It’s been a long, long time since I’ve had to study for anything. To say I’m rusty is an understatement. But I’m scheduled to take the personal trainer certification exam on July 9th, so I’ve been buckling down and trying to retrain myself to remember tons of detailed information so I can regurgitate it later.
I have never felt so dumb as I do when studying human anatomy. I’m not quite sure, really, why I even need to memorize the Latin names of all the muscles of the body. It’s not like I’m ever going to say to a client, “Today we’re going to work on your gastrocnemius.” No, I’m about ten thousand percent more likely to say, “Let’s work on your calves.” But here I am, staring at these crazy Latin words and trying to remember even a fraction of them.
The second worst thing about this curriculum is the math. I haven’t taken a math class since my sophomore year in high school. I guess it’s good to know I could (maybe) calculate some of this information without, you know, a calculator or the internet… but then again, it seems like I’d pretty much always have one of those things to help me out. Anyway.
So yesterday I started the chapter on Nutrition. I know a lot of this information already, so that made reading the content fairly painless. There was, however, a big section on how to help fat people not be fat anymore. There was nothing that discussed the fact that around 95% of diets fail to produce significant long-term results, but instead it focused on how calories in always equal calories out. (However, they did admit, more than once, that a reduced-calorie diet can slow down your metabolism.) From personal experience, I’d have to disagree on that point. (Check out this video for a really interesting scientific explanation of why a calorie is not a calorie to each of us.)
There was one section (and it was on the sample test, too) about 10 habits that you should adopt if you want to lose and/or maintain your weight. These habits were derived from the experiences of participants in the National Weight Control Registry, of which I’m a member. Let’s take a look at those habits – with some editorial comments by yours truly.
- Control your portions. This is a pretty good one. America has a huge portion problem (pun intended). Case in point: I went out to my favorite local seafood restaurant this weekend, where I ordered a lobster roll. What did I get? TWO lobster rolls. Why do I need two? One is plenty.
- Be mindful when you’re eating. This isn’t a bad one, either. Basically, pay attention to eating when you’re eating. It’s pretty easy to not realize what you’re putting in your mouth when you’re watching TV, driving, or what have you.
- Exercise. More importantly, find some kind of movement that you enjoy. Love this one. Even better: Find several kinds of movements you enjoy, and that way you are more likely to be active most days of the week.
- Check the scale. No thank you. For a lot of people (me included), that number on the scale is triggering. If you’re concerned about weight loss and maintenance, why not use a specific pair of pants to monitor your progress? When I filled out the initial NWCR survey, they didn’t even list “never” as an option for how often I weigh myself. I’m in the minority on this one.
- Eat breakfast. I can totally get behind this one. If I don’t eat breakfast, I feel sluggish in the morning, and I’m hungrier throughout the day.
- Monitor your intake. This one advises you to keep a food journal. I don’t think this is a very fun way to live, but to each their own.
- Turn off the TV. Apparently successful losers only watch an hour of TV a day. But let’s be honest, TV is great! So, why not use TV as part of your exercise routine? I love watching soapy dramas while I’m on the elliptical. Time flies!
- Get started now (not tomorrow) – and no cheating! Sure, start today, that’s great. But no cheating? First of all, let’s just cut that word out of our vocabulary all together, eh? Treat is a much more mentally healthy word. But no treats, ever? That’s really no way to live! What about holidays? Vacation? Friday night after a long, hard week at the office? I firmly believe that treats can and should be a part of your life.
- Have some good friends. This one is about having people who support you, but also about having people who will hold you accountable. I’m the wrong person to talk about this. For me, dieting and working out is a very personal experience, and I don’t want or need to have someone there to make sure I’m sticking to the plan. Heck, I did Weight Watchers online so I wouldn’t have to go to meetings with other people! But if you need accountability and support, good friends are the way to go.
- Be optimistic. In all facets of life!
There you have it. With a few exceptions, I think these are pretty good habits that everyone should adopt. It makes me sad and frustrated that so many discussions about healthy habits are focused on fat people, when in truth, a thin person will benefit just as much from them as I will. After all, a thin person doesn’t need two lobster rolls at once either!
Got some healthy habits of your own? Share them in the comments!
