throughout my weightloss journey, i've had my ups and downs with exercise. i've used workout videos, the gym at my apartment complex, lap swimming, walking at the park, back to the workout videos... and now i'm about ready to get a membership at the local YMCA.
i like aerobics classes, they are fun and then i realize later how much exercise i did!
i've been really trying to be consistant with my exercise. it's tough because i have 2 jobs, but i can sqeeze it in most of the time. if i don't and i let it slide... i end up waking up a week later and realizing i was a lazy *** all week. argh.
this step is more important than eating right. really. i've noticed that in months where i ate wonderfully but didn't exercise, i'd lose as little as 2 pounds. but months where i even had some bad days but did consistant exercise - 6 to 8 pounds! it makes a HUGE difference.
i just have to remember -- i'm going to be working out for life! there is no end to this. so i've gotta figure out what i like so that i will stick with it forever.
That is my big downfall-I joined a health club and hurt my rib-again-doing water aerobics. The only thing I can do is walk and swim. But I am not consistent. I did reach my weight goal yesterday at TOPs-I only had 10 lbs to lose, But now I have to keep it off, for the rest of my life. We are going to FL for over 3 months so I will be better about walking and swimming. But intentional exercise is the best way. Mima
Okay this is my real weakness. Time or the lack thereof is the major issue. I am a teacher who brings home schoolwork every night as well as working the afterschool program till 5pm. I am a mother and wife. By the time I've gotten home, helped my DD with homework, spent quality time with her, made dinner, put her to bed, gotten my schoolwork done, it is time for bed. I tried getting up before school, but I'm so exhausted that I sleep through my exercise time. Another problem I've had is that I have had 4 colds, and bronchitis twice since school started in September. I have asthma, so when I get sick, I can barely function let alone exercise.
Apparently the only way I will be able to conquer my obstacles of time and illness is to:
1. Force myself to get out of bed and exercise on the mornings that I am not sick.
2. On the weekends when time is more flexible, go to the gym and get out and walk.
If anyone has any other suggestions, please send them my way.
This one I am always working on. It is too easy to sit on my fat *** and not do anything. I start out so good and then after a while I tend to get bored. I think because I start out doing too much, trying to kill myself. Right now I try to mix it up so that I don't get bored. I do the WATP videos, walk at the mall, at the park or on my treadmill, and I have a stationary bike that I try to ride 3 times a week for 15-20 minutes. It may not seem like much but for me it is something I feel I can stick with the rest of my life. I don't always get in the 6 days I plan most of the time but I do my best to get 3-4 for sure.
Right now I am walking to and from work - which is 25 minutes each way. I am also taking bellydance lessons on Saturday mornings which last 1 1/2 hours per session and I walk there and back home again which is about 20 minutes each way.
I feel that I need to something else to increase my daily exercise and would like to do belly dancing twice per week. I have been doing pilates for dummies once in a while but then tend to lose my momentum and then end up forgetting about it.
I am pretty good eating wise but I tend to lack discipline and focus where exercise is concerned I intend to remedy this but setting up a schedule for myself to exercise in the mornings and stick to it.
Last edited by mauvaisroux; 11-16-2003 at 05:04 PM.
I would like to join this discussion. I am finally caught up in the book!
Intentional exercise, exercise that doesn't just happen, it has to be planned and fit into each day. It is very hard. When I was a normally weighted person, I ate whatever I wanted, but I also went rollerblading almost every single morning. I took my dog on long walks, I had a very physically active job, I was a student with classes all over a sprawling campus. I moved because I had to or because I enjoyed it. After the babies, the SAHM phase started and my activity level was suddenly very low. My diet stayed about the same, though with more time in and around a kitchen I am sure I did start to eat more as well. I gained over 100 pounds in just 2 years.
Reading this chapter made me examine all this and be honest about how little I really move now, I made a list of things I can do to be more active. I run very hot and cold on exercise, some weeks I am consistent then a month goes by and I do nothing. This week I have been doing WATP and some resistance work using an exercise ball and bands. I woke up sore this morning, immediately wanted to give myself a "break" today but instead I'll pop in a yoga tape spend an hour stretching out sore muscles. I am writing exercise into my schedule every day. That way if I HAVE to miss it, I'm still on track with 6 other days. I have organized all my tapes and DVDs and equipment, so its easy to find and use, I have over 30 tapes, boredom should not be a concern. I found out my YMCA has childcare, so the kid at home is really not a good excuse.
The last thing that I have "figured out" is that compared to the diet, exercise is perhaps 40 minutes to an hour a day of intention. The diet is work all day, sorting out thoughts, needs from wants, evaluating choices, reading labels. Exercise is so easy compared to that. And it does give you a cushion for messing up a bit with the food, it builds muscle and muscle is so good at burning calories. On the days I exercise without going overboard and exhausting myself, I am much more energetic in the late afternoon and my appetite is much decreased, and I feel like less of a sloth. I am, for that day, someone who takes care of themself. I need to be that person every day and so exercise needs to be a choice I make every day.
Dr. Phil, Let's Start at the Beginning, Ch. 9, Key 6, Intentional Exercise
Well, Chapter 8, Key 5, took off like a lead balloon...
Let's see if there is any more interest in Chapter 9, Key 6, Intentional Exercise.
I have never been athletic. In fact, I am a klutz. I have spent lots of time on crutches from orthopaedic injuries resulting from attempting to be more physically fit...ski accident, running accident, volleyball accident, etc... I have broken my foot, sprained my ankle, dislocated my kneecaps...the list goes on.
I tried aerobics classes, but the ones offered are all high impact. I try to do the exercises low impact, but have found the instructors to be unwilling to show me how to modify the exercises.
I tried yoga. Let's just say it didn't work out.
I belong to a gym, but going is very inconvenient because my DD doesn't like the babysitters they have there, not to mention the behavior of some of the children dropped off. My DH works late and is unavailable to help.
So, walking is my exercise of choice. I have sidewalks in my neighborhood which makes walking safer. My DH recently changed his work hours allowing me to walk before work. The main obstacle has been icey sidewalks. Now that spring is here, I can walk most days.
For those frigid, icey, snowy, winter days, I bought a recumbent cycle. I don't get as rigorous of a workout, but it is better than doing nothing.
So, in spite of some obstacles, I have found a way to bring exercise into my life. And thanks to Dr. Phil, I didn't give up when it seemed impossible.
Intentional Exercise - what else can I say other than you have to do it. I think the hardesrt part of getting started is notching out time in our day to do something foreign to us.
Gosh, I remember when I first started walking, I felt so self-conscious because I thought people driving by would be snickering because I was so large. The first few times were hard, and I adopted the attitude of "who cares what people might think, at least I'm out here trying." I really got into it, though and began to enjoy it as I watched changes in people's gardens, challeged myself to go further, and used the time to think. But I let excuses like it's too hot, cold, rain, snow, etc. curtail any real progressive program.
My gym has a track, but then it was a matter of getting to the gym. I can't tell you how many times I had to force myself to go until it became enjoyable. The best thing that happened to me was last July when a friend offered to sell her treadmill to me because she was having problems with her feet. If that baby ever breaks down, I would sell my soul for another one immediately. Around the same time, I began to look into body building and spent July and August accumulating equipment at auctions for my basement. After much study and support from other 'Ladies Who Lift,' I started weight lifting Sept 15, which was the 2nd best thing that hapened to me.
The 3rd best thing that happened to me was Dr. Phil's UWS book.
The hardest thing is motivation for me. I still can easily put off my exercise for "later" which is a mistake because when I do, it more than likely doesn't get done. Part of my routine now is on Sundays, I shop and prep my food for the week. I also make appointments with myself in my daytimer for my work-outs, and set goals. I also read fitness magazines and collect new exercises to try just to keep it interesting.
There will always be obstacles and excuses. Obstacles of which we have no control are one thing, but we are the queens of excuses. Walking is free except for a good pair of shoes. Household items can be used to do some weight training, and there are some pretty good tapes/dvd's available.
Like Summer said bascially, where there is a will there is a way. "I don't get as rigorous of a workout, but it is better than doing nothing." AMEN!
I started reading this chapter a couple of days ago and I didn't realize how little I actually do in the way of moderate activities. I work in front of a computer from 8-5 monday through friday and do as little housework as possibly since my hubby works from the home.
I do better on the exercise front since I've actually been exercising. I started today walking for 30 minutes of my lunch break because I'm great at making excuses when I get home and end up not exercising. My goal is to shake things up and start doing pilates one morning, the next day maybe a walk on lunch break, the next weight training, etc. I haven't finished the chapter yet but will tonight and I have to say I will start making more of an effort for my moderate activities.
Dawn, I love your reward system at the bottom of your post. I should try something like that. I'm just afraid if I make my goal so specific and I'm off a little on the pounds that I will give up. Maybe for me, I need a more flexible mini goal so that I still get rewarded for my efforts. I tend to be very rigid, a perfectionist, all or nothing personality.
Thank you Summer. I see that you've already set you up some goals. My first one to get down to 275, I had originally set for Easter and didn't meet it so I just moved it to Memorial Day. This time around I'm not really concerned if I don't meet those as planned but that I am working toward meeting them. I'm sure I'll meet that one at 275 by Memorial day. it's the 250 by July 4. If I don't meet that one "on time" then I won't give up, I'll just evaluate my plan and see where it needs to be tweaked.
This is a hard one...INTENTIONAL Exercise...phssshh..I didn't intentionally clean the kitchen how was I gonna INTENTIONALLY?! exercise....then hubby offered to help...we went to Gold's Gym ..signed up...I'm thinking..here's nothing...so we start goin..hubby is thin already :P so he's just working on buffing up..I've got the tire thing going so I'm on cardio everytime.. day one...I walked a lil ..biked a lil...tried the eliptical out and then b----ed a little because I only did 300 and that was w/ about 10 breaks. I figured this was gonna be harder than I thought...so we kept going...90 min, 4 times a week ..(ouch!) Well it's now 3 weeks down the line, I'm about 10 lbs lighter, and last night I worked on the eliptical for 1 hour solid!! (and 7022 reps!) How's that for intentional?! Excuse me for tooting my own horn..this post is about 45% bragging and 55% wanting to help everyone to go out there and do SOMETHING! Now if I don't exercise, I miss it...and I LOVE to exercise..I NEVER thought I'd say that!!!
Get out there girls, keep working it!
Jenn - Helping the world spin a lil faster each day by lightening it's load
WTG Jen. That is great.
I too am loving my exercise (never thought I'd say a comment like that). I bought a season pass to the public pool and I try to go every day and swim laps for 30 minutes. (I couldn't today and knew that I wouldn't be able to so I got my butt out of my nice comfy bed and did 15 minutes on a step machine I just got) and plan on doing 15 more minutes tonight after I get home.
I would have to say this is one of the steps I really really enjoy.
Discussion Seven- Key Six: Intentional Exercise
I intend to remedy this but setting up a schedule for myself to exercise in the mornings and stick to it.
