Healthy Trucking

Staying motivated

The expression, “The hardest part is getting started,” isn’t always true. If you’re like me, you have most likely started lots of things and never finished them. This includes losing weight and getting healthy. I have spent hundreds of dollars on treadmills, weight machines, diet pills and clubs, all with the intention of losing weight, but I didn't stick with it for long because I did not see results very rapidly.
     The reason I didn’t obtain the results I wanted was that I was doing it wrong. I did the workout, but then I went back to eating the same things I had always eaten. Even worse, I felt that I needed a little reward for doing something healthy, so I would treat myself with something tasty but unhealthy, believing that I’d work it off the next time. But I didn't realize that the tasty treat converted to fat in my body before I ever got back to the exercise.
     It takes more than cardio exercise to achieve results. Building muscle mass is just as important, because our bodies automatically burn fat when we build muscle mass. To accomplish this, we must eat the right foods in the right combinations so our bodies can be nourished, allow the cell receptors on our muscle cells to take on good nutrition and develop in the way we want.
     The more you understand how your body works and reacts, the more motivated you will be just by the visualization of it all. Imagine you’re sitting down to eat breakfast and you have a menu with different options. Are you going to eat the sausage gravy and biscuits or the steak and eggs?
     My advice is to stick with the steak and eggs. And order some fresh fruit, even if it is simply an orange or apple, instead of the heavy hash browns. The added nutrients will be beneficial, and the fiber will regulate the absorption of the simple carbs and sugars you ingest.
     It is important to have a balance of carbs, fibers and proteins in your diet every day, all day. When you nourish your body properly, the exercise you do will have a stronger impact, and you will see the results you want.
     I lost 100 pounds, and so can you. I wrote about it in a book you can order, along with the 19th wheel, from my Web site: safetythruwellness.com. I am happy to receive e-mail questions so I can be there to give you answers and motivation.
     For now, take care and live well.
     Jack Kelsh is an over-the-road professional driver and a certified sports nutritionist.