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Just think of exercise time as recess

Lose weight during holidays?  Yes!

Two words bring health: diet, exercise

Two words bring health: diet, exercise

My name is Amy and I’m a recovering foodaholic. 

I have lost more than 165 pounds.  I used to be a size 26, depressed, lazy and addicted to food.  Today, I am an active and healthy size 4 with a personal training certification.

I’ve started this column because I’d like to share my experiences -- what worked and what didn’t -- with the hope that others may be inspired to undertake a healthier, happier lifestyle.

So, the first question you have is:  How did I do it?

Well, I’ll tell you, it’s really amazing, just huge.  It's practically a whole new approach to weight loss. 

The secret of my success?  Diet and Exercise.

Yep, that’s it.  No surgery.  No miracle pills.  No magic wands.  I ate less food and exercised more.

The real secret is you have to do both.  I’ve been a member of Weight Watchers ™ for four years.  When people there tell me they aren’t getting results, I ask if they exercise.  The response is always the same:  “Well, I try to do a little bit whenever I can.”  In other words, no. 

At the gym, I ask if they follow a food plan.  The response?  “Well, I try to eat right.”

If you really want results you can see - a healthier body, more energy, lower numbers on the scale and better results from your next physical - you absolutely have to do both.

Many people ask me if they should just lose the weight first, then exercise to tone.  Let me give you several reasons why the answer is always an emphatic no.

• Exercise suppresses your appetite.  Keeping active while you are cutting calories will help reduce the hunger pangs and allow you to stick to your food plan.

• Muscle helps burn fat.  What you want to lose is fat.  Resistance and strength training help you retain more of the muscle you have so that you can burn the fat faster.

• Adding even small amounts of regular exercise to your food plan will give you better results faster, helping you to feel more successful and you’ll be more likely to stick to your weight loss.

• Exercise helps fight depression and anxiety.  By including regular exercise into your food plan, you will help alleviate some of the bumps in life’s roller coaster, thus also avoiding those times when you want to eat emotionally.

• Aesthetically, you will look more toned as you lose.  Again, seeing better results in the mirror will help you stay motivated.

This gives you a good overview of why the two pieces work so well together.

In future columns, I’ll discuss how to make small changes in your diet and how to begin to incorporate activity into your lifestyle.

Until then, stay healthy, and be happy.