I’ve lost a lot of weight. People notice and compliment me on how good I look.
I feel like I look better than I have in over twenty years, but there is so much more to fitness than just losing weight and looking good.
It’s about health. And health is something you can’t always measure by looks or a number on the scale.
Oh sure, it’s been exciting to watch the numbers drop on the scale and the clothes sizes I buy. It’s nice to be complimented and feel more confident about how I look. But… feeling healthy, physically fit and free from my destructive eating patters is better than all the compliments and any new clothes I can buy.
Most everyone can tell you that a combination of good nutrition and exercise is the way to getting fit. Both are essential and they each played a huge role in my weight loss. Today I want to focus on the importance of physical activity.
The US surgeon general recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate/intense exercise every day. We should be clocking a minimum of 10,0o0 steps every day. Studies show that most Americans don’t even come close to half of that.
The Cooper Institute did a study were they calculated the daily steps of men and women in an Amish community (The Amish don’t use any of the modern conveniences we use today) The study showed that the average steps per day for men – 18,425. And the average steps per day for women – 14,196.
I am not suggesting that we should get rid of all of our modern conveniences. I enjoy them way too much! But, if we aren’t going to get our physical activity in the old fashion way, we need to find ways to put exercise into our lifestyle.
Other studies show that people who are not physically active are just as likely to die an early death of cardiovascular disease as a person who smokes. That’s right, this study shows that a sedentary lifestyle is just as unhealthy for your heart as smoking is. Additionally, being moderately/highly active can add 6 -9 years to your life. These facts hit home in a very personal way for me recently. My mom was only 65 years old when she died of a heart attack last month. She was at work on Monday and on Tuesday morning she was rushed to the ER and emergency heart surgery. She died only a few hours after the surgery. Heart disease is life threatening and very serious. A regular physical fitness routine can reduce the risk of heart disease dramatically.
Resting metabolism is the energy your body needs just to maintain life; heart beating, lungs breathing, stabilizing body temperature ect… Your resting metabolism counts for 40% of the total calories your burn per day. Digestion counts for 10%. The other 50% of calories burned everyday depends completely on us and how active we choose to be.
Here’s some of the ways I burned the other 50% this week…
Monday- 2 hours: Boot camp style interval training and cardio (elliptical and bike)
Tuesday – 1 hour: Treadmill workout and some strength floor exercises. (plank, ect..)
Wednesday – 1 1/2 hour: Boot camp style interval training and cardio (elliptical)
Thursday – 2 hours: Kick boxing and spin class
Friday – will be another Boot camp style interval training and cardio
We are all at different places with our physical fitness, whether we are a couch potato or a jock – it’s always good to be reminded of how very important our fitness is and then, challenge ourselves to step it up, even if it’s just a little.
Do you have fitness plans for the other 50% of calories that need to be burned in your day?
Linked to Thought Provoking Thursday Fitness Friday
Congratulations on your weight loss success Danise. I’ve also lost a fair amount of weight in the last four months and working out is no longer something I do, it is who I am. I find that it lifts my mood, makes me feel positive, and helps motivate me to make healthier food choices. I start every other morning with a 30-45 minute walk in the park or at home on my elliptical when the weather is not suitable to go out, and I alternate mornings with weight resistance training. I’m not focusing on being thin, I’m focusing on being healthy and not so much on what the scale says.
Hi Lisa Anne! Congrats on your weight loss too!! I think it is so awesome that we have fitness in common and our focus is health! I agree, fitness is a huge part of me and who I am as well. Its great to hear from you… I miss my mom so much and I know she would have loved for us to stay close. Blessings!
This is a great post. I am glad that you stress the importance of getting the half an hour a day… I tried to tell people that even taking the stairs and parking a little farther out can add up during the day, but people sometimes get so used to their conveniences! It’s crazy! Thanks for posting this — it’s very informational and such a great help!
Yep… every little bit helps. Some activity is better than none but more activity is better! Thank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to leave a great comment!
This is all so true, I think sometimes people get hung up on a number when in reality it is about feeling better and being healthy
Way to go on the weight loss and feeling healthier.
Thanks so much Jen! Blessings
I think the trick to sticking with physical activity is making it something that you enjoy, and something that you can do daily. If I tried to commit to 2 hours a day, that would feel like it was taking too much time, or it might become tiresome, but I commit to just 30 minutes in the morning and then again another 30 in the evening and that is do-able and something that I can stay with. I also stick to a strict eating plan, like no junk food or sweets all week long and then on either Saturday or Sunday, I allow myself a free-day and eat what I want, so I don’t feel like I am depriving myself of things that I enjoy. It seems to help me stick to the healthy plan easier.
Those are great life routines to keep… especially spliting the work outs in two, its great for your metabolism to do it that way… nutrition is a huge part of fitness a well
It’s so true that our conveniences have played a large part in our growing obesity epidemic. I love that you chose the Amish as an example, I grew up in Lancaster county (PA) and there were lots of Amish around. I’m inspired by their work ethic! All those little movements can really add up. Congrats on your weight loss, too!
Its so true we have to make sure we are finding ways to make up for the old fashion work we don’t do anymore. Thanks so much for stopping by and for your great comments.
Hi Danise, Congrats on your weightloss! I’m visiting from Fitness Friday Blog hop! I lost over 20 pounds of my baby fat last summer! It felt great. Now, I’m maintaining my weight, I’d like to lose another 8 pounds or so but I agree with you sneaking in some extra walking here and there can add up at the end of the day or end of the year. Now that summer is near, no excuses to get out and walk! Have a great weekend!
thank you Lisa for stopping by! Congrats on your weightloss too! Any Activity is beneficial