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On
Exercise
When was the last time you saw a FAT vegetarian? Yes,
all those thin people with the long hair at the co-op
are probably vegetarian. And the vegan ones? Those are
the ones built like Gandhi and Ally McBeal: super thin,
waif-like people who will never have to loosen their
belts or find themselves embarrassingly having to buy
clothes a size or two larger than normal. I was once
told that vegan is actually a rough translation of a
Latin phrase that means "those who can eat all they
want and never ever have to worry about it."
Or so I thought. Being vegan does go a long way towards
solving many of the ethical, environmental, and animal
rights problems that our society faces, but it is not
a weight-loss plan. It is important for us to remember
that our healthy vegan diet is just one component of
our overall health. Even the vegan food we consume contains
calories, carbohydrates, and fat. Our body needs all
of these to function properly, but what if we eat more
healthy vegan calories than our bodies require? Our
smart bodies store the calories for future use. This
doesn't sound like a problem until you realize that
those calories are stored as fat. Through a longer process,
unused carbohydrates are also stored as fat. Yes, even
the ones from vegan food. Happily, there is an easy
way around this.
Another major and necessary component of our health
is physical activity. All those spare calories do not
have to be stored as fat -- we can burn these calories
through exercise. Don't you hate the word "exercise?"
It brings to mind visions of those guilt-inspiring television
advertisements for gyms and spas where the beautiful
people get chiseled, firm, tanned, and toned. If you're
like me, you may hear the term "exercise" and instantly
acknowledge that you're not a Mr. or Mrs. Universe,
you never will be, and who wants all those veins anyway?
Now that we have agreed on that point, consider that
exercise doesn't have to involve going anywhere near
a gym, nor do you have to wear skimpy stretch clothing
with a shoe company logo. Sounding better already, isn't
it? Here are some ideas you may even find fun:
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Pop on a CD with any type of music that has a fast,
regular beat. Close the curtains, turn off all the
lights, and dance! With no one there to see you
in the dark you will probably find that those dance
inhibitions will disappear and you'll have a great
time. Not only is this fun, you're burning calories
the whole time.
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When was the last time you went for a walk? No,
I don't mean "to the car." Just go for a walk around
the block, somewhere familiar. You will find that
by walking you will see things that escaped you
as you flew past in a car. After a while you'll
find that you have slipped into a comfortable rhythm,
and the walk can be a peaceful break from the rest
of your life. Do this walk on a regular basis, and
you'll find that it becomes easier and easier. Remember
that the distance isn't the important part -- the
walking is. Sometimes it' s fun to walk with a friend,
too. You'll both be burning calories the whole time.
I bike to work and back every day. It's a great opportunity
to get my blood pumping before I get to work and to
relax on the way home. There are a lot of ways that
we can burn calories, improve our health, and look and
feel better too. Just start in small, nonthreatening
steps and do it on a regular basis. Maybe exercise isn't
so bad after all!
Rob B.D.
Arizona
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Copyright © 1998-2013
by Jo Stepaniak All rights reserved.
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