Tuesday Tushday

As I write this, I'm putting on my running shoes. Sentence, shoe. I'm starting a new trend, people, and I'm going to motivate the heck out of you. We're livin' the cyber life, staring at screens all day, and we're never going back.

But it's time to get real when it comes to fitness, which is the number one disease prevention you CAN do for yourself.

We're not all models. We're not all athletes. Very few of us get paid to look good (myself not included--I just happen to look good). We're human, that's all. But we need to get movin' people, or we're gonna be fatter than ever. That's why today's entry is dedicated to a few adages us normal people can incorporate into everyday life without dedicating ourselves to plans we can't really follow.

1. Change the way you think about TV. Planning on watching American Idol for a few hours? Go watch it at the gym. You've seen them--little, friendly black screens attached to every treadmill and elliptical. One episode of How I Met Your Mother=30 minutes of cardio at a medium intensity. Last night, I watched the Bachelor, and not only did I burn calories, but I saved even more calories by not being a couch potato at my apartment. If watching tv is what it takes to get you to the gym, then do it. Even moving at a low intensity is better than not moving at all.

But keep this in mind--watching the Bachelor is not going to do it. That's why I say, if you want to do a long cardio, and need something to take your mind of the monotony of doing the same thing for 40 minutes, tv is fine. But to truly kick your own butt, you need a little mental discipline, and you just need to survive on the treadmill for 20 minutes. It's a lot less boring if you challenge yourself and go faster than you ever have before, or with more resistance. Switch it up--if you can only run for three minutes, well, run for three minutes. Walk for five, then run for three minutes more.

2. BYOT (Bring Your Own Tupperware).

Seriously, I've started to carry my own around in my purse. This is a MUST for any New Yorker because we don't cook a lot at home, but for anyone else, it's a great portion control whenever you go out to eat. Besides, the take-out containers restaurants give you are usually poor quality. I always end up with pasta sauce leaking out into the bag. It gets messy, and I don't like messes.

3. Have you gotten up while reading this yet? Stand up. Get a drink of water. What does your posture look like? Bring those shoulders back, and get rid of that sloppy core.

I know. I'm mean. But it's only to make you look better than you already do.

That's enough for today, and I hope you at least take one of these ideas and work it into your Tuesday.