Ringing in the New

Wow, 2010. When I was a kid we just knew the Earth would be vaporized by now. Maybe that is why so many of us didn’t bother taking care of our bodies when we were younger.

We are living in unsettling times, but that doesn’t mean we should throw up our hands and say, “What does it matter if I am out of shape?” Seems to me that the threat of war and terrorism and all that that implies should make us conscious of the need to be more fit, to be more in control of our bodies. A certain level of fitness makes a person better able to meet challenges and to survive difficult times.

This year, I resolve to:
Take the long way. The human body and brain are all about efficiency. We are so clever about creating shortcuts and making things easier on ourselves. But it may be better for us to make things physically harder. My neighbors think I’m a kook because I like to do a lot of yard work the hard way, but sometimes it’s the only way I find time to get any exercise.

If you do something every day that is just a little bit difficult, then exercise can be incorporated into everything you do. Don’t ignore a formal exercise routine, just make exercise a part of everyday life as well. Why wait for the parking-spot angel? Is she really doing you a favor by allowing you to park a short distance from the mall entrance? It would be better to walk that extra 50 feet.

Drink more water. Research has shown that people cannot judge their caloric intake when they drink soft drinks. Other drinks such as juices (still really high in sugar) and milk (potentially high in fat) produce a feeling of satisfaction that may help prevent a person from ingesting more calories. Colas seem to produce the opposite effect. While loaded with calories themselves, they also seem to whet the appetite, especially for fats. Drinking a soda is like a double whammy of calories. Who needs that?

Eat lower on the food chain. This year, I resolve to eat more vegetables, more fruits, more grains and less processed, packaged food. Eating lower on the food chain is not only good for our bodies, but also better for the planet. And not only better for the planet, but better for America. Beef production is very hard on natural resources like water and also heavily contributes to erosion problems. We shouldn’t eliminate beef—protein is a necessity and meat is a very good source of it—but we should seriously consider what too much of it does to our bodies and to our environment.


Stay away from no-fat diets. Eliminating all fats is really not a good idea. Some vitamins are only fat soluble, so the body needs some fat in the bloodstream. Furthermore, fats are very satisfying, making you want to eat less. But they are really heavy on calories. Every gram of fat is about 9 calories, whereas proteins and carbs are about 4 calories per gram. A LITTLE fat in the diet may help satisfy cravings for other food, thereby helping to lower overall calorie intake. Just don’t overdo it.


Exercise more!!! I’m like anyone else. I get caught up in a hectic schedule and end up devoting too much time to work and not enough to my own physical well-being. Even though I know how much easier everything is when I am in good shape, I procrastinate, I lay around when I am tired from work and I put off exercise. This year I am going to focus on getting my fitness routine back on track. I mean it!

I’m fired up now. Come on! Who’s with me?