Day 209 - 154.8 Edicts of Exercise

When the scale drops this fast, I know it's water-retention related, meaning I was either dehydrated this morning or I have been retaining water. Either way, I love seeing a lower number on the scale. It will likely go back up tomorrow, but once I see that lower number on the scale I know it's gonna be mine again soon. 154.8 puts me at less than 10 pounds from goal. YeeHA!

No run yesterday. Decided I needed a break. I get my haircut today at 2:30, and then plan on going home to change and then doing a 4 mile run I've planned on mapmyrun.com. It's a lovely course, down some shady asphalt streets in a nice neighborhood. It will be the first time I've run 4 miles, but I'm SO ready. It's gonna be hot (90* today) and I'll just have to gut it out. I'm a real runner, dammit, and real runner's run outside and in the heat. Ha!

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If you have time to read this list, you should. It's excellent motivation and perspective. I stole this from Marla's blog.

Dave Draper wrote this, "The Edicts of Exercise."

Edict No. 1 - Exercise done badly works better than no exercise at all. Of course you are much better advised to learn good training and workout technique and I would most definitely urge you to do so in order to avoid injury. But assuming you don't do something too foolish, at least you have gotten off your butt.

Edict No. 2 - Exercise done half-heartedly works half as well as exercise done with desire. As a gym owner, I often observe people who simply go through the motions. They never challenge themselves. They stick to easy isolation work with light weight. This covers them under the umbrella of Edict No. 1, but if they'd just put some heart and soul into the endeavor, they'd see some results.

Edict No. 3 - Exercise done occasionally does little. Just because you join your buddies in a game of pick up ball on sunny Saturday afternoons won't do anything except make your muscles sore the next day. It's very important to schedule in three or four hours of exercise a week for yourself. On occasion something will interfere; that's just the way life is. But most of the time the only excuse is laziness.

Edict No. 4 - Exercise done regularly does much. Someone who shows up for almost every planned workout, trains with intensity and pays attention to what they eat will, over time, reap tremendous benefits.

Edict No. 5 - Exercise done to please others is work. Just because your significant other or good friends like to go on 10-mile runs doesn't mean you enjoy it. Maybe you'd rather be in the gym improving your squat numbers. Do what you enjoy or you will soon be doing nothing.

Edict No. 6 - Exercise done to please yourself is joy. It's like anything else you do that you really like to do. Physical activity is the same.

Edict No. 7 - Exercise done in private is deeply rewarding. All too often people think that if they're not with a group of people, exercise won't be fun. This is nonsense. Exercising alone allows a deeper concentration and if you do better than you did the last time you attempted something, you will reap great personal satisfaction.

Edict No. 8 - Exercise done with friends is bonding. This may sound like a total contradiction to Edict No. 7, but it's not. It all depends on the activity. Cardio classes are especially popular with women who get a chance to "compare notes." Team sports provide camaraderie. The best is a nice mix of Edicts 7 and 8.

Edict No. 9 - Exercise done to kill time is time well spent. Got a half hour with nothing to do? I realize asking overly busy people this question is going to get a huge laugh out of many readers who wonder if I've lost what few marbles I have left. I'm not telling you to get out of your car on the freeway when it's pretty obvious that you're going nowhere for a half hour and do pushups against your car, but it's not a bad idea! Certainly you can do a few ab crunches or stretches during boring commercials.

Edict No. 10 - Exercise done to start the day is enormous. This doesn't necessarily mean you need to go into a gym for a grueling weight training session, although this type of plan suits many individuals. You've been sedentary for the past 7 to 8 hours. It's a good idea to spend a few minutes loosening up your joints and doing some stretching just to get the juices flowing.

Edict No. 11 - Exercise done at the end of the day is consoling and healing. A decent weight workout or cardio session after a hard day of toiling on the job is the best way to relieve the stress of the day and it costs less than Prozac.

Edict No. 12 - Exercise done to raise the spirits never fails. That's because the body releases natural endorphins which are the best anti-depressants and pain killers known.

Edict No. 13 - Exercise done because you must builds discipline. There are times when you face an after-work training session and think, "I just can't do it today." Unless you are ill, don't give in to those feelings. Show up and get started. You will be surprised that you will probably have a better than normal workout. Add to that the fact that you didn't listen to that little voice. You did what you ought, and that sort of perseverance carries over to all things in life.

Edict No. 14 - Exercise done to calm the storm empowers. If something is bothering you, whether it's a short-term problem or an on-going situation, exercise will relieve the mental stress and strain. In this case, exercise is actually relaxing and when you're done either things won't seem quite so bad or you will have a clearer head with which to think them through.

Edict No. 15 - Exercise never done is a great, great loss -- a loss of good health, good appearance, a feeling of wellbeing and self-confidence.

Edict No. 16 - Don't expect permanent or healthy weight loss without exercise. It is the key. Accepting that fact is good. Embracing it is far better. Practicing it makes the big difference.