Hot Health Tips

It's Time to Change Your Focus
By Dr. Craig Bentham

A few weeks ago one of our Curves members approached a member of our staff with a major concern…she was ready to quit working out all together. What really caught our staff member’s attention was the tone and concern in her voice. Here was an attractive middle-aged woman who came in to get weighed and measured--but after two months of working out she had only lost one pound and one inch.

The dissatisfaction with her results seemed to have stemmed from her doctor’s recommendation to lose 20lbs for health reasons. She explained to our staff member how hard she’d worked out during those last two months, and how well she was eating, and how rejuvenated she felt as a result of her healthy lifestyle changes. All of that had turned to disappointment in her lack of weight loss. But, as our staff member pointed out, if we only focus on being thin, we will fail to notice the real benefit of exercise… better health! Realize that healthy living doesn’t necessarily come in one body type—thin.

We are very thankful for the inspiring words from our staff member who was able to change the mindset of that frustrated woman. It occurred to the woman that maybe one should not weigh the same amount at forty that she did at fourteen. She also realized that her body was going through a transformation; she was converting body fat into lean muscle (muscle weighs 2-1/2 times more than fat), increasing her metabolism, strengthening her bones, and improving her overall general health. So, she left our gym with a sense of pride for the commitment she has made to her health, releasing the notion that her health is based solely on her weight, and somewhat invigorated by the concept that ‘skinny’ isn’t necessarily better. Several times a year, especially around January, many people make commitments to improve their health… for example, working out at Curves three times per week, eating healthier and losing weight. However, in our culture the unfortunate part of all this is that our concept of health is intertwined with pressures to look a certain way…thin, fit and trim. It is true that being overweight is associated with increased health risks. What is not known is what constitutes being overweight for each and every individual. Can two people of different body shapes and sizes both live long, healthy lives?

So, this year if your goal is to be healthier by getting into Curves three times per week and changing your eating habits, take a good look at your motivation for change. Ask yourself, would you be happy if you made the improvements to your exercise regimen and eating habits but did not see dramatic changes on the scale or in the mirror? We encourage all of you to work out for the sake of being healthier, not just thinner!

Remember:

• Healthy habits create a healthy body!
  
  
• The Curves workout will help lower your percentage body-fat, and replace it with muscle. This is why you may not see significant weight loss…at first.
  
  
• Everyone has a different metabolism… regardless of what your goals are, be honest about what is attainable with your unique body.
  
  
• YES…Curves is the #1 gym for weight loss solutions! HOWEVER it also helps improve energy, muscle tone, bone density, joint stability, low back pain, and overall total health! This workout also prevents heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and fatigue!
  
  
• Everyone is different…pay attention to what makes you feel healthy and what will make you feel your best.
  
  
• Consider our nutritional recommendations and healthy recipes on our Website as a nutritional road map to health.