Thinspired by Mara Schiavocampo

Author:Mara Schiavocampo
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gallery Books/Karen Hunter Publishing

Chapter VII

FITNESS

Eat Clean, Train Dirty

Let me tell you a little bit more about how I used to “exercise.” Though I’ve been overweight to some degree for most of my adult life, I have also always worked out. Two to four times a week, I’d drag myself to the gym, grudgingly. I absolutely hated to go. I’d think about it for hours beforehand, like a cloud was hanging over my head. It was a complete and total chore. Once I was there, I’d spend half an hour on the elliptical, or the stationary bike. I’d do my best to make the workout a little less tedious by reading a magazine or watching TV. At least then I could be entertained. If I was feeling ambitious, I might go to a random weight machine and do some reps, no rhyme or reason. I didn’t even know what muscles they were working. The only running I did was out the door as soon as my thirty minutes were up.

Despite my halfhearted (aka “lazy”) workouts, I really felt like they were beneficial. First of all, it took so much effort to get there that I felt as though I was making a supreme sacrifice, and surely that must burn some calories. I was also regularly “working out,” so I thought I was getting all of the benefits, including a faster metabolism and a calorie deficit. I vastly overestimated how much of an impact my workout routine had on my life.

Today, my fitness life couldn’t be more different. I exercise six days a week, first thing in the morning. This often means dragging myself out of bed before 7 A.M., even on weekends, even in the darkest, coldest days in winter. My workouts are intense. I run sprints and hills, I Spin like a madwoman. I strength train with free weights and resistance bands. I take ballet barre classes and yoga. I work hard and I leave completely soaked in sweat. But the biggest difference in my exercise routine then and now is that now, I love working out. It’s the most fun I have every day. What gets me out of bed in the morning is that I’m going to do something really fun.

Up to this point, it may seem like I’m not a fan of exercise. After all, I give it just 10 percent in the formula, and I’ve spent a lot of time talking about how insignificant it is compared to food. It’s true that exercise needs to be put in the proper perspective, because so many of us overestimate its importance. But that doesn’t mean it’s not important.

Exercise is extremely important to overall health, in ways that go far beyond weight loss. In fact, I often remind myself that weight loss is the least significant reason to work out. Exercise is like a magic potion. It gives you lots of energy throughout the day and helps you sleep better at night. It not only prevents a ton of health problems like

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