You may not believe this, but every BODY is different. They have different shapes. They metabolize food differently. They burn fat differently. This rings true to me because my aunt is currently very discouraged about her workout routine and food regimen. Two months of effort for little reward and she wants to give up. I get it. I want to stand and scream with her in solidarity. “What the BLEEP?” But if I have learned anything over the past few years, I have learned this: human beings are created uniquely. Because of this, there is no way to lump us all together with a one-size-fits-all health regimen.
I stood in the waiting room of my chiropractor today and read an article about how “fit” people metabolize food better than non-fit people. I have personally experienced this as I started strength training. The more muscle I build, the more efficient my body is at burning calories. I did high cardio routines for a long time and burned most of my fat off that way. But once I started crunches, weights, and resistance training, the shape of my body really began to change. My main goal was to completely eliminate my floppy arms, therefore I put a lot of effort into biceps and triceps. Did it help? YES! Do my arms still flap? Sadly, yes they do—but not as much as they would have! My kids tease me about this relentlessly and that is why I frequently lock them in the closet and poke them with sharp sticks. (I don’t really do that—but I should!)
What I notice is that on the days I do a lot of work on my muscles, I get REALLY hungry. I also get really tired if I don’t eat enough(which is rarely a problem for me). So here is what I want to tell my aunt, you are building muscle and that is GREAT regardless of what the scale says. Though I don’t blame you if you tie that sucker to a tree and blast it full of lead.
I have also learned that I metabolize foods differently than other people. For some reason, white carbs(potatoes-rice-white bread) are really slow to digest for me if laden with fats like butter. I could eat a baked potato with butter for lunch and not get hungry for the rest of the day. Fats slow down the process of metabolizing carbohydrates. I don’t know why. But that’s what the nutritionist told me in the hospital while teaching me how to care for my diabetic son. And I noticed it was true when I ate those things. Therefore, when I ordered my lunch yesterday(a fried cod sandwich on a baguette) I asked them to hold the bun and give me a heaping pile of veggies and coleslaw instead. That big fluffy baguette would have slowed down the fried cod(which was so flipping amazingly tasty) from digesting for 5 or 6 hours, and I would not have been hungry for dinner. I really don’t consider the bun a sacrifice. I was still totally full and satisfied after eating. Also, I didn’t feel clogged up afterward. Henceforth, I feel it is safe to eat fatty foods in moderation(I am a butter fiend!), I just need to hold the white carbs when I eat them. (my personal favorite lunch is whole grain bread piled high with muenster cheese)
I have also learned, painfully, that I must wait until I experience true hunger to eat. Even if it is 6:00pm and my family is chowing down, I must wait until 6:30pm when my tummy is rumbly. Actually, I like to be hungry for about 60 minutes before I eat, which fully guarantees that my body must dip into its fat stores. This used to make me crazy, but now I accept it. That is the way my body is. And do you know what? I love my body. It is an amazing machine. If we ever experience a shortage of food, I will outlast you. You will be worm food while I continue to dwindle. I know, not a pleasant image, but if my body is nothing else, it is efficient.
So, dear Aunt Mickey, don’t give up! Don’t listen to the “I don’t want to’s” and “The gym is cursed’s.” Just listen to your body. It is happy you are working to make it better. If you listen closely, it will tell you exactly how to trim the fat too. I promise!
Oh, and YOU ROCK!!
And for the rest of you, just know that your body is unique. What works for someone else may not work for you. Don’t get discouraged! Try different foods and different exercises. Above all, have fun with it! If it’s not enjoyable, you won’t stick with it. I have learned through various trials in life to embrace my differences. And I am a better person for it. You will be too!
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