Move! More!

by Coach Roz Harris, ACC

One of the biggest pitfalls of professionals is extreme thinking. Extreme thinking helps us win at work, but it can defeat our weight management progress.

Extreme thinking is characterized by black and white thinking... All or nothing... Perfectly done or not done at all. This works in business, and is a bust in weight management!

My keynote message to the Professional Women's Fellowship luncheon in San Diego this month is on "Preventing the 10-Pound Weight Gain Over the Holidays." Extreme thinking has a lot of to do with avoiding that typical syndrome!

Let me explain. The Virtual Weight Loss Center’s model for permanent weight loss follows research from the Colorado Registry, that shows that people who maintain a weight loss don't just exercise more, they simply move more (http://www.nwcr.ws/).

Moving more can be simply walking to the grocery store, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. It can also be power-walking at the start of a run, or at the end of a run.

I struggle with extreme thinking. Several years ago, I trained for 15 minutes a day, just doing something: walking in place, or even 100 sit-ups. Then I learned to run, and my little mini-sessions seemed ridiculous. But then I moved across the country, lost my support system, got too busy and stopped running. Well, I had stopped the 15-minute-a-day habit too. Ugh! Soon I wasn’t doing anything. Does this sound familiar?

To avoid extreme thinking in relation to moving more, I’m developing a continuum from 1-10. Anything on this scale will count towards moving more and therefore bolster my weight management.

Here's introducing the Moving More Cardio Continuum:

This continuum will help you break out of extreme thinking about exercising. Make your goal simply "move more." Set up a ruler from 0-10. Place physical activities along the ruler that range from extra steps to full blown training/exercising

Now I need to take my own advice and listen to the encouragement I give clients: Start out short, smooth, and smart!

Therefore, my plan for November is this:

• I’m not going to run until I’ve walked several times.

• I’m not going to hit the weight room until I’ve completed a Pilates and resistance-band training class.

Here's my ruler:

On a ruler I have 10 markers

0-1 = stroll up to the market

1-2 = walk up/down stairs 5 times

2-3 = walk up/down stairs 10 times

3-4 = power walk 30 minutes

4-5 = power walk one hour

5-6 = power walk one hour plus run twenty minutes

6-7 = run forty minutes, walk 20 minutes (plus warm-up/cool-down)

7-8 = run one hour, walk 30 minutes (plus warm-up/cool-down)

8-9 = run ninety minutes walk 45 minutes (plus warm-up/cool-down)

9-10 = run two hours, walk 45 minutes (plus warm-up/cool-down)

Remember, it's not all or nothing; it's inch by inch, mile by mile, pound by pound. You can do it!


Virtual Weight Loss Center Corporation is an innovative, interactive weight management program providing personal, customized, and expert services to motivated clients in support of sustained weight-loss success. Visit our site www.noyoyodieting.com or call 800-535-5732.