HEALTH & FITNESS 8

In making lifestyle changes, I came to appreciate that exercise becomes even more important as we age. I sometimes hear people make excuses, just as I once did, as to why they don’t go to the gym or have some regular exercise program at home or elsewhere. This brings back to my mind a very familiar expression, which says, “The things people really want to do, they will make the time to do those things.” I have seen this to be true in my own life. The things I really want to do, I find the time to do these things. In some cases, I can eliminate something else in order to make room for the new event or activity.

 

It amazes me how easy it can be to find the time you did not think was even there in the first place. This has helped me see that perhaps I may have been spending time on activities that were not productive anyway. This has taught me that it is all about making wise use of one’s time. Often times, I have found that some of the things I was spending time on were not that important, that I could cut back a little to make room for something more useful and beneficial. Making the time to include physical fitness in my schedule was certainly more useful and beneficial. I have come to realize that exercise is a matter of life and death, because the many health benefits a person receives actually adds years to their life.

 

I have learned in my journey with making lifestyle changes that a person has to be willing to step outside of their comfort zone.

 

Dictionary.com gives a good definition of the word comfort. It states, “To soothe, console or reassure; bring cheer to.”

 

These words are very fitting in describing the word comfort. My home is my comfort zone. Because I stay very busy, I truly enjoy the time I can spend at home. My home is truly a place where I find consoling, reassurance and cheer. These are the very things that make any home a happy place to look forward to at the end of a day.
 

As time passes, the discipline of regular, consistent exercise becomes more of a challenge. This is because you realize that this is something you must do for the rest of your life in order to maintain good health and your medical weight. Many times I have to remind myself that I must be willing to step outside of my comfort zone. There are days when I get off work and I am tired. It is so tempting not to go to the gym if this is one of my scheduled days. However, I always seem to regain my focus in the right direction and go to the gym on the days when I am scheduled.

Keeping my scheduled times for my gym activity has given me the joy and satisfaction that comes from knowing that I am doing the right thing. It gives me such a good feeling inside knowing I am improving my health for a better way of life now and even more importantly for the future. There are always improvements that can be made and this makes it all the more worthwhile for me to be willing to step outside my comfort zone.

 
When I look back at the plus size clothes I used to wear, this helps me see just how much progress I have made over the years in making lifestyle changes. When I look at the waist line in the plus size pants and skirts, as well as the dresses, it is sometimes hard for me to believe that I had allowed myself to get that big. I am so glad when I consider the tremendous amount of inches I have lost in my waist line. I can also see the enormous progress I have made in getting my lower body back into better physical shape again.

 After I reached my goal of losing over 100 pounds, I kept my bigger size clothes in a storage area for the first 2 years. I felt it would be a good reminder for me of what could happen all over again if I failed to stick with my lifestyle changes. Having kept the plus size clothes was also a reminder of all the hard work I had to do to overcome being morbidly obese. I could truly see that I would have to stay focused in the right direction in order to avoid having to repeat this hard work. After 2 years, I did finally get rid of my plus size clothes, because I felt that by now, I could stand firmly in my decision for a healthier way of life.
 
When I think about the importance of making lifestyle changes, I often think of something a customer said to me one day when I was at work. He was an older man in his early 60’s. In the course of our conversation he said, “Life is valuable and whatever time we have, we should use it wisely.” When I thought about the deep meaning this statement had, it made me realize all the more why making lifestyle changes is so important. Making lifestyle changes is certainly a wise use of my time and it would also show how much I truly value life.

 I was given a tote bag as gift by one of my co-workers. It was purchased from the Fayetteville Observer, North Carolina’s oldest newspaper. It is one of the few family owned newspaper companies left in the United States. The writing on the front of the bag says, “Knowledge Changes Everything, The Fayetteville Observer, Take A Closer Look.” I could not help but reflect on how true this statement was in my case. All of the knowledge I have gained about making lifestyle changes has truly been a life changing experience. The knowledge I have gained has truly given me everything I need to succeed in making lifestyle changes.

 

AUNT BEE 2 BARBEE FITNESS CONSULTING