Over the last few months, on several occasion I have found myself thinking whether it would be good to have a communist government who would make stringent rules regarding health and fitness. For example, how about no one can be overweight or have unhealthy eating habit or stay unfit? Then I realized McDonald’s and Burger King would be part of our history and ‘a thing from the past’. Almost every aspect of our thinking has a point of source and similarly, these strange thoughts about communist government while being in Canada has nothing to do with politics but a lot to do with weight.
According to the concept of ‘body mass index’, I would be considered overweight. I gained most of the weight during second and third year of university when my diet consisted of fast-food and coffee. The weight kept following me around and every morning I would go on a healthy diet and give it up in the evening after a long day of classes. Having Timmies on campus made it worse. The Iced Capp would just be calling out to me and I would think to myself, how can I possibility walk away? It indeed was an intense affair between Iced Capp and myself but affairs are bound to come to an end and for me, that was definitely a good news.
Eventually about a few weeks ago, I have been able to step out of my shoes and realize that most of my clothes are no longer a little fitting, they are simply very tight. The hunt for new clothes made me realize I have spent money to gain weight and now I’m spending more as a result of all the unhealthy food. For me the motivation was to fit into old skirts and dresses. Three weeks ago I started running. Since then I have been giving the Iced Capp cold looks. As summer starts off, maybe you should run for fun, to keep fit or lose the few extra pounds.
Now, why running? Amongst all the possible options of diet pills, food from weight watchers or joining the gym, running is the least expensive way to shed off pounds. For some, that beef burger will add meat on the thigh and for some it will go right to your love handles.
Few tips that I have gathered from reliable sources:
Food: various magazines will write different sorts of things. I have no idea how one can possibly lose weight without some form of exercise.
ü Cutting down on the number of times of eating out
ü For special occasions such as birthday dinner, choose the healthy choice such as non-fried noodle soup or a chicken salad
ü It’s best to have three full meals such as big portion breakfast, medium portioned lunch and a small dinner
ü Avoid eating big meal after 8pm; for the brown readers, I know eating rice after 9pm is normal but that has to change if you want to look and feel better
ü To make a meal plan, speak with a nutritionist to figure out what’s missing from current diet. For vegetarians, substitute chicken with soy bean, legumes, beans and quinoa
ü Once the running or working out routine begins, its normal to feel more hungry and it’s crucial to continue with the same portion of food if you want to lose weight. Overeating is a no no and you have to be the boss of the food, not the other way around.
Water: one of the essential aspects of a healthy lifestyle is water and most people tend to underestimate the necessity of it. Water tends to ensure healthier skin, better digestive system and cleanses your body. But how much is enough?
This will depend on the minute of exercise, the level of alcoholic intake, or how long an individual is outdoors. More physical activity requires more water to keep the body fully hydrated.
ü It’s recommended that on a typical day, it’s sufficient to drink 4-5(500ml) bottles.
Shoes: this is the biggest investment or expenditure that will come along if you decide take up running.
ü It’s better to go to a specialized store such where they will be able to provide information about the types of feet people have and which shoe is best for an individual.
Clothes: Track pants and plain t-shirt lying around the house is fine, as long as you are comfortable in them. For ladies, it’s a good idea to buy a sports bra to have a better and less awkward run.
Time of running: Most people have a hectic schedule and if you are commited to running, you need to find 3 days in a week where you have 30 minutes to yourself. Without commitment this isn’t going to go anywhere. For the early riser, have a light breakfast such as banana and toast and wait for 30 minutes before starting a run. If afternoons are better wait 1-2 hrs after eating lunch. If your stomach hurts during the run, it’s a sign the amount of food intake before running should be reduced. It’s best not to run past 9pm since its closer to bed time and it may negatively affect sleeping pattern.
