"Wise Up and Shape Up"

Recently, a friend of mine did what countless others have done before. She joined a fitness center. If I had a dollar for every friend, acquaintance, and stranger who has signed up with a gym, health spa, or exercise class of some type, I could give Bill Gates a run for his money; but not on a treadmill.

I’m skeptical about the whole organized exercise scenario. Often, it appeals to and pulls us in at times we honestly believe that getting into shape is devilishly conceivable. Furthermore, who would argue that there is no price too costly for a beautiful body; the one we always dreamed of flaunting. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve never seen a complete transformation emerge from a fitness center of any kind.

Upon taking one’s vows, the critical time period of conversion is the first few weeks. Once four consecutive weeks are conquered, the battle is essentially down hill from there. Those initial twenty eight to thirty one days are the true test of wills.

Day one, almost everyone starts off optimistic. Perhaps a nice, healthy, bowl of cereal is the ideal choice for breakfast. Or, maybe some cottage cheese with fruit will do the trick. When lunchtime rolls around, a nutritious salad sounds about right, while co-workers are devouring hamburgers and fries. After work, off to the gym, health spa, or exercise class.

The aerobics class doesn’t seem quite as invigorating as it did while observing others during orientation. Damn, it’s hard work! The weight machines aren’t a barrel of laughs either. Now, it’s time for dinner and we’re tired, sore, and starving. How do a microscopic piece of broiled chicken, plain baked potato, and some broccoli sound?

How about sounding healthy, balanced, and unsatisfying. Dessert is out of the question at this stage of the game. Look on the bright side: There’s always tomorrow to look forward to. Piece of cake; actually, piece of chicken.

So, what happens next? I think we all know the answer. We’re too sore to even think about going back to the torture chamber for a few days. Besides, one scoop of double chocolate ice cream won’t really matter anyway. In essence, exercise and diet are thrown out the window along with the empty ice cream container and the exorbitant membership fee.

Fitness centers know this all too well. That’s why they offer "deals." It’s never "pay as you go", rather, durations are anywhere from a few months, one year, or longer. Since most people only go a handful of times, or less, these establishments profit immensely.

There’s a better way; one that works. Sent from heaven, this one entails no contracts, fees, or waiting lists for equipment. A fit and trim "new you" is guaranteed. How, you may ask. Simple: WALK. Walking is a great form of exercise because it doesn’t require any preparation or fanfare. And the best feature is that it doesn’t feel like deliberate exercise. You can do it anywhere…around the neighborhood, at a local park, or in a shopping mall. Gradually increase your pace and length of duration as time goes by.

When you get into the swing of things, a healthy diet will go hand in hand with your exercise routine. Instead of the initial attitude, "I walked for an hour, so I can have that piece of cake", eventually, it changes to, "I don’t want to jeopardize my workout, therefore, I’ll pass on the cake." However, the wonderful thing is this: Exercising on a regular basis allows for that sweet tooth to be indulged now and then. It becomes not a matter of deprivation, but one of modification.

The key to a healthy lifestyle, and it is a lifestyle change, is to keep it simple. Just go take a walk…preferably, a long one. Once it becomes routine, a balanced diet will follow suit. It will make perfect sense.

You don’t need prestigious fitness centers with fancy equipment and pricey membership fees. When they dangle alluring gimmicks, don’t take the bait. Otherwise, the only thing you’ll be guaranteed of losing is your money. Just walk away.