Just as you would accept that weight management is a permanent commitment, you should also accept that an unfit body does not respond as well as it should to any attempt at dieting. Being physically active and fairly fit is as much a part of optimal health and fat loss as oxygen is of sustaining life.
Again the question is "So what now?' Here we are, living in a crime-infested society where outdoor walks are mere memories of times gone by or distant dreams of some day yonder. Our chances of enjoying normal, natural and pleasant physical activities have become lean - anorexic in fact. Picnics and playing in the veldt with the children and the pets? Dream on, unless you have a large enough garden to play picnic in a secluded corner. Dinner and dancing once a week at a fancy restaurant with a lively jazz quartet to keep the feet tapping and hips swaying? Forget it. Those joints just don't exist any more because the demand has disappeared. Why? Because walking arm-in-arm with your dance partner to and from the parking lot has not only lost its romantic appeal, it has become positively dangerous. And gyms? They are for the ones who have already lost - or perhaps never had - any excess weight and we-with-the-hips feel more intimidated by the sight of those svelte bodies than we would by the sight of a scorpion in our training pants!
So what now? Now that were ready to commit to an active lifestyle, we have nowhere to go! So well just have to stay at home and try some of the following suggestions.
This is the magic that will help you regain that which you've lost: your lean body. Denser muscles mean you are allowed more food, on account of the higher metabolism. They also mean glowing looks because of the increased oxygen supply to the cells, better health and prevention of disease and best of all, a lean, trim body. Muscles weigh more than fat, so they take up less space, giving you a taught and toned appearance.
The first thing to do is to buy yourself a pair of strap-on ankle weights and wrist weights. They are available from most sport shops. Start with 1/2 kilogram per leg and 250 gram per wrist. Strap them on and go about your daily business as usual. If you wear long pants nobody will even notice the ankle weights and on the wrists they are not that noticeable or unattractive. You will be amazed to find out how much you move your arms and legs during an ordinary day. And wearing the weights, every normal movement turns into a mini workout. This builds new muscle tissue without much effort on your part! It takes time - about 6 to 12 months - to regain those muscle tissues lost through poor diets, but it will be worth persevering. Try to wear your weights for at least two hours every day and of course, try to make it during your most active hours when you're preparing dinner or doing shopping. At first you might experience stiffness, but that is normal, so don't give up. This is one of the best gifts you can give yourself!
If you have the money, hire a personal trainer. If you can further afford to have him or her come to your home, so much the better. Alternatively you can make use of the trainer at your local gym. But check them out beforehand. As with everything, this industry has its fair share of chancers. Check out his or her references and if you're happy, discuss your requirements with them: you want to build muscle density and improve your percentage of lean muscle tissue. The key is using light weights and doing many repetitions. Hiring a good personal trainer, albeit expensive, is probably the most effective way of reaching your physical goals. Somehow it just works when you have to do it with somebody, and a good trainer is also a master when it comes to motivation.
