hate to tell you how to get rid of a cramp but here goes... PUT PRESSURE ON IT! I know it sounds painful and it is but it will release when you do...use your thumb and dig it in!

Help!!!.. I need a boot in the seat of the pants!.. I've been home from Colorado for a week, & have yet to start exercising again... I admit, a big motivation before was to get ready for the hard work I'd be doing up there, but I still need more of me toned & tightened up... aaarrrrrrrrggggggg!!!..

Thanks for letting me get all this frustration out of my system... I know what I need to do --- just do it!!!..

hugs

Hey Aunt Sheshie!

Yep, you're right: YOU JUST DO IT! So tomorrow morning, haul your little butt out of bed and get going! Start back with an easy routine. Or one you enjoy doing. Something. Anything. You just gotta get back into a routine - any type of routine.

If all of your old routines aren't enticing to you, than what about splurging and buying a new DVD? Or if you have a public library with DVD's, check out a couple new exercise DVD's to try. (When I get home tonight, I'll post the DVD's I like) (Nope, that won't work. Tomorrow I'll post the ones I like).

Hmmmmmm.... set a new goal or goals? Are there any upcoming service/volunteer oriented activities which require the amount of physical labor you just completed? Is there a R.E.I. near you? If so, check out their website to see if they have any community service projects coming up. My local REI posts 1 day trail re-building, creek clean ups.... Granted these one day opportunities aren't anything compared to the extended work you recently completed, but they'd give you a chance to continue seeing how strong and tone you've become.

Leslie, you've worked so hard and accomplished soooooo much! Don't fall into a rut of boredom. Maybe try and view the daily exercising as a preparation for a larger, yet to be determined excursion.

Picture yourself standing in front of a kettle bell class, teaching. What would you say to a student? You said it in the beginning of your post, you know what to do.... just do it.

So here's your kick in the butt! Get 'er moving sweat heart!!!!!

You can do this Leslie!!!!!

Get moving lady

Kind of waiting on NOVAK to come whip you into shape lol

Come on lady ...get to it!!!!

You can handle Wannabe... I'm still working the other thread.

(Yes, the frying pan is particularly effective for my breakfast-faced friend!)

LOL

Hey, Svelting. My husband has that problem a lot and our pharmacist told him to keep seltzer water with quinine in the fridge and when it happens drink some. It's worked every time for him.

Another thing that works if you don't have any seltzer water....and I know this sounds REALLY bizarre but it really does work...some pressure point...I saw it on TV and have tried it myself and was successful. Press your upper lip between your thumb and forefinger...hard. (your thumb is under the lip the forefinger over it) Hold it for a while and you will feel your cramp dissipate. Good luck!

I hear you loud and clear, LBM! I have two mares I have to keep conditioned and there are days I think it will do me in. One of the (few) issues I've had since starting IP is keeping my electrolytes balanced. I do endurance riding, and used to slug Gatorade like water, but have given that up. Now I take an extra Potassium tablet on days that I ride.

What kind of horse do you have/riding do you do?

Thanks Elizabeth and loves2swim I guess my thumbs will be getting quite the workout! A real Even Cowgirls Get the Blues moment.

One other thing that works, but you have to be in the right place at the right time: Stand barefoot on a cold surface.

Not too hard ..... or ill cry tomatoe seeds

In case anyone's interested in exercise DVD's, here are a few I've enjoyed.

Prevention Fitness Systems Express Workout: Belly, Butt and Thighs.
This dvd breaks it down literally to spending 10 minutes focusing on each area (for a total of 30 minutes).

Prevention Fitness 3.2.1.
This is a full length workout dvd (I think it's about 60 minutes total), but the nice thing about this one is that it's broken down into body segments. If you only want to to focus on arms/upper body you can click on only those segments. Likewise if you only want to focus on the legs, you can only focus on those. Each segment lasts for 6 minutes: 3 minutes is spent on cardio, then 2 minutes on strength training and finally 1 minute on abs. I thought this was a great beginning workout when I was first starting out because of the 3.2.1 break down. It was easier to handle mentally knowing there would be a tiny breather at the end of 6 minutes.

Ultimate Body Beginning Workouts for Weight Loss.
This is another low budget dvd, but in my opinion if you can get past the dorky guy in the background who doesn't have a clue as to what he's doing, it's not bad. There are 3 different work outs to choose from. Each one lasts about 20 - 30 minutes in length. Currently I only use the dvd for the strength training dvd portion.

Shape Pilates
30 minutes of easy, gentle pilates. THis one has gotten too easy for me, but was great in the beginning. Easy moves. Easy to follow. Definitely a good, gently way to wake up the creaky bones in the morning.

Shape Volume 1 Trim, Tone and Strengthen.
I've only just started using this one and have actually only used the ab workout sections. This section has a lot of new/different ab and core work out exercises I haven't been doing, so it's a great one for breaking up my ab/core routine. Another added bonus, you can pick and choose what segments you want to do making your workout as short as 5 minutes all the way up to 26 minutes (at least with the ab section).

I do the majority of my cardio outside biking/running/walking and therefore the dvds I use are geared towards a core/ab workout, toning my legs and also the brief strength training segments.

Thanks, y'all, so much for giving my bootie a boot!.. I just finished my workout & I feel great!.. granted, it was a little bit abbreviated, but it was enough to get me sweating again, & that's such a good feeling... I did a 10 minute cardio-type warmup, then my kettlebell routine, then yoga... ahhhhh...

I'll check into R.E.I.... as far as I know, there's not one in my local area, but maybe some near enough to make a trip... (like maybe Santa Fe, NM, or Dallas, TX - each about 6 hours from here)..

hugs

Linden Thanks for the cold floor tip. It'll be good to have that as a backup if my thumbs aren't strong enough.

I'm thinking of starting body-weight type strength training. I'd love to be able to do push-ups! One thought about how to get strong and agile was yoga. Any recommendations?