-stuffed (especially around the holidays), but I really started disliking the over-stuffed feeling, and that made me stop eating so much at one time.

I used to work an office job that had me sitting all day. We were permitted two, 15-minute breaks and one, half-hour lunch each day. I ate something each break. When I didn't, I'd over-eat on my lunch, and then I'd over-eat at dinner-time after work. I'd usually only eat a small pack of almonds or something light, like some celery and carrots. Anything light to snack on would keep me going until lunch, when I'd be able to eat a small, yet satisfying meal, and then when my last break came, I'd eat either some fruit, or more veggies, and I'd be all set until dinner time. I'd also drink plenty of water, because I usually found that I wasn't actually hungry... I was thirsty!

Home-cooked meals are usually best when you're on a calorie-budget as well as a financial-budget. When you try to steer clear of too many boxed, convenience-meals, and instead, just buy all of the ingredients yourself, you end up saving money by being able to make the meal several times with a "bulk" of the ingredients. If you're concerned about wasting money on fresh vegetables, as I usually am, buy frozen! I shop at Kroger and buy their $.99 cent bags of frozen broccoli, and veggie-mixes. These little bags take up less space than the whole veggies from the produce section, AND, you don't have to cut them. I'm all about saving time and money!

Most of us don't eat enough fruits and vegetables. It seems that we look at them and think, "They won't fill me up..." As deceiving as it may seem, fruits and vegetables can be VERY filling. I don't suggest eating a large apple in place of a quesadilla for dinner, but if you find yourself getting hungry before dinner, eat an apple! You'll be satisfied long enough to fully-cook your evening meal, and what's more, you'll have added much-needed vitamins and nutrients to your daily diet that you wouldn't get from pretzels or a bag of chips.

In Conclusion...

The New-Year is a time for new beginnings and fresh starts. Try not to bog your mind down with negative thoughts of "What not to do..." and instead, busy your mind with all of the things you WILL do to become a healthier you. What will happen is, you'll be so preoccupied with all of the positive things you are doing that you will inevitably stop doing the things you shouldn't have been doing. For example: Instead of thinking, "I shouldn't eat candybars so often. I should eat grapes and pineapple instead..." Just EAT the grapes and pineapple WITHOUT thinking about NOT eating candybars so often, and you will likely slow down your consumption of candybars automatically. Your mind does not always separate what it should be doing from what it is doing. If you think about NOT eating a candybar, often-times, all your mind hears is "candybar," and then you go find one and eat it. Get in the habit of thinking about what you SHOULD do, as opposed to what you SHOULDN'T, and you'll have much better results.

Enjoy your New Year, and remember to take it easy when you make mistakes on life-changes (such as dieting and exercise). Each of them take time to adjust to, and you want to remain positive about them so you'll keep doing them for a healthier you!

Happy New Year!!!