Joel Fuhrman - Eat To Live

Eat to Live 229

on occasion, mark it on your calendar and consider it a special occa-

sion that you won't repeat too often.

Nobody is perfect; however, do not let your weight yo-yo. You

must adhere to the plan strictly enough so that you never put back

on whatever weight you do take off.

Is exercise essential for success in weight loss, and what type

of exercise is best?

Exercise is important, but if your ability to be active and exercise is

limited, do not despair. My more aggressive menu plans will still en-

able you to lose weight. Obviously, those unable to exercise require

a stricter diet. Some people have health conditions that preclude

them from exercising much. However, you should still try to devise

an exercise prescription to fit your capabilities. Almost everyone can

do something; even those who cannot walk can do arm exercises

with light weights and use an arm cycle.

Exercise will facilitate your weight loss and make you healthier.

Vigorous exercise has a powerful effect on promoting longevity. If

you have the will to adopt this plan and take good care of yourself,

you will find the will to exercise. "No time to exercise" is not an ex-

cuse. If you have time to brush your teeth, take a shower, or go to the

bathroom, you can make some time to exercise. Take frequent five-

minute exercise breaks — walk stairs or stand up then sit down slowly

in your chair twenty times. Lots of people with no time to exercise or

join a health club can usually go up and down stairs in their home or

place of work. Try doing as many flights as you can two or three

times a day. Walking twenty or more flights a day is an effective way

to achieve your goal. Most of my patients have a health club in their

house — that is, a stairway leading to the upstairs floor, and most

have one going down to the basement as well. I ask them to walk up

and down the two flights ten times in the morning before they shower

and ten times at night. It takes only five minutes, but it really works.

I also encourage patients to join a real health club and use a va-

riety of equipment to utilize many body parts for maximum results.

The more muscle groups that are exercised, the more metabolically

active players you have on your team to help you meet your goals. It

is definitely helpful to have access to an assortment of exercise

equipment, such as ellipse machines, treadmills, steppers, recumbent

bicycles, and numerous resistance machines. When you tire of one

machine, you can move on to a new one.