The Magic Bullet of Fitness
Saturday, February 9, 2013 at 1:17PM The Magic Bullet
How many times have we said “I wish it was easier to get in shape” or “I wish I could blink and have my 22 year old body back." Well just tune in to early morning TV and you will find your cure. I turned on the TV just in time to hear that the “Magic Bullet” can save my life. For just a few payments of 19.99, touts the infomercial, this product will help me feel better, lose weight, and even sleep better. One of the happy customers thrilled to pieces with this, uh, blender, says that it helped her endure chemotherapy. Another husband was tickled that he now has his “wife back.” After all that, how can you NOT want the Magic Bullet? If it cleaned my bathrooms for me, I would be on the phone in a nanosecond.
The Magic Bullet infomercial producers are pure geniuses. “How do we rope them in? Make them feel like all they have to do is buy this, uh, blender, and their lives will be totally awesome?” “I dunno, call it…. a MAGIC Bullet?” They are appealing to everyone who, especially at this time of year (winter doldrums, holiday hangover) needs a quick boost. How many of us want a fast and easy way to, as the Magic Bullet guarantees, feel better and lose weight? If the Magic Bullet doesn’t appeal to you (you have to buy lots of fruits and vegetables and juice them. And it’s not Magic, it’s agonizing after the third day of drinking liquefied kale)….there are plenty of products out there guaranteed to take the weight off, over night, without any change to diet and exercise. I, for one, have 3 months of “green coffee extract” that Dr. Oz told me would melt the pounds away. Unused.
The truth is, there is no Magic Bullet. Remember how, when we learned Magic tricks at the 4th grade birthday party? Magic is based on deception. While we all want to find the magic – the fountain of youth, the cure for wrinkles, that energy drink that cleans the house for us, there isn’t anything to feeling better other than eating right and exercising. Once you’ve been to the health care professional to rule out any imbalances, simply eating better and exercising can help immensely.
Notice I am not going near the whole “weight loss” issue. As a health and wellness counselor I think everyone’s healthy weight is different. Once your lifestyle changes, you will reach that healthy weight. And stay there. Once you imagine yourself as a healthy person, you will accept who you are and not agonize over your weight. Once you stop agonizing over your weight, the depriving/craving cycle goes away and you change your nutritional habits. You know that cycle: “I hate myself! I was craving Oreos so I ate the whole box just to get it out of the house! So I am not having any dinner! OMG I am starving!”
The problem for most of us is that this change takes time and work. It’s not magic, it’s not a bullet, and it doesn’t have immediate impact. But it is more rewarding, in the long run, to make permanent, rather than temporary change.
Here’s how to start:
1) Start today. No more “when I get in shape” nonsense. Ain’t gonna happen. Start today and only worry about today. Save tomorrow for tomorrow. Research shows that it takes 21 days to enforce a habit. That's 21 todays. 20 tomorrows (and counting down). Easy, peasy.
2) Get up 15 to 30 minutes earlier than usual. Stretch, do yoga sun salutations, or meditate while you are waiting for the coffee to brew. Take this time for you (see #7). You will be prepared to make this day fabulous.
3) Enlist friends. A bunch of us have started running together, and simple group encouragement is a huge motivator. Or call me, and I will talk you through it.
4) Find a nutritional program that works for you. Go plant heavy, light on processed foods. Get Michael Pollan's Food Rules. See #5.
5) Cook. Those who cook, simply put, are healthier than those who don’t. Take a few minutes to plan out your day, cut up fruits and veggies to have at the ready so that you are not tempted by the Oreos or the Doritoes in the vending machine.
6) Do Yoga. I know, I know, self promotion. But Yoga helps you accept yourself in all your perfection, and helps to end that depriving/craving cycle. Besides, it’s great exercise. Don’t knock it ‘til you try it.
7) Be good to yourself. You deserve it.
Remember that changing your life is a lifetime change. It takes constant tweaking, but you will be healthier, happier and maybe even sleep better. Like Magic!
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