The best news was Friday evening when I checked in at Weight Watchers and confirmed another .6 lb gone. I have felt that I was on a bit of a plateau lately, partly because of lack of serious effort, partly because my body needs fewer calories to function. But there’s still a minimum below which I must not go. Why ? Because less than that and one runs the risk of too few necessary nutrients and the breakdown of muscles. This way lies anorexia, my friends.
So that means more physical activity. GACK ! Again, the question, why is it so hard to get moving ? Well, there’s this thing called “inertia”– a body in motion tends to stay in motion (except for gravity or friction), and a body at rest tends to stay at rest, unless you kick it into action.
So, ”3415″ is the ultimate answer– (not 42, like you Douglas Adams fans thought)– Get up and get moving !
And what has that to do with St. Patrick’s weekend ? Well, in reflecting on what’s changed in the last 50 years or so that might have contributed to our meteoric rise as the fattest nation on earth, it came to me last night that one of the things is that people don’t dance much anymore. You see, last night I went to a party where the host, dressed in traditional Irish dancing style, taught us Irish folk dances.
Yes, friends, I remember vividly that we used to dance ! We used to folk dance, in fact. We used to have barn dances. We used to watch shows on tv that TAUGHT us how to dance, even, rather than watching ”reality shows” where OTHER PEOPLE dance– be it ballroom competitions or ”Dancing With the Stars.”
Now I know some of you have those tapes or dvds of Richard Simmons, maybe “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” or something like that– break ‘em out and start using them. Or, just turn on the radio, or get out the iPod and start making like you see on THOSE commericials.
Just keep moving ! It will get you off those plateaus, and the endorphins generated (YES !) will make you feel as good as you are going to look.
One Comment
Hi catdog!
We used to have Dance Night whenever the other half of the duplex was empty. But my MIL hasn’t gone out of town for a couple of years and Dance Night has sort of been forgotten.
I wonder if there is something we could put down on the floor so the whole house wouldn’t shake so much when we jump around?
And maybe we should just do it anyway?
Because dancing is just about the most fun way to get exercise — you’re right!