Need to get back to the gym...

2poodles · 02-07-2008, 04:43 AM

I fell off the exercise wagon and haven't done anything for the past three days. (Perimenopause is NO FUN.) But I'm determined to get to the Y and do my walk/run routine and get my free weights in as well. Wish me luck!

How are you folks doing w/your exercise goals?

xcptnl · 02-07-2008, 04:49 AM

Do you find once you go you are glad you did? It's just getting out the door for me. I really fell off the treadmill

over the late fall (I was sick, then on vacation, then the holidays). I started back up in January - got a cold - didnt go to the gym for a couple of weeks. I just started again this week. It's so easy not to go but I really do feel better when I do. Good luck!

2poodles · 02-07-2008, 05:16 AM

Thanks for the encouragement - yes I do always feel better once I'm done. And I KNOW that, but still...

RedCatWaves · 02-07-2008, 07:08 AM

I've been lap swimming 5 days a week since last summer, and it's still a problem for me to get there. Every. Single. Day. It's so much easier not to go, and I do occasionally indulge in a day off. But I try to remember that I'm giving myself the gift of exercise and it's rude not to accept a gift.

What I've found is that I need to concentrate on just the initial steps...getting my bag ready, changing into my swimsuit, putting the bag in the car. Once the bag is in the car, then I just hop in and drive and the rest falls into place. I never regret going.

Lilah · 02-07-2008, 08:19 AM

I totally feel you. There aren't really any gyms around here, so I've been going to the dance studio in town that offers a fitness dance class on Mondays and a kick-boxing class on Thursdays, both at 7 pm. Well I haven't gone to either in a month-- I just can't get motivated to leave home when it's so dark and snowy at night. I would rather just get in my pajamas and stay in.

I made a vow with myself that once January is over, I'll resume my classes so I'm determined to go to kickboxing tonight!

I love working out once I get there, it's just the getting there that sucks.

Mamacurl3 · 02-07-2008, 08:25 AM

Good luck, I agree...you feel so much better once you get there and start your workout. Sometimes just getting there is the hardest part. I just tell myself that I'll exercise every day, every morning I just plan on working out...of course things come up so I end up getting something in 5 days a week.

kcurls · 02-07-2008, 09:26 AM

Agreed, getting out the door is the hardest. One the reasons that I decided I needed to work out 6 days a week and not 4 or 5 is that there is less room for negotiation with myself. I have stuck to the 6 day a week schedule better than I ever did to the fewer-days schedule because of this. Some days are light, some heavy - I just get out there. But this isn't realistic for everyone.

Two other kinda silly things I do to inspire myself is to buy a fitness magazine (and read it!), and (most embarrassing) I also watch the Biggest Loser, which alternatively enrages and inspires me.

There was an earlier thread on this board about using pictures of strong/athletic women as inspiration, as opposed to pictures of models/actresses. I think this is brilliant, because it's positive, and also very much about training your body, not just dieting

Lilah · 02-07-2008, 09:31 AM

Another reason I hate the winter-- I can't go on walks for exercise. I really want to get some snow-shoes; I hear they are a great workout. I'm just waiting for some sales.

I'm planning on doing some kind of exercise every day now. (yesterday I just did hand weights) I think that will keep me motivated too!

2poodles · 02-07-2008, 10:28 AM

I just finished my walk/run workout at the Y - I'm on week 3 of the C25K program. Thanks for the encouragement to get my momentum back!

xcptnl · 02-07-2008, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2poodles

I just finished my walk/run workout at the Y - I'm on week 3 of the C25K program. Thanks for the encouragement to get my momentum back!

Fantastic!

It's not easy (I have to drive 25 minutes to my gym - I live in the woods) so in the winter it is soo much harder. I wish I had the motivation just to walk around my neighborhood but I don't. Not sure why. The gym has worked best for me - maybe because I am paying for it.

kcurls · 02-07-2008, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2poodles

I just finished my walk/run workout at the Y - I'm on week 3 of the C25K program. Thanks for the encouragement to get my momentum back!

2poodles, what's the C25K program?

wild~hair · 02-07-2008, 04:30 PM

Turning my second bedroom into a yoga room has made a huge difference. It's hard not to do it when I've devoted so much freaking space to it!

Lilah · 02-07-2008, 04:42 PM

Oohh...I would love a yoga room. (I've wanted once since reading Eat, Pray, Love-- she has one in that book)

Alright, I'm making my attempt to go to kickboxing. DH said he drove 30 mph all the way home (in a 55) from town. I hope the roads are a bit better now!

RedCatWaves · 02-07-2008, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wild~hair

Turning my second bedroom into a yoga room has made a huge difference. It's hard not to do it when I've devoted so much freaking space to it!

This is what I keep telling my husband about buying me an indoor pool. If I had one at home, I would never skip swimming because we would have invested so much into it.

Unfortunately, he knows what happened to the poor forlorn treadmill I had to have...

Mamacurl3 · 02-07-2008, 06:43 PM

There was an earlier thread on this board about using pictures of strong/athletic women as inspiration, as opposed to pictures of models/actresses. I think this is brilliant, because it's positive, and also very much about training your body, not just dieting[/QUOTE]

I thought it was a great thread too, and used the idea to start up a muscle pic of the week on another fitness board I'm on. I've never really seen my own muscles before and has been kind of fun and motivating to see them

Even if it's a little nerdy, at least my 4yo has fun taking the pix LOL

Rebecca deWinter · 02-07-2008, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lilah

Another reason I hate the winter-- I can't go on walks for exercise. I really want to get some snow-shoes; I hear they are a great workout. I'm just waiting for some sales.
!

they really are a great workout. i try to go on weekends when i can. it is a lot of fun, so i hope you get your hands on an affordable pair!

as for me, so far so good. i started ballet back in november, and i've only missed one class. there are only a few people in class, so they notice when you're missing. i felt guilty the one time i skipped class, so i never did it again.

in addition, i practice ballet (at least the barre) at home, and for the past two weeks have been doing pilates regularly. and i stretch for at least 15 minutes everyday.

as for cardio...sadly, i don't get enough in. i used to run regularly (like 2poodles, i got started on c25k, which is a beginning runner program to get you from couch potato mode to running 5 kilometers), but i've since fallen off that wagon.

like i said, i snowshoe on weekends when i can. i would walk outside, but my neighborhood bores me. i would much rather walk to the park and then walk there, but for that i need snowshoes, and when i snowshoe have to make a big long excursion out of it and pretend i'm an explorer.

once the snow goes buh bye, i might buy a bike...which means i'll be hitting you guys up for recommendations (aren't you so lucky).

2poodles · 02-08-2008, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcurls

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2poodles

I just finished my walk/run workout at the Y - I'm on week 3 of the C25K program. Thanks for the encouragement to get my momentum back!

2poodles, what's the C25K program?

Check out this link for the details about the C25K beginner running program...

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

badgercurls · 02-08-2008, 11:26 AM

I also have problems with motivation to get to the gym, which is really sad because it's only a few buildings away in my apartment complex! I think the cold, dark, snowy weather is part of it. I also keep getting sick!

I've been weight training consistently 2-3 days/week for a little more than two weeks and because I'm starting to look and feel better, it's getting easier to drag my butt to the gym! I also bought a mini-trampoline for days when I don't want to go out but need to exercise. It's pretty fun because I can do it while watching TV and I like to make up my own super-goofy routines.

Lilah · 02-08-2008, 11:54 AM

what do you do on your trampoline? just jump on it? and for how long?

badgercurls · 02-08-2008, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lilah

what do you do on your trampoline? just jump on it? and for how long?

I jump, jog in place, and march. I try to use my arms, too - pretending I'm jumping rope, punching the air, doing jumping jacks, etc. The first few times I borrowed my BF's heart rate monitor and realized that as long as I'm not just walking in place slowly, anything I do on the trampoline gets my heart rate way up. I usually do it for 10-20 minutes, because I do it on my "off" days from weight training and my legs are usually stiff and sore.