- Joined
- Apr 30, 2005
- Messages
- 42,064
Happy new week all!
I was reading a book recently set in around the second world war and a bit beyond into the fifties, and it really brought it home to me how sedentary our lifestyles have become. I was reading about the work the average housewife had to do, goodness - there were plenty of opportunity to burn calories throughout the day!
The wife would arise in the morning, cook a breakfast for her family, then her days work would begin in earnest. She would perhaps do the laundry on a Monday, as each day was devoted to basic chores and a larger task. She would have to wash heavy sheets by hand, rinse and wring them out with the help of a mangle, then wrestle with them to get them onto the washing line to dry. Once dry, she would have to spend a long time ironing them.
Carpets, very often these were smaller like rugs and removable. So the housewife would roll them up, carry them outside, hang them over a wall and beat them until all the dust and dirt was removed - what a great outlet for stress!
Grocery shopping, she would often have to walk or bicycle a few miles to the shop and back, plus carry heavy bags. Food was generally higher in fat, carbs and sugar than we eat today, but much of the energy that these food groups supplied was expended in physical work.
So it makes sense to try to tailor our diet not only towards giving us the best fuel we can for good health, but to be appropriate to the amount of energy we use. We know if we do very little physical exercise and spend a fair amount of time eating chips and doughnuts, we will gain weight most likely. So balance is key in order to reach our goals. Our bodies were not designed for us to sit on a settee constantly in front of the TV, so the effort we put in to being active is well worth it, as we know, there are innumerable benefits to working out and taking care of our diets.
As we know, this is a journey for life and it isn't about perfection. I try to use the days where things don't go as well as I would like, as motivation to do better tomorrow. Our bodies are constantly changing, so we can use the heavier feeling days to help us work a bit harder towards our goals, and the days where we notice the positive results as an incentive to keep up the good work!
Remember, it is the choices you make consistently over the next few weeks, months and years which matter! Keeping this in mind, I find it comforting to know that as long as I continue to work towards a healthier life and body, that I can't help but be successful!
Have a great week
I was reading a book recently set in around the second world war and a bit beyond into the fifties, and it really brought it home to me how sedentary our lifestyles have become. I was reading about the work the average housewife had to do, goodness - there were plenty of opportunity to burn calories throughout the day!
The wife would arise in the morning, cook a breakfast for her family, then her days work would begin in earnest. She would perhaps do the laundry on a Monday, as each day was devoted to basic chores and a larger task. She would have to wash heavy sheets by hand, rinse and wring them out with the help of a mangle, then wrestle with them to get them onto the washing line to dry. Once dry, she would have to spend a long time ironing them.
Carpets, very often these were smaller like rugs and removable. So the housewife would roll them up, carry them outside, hang them over a wall and beat them until all the dust and dirt was removed - what a great outlet for stress!
Grocery shopping, she would often have to walk or bicycle a few miles to the shop and back, plus carry heavy bags. Food was generally higher in fat, carbs and sugar than we eat today, but much of the energy that these food groups supplied was expended in physical work.
So it makes sense to try to tailor our diet not only towards giving us the best fuel we can for good health, but to be appropriate to the amount of energy we use. We know if we do very little physical exercise and spend a fair amount of time eating chips and doughnuts, we will gain weight most likely. So balance is key in order to reach our goals. Our bodies were not designed for us to sit on a settee constantly in front of the TV, so the effort we put in to being active is well worth it, as we know, there are innumerable benefits to working out and taking care of our diets.
As we know, this is a journey for life and it isn't about perfection. I try to use the days where things don't go as well as I would like, as motivation to do better tomorrow. Our bodies are constantly changing, so we can use the heavier feeling days to help us work a bit harder towards our goals, and the days where we notice the positive results as an incentive to keep up the good work!
Remember, it is the choices you make consistently over the next few weeks, months and years which matter! Keeping this in mind, I find it comforting to know that as long as I continue to work towards a healthier life and body, that I can't help but be successful!
Have a great week
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