Slim-A-Thon 2004: Week Four

STRESSED is DESSERTS spelled backwards

64% Cite Absence of Willpower and Motivation
According to a recent survey by , many well-meaning individuals get lured away from their losing weight resolutions by the pressures of daily life: jam-packed schedules, business travel, fast food, etc. A clear majority acknowledges that it's about self-discipline. There is no illusion that changing food habits and exercising is extremely difficult. Hang tough all you slim-a-thoners!

 

The American Council on Exercise Lists Top Ten Ways to Inspire People to Get Fit

1 Be a role model. Do others see you enjoying the benefits of being active_ Set an example by inviting friends to walk with you or take an exercise class.
2 Make fitness fun. Some people prefer to play games, rather than exercise. Make the idea of exercising a game in itself and offer rewards for participation or meeting certain goals.
3 Be both active and productive. Show friends and family that it's possible to be both active and productive by doing activities that accomplish a task while also using some energy, such as walking the dog, or mowing the lawn.
4 Make workouts short and sweet. Who says exercise has to take up a lot of time_ Knock out this excuse by showing others how easy it is to exercise in short blocks of time spread throughout the day.
5 Extol the benefits. Research shows that people who exercise live longer, healthier lives than those who don't. Some say that exercise is the closest thing you'll find to the fountain of youth.
6 Train for a charity event together. Get fit and raise money for a good cause. For some, it's easier to be motivated to exercise if it's done for a larger cause.
7 Set short-term goals. Encourage others o reward themselves by setting and achieving short-term fitness goals.
8 Offer to be a workout partner. If someone knows you're counting on them, they're more likely to show up for workouts.
9 Use inspirational music. Nothing perks up a workout faster than upbeat music. Research shows that listening to one's favorite music while exercising makes it easier to exercise longer and more intensely while making workouts more enjoyable.
10 Don't preach, lecture or nag. The worst thing you can do is shame someone into exercising. Instead, create opportunities to exercise and make it as fun and enjoyable as possible.

 

Please forward any tips, triumphs or truly absurd to for inclusion in the next newsletter.

POPULAR DIETING FALLACIES

  • If no one sees you eat it, it has no calories.
  • If you drink a diet soda with anything "bad" for you they cancel each other out.
  • If you eat standing up, it doesn't count.
  • Red candy has no calories.
  • If you eat the food off someone else's plate, it doesn't count.
  • Cookie pieces contain no calories because the process of breakage causes calorie leakage.
  • Foods used for medicinal purposes have no calories. These include: any chocolate used for energy, brandy, cheesecake, and ice cream.