The Lesson Learned

On the Beach

So I’m on the beach--the South Beach Diet--that is. Tomorrow will be Day 5. I’ve survived four days and it really hasn’t been that difficult, other than the fact that I have felt a little hungry at times. I realize that I could and probably should eat more if I’m still hungry, but I really don’t feel like eating anything I can have. So it makes me wonder if I’m really hungry or if I just think I should eat because I’m bored, it’s late, the TV is on, or late night snacking is a habit.

I keep telling myself that the problem is one of the above and I do not need to eat. And I haven’t. And other than the faux hunger thing, I like many things about South Beach:

I like that vegetables are not forbidden.

I like that you don’t have to count calories, points, or carbs.

I like the fact that dessert is allowed.

I like that the allowable and suggested desserts actually taste like dessert.

I like the fact that you can follow the diet while dining out.

And, finally, I so like the name South Beach. It sounds exotic and interesting. In fact, I like the name so much that one of my friends is convinced that I’m following the diet for the name only and I don’t really need to be on a diet.

Yeah, my fat ass begs to differ.

But I’m hoping to change all that on the beach. The South Beach.

Update: Spell check suggested I use "crabs" instead of "carbs." For some reason, that really cracks me up tonight. I think I need to turn in for the night. See you all tomorrow! Happy Friday!

South Beach

While grocery shopping last week, I picked up the South Beach Diet Good Fats Good Carbs Guide. I was curious about the buzz surrounding the diet, so I decided to see what it's about. And it makes a lot of sense. A colleague and I have decided to be South Beach Buddies and give it a try.

Now, I tried Atkins several years ago and I did not stick with it. I tired of the constant diet of meat and cheese with little or no vegetables other than lettuce. This diet does not seem to be as strict and I’m determined to stick with it and hope to lose at least 15 pounds (total). The plan claims that you can drop 8 to 13 pounds during the first two weeks of Phase I. I've been exercising regularly; however, I don't really watch what I eat, so I think this will be a good thing.

I didn't purchase the main book just the guide thing, but according to my friend the book doesn't include many recipes or other useful information. Instead, I spent part of the afternoon searching for good free South Beach sites and found a lot of recipes for getting started. I'm a member of Weight Watchers online, so I'm not interested in joining the main South Beach online site.

There's a ton of information available on the 'Net, but here are two sites I found most helpful (if you're interested!):

South Beach Diet Plan
South Beach Diet--iVillage

550 Lives changed

The sign proclaimed, “550 lives changed.”

Except instead of a sign, it was a white board. The board touted the names of the life changers and tallied the total numbers of lives they’ve changed with the goal of changing 550 lives listed at the bottom. The white board was propped against the Plexiglas of the cubical walls that encompass my health club’s sales staff. It is in plain sight of both members and prospective members.

It certainly caught my eye the other day. I had to do a “double-take” and move in for a closer look (on the down-low, of course). The life-changing white board captured my attention on many levels.

We have white boards in our conference rooms where I work, but have strict policies regarding cleaning them off before exiting the room. We are concerned with the possibility of our customers or competitors seeing confidential information. So it surprised me that the health club is broadcasting strategic sales goals for all to see: members, potential members, and competitors from other health clubs.

Then there’s the matter of the sales people taking credit for changing lives. Now, I’m not disputing the fact that getting in shape can change your life because I believe that it can. But simply joining a club doesn’t guarantee a fit body because if that were the case our country wouldn’t possess the current obesity rate. It takes dedication, drive, and persistence to drag your buns out of bed consistently, head to the gym, and workout.

A sales person cannot change your life—only you can do that. And I wonder if any potential or existing members have taken offense to sales person stealing our credit.

I think this is especially true for the potential members. I would question an establishment that was this bold. They were a little subtler back when I joined. In fact, I really didn’t know what I was getting into.

Now, let’s touch on the recruitment goal of 550 because you know that number nearly made by eyes pop out of their sockets. Since learning about this goal I can’t help surveying the joint and imagining what would happen if all 550 new member showed up at once. Okay, so that’s unlikely, but it’s not impossible. If 550 have memberships they are certainly entitled to all show up at the same time if they so choose to do so.

So, I picture all the equipment occupied with the 550 members and lines formed at each machine with people waiting their turn. And it’s not a pretty site.

I probably don’t have to mention that if I ever show up at the gym to find 549 other member’s working out that would be my last day at said gym. And I don’t mean maybe.

I would be one less life they get to take credit for changing. True story.

Discouraging Thoughts at the Gym

I’ve been going to my gym for about a year and a half now off and on. Sometimes my attendance is more on and usually sometimes it’s more off. I like to hit the gym first thing in the morning--before dawn. It’s normally dark when I leave the house and it’s still dark when I leave the gym, ready to begin my day.

I don’t particularly enjoy working out, but I do love the way I feel after a workout. I love that getting my workout in first thing in the morning gets it out of the way for the day. And because I’m getting up earlier and do not have to hit the gym after work, it makes me feel as though I’m gaining a couple of hours in my day. And I’m all about having more time in my day.

Since I discovered the joy of early morning workouts, I stumbled upon the biggest advantage of all: the gym is a better place early in the morning. I can use any machine I want and I never have to wait in line. It’s less crowded than after work, even with all the New Year’s Resolution people.

In fact, I’ve only noticed a couple of new faces in the morning. For the most part, the regular morning crowd rules the gym in the pre-dawn hours. And in some ways this is not a good thing.

Going every morning and seeing the same people day in and day out can be disheartening and discouraging. What do I mean by this? Well, how do I say this politely? Some of the regulars are really fit people who are just as fit, if not more so, than they were one year ago. And some of the regulars are out of shape people who are just as out of shape now, if not more so, than they were one year ago. Some of them have butts that are, well, chunky. It’s not nice to say that, but the truth does hurt.

And I don’t know what their habits are after they workout. Maybe some of them go home and eat an entire chocolate cake after their workouts. I don’t know. And maybe they’re not as regular at the gym as I think they are, since I wasn’t all that regular last year. I just don’t know. Maybe they notice that I am just as out of shape, if not more so, than I was last year. I don’t know. Maybe the chunky butt is a genetic trait they can't help. I do not know.

What I do know is that I want to see equal results for my effort. And since I am a very regular, regular I want to become a really fit, fit person.

I do not want to end up with a chunky butt.