HEALTHY NOT SKINNY (Successful fat loss)

Okay, so I want to start this post off by clarifying that, my tummy isn’t perfectly flat. My arms aren’t thin. On the other hand, I’ve never experienced what it means to be called “fat,” and I’ve never explicitly faced prejudice toward my body size. But I have a zero tolerance policy around fat phobia. I encourage my friends to love themselves and be healthy at whatever size makes them feel best.  I am really busy so I can’t go to the gym every day like I used to. And I like french fries. And alcohol, and I’m not obese and I REALLY DON’T GIVE A F@CK what others think about how I look.  Nor should you .

That being said, it's that time of year again.  Magazines, articles and self proclaimed guru blogs, will be full of "experts" writing about weight loss and diets and how THEY can make you skinny, slim, less. Sorry folks, I won't do that.

As a matter of fact, it's that kind of shi...stuff that makes me want to pull out my hair because they are usually selling - read that again; SELLING- you a short term, solution. And, people will try some pretty crazy shhh..., I mean things, in pursuit of the holy grail of weight loss, from chewing but not swallowing to only drinking their food. Guess what? All diets work to some extent, because you’re restricting your food intake. But with diet fads, the weight loss is most often temporary, not necessarily fat loss and can sometimes be dangerous. I won't get into all that. What I want to write about is the benefits of good health.

Focus on health and the weight will naturally follow. That's it!

When you focus on good health, a life long goal - not just short term fat loss and begin practicing the right steps towards a healthy, vibrant lifestyle, you will very rarely find yourself overweight. And, I'm not done here.  The best part is if you get healthy.  You GET HEALTHY and can also count out most diseases that go along with poor health, ie. diabetes, hypertension (Stress), obesity, high blood pressure...Buzz words of our time.

I'll keep it short. Our body weight and clothing size is not a reliable indicator of a healthy person. No two people have the same body composition. Lean isn't necessarily healthy and vice versa. My mother is a great example of this. She is by no means leans. Ok she's plump, but at 65 years old she can still out work the best of us. She still shovels the driveway, piles wood, pushes the wheel barrow full of whatever and is on not a one medication. She is by all intensive purposes healthy and what we should strive for in the future but would we call her fit? How unfair.

She moves everyday and to quote her," I should be skinny with all the work I do," which is very true. Her body has a set point and at 65 I guess it's stubborn.

So, no matter what your body type is, it’s important to get the adequate amount of exercise to preserve bone, muscle and stay healthy so you can avoid long term health problems. Exercising doesn't have to be difficult. My mom gets her exercise by lifting, pushing, climbing, cleaning up after my dada and more, nearly everyday in her daily life, yet still finds the time to work on her pull ups because it's something she's interested in. (I know right? Grandma does pull ups- bad ass!) If that's a bit too extreme, try a dance class, take a walk outside, or even take the stairs at work, instead of using the elevator. 

Why? Ask any doctor or nutritionist and they will likely say that the true measure of health and longevity has mainly to do with lifestyle - proper diet, healthy eating habits, exercise and most of all a sound mental outlook on life. Ok, that was long but we all know how I like to rant. Here's some more ranting...

It's unfortunate that most of our focus is on diet and body image not the importance of good health. Society dictates that thin is in! Yes, lean is still thin but with muscle. The advertising industry invests billions of dollars in the marketing of miracle fat burners and quick loss schemes that promise amazing overnight results. The fact is that most fad diets are developed by people with little to no scientific or health background. So be careful.  Some of these diets can be downright dangerous.

Good health is not hard to achieve and I can almost guarantee that when you focus on your health, the excess weight will naturally take care of itself. Just eat real food, move more and don't be intimidated by exercise. 

It's unfortunate, but plenty of people feel intimidated at the thought of joining a gym. I've been there myself.  I've slinking into the gym for the first time, a look of fear on my face as I wondered if  I dressed right...what kind of torture will I be put through...how silly will I look in front of all these people.  It's normal to feel that way and here at Cherry Bomb we try to alleviate those feelings with our BEGINNER CLASSES- ON RAMP & FIT U.  I get it.  Walking into a room with mysterious machines is tough and what's worse is that the members seem to be in great shape and know exactly what they're doing.  I swear, they all didn't start out that way.  They had to start somewhere.

I'll dive a little deaper into how to deal with gym anxiety in another post. But I'll leave you with this tidbit.  

There are many factors to consider when choosing a fitness facility, from location to membership fees and contracts. But none of that matters if it doesn't have the right kind of atmosphere. When looking for a gym, you want to find a place where you feel comfortable and that might not always be at the nearest big box gym.  For more individualized and caring attention as well as a welcoming atmosphere, check us out.  We'll ease you in with our beginner class - On Ramp and after a month if you don't like it there's no obligation to join.  

Already have a membership somewhere else?  That's fine by me.  We can teach you how to use your own gym membership in our 1 day FIT U seminar.  Stop wasting your time and money and start doing! 

To recap, there are many different ways to get your daily exercise in, so have a little fun, try something new, stay active and focus on your health.

Be awesome!  

Any questions or comments?  We can help.  sara@cherrybombgaragegym.com

If you're still a bit anxious.  You can get started at home with this free download. 

Free workouts & guide to the Only 4 Pieces of Equipment You'll Need To Get Started