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Tools for a Balanced Lifestyle  

A Program of Recovery from Weight Related Problems

Going for the 3 increases: Increase of Health; Increase of Happiness and Increase of Energy

Chapter 2:  Exercise to Live  

I.   An Exercise ALERT

An important element of the Balanced Lifestyle Program is the exercise component. Exercise means increasing the amount of physical activity more than what our ordinary life demands. What exercise in the Balanced Lifestyle requires is our getting back to our caveman roots. Our bodies were meant to handle more physical activity than what our modern world requires of them. When cavemen (and cavewomen too, but we will use the terminology caveman for our illustration) were hungry they needed to leave their caves, which were often located on the side of high hills or mountains. This required them to descend the hill (stretching their muscles for the strenuous activity which lie ahead) to get out to the open plain. They would then walk or run across the plain (for up to two hours or more at an increased heart rate or aerobic level and working up a sweat in order to avoid predators for whom humans were their delicacy of choice in their food chain) until they got to the forest. Once in the forest, they would climb trees (requiring cross training due to the need for motor skills different from those used to that point), or squat behind bushes (requiring flexibility and good muscle tone) or run from tree to tree to hide (running for their lives from other predators who favored human flesh) in search of their prey. They would then slowly stalk (with patience and determination) their food source until they were in "shooting" distance. When close enough they would hurl (requiring upper body strength and agility) their spears at their protein source and hopefully hit their target. Once successful in killing their "needed survival energy source," they would then need to pack the animal on their back (anaerobic strength work) and then run or sprint out of the forest, across the plain (for up to two hours or more with increased heart rate and the strength conditioning loads on their backs). They would then need to climb (stepping their way carefully up) the rocky terrain of their mountain or hillside home until they were safely back to the cave. Once in the cave, (after cooling off),  they would begin the process of nurturing their bodies with the "prized food." They needed to be as active as this in order to stay alive. They needed to have bodies which could sustain the level of activity needed to track down and kill their food source if not daily at least three times a week. They needed to sustain this level of activity for their entire lives in order to stay alive and well. They needed this "exercise" in order to survive. For cavemen then, "exercising" was a way of life.  Exercise was as essential for cavemen's lives as was air, water and food. They needed to " exercise" to live.  

So what about us in the twentieth century who possess cavemen (and cavewomen) bodies but without the need for the high level of physical activity they needed to stay alive? What are we doing to our well planned bodies with skeletal, muscular, respiratory and digestive systems meant to be so active? What is happening as we subject our bodies to the sedentary lives resulting from the modern era of electronics, computers, gadgets, gizmos, remote control, elevators, escalators, automobiles, and other forms of motorized transportation?  If we are not giving our bodies the physical activity, for which they were magnificently built to perform, then we are slowing down our internal bodily clocks which manage our metabolic rate. We are telling our internal monitors that we don't need to have excessive activity in order to live. We are telling our internal regulators we have enough "stores" of food in our cave to survive on. We are telling our internal systems to "slow down" and relax since our bodies do not need to be vigilant, alert, awake, active or ready to go at any minute. We are telling the message centers in our bodily functions that we are not "under attack" and to "let down their guard" so that their peak efficiency will not be needed to survive in this world. What we are doing to our internal bodily regulators, is to get them out of whack and confused. They do not know we really need to continue the activity (or at least a part of it) which our predecessors on earth required to stay alive. As a result, our internal functions become slowed down, under utilized and unresponsive. We have less energy, become more lethargic and experience tiredness more readily than cavemen did. We have decreased metabolic rates so that we do not burn off our caloric and fat intake as quickly as  cavemen. We become recipients of inordinate numbers of fat cells which are there in our bodies for no real "survival" reasons. We begin to experience joint problems due to being un-lubricated or infrequently used. We begin to experience problems in our respiratory and circulation systems due to inactivity. We begin to have digestive tract disorders due to lack of physical exertion. We begin to have muscle tissue breakdown, especially in our primary muscle our hearts. We, by our sedentary lifestyles, experience life threatening physical diseases and conditions which shorten our life expectancy or at the minimum reduce our vibrancy, vitality and ability to enjoy life to the fullest. Because we do not "exercise" enough we threaten our survival. Because we do not have enough physical activity in our lives we are more out of shape than our cavemen predecessors. By not having enough physical activity in our lives we are injuring our "cavemen" bodies. Exercise is needed for us to maintain our bodies in a healthy lifestyle. Exercise is returning to our caveman heritage and giving our bodies a chance to feel the success and triumph of being successful in achieving goals of survival and living. We, by increasing our physical activity and exercise, give our bodies a chance to again hit the targets which will keep us alive and well. When we choose to exercise we accept that exercise is as vital to our lives as is air, water and food.  

We must also be easier on ourselves for the lack of exercise in our lives because we were not (in the majority of cases) raised to have exercise as a normal function of our lives. Our families did not adhere to the belief that exercise was essential for life. They did not teach us, from early life on, to make physical activity an important priority in our lives. Oh yes, they might have encouraged us to do physical things like: dance, gymnastics, little league baseball, football or soccer, karate, etc. But our parents did not introduce us to healthy physical activities which we could continue to engage in for the rest of our lives. The motive behind our being encouraged to engage in activities often did not have any thing to do with our health. Often the motive was to get us to become competitive or maybe keep up with the Jones's kids. They often encouraged physical activity so that we could become successful as athletes, performers or contestants. The messages given us about physical activities were confused, jumbled and distorted. We did not get the message that exercise and physical activity were as essential to living as were food, water and air. Our parents (in the majority of cases)  were poor role models for adult participation in physical activity and exercise. They were responsible for many of our current beliefs and negative self-scripts about exercise

Our parents were not alone in giving us corrupted, distorted and irrational perceptions and beliefs about exercise. Our schools, community groups, organized youth sports, friends, peers and relatives also gave us input about ourselves and our level of exercise and physical activity. Perhaps we were the last ones to be selected for teams at school or gym class. Maybe we were taught that the only way to play was to win. Or maybe we were taught that because we were so uncoordinated that we couldn't do anything. We might have had bad experiences when it came to gym class, organized sports and extracurricular physical activities, which have shaped our biases and prejudices about exercise and additional physical activity. We need to accept that we were not taught healthy messages about exercise and physical activity as children and that we need to correct these self-perceptions and self-scripts prior to our implementing our  exercise program for our Balanced Lifestyle.  

You need to exercise to live.  So what is holding you back? What is blocking you from getting on the bandwagon of exercising? What is behind the stress, anxiety or panic you feel when you realize that an exercise program is required for the rest of your life in a balanced lifestyle? What you need to do at this the beginning stage of your Balanced Lifestyle efforts is to do an ALERT to identify what are the irrational, unrealistic and unhealthy beliefs which are keeping you emotionally off track and resistant to implementing an exercise program in your life.  

Assess what is creating the panic, anxiety or stress as you confront the need for increased physical activity and exercise in your life. Look for the underlying thoughts and feelings which are making you resistant to implementing an exercise program. Try to identify what past experiences or humiliations might account for your current hesitation to begin. Bring to your conscious level memories of past efforts at exercising and how and why they ended. Try to push yourself to identify the sources of anxiety about exercising and then move on to the next step in the ALERT process.  

Lessen the impact of the stressor of the need to exercise and increase your level of physical activity by identifying the irrational, unrealistic, unhealthy, non-reality based, sick thinking and beliefs which make the need for exercise such a stressor in your life. What follows are just some samples of such beliefs. The words bolded in each statement, make the statements irrational, unrealistic and unhealthy for you. Removing the bolded words and rewriting these statements into more positive affirmations will lessen the impact of the stressor of the need to implement an exercise program in your life.  

                     

Unhealthy Message: Healthy Affirmation:

I don't have time to exercise.  

 I will make time to exercise. 
I don't want to be in a big group.             I will exercise on my own.  
I don't want to wear tights and leotards.     I will wear whatever clothes I want to when I exercise.
I don't want to hurt.                     I will have increased resistance to pain and hurt by exercising in a healthy sane way.  
I don't like it.    I need to exercise to live and I will only do those activities which I enjoy doing. 
I don't want to sweat.  I will allow myself to sweat while I exercise and enjoy doing so because it is good for me.  
It is such a grind.   I will only do an exercise program which I enjoy doing.  
It is so boring.  I will make every effort to make my exercise program  interesting and pleasant for myself. 
It is so costly to exercise. I will implement an exercise program for myself which is inexpensive and of reasonable cost.  

I am worried how others react to me.  

I only need my own approval when I exercise.  
I have too much in my life to do already. I will make room in my life for exercise.  
I need an outside "push" to do it.  I will motivate myself to implement an exercise program in my life.  
I can't exercise alone.   I can exercise alone because it is needed for me to live. I use air, water and food on my own and I can do the same with exercise.  
I won't let others see me. I will chose exercise and activities which I can do alone and out of the sight of others.  
Exercise is work.  I exercise because it is healthy for me. I will make every effort to make exercise fun for me.  
Exercise is a waste of time.  Exercise is the best expenditure of time I can give myself.  
Exercise is extracurricular in my life.  I will make exercise an essential component of the curriculum of my life. 
Exercise is not a habit for me. I will make exercise a healthy habit in my life.  
I don't look forward to exercising. I will look forward to exercising.  
I am bad because I need to exercise.   I am a human being who needs exercise in order to have a healthy, vibrant, vital life.
Exercise is drudgery.  I will make every effort to make my exercise program interesting, productive and something I look forward  to doing.  
Exercise is a pain in the ass. :-) Exercise is going to make my ass smaller. :-) (just joking)  
I'm embarrassed to exercise. I am proud that I exercise and I will let others see it.  
Exercise = weight management.  I exercise because I need it to have a healthy life.  
Exercise = diet program.  I exercise because I need it like air, water and food in order to live.  
Exercise = weight loss.   I exercise so that my body regulates itself in a healthier way.  
Exercise = no food.  I exercise so that I can eat food with less guilt and fear.  
Exercise = deprivation.  Exercise is a gift I give myself.  
Exercise = punishment.  Exercise is a reward I give myself so that I can live a healthy, vibrant and vital life.  
Exercise = quick fix.  Exercise is a lifetime activity which I need to do in order to live a healthy and robust life.  
Exercise = bulking up and muscles.  I will accept that muscles tissue will increase by my exercise program and that it is good for me.  
I never seem to get around to it.   I will always make time in my life to exercise.  
Exercise = a job.  Exercise is a way of life for me.  
Exercise = a job for which I don't get paid.  A healthy life is the best payment I will get for the time, energy and resources I put into my exercise program.  
Exercise is only done by jocks.   of life.   I am exercising to win at the game
Exercise is only done by yuppies. I am exercising for me because I deserve it.  
Exercise is only done by thin people.  I exercise to keep me alive and healthy.
Exercise is only done by the Stars and Celebrities.    I am worth the effort I will put into exercising.
Exercise is only done by pretty people. My beauty will shine as I exercise.  
Exercise is only done by body builders.  I am saving my body by exercising. Exercise is only done by athletes. I am a winner in life by exercising.  
I am too tired to exercise.  I will gain more energy and strength by exercising.  
I am too exhausted to exercise. I will gain vitality and drive by exercising.  
Exercise is not normal for us to do.  Exercise is a normal function for humans to perform.  
Girls don't exercise.  As a woman I have a need to exercise.  
Exercise is not ladylike.  I become a healthier woman through exercise.  
I am ashamed to show my body off. I will exercise without the fear that others will see my body as I exercise.  
Exercise is aggressiveness.  I will gain calm and peace in my life through my exercise program.  
It is over-sexual to exercise.  My sexuality will become healthier as I exercise  because I will become a healthier person.  
To exercise is a selfish behavior.    I deserve the time needed to exercise.  
Exercise means to do something exotic.   I will do ordinary things in my exercise program.  

Exercise is to do sporty things.  

 Exercise means for me to increase the amount of  normal physical activity in my life.  
If I exercise I can eat more.  I am exercising so that I can live a guilt free lifestyle and develop a healthy relationship with food. 

I accept that if I want to lose weight that I will have to increase the amount of physical activity in my life and reduce my intake of food.  
I am not athletic enough to exercise.   I am able to exercise because my body was made to exercise.  
Others will make fun of me when I do it. I only need my permission and approval to exercise and it is not important to me how others will react to my exercising since it is healthy for me.  
Exercise increases appetite.   I will decrease my appetite by increasing the level of exercise in my life.  

The next step you need to take in your exercise ALERT is to Ease out of the stress by using the new positive affirmations to help your thoughts become more rational and realistic. You also need to try to visualize yourself implementing and being successful in your exercise program. Visualize yourself doing an exercise program only for yourself, privately, in as cheap a way as possible, doing it alone with no need for external prodding or coercion, where your physical activity level is increasing, and your body internal regulators are returning to their "caveman" levels.

Relax with your visualization of success in doing an exercise program by breathing in your new affirmations of success and breathing out your old stale sickly beliefs and myths about exercise. As you relax in your belief about the possibility of being successful in your exercise program you will become increasingly ready then to Take Action and implement the exercise program you need for yourself to be healthy, vibrant, vital and alive.  

To increase your level of physical activity does not always involve an organized "sports like" exercise routine. It can involve simple things which are easy to implement and cost nothing to engage in such as:

  • parking your car as far away from the building as possible  

  • using stairs instead of elevators or escalators  

  • walking or riding your bicycle to work or to do errands  

  • walking to and around the mall  

  • walking along the coast of the ocean or lake  

  • taking bike or walking hikes on the weekends for a family outing  

  • ice skating, rollerblading, roller skating or bike riding for family fun  

  • swimming in ponds, lakes, pools or ocean instead of just looking at them  

  • cleaning your house on your own instead of hiring a maid to do it  

  • try jumping rope in between chores at home  

  • taking care of your own lawn and garden instead of hiring someone to do it  

  • playing racket ball, handball or tennis for fun and not for competition  

  • vacuuming your house for the family as a special treat (even though it is good for you, don't let them know why you really are doing it, let them think it is because you are a nice person (just joking))  

  • walking to and around the supermarket while doing the shopping for your spouse (again don't let on how "good it is" for you to do it)  

  • stop using your remote controls, do things by hand and getting up out of your chair to do it  

  • do things for yourself in the house and stop asking others to do things for you while your are just sitting there as a coach potato  

  • set the dining room or kitchen table every time you eat and then get up and clean it up after you eat so that you do not eat on the run, at the counter or worst yet at the refrigerator door  

  • do not use the drive through windows at banks, fast food joints, dry cleaners etc. get out of your car and go into the establishment in order to get the services you are requiring  

  • weed your garden  

  • bend down and pick it up whenever you see something laying on the floor, don't let it stay there, move it  

  • chop wood for your fireplace, use the "real thing"  

  • don't vacuum wood or tile floors, sweep them with a broom and pick up dirt with a dust pan  

  • don't use the electric dryer, hang your clothes out to dry  

  • if you are water conserving and have your car washed in a car wash service, wax your car by hand  

  • recycle and bring the recycled goods by bike or walking to the recycling center in your neighborhood  

  • plant and tend to a garden in which you raise your own vegetables  

  • for fun go out folk, square dancing or any form of brisk dancing  

  • try cross country skiing when it has snowed in your neighborhood to get to places you need to get to  

  • take a break during your work day for a short walk away from your desk  

  • don't use the intercom or "E mail" if you need to tell something to someone in your office walk over to the person and give the message directly in person  

  • keep your house neat and clean on your own, don't let it get out of hand  

  • get off an elevator one floor below or above your desired destination and use the stairs to get there  

  • if you drive to work, or take a bus or subway, stop a short distance before your desired destination and walk the rest of the way  

  • do your exercising in front of the TV or listening to your stereo to keep you entertained  

  • for one month stop going out to expensive restaurants and with the money you save buy a piece of personal exercise equipment which you can use in your home  

  • try not to select an activity which requires another person to participate along with you so that you don't have the excuse that they are not available for you to engage in it  

  • shovel snow off your sidewalks and driveway, don't use the snow blower  

  • rake the leaves off of your lawn  

  • volunteer to do physical yard and house work at worthy non-profit agencies and churches if you don't own your own house

You need to use your imagination and stretch your creativity to come up with other ways to increase the level of physical activity in your life which will go into your exercise program for your balanced lifestyle. Make this program of exercise one which is fun, easily achieved and hard to procrastinate over. Try not to make your exercise program so involved and compulsive that it becomes a burden for you to achieve. Remember that you are trying to help your body return to the caveman functioning for which it was created. The activities which you choose for your exercise program need to be normal for you. They do not need to be extraordinary and superhuman. The goal is for your life to be enhanced, your health to be increased and your energy level to be expanded. Your exercise ALERT is over. It is now time to turn to examine what anger issues are holding you back from moving forward in your exercise plan.  

Related Tools for Coping Readings:

1. Self-Esteem Seekers Anonymous  

2. Tools for Personal Growth  

3. Growing Down: Tools for Healing the Inner Child  


To proceed to the next section in Chapter 2: Exercise to Live in the Tools for Balanced Lifestyle click on the topic below:

 

 

 

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