10 Tips to Change Yourself From a Dedicated Couch Potato to a Gym Enthusiast

Written by Gretchen Rubin of the Happiness Project.

Exercise helps keep you happy and vital. Studies show that folks who exercise are healthier, cheerier, more energetic, think more clearly, sleep better, and have delayed onset of dementia. What’s more, they get relief from anxiety and mild depression—comparable to medication and therapy.

But of course, no one really disputes the benefit of exercise. The trick is actually DOING IT.

My own favorite activity is reading in bed—preferably, while snacking. It took me a while, but I’ve managed to get myself into the habit of exercising regularly.

These ten strategies helped me stick to my routine:

1. Always exercise on Monday. Starting the week on the right foot makes it easier to stick to your plan.

2. Never skip exercising for two days in a row. You can skip a day, but the next day, you must exercise no matter how inconvenient. This rule dramatically increased the number of times I exercise over the course of a month.

3. Remember, exercise GIVES energy. If you feel too tired to exercise, remember that exercise boosts energy. It took me a long time to notice that I’d drag myself to the gym, work out for forty minutes, and leave feeling far more energetic than when I went in.

4. Any work-out “counts.” Give yourself credit for the least effort. My father, a runner, always said that all he had to do was put on his running shoes and close the door behind him. Why does this work? Because if I know I can quit after five minutes, I get started—and once I start, I usually follow through with my usual routine. Getting out the door is by FAR the toughest part.

5. You don’t have to shower. One problem—mostly for women—is that taking a shower can take too much time. Look for exercises like strength-training, yoga, or walking, that don’t make you sweaty.

6. Throw money at the problem. Spend more to go to a more convenient gym, or to get an iPod, or to work with a trainer. Exercise pays off BIG in your quality of life, so this is a place to splurge.

7. Don’t set the bar too high. I have a friend who thinks it’s not worth exercising unless she’s training for a marathon – and so she never exercises. She’d be better off going for a one-mile run five times a week.

8. Don’t kid yourself. Belonging to a gym doesn’t mean that you go to the gym. Having been in good shape in college doesn’t mean you’re in good shape today. Be honest about what your habits really are now.

9. You have time. Just take a twenty-minute walk. If you can’t do more, do that! Just a twenty-minute walk will really pay off.

10. Exercise for SANITY not VANITY. I find it more motivating to think about the fact that exercise is going to make me feel happier, calmer, and more energetic, right now, rather than to think about vaguer long-term benefits, like strengthened immunity or longer life. It’s not clear that exercise has much impact on weight loss, so don’t be give up when the pounds don’t fall off. It’s worth doing for so many other reasons.

www.liferemix.net

FCS Programs

May 16                  Food Handlers
May 23                  Preserving the Bounty:  Salsa and Relish
June 7                    ABC Child Care Provider Conference
June 17 - 19           Pantry 2 Plate Kids Cooking C amp
June 24 - 25           Teen Chef Cooking Camp

For information on these programs contact Jacque at 281-342-3034

Dining Out Dos and Don'ts

Afraid dinner out will ruin your diet before you even start your entrée? These 10 dos and don'ts will help.

Article By: Leslie Fink, MS, RD

Some people trying to lose weight steer clear of restaurants to avoid the large portion sizes, bottomless bread baskets and all those high-calorie entries. But shunning restaurants altogether isn't a realistic approach to weight loss — and it's unnecessary.  You can eat out and lose weight. Start with this list of tips to help you navigate the menu options at your favorite fast-food joints and sit-down restaurants.

1. Set a budget. Determine how much you're willing to eat before looking at the menu. Give yourself some leeway by scheduling some exercise on or near days you plan to eat out. Putting in gym time or going for a brisk walk will help offset a little extra eating. And remember, be flexible. You can loosen up a bit on special occasions, as long as you eat carefully most of the time. (Just don't let every day become a special occasion.)

2. Put on your game face. Decide on some guidelines before you go to a restaurant, and stick to them. For instance:

· Skip the all-inclusive (prix fixe) menu and opt for à la carte selections. Doing so might not be as economical, but you'll probably eat less.

· Take one piece of bread, then ask your server to remove the bread basket from the table.

3. Make special requests. Don't be shy. You're paying good money for that meal, so you're entitled to make special requests or slight modifications. Why not say:

· Can I have that without butter? Grilled? With the sauce on the side?

· I'd like mixed greens instead of fries with my sandwich.

4. Practice portion control. Some restaurant portions can be two, three, even four times the "normal" size — especially super-sized fast food and chain restaurant meals. Keep your portions in check by:

· Ordering a salad as a starter and then splitting a main entrée with a friend.

· Creating your own scaled-down meal from a couple of appetizers and/or side dishes.

5. Break down (language) barriers. If you don't know what a preparation term means, ask. In general, though, the following words translate into high-fat, high-calorie dishes:

· Au gratin, scalloped, hollandaise.

· Parmigiana, scampi, Bolognese.

6. Downsize the super-size. Super-sized fast food meal options can be loaded with calories. Either:

· Order something small, like a basic burger. After all, the first bite tastes the same as the last.

· Order yourself a children's meal.

7. Watch out for extras. The average burger with ketchup, lettuce and tomato isn't so bad. But one with "the works" is usually a caloric nightmare. Skip bacon, cheese and mayonnaise, and also double-pattie burgers and extra pieces of bread.

8. Don't go top heavy. Salad bars and garden salads grace menus across the country. But those extra toppings can sabotage your seemingly diet-conscious choices:

· Go light on croutons, grated cheese and bacon.

· Opt for small amounts of low-fat or nonfat dressings on the side.

9. Don't drink away your progress. A drink with dinner is fine, but too many margaritas may wreak havoc on your dieting resolve. Keep your appetite under control by:

· Alternating alcoholic beverages with noncaloric sodas or sparkling water.

· Not drinking alcoholic beverages on an empty stomach.

10. Resign from the "clean plate club." You paid for it so you have to eat it, right? Wrong. Just think of the health and emotional costs of those extra calories on your body. Downsize by:

· Eating half the meal and doggie-bagging the rest.

· Pushing your plate away when you're full.

And remember to eat slowly. It takes 20 minutes for your body to recognize that it's full.

Weightwatchers.com