Lately, I've been trying to get more exercise, which is hard for me because I've never been what you'd call an active person. Unfortunately, there have been several barriers:
1) My lack of stamina, which is just plain embarrassing. When the person next to me on the treadmill runs 5 miles while I can't even run 2, and most of that is spent walking, it just makes me feel bad. I'm sure I'd be humiliated in any class I tried to take.
2) No time. Finding even half an hour to go to the fitness room a couple of times a week is a challenge.
3) After I work out, I'm tired. That was fine when I was 25 and all I had to do after my step class was veg on the couch. But now I have two kids to take care of post-exercise.
But I REALLY want to get in shape.
Well, maybe next year.
If running is what you want to do maybe check out the couch to 5K. Its 3x a week and it starts you slow.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of great iPhone apps and youtube videos for quick exercise! Lately I've been finding yoga videos on youtube and they've been pretty good! (I always read the comments before to make sure the instructor knows what they are doing). There are also a lot of good 15 minute workout type apps available. When all else fails and I'm starting to lag (I'm a med student), I just make myself do 20 jumping jacks or 10 pushups. I figure every little bit helps!
ReplyDeleteFizzy -- I've found this program to be really helpful, and so has our babysitter.
ReplyDeletehttp://doctormama.blogspot.com/2006/05/listen-up-maggots.html
You are probably going too fast. Follow the suggestions above, and it will help A LOT. I promise. I also promise that while just doing a little seems like it doesn't matter, every little bit helps. You need to keep at it because even if it feels futile, it's better than doing nothing at all.
I read this blog frequently but am only now de-lurking to comment because I feel so strongly about this post. Exercise is so, so important for health and well-being. As a med student in the throes of clerkship, I understand that having such little time left over after work and family commitments is difficult. However, I really think that we can't tell our patients to exercise and eat healthily if we can't do it ourselves. I used to think that I didn't have the time, but I then realized that I make time for so many other things. Squeezing a half hour of exercise into my day is completely possible at least 5/7 days of the week. Consider options like biking to work, running (outside or inside), attending an early spin class, or getting a couple of laps in at the pool between work and home. Whatever you'd like, there is something out there for you. And, I leave you with this, just in case you need a little extra motivation:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo
This is what motivated me:
ReplyDeletehttp://familycircle.com/blogs/momster/2013/08/13/what-motivates-a-doctor-mom-to-work-out/
Still running...
After baby + MS1 I was so far from my pre-baby fitness level I was so embarrassed to go to the gym, a class, anything. I tried the jillian michaels workout cds/amazon instant video. She is beyond entertaining with her motivational speaking, and the embarrassment factor of a gym is gone when it is just you (and/or laughing husband/partner/kids) in the living room. The half hour is totally worth it and really helped me get my act together! After 2 weeks of making it routine, it gets wayy easier. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteFitbit. http://www.fitbit.com/home
ReplyDeleteSimple, inexpensive, motivating.
Thanks for the advice everyone!
ReplyDeleteI've started going to the pool on campus three days a week before (or between) my classes. It's free for me as a student and it is *right there* which means I can't come up with excuses about no time to get there. I got a group of people who were interested in going and they are to remind me and I'm to remind them. I don't have much stamina either, so I do some laps, then swim calmly for a bit. The more I go, the more laps I can do. I relax in the hot tub before leaving and take a nice, hot shower where no toddlers are running in to talk to me (a luxury!) and feel amazing, not exhausted, when I leave. If you have access to a pool near work or home, I'd really recommend it.
ReplyDeleteWhatever you do... just get up and DO IT!! It's not easy in anyway... but if you show up everyday to the gym/park anywhere where you workout even on the days you are not feeling it, you will get use to.
ReplyDeleteI'm like you, skinny but not really fit. I find the 7-minutes work-out works for me. Technically, to be truly fit, you gotta do 21 minutes of the 7-minutes work-out and also to add cardio in at another time (or something like that, I'm fuzzy on the details)but just doing 7 minutes a day makes me feel good about my progress already. It's interval training, so supposedly you get more out of it than just running for 7 minutes. Your whole body gets a work-out and you do feel sore the next several days in the beginning. I will stick with 7 minutes a day for now but I plan to increase it to 2 sets a day, one right after the other. The fact that it's only 7 minutes long makes it stick--no more excuses for me. My arms and glutes are more toned now. It's a good springboard from doing nothing to doing something.
ReplyDeleteAwesome suggestions here I am going to check some of them out. For me, the only thing that really truly motivates me is shelling out the cash for a personal trainer and making an appointment. After I've paid $50 there is no way I'd not show up. Sad but true. I don't eat out or wear fancy clothes and figure my health is worth it.
ReplyDelete