A New You for a New Year



The year 2010 was, according to the Chinese calendar, The Year of the Tiger.  For many people, 2010 was The Year of the Fat. Somehow many of us became fatter.  Oh sure, there are nicer ways to say it, more politically correct names like weight gain, water retention, post-holiday tummy, etc., but the bottom line is that our pants don't fit as well anymore, shirts seem tighter and a softening of chins are noticed.

January, 2011 is all about getting back in shape and more important, getting back into health. One of the best ways to stay healthy is a good diet.  Look at it this way, it took a certain diet to get into the bigger shape you are in now so it will take a certain diet to get into the shape you want to be.  A person's first thought about dieting is, 'it is so boring and difficult', but you must be truthful when you ask yourself, was it fun while eating those cookies, cakes, ice cream, french fries, and fried chicken?  Sure it was.  But, is it fun now carrying around the results with you?

Eating the 'fun' food is an immediate gratification type of feeling.  It is fun, good, even exciting while you are doing it but the long term results for the momentary pleasures are not as fun. Gaining unwanted, unhealthy weight that is more difficult to get off than it was putting onto your body, no joy in that.

So you look in the mirror on January 1st and ask yourself, is this what I want?  To continue to gain weight, to not be able to move as lightly or quickly as before, to have my knees and lower back hurting as they struggle with the extra weight, to slowly turn away from life and hide more into the comfort of food?

Only you can answer that. Only you can do something about it.  Rehabmart can help you with your decision.

Rehabmart.com cannot help you with the type and amount of food you put into your mouth but we can assist you in burning off the added weight and calories. To strengthen your body and muscles so you have more daily control over your body.  To help you get into a healthy habit of exercising your heart instead of your digestive tract.
 
                           From library.rehabmart.com           From library.rehabmart.com
 
One of the ways on how Rehabmart can assist you in losing weight is by offering over 180 different products by Body Solid .  Body Solid is a leading manufacturer and distributor of high quality fitness equipment for the home and commercial markets including multi-station gyms, free weight machines, a complete line of cardiovascular products, weight plates, kettle bells, dumb bells and fitness accessories.
 
                          From library.rehabmart.com       From library.rehabmart.com

You can read about a specific Body Solid product called the Body Solid Best Fitness Sportsman 20 Home Gym  in the Rehabmart library.

Maybe you're not quite ready for the gym.  You want to start slower.  Starting slow is a very good idea. Many people have big dreams when they think about getting back in shape.  They think back ten years ago when they could still run up and down a basketball court or go for a three mile jog.  They think that it's like riding a bike, just get back on a pedal. But when they buy the equipment and clothes to work out again, they find out that they can't quickly do what they used to do, in dismay they just quit.
 
                 From library.rehabmart.com             From library.rehabmart.com

For many people, it is better to start slower and ease into more intense workout routines that will come later down the road.  Find out about some products to use to help you slowly get back into shape by reading Christmas Gifts: Give Health for the Holidays  from the Rehabmart library.

Adults are not the only ones who have problems with weight gain, so do children.  This has been proven to be true by the many news stories and articles about the unhealthy weight issue of the youth of America.  Some products to help combat childhood obesity are written about in Rehabmart library articles, Christmas Gift Ideas: Gifts to Get Your Kids Moving  and Rifton Adaptive Tricycle.

It is well known that for many people, stress is the cause of overeating and under activity.  This is where the term 'comfort food' became popular.  When stressed out, many people find a reprieve in a type of food that reminds them of a more safe, slower time in their life.  Also, due to stress wreaking havoc on their body, they seem too tired, or wiped out, to exercise.  To get a better understanding on a healthier way to deal with stress, take a gander at the Rehabmart library article, Relieving Stress the Healthy Way.

When people talk about weight gain or loss, they are talking about measurement of their body. In this case, a weight measurement in pounds.  Jumping on a scale is one of the least enjoyable things to do for overweight people.  It doesn't have to be this way.  Half the fun of losing weight is to see the results. This reinforces the idea of continuing to diet and exercise. The best way to lose weight is to make it fun and enjoyable.  Why not continue this idea with a weight scale that is more fun than what our parents or grandparents had to use?  Check out some interesting scales in the Rehabmart library article, Floor Scales.

Weight loss is up to you.  You are in charge of it and only you can decide if a more healthy body is what you want.  If so, Rehabmart can assist you with some products to help you gain your goal.  There are only so many 'tomorrow is when I will start' that come along in your life.  Why put it off another day?  Take the first step into the new you and learn more about how you can become more healthy and happy.  It will come quicker then you think, all you got to do is to BEGIN.


Bill Stock
Library Editor for Rehabmart
and
Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Team Leader & CEO