[OH2007]

I've been just using my treadmill so far, concentrating on making exercise into a habit again. I just do a walk/jog combo but am working my way up to "real" running. (I used to be a runner and, believe me, what I do now is more jog than run. LOL) Now that I've gotten into the habit, I'm need to start adding in other things, especially strength training.

I've got a BowFlex Extreme2, stability ball, jump rope, treadmill, hula hoop, resistance bands and ribbons, homemade ab roller thingymajigger, mini-trampoline, and a bunch of pilates, yoga, and steel DVDs.

Now, being an anal, but lazy, perfectionist, I've been obsessing over what to do which days, weights/reps/sets, muscles groups, and on and on and on for a week now just trying to get some balance to a weekly workout. I had wanted to have it all figured out by tonight so that I could start in on my new miracle-inducing workout tomorrow (Monday). Ha!

I know the basics of building a workout routine but it's just completely overwhelming me trying to come up with a sensible (not going overboard and feeling like I have to do everything) routine.

Can someone just smack me upside the head with a 2 x 4 of common sense with maybe an extra dose of "just shut up and get 'er done, dummy"?

[northernbelle]

There are so many facets to a fitness routine, that you can drive yourself crazy trying to meet every single one of them.

First, set your overall goals- weight loss alone, weight loss with muscle growth, strength, overall conditioning, general fitness, body building???

Then, pick out the type of routine that best meets your goals.

You can't meet each and every type of workout in a week. One helpful way of planning is to think in terms of a year. A year in your life has a routine all its own. For example: Jan through April, I work part time so gym attendance is spotty; I do a full body routine, alternating with cardio, during those months; the workout is designed for maintenance rather than progress. After that, I can get to the gym regularly, so I switch to a split routine designed for progress. If I have a trip planned, those weeks are usually cardio, depending on where we go and what's going on.

Every 3-4 months, it helps to take a week of recovery. That's the week, you could schedule in your hula hoop or other fun activities. You can't do weight lifting (Bowflex) every day, so schedule the yoga/pilates on your recovery days. Don't forget to schedule in days when you do no activity just to give yourself some rest.

If you want to use each routine, think in blocks of time- this month for weights, this month for yoga/pilates (or week), rather than days.