By Joe Mazzola (Personal Fitness Trainer)
Millions of Americans are overweight or obese, and out of shape. It’s not just adults. Childhood obesity has tripled in the last three decades. Today, 17% of America’s children aged 2-19 are obese, and a whopping 60% of overweight children aged 5-10 already have at least one major risk factor for heart disease. Regardless of age, most of those overweight and/or out of shape truly want to do something about it but struggle to succeed. They tend to get on an endless roller coaster ride while trying over and over again to make things better. It’s hard, discouraging, stressful and incredibly hurtful. The negative impacts also affect others around them, too. This situation is bad for the individuals involved and, on a macro level, bad for our nation. This paper was written to offer assistance and encouragement. It offers concrete recommendations that can help you reach your diet and fitness goals. The advice is largely based on research but also includes many suggestions based on my experience as a life-long exerciser and personal fitness trainer. All of the information is intentionally presented in a very informal manner, and in the broader context of goals. This is not a scholarly piece or academic research paper. The intent is to provide you with important information that will be easy to understand, implement and follow. Because everyone’s starting point is different, the diet and exercise tips are general in nature. However, following the advice and the many concrete suggestions will lead to a healthier, longer, more fulfilling life. (Consult with a physician before starting a rigorous exercise program.)
Begin With the End in Mind
When it comes to weight loss and fitness, you must start by establishing rock-solid, realistic, achievable goals. The other essential ingredient is a sound strategy to achieve them. I’ll get into both in a minute. For now, let’s focus on goal-setting in general. There are lots of experts out there on this subject. Most offer different versions of a checklist with basic rules to follow. Some are better than others, or at least easier to understand. Here are five excellent guidelines that, incidentally, apply to everything from getting out of debt to getting into shape:
1. Set a goal that has a measurable outcome and timeline.
(“I will run a 10K, in 60 minutes or less, and do it by July 1st!”)
2. Make your goal specific.(“I will lose 1 ½ pounds each month and a total of 18 pounds this year!”)
3. Create a strategy that includes small steps.
(Cutting 3 chocolate mocha Starbucks coffees a week = 50,000 fewer calories per year.)
4. Focus on the things you can control.
(You can’t control your age, current weight, current fitness level, work schedule and a lot of
other things in your life. Recognize them and focus on those things you CAN control.)
5. Create accountability for each goal.
(Use a pedometer if your goal is to walk 8-10,000 steps a day—it counts every step. If you
come up short, this $10 gizmo will motivate you to keep going and reach your goal.)
Strive for a Lifetime of Good Health
Now that you have some solid goal-setting guidelines to follow, let’s begin to work toward the goals that will improve your health. Toward that end, you must first understand that good health (which I suspect is your real desired end state), goes beyond just being skinny or having big biceps. Therefore, I suggest you establish goals that are NOT laser-focused on just one area. Instead, think in broader terms of wellness or your overall health. That means looking beyond goals that just zero in on diet or exercise only. Based on decades of research at the renowned Cooper Institute in Texas, here are 12 things that its founder, Dr. Ken Cooper, prescribes for a lifetime of good health:
1. Stop drugs, smoking and chewing tobacco.
2. Limit alcohol consumption.
3. Exercise regularly.
4. Eat less animal fat, cholesterol and sodium.
5. Eat more complex carbohydrates and drink more water.
6. Achieve and maintain ideal body weight.
7. Take appropriate supplements.
8. Fasten your seat belt.
9. Limit sun exposure or wear sunblock.
10. Get immunizations.
11. Obtain good prenatal care.
12. Get regular medical check-ups and do regular self-exams.
Go Big or Go Home
Everything on the above list is important. Do a self-assessment to see how you stack up in each area. Chances are you’re doing well on most but have room to improve in others. If that’s the case, the next step is to expand your “exercise only” or “diet only” goal. For example (and this will be different for everyone), you could broaden it to include: (a) drinking 2-3 additional glasses of water each day, (b) taking a daily Vitamin D and fish oil supplement, (c) limiting your red meat consumption to two 3-4 ounce servings per week, (d) wearing a hat and using sun screen every time you jog or walk outdoors, and (e) if you’re feeling gutsy, pledge to keep away from the salt shaker entirely (most of us get more than enough sodium from processed foods—any doubt though, check with your physician).
Notice how the add-on goals fit with the earlier guidelines for goal-setting in general. They are specific, measurable, within your control, etc. Keep this “acid test” in mind every step of your journey. Also, note that the supplemental goals are probably easier to attain than the tougher goals relating to weight loss and exercise. That’s good. When you have success on smaller, less challenging fronts, it helps keep you motivated on the more daunting ones. And, remember, each one of these “extras” is very important in their own right. They all contribute to your bigger, strategic goal—better overall health. Lastly, learning to make these small changes also builds good “change-making” habits, preparing you to better tackle the larger changes you might want to make to improve your life.
Diet—Tipping the Scales for Success
Okay, let’s get more specific with some tips for you to consider when focusing in on your diet and weight loss. First of all, keep in mind you are not alone here. Lots of us really struggle on this front. And, losing weight is hard, hard work…but not impossible. Don’t get discouraged—you can do it. I promise that the following advice will help you achieve your dietary goals:
- If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
First off, keep in mind there are no simple way to lose weight. Anyone can write and publish a diet book, too. And, there are lots of them out there for sure. Some of them aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. There are no “credential police” who check or validate what these authors say. Therefore, be very leery of anything that seems too easy or too good to be true. No matter what anyone says, losing weight requires a strong commitment, self-discipline and sweat. So, when seeking dietary information, consult with a nutritionist or registered dietician if possible, or go to other reliable sources, like the American Heart Association or US government’s excellent website on nutrition, www.ChooseMyPlate.gov. - Think of diet in terms of a savings account.
If you put more money in the bank than you take out, the balance increases. The same is true with calories and weight. Almost everything in your diet has calories. And, everything you do burns them up. If you “deposit” 3,000 calories into your body each day, but only “withdraw” 2,500 through what you do, guess what? You deposit the remaining 500 into your account (the one around your middle). Since one pound = 3,500 calories, if you did this every day for a week, you’d gain a pound. Does this sound at all like Thanksgiving week? When it’s all said and done, you can only lose weight by (a) consuming fewer calories; (b) burning more of them; or, (c) doing both. You already know this–the best way is doing both, through a balanced diet AND regular exercise. - Mice that roar (little things really add up).
When it comes to diet, work the margins–all the time and with bulldog tenacity. Examples of what I’m talking about include switching to low fat or fat free milk, cutting the cream cheese from the bagel (or half of it), eating only 100% whole wheat bread, using half as much dressing on your salads, drinking that extra water religiously, removing skin from the chicken before it’s cooked, switching from mayo (high calorie, high fat) to mustard (no calories, no fat), etc. Individually, these might seem like “small potatoes” (pun intended). Together, however, these little things really add up. Big time. - No forbidden fruit in this garden.
WeightWatchers’ (WW) prescribes a daily point total for each person they work with and require individuals to doggedly track and record points for everything they eat and drink. Almost all fruits and vegetables are zero points. WW knows they are loaded with nutrients and good for you. They also realize that eating fruits and veggies helps with weight loss. As such, their system encourages you to eat more of them. Follow their good advice and do the same. Heck, I’ll say it—besides white potatoes (especially fries, which are extra bad for you); eat as many as you want! Also, eat a variety of them. Think of different colors; the kind of rainbow you want to taste. - You can’t eat the ice cream if it’s not in the fridge!
Most of us have self-discipline issues when it comes to certain foods. For me, it’s ice cream. I eat too much of it when it’s in the house. Knowing that’s the case, we limit our ice cream purchases. Do that same thing with items you have trouble resisting. Warning–don’t go shopping when you’re hungry when you are more apt to load the cart with bad stuff. Here’s a great example of “controlling the things you can control.” Ultimately, you decide what’s in your pantry or refrigerator. If it’s not there, you can’t eat it when that craving kicks in. - 6. Portion distortion…but small is beautiful.
A big key to diet is portion control, which is no easy task these days. Way back in the day, a quarter pounder and Big Gulp were considered enormous. They quickly became the norm, and then grew legs. Our new “normal” is ½-pound burgers, 64 oz. sodas, monster fries, and breakfasts that include sausage AND bacon AND ham AND a short stack. One legitimate serving of meat or chicken is about the size of the palm of your hand, not too much bigger than a credit card. When eating out, order a plate of pasta and split it, get the 6 oz. sirloin instead of the bigger one, go out for lunch rather than dinner (smaller servings and even less expensive), box up ½ of the meal BEFORE you start, not after. And, when at home do little things like use smaller plates. You’ll be amazed at how it fools you. Also, break out the measuring cups to learn the correct size of a cup of cereal. Finally, eat slowly (and this is not just a problem for men). Trust me, those smaller portions will fill you up, but you need to let your brain catch up to your stomach, which takes about 20 minutes. Secretly challenge yourself to be the last one done and discreetly monitor others. It will slow you down! - Become a bean counter.
Friends, this is your health we’re talking about here. Take control and ownership. This may require some homework. Learn more about calorie counting, cholesterol (both kinds, the “good” HDL and “bad” LDL), Body Mass Index (BMI) and why % body fat is even more important than the number on the bathroom scale, the key nutrients in different foods, the various types of fat and why some are better than others, etc. Also, in keeping with the accountability rule under goal-setting, regularly track and record progress. In the end, you have to help yourself. (See websites at the end of this paper for some help.) - The tortoise beats the hare once again.
Finally, don’t try to lose your weight quickly. Crash diets rarely work and can be quite dangerous. Most short-burst weight losses resulting from fad or near-starvation diets are normally just the loss of water weight. And, those “lost” pounds typically come right back. Think in terms of running a marathon not a 100-meter sprint! Like the tortoise that beat the hare to the finish line, slow and steady will win this race, too. Also, losing the weight slowly also dramatically improves the chances you’ll keep it off, which is what you really want. The earlier example of losing 1½ pounds per month and 18 pounds for the year is a good one.
Exercise—Getting Maximum Return on Sweat Equity
So far in this paper, I’ve talked about establishing smart, specific, measurable goals…12 things that lead to a lifetime of good health…and several tips to help you lose weight and body fat. I’ll now switch gears and offer additional guidelines that focus specifically on the exercise side of your wellness plan. I’m hoping it will help you better understand why it’s absolutely crucial to establish balanced goals that include different, but complementary, components of total fitness. So, here’s my list of tips:
- More “mice that roar.”
Just like diet, you can benefit a lot from working the margins here, too. Do short bursts of exercise at every opportunity. Consider these examples: (a) do 25 sit-ups every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning, (b) do 10 push-ups every other morning, (c) do 15-30 minutes of stretching four nights a week (more on this later), (d) park the car at the far end of the parking lot, (e) walk to your gate at the airport rather than taking the tram or moving walkway, (f) walk or ride your bike to work if possible, and (g) use the stairs instead of the elevator at work every day. Just like the little dietary changes mentioned earlier, these may seem inconsequential in isolation. However, they make a big difference when added up—both for exercise value and for weight loss (each one burns up calories, too)! - Stress-Rest…Stress-Rest…Repeat.
If you want bigger biceps, you do curls to stress those muscles. However, you don’t get optimal results if you do it every day. Your muscles need rest to recover from getting pushed around. In fact, the “rest” is just as important as the “stress.” It helps the muscles bounce back, a little bigger and stronger (the term for this adaptation is “hypertrophy”). Based on this fact, it’s important to build a “stress-rest” cycle into your goals. Doing the same thing every day is a very common mistake, even if done with the best of intentions. Besides retarding progress, the everyday stress of doing this contributes to burnout, boredom and possible injury (that contribute to quitting). So, mix things up. You can still do something every day if you want, just different things. Because of muscle specificity, it’s okay to work one part of the body while resting others. In fact, that’s what body builders do. This stress-rest business is very important, so to put it in Nike terms, “Just Do It!” - Take heart: Pump up the volume.
I already touched on cardio work briefly. It’s incredibly important. Cardio training will make you look and feel better. It will also lower your resting heart rate…increase your good cholesterol…decrease your risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart disease…help you deal better with stress…improve your blood pressure…and lots more. As such, I urge you to include cardio in your fitness goals. It is a huge calorie burner, too. It will decrease your overall body fat so you can see the muscles you’ll build up (see below). To pass “cardio muster” your activity must (a) use large muscle groups (think legs), (b) use oxygen (think labored breathing but still being able to talk), and (c) be continuous. Jogging, cycling, swimming, stair-climbing, certain types of dancing and brisk walking are examples. Pick one that excites you and do it at least 30-minutes, 3-4 days per week. Start easy and slowly build up duration, intensity and frequency. All great journeys begin with one small step. It’s also a great idea to mix things up, so yes indeed, do different activities. - Don’t resist the resistance training.
I know I’m sounding like a broken record here, but your goal must be “total fitness.” Cardio is great, but you need more than a strong heart and powerful lungs. Supplement your cardio work with resistance training (a $10 term for lifting weights). It’s important for both men and women (ladies, among other things, it slows down the onset of osteoporosis). There are many other benefits and different ways to go about training. It depends on your goal. For most people, I suggest focusing on what’s called “dynamic strength” or muscular endurance. This will support your overall quality of life and help you do things over and over without getting fatigued. Think in terms of shoveling snow for an hour, compared to say, moving the piano or pool table. To improve your muscular endurance, I recommend weight training at least 2 days a week (not consecutive), doing 8-10 different exercises to ensure you work different muscle groups (more below), and doing 2 sets of 8-12 repetitions each. Ladies, don’t worry—what I’ve suggested will not bulk you up. It will certainly improve your muscle tone though, something I believe you’ll like. - 5. “Weight,” there’s more.
There is so much to cover when it comes to resistance training—biomechanics, range of motion, tempo and more. However, I can’t get into all of that in one paper. Having said this, I want to pass on three more important suggestions. First, here’s a general rule to pick the right weight to lift: When you finish the last repetition, say #12, you should have some doubt that you could complete #13. In other words, the last rep should be hard. Trust me, you’ll know. Second, understand that muscles generally come in pairs—biceps and triceps, quadriceps and hamstrings, and so forth. There’s a great tendency to just focus on one side (often the one seen in the mirror). Lots of people, for example, do huge numbers of crunches to work their abdominals but nothing to strengthen their lower backs. This can throw things out of balance. Don’t make that mistake. Finally, slow down when doing your lifts and pay attention to your breathing. As a general rule, take at least 1.5 seconds for every 90 degrees of movement, and exhale on the exertion part of the lift (the “concentric” phase), as your muscles contract or bulge up, inhaling during the opposite phase. - 6. Stretching for success.
There’s one other important (and often neglected) component of total fitness–flexibility. I’ll cover two types of stretching that will help in this area. “Dynamic stretching” is what you should do before and after exercise. Do it for at least 5 minutes before you begin your workout (cardio or resistance). It gets the blood flowing and the muscles loosened up. After your workout, take 5-10 minutes to stretch again as you cool down your body and transition back to normal. Think in terms of a golfer swinging her club repeatedly before the game, or a jogger doing “knee to chest raises” after he finishes his run. Be fluid in your movement and only stretch to mild tension. Brisk walking and light calisthenics work well. But avoid “ballistic” activities (like exaggerated bouncing to push your arm or leg beyond its normal limit or range of motion). The other type of stretching is called “static stretching.” For this one, think of Yoga or lying on your stomach stretching your back while doing a “Flying Superman” pose. Stretch to the point of mild tightness without discomfort and hold it for 15 seconds or more. Do a dedicated routine two or more times each week (the more the better), with each session lasting 15-30 minutes. Repeat each individual stretch 2-4 times. Also, use this time to also clear your mind of clutter. You’ll feel even better when done! A good source for some specific stretching exercises (and a wealth of other great information, too) is “Exercise prescription on the net,” at www.exrx.net.
Motivation/Summary
The leading cause of death for men and women in our country is cardiovascular disease. There are 8 major risk factors and 2 additional contributing factors: (1) Cholesterol, (2) Hypertension (or high blood pressure), (3) Smoking, (4) Pre-diabetes (glucose), (5) Family History, (6) Sedentary Lifestyle, (7) Obesity, (8) Age, (9) Stress, and (10) Triglycerides (fat in our blood or tissues). You can control all of them but two–Age and Family History. Said differently, your lifestyle choices, your exercise habits, and your diet will mitigate or eliminate 80% of the risk factors, that worst case scenario, could kill you!
Any personal fitness trainer knows that doing this stuff is much harder than it sounds. This paper was written to offer help and encouragement. It provides sound and practical advice on goal-setting and the different components that lead to a lifetime of good health. The paper also offers loads of recommendations to help you lose weight and set up a well-balanced and effective exercise program. If you follow the advice, I “guarantee” it will lead to stunning results that will improve and extend your life.
To make this work, you need to do your part. To achieve success though, you must make diet and exercise top priorities, not something you get to if there’s nothing left on your “to-do” list (as if that’s ever going to happen). Sticking to your plan and achieving your goals may require you to enlist support from a friend, co-worker or a family member to help inspire you and hold you accountable. That’s a great idea. You will likely have to get creative. I lived in the Washington, DC, area for 11 years and worked long days. It wasn’t easy to break away for a mid-day workout. During the first five, our house was in Alexandria and I commuted to-and-from the Pentagon every day on my bicycle, logging 5,000 miles each year. During the other six years, we lived in Arlington and I walked to the CEP office and home every day, averaging 40 miles of walking each week. And, when I go back to Montana to visit my family, I get a short-term membership at the local YMCA and work out at 6:00am each morning before having breakfast with my dad (and, it’s far and away, my least favorite time to work out). The point is that I had to be creative to get my exercise.
Speaking of creativity, understand that there’s almost no good excuse for dropping the ball here. I’m too tired—no excuse. My work schedule is crazy—no excuse. It’s too hot or too cold—no excuse. I’m too stressed out—no excuse. I’m travelling—no excuse. IF this is indeed a top priority for you (as it should be), you will make time and do whatever it takes to achieve your goals. Act like your life depends on it, because it does. Draw on your inner character and you won’t fail. You can do this. You will do this. And, in the end it’s going to pay big dividends. You are going to look younger, be stronger, sleep more soundly, feel better about yourself, and have a renewed zest for life. And, at a certain point in the journey (which won’t take too long), you are not going to dread your exercise and dieting. Instead you are going to look forward to it and make it simply part of who you are.
I’ll close with two quotes. The first is from Zig Ziglar, who said, “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” Right on, Mr. Ziglar! The second quote is what Yoda said to Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back when Luke was discouraged and ready to give up his training to be a Jedi Knight: “Do or do not. There is no try.” I wish you well–now Just Do It!
About the Author
Joe Mazzola has worked at the CEP since 2006. He currently serves as Vice President. Joe is also a personal fitness trainer, having completed his formal training at the Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas. When in the military, he was Chief of Fitness for the US Air Force, chaired the US Armed Forces Sports Committee for two years, started a World Class Athlete Program, led a delegation of 160 athletes to Rome for the military’s version of the Olympic Games, coached the Air Force Academy Cycling Team and served two years on the US Olympic Committee. Joe has also been a life-long exerciser and has completed over 20 marathons, including Boston and New York City. His email address is jmazzola@character.org. [See a list of additional sources of information below.]
Footnote: Why This Paper was Written on behalf of CEP
This paper was written on behalf of the Character Education Partnership (CEP). Our organization exists to help develop good people and create a better world. For nearly two decades we focused exclusively on students and schools. Recently, however, our mission was expanded to include helping parents and families. The change was a good one, and it caused us to think more broadly about “character.” At a recent Board meeting, one of our directors discussed, with great concern and passion, America’s obesity problem, especially childhood obesity. He felt the problem, and more importantly, doing something about it, related to fundamental character. Although his expanded view represented a paradigm shift for our organization, he was absolutely right! We are in the “help people and create a better world business” and should not and will not turn a blind eye to any major problem if we can offer assistance.
People in our nation truly are out of shape and too fat. Nearly, 70% of adults are overweight or obese. The rates for children are off the charts, too. With numbers this high, there’s a good chance that you personally fall in that category yourself. If not, it’s a safe bet that you know somebody who does, and it could be somebody you care about deeply. Our far-too-prevalent couch potato/desk job lifestyles, coupled with all of the processed, non-nutritious food products we eat at school or work or home, all lead to the extra weight around our middles. And, sadly, it increases the risk of serious health problems, up to and including premature death. Being overweight and out of shape adversely affects several other important areas in our daily lives, too. Many relate more closely to what we think of as “character.” I’m referring to things like self-image, attitude or outlook, how we deal with stress, doing our best in school or at work—aspects of one’s self that inform one’s character. The soaring cost for health care affects all of us, directly or indirectly, too. It’s just good citizenship to care about others and doing one’s part to solve problems that affect our country. I’m pleased and honored to present information, on behalf of CEP, that will help you improve your achieve your goals, feel better and flourish in every way.
Additional Sources of Information/Help:
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics – www.eatright.org.
- American College of Sports Medicine – www.acsm.org.
- American Cancer Society – www.cancer.org.
- American Diabetes Association – www.diabetes.org.
- American Heat Association –– www.heart.org.
- American Running Association – www.americanrunning.org.
- Centers for Disease Control – www.cdc.gov.
- Health and Fitness from Dr. Ken Cooper – www.cooperwellness.com.
- The National Institutes of Health – www.nih.gov.
- The Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention – www.Prevention.stanford.edu.
- The US Food and Drug Administration – www.fda.gov.
- The USDA’s Nutrition Website – www.nutrition.gov.
- For Corporate/Workplace Wellness Information – www.keenfootwear.com/us/en/recess.
