WAY TO GO!!!

8 min. a day is 8 more than yesterday. You can always add to it when you feel like it. The thing to remember though, is to set a minimum, so if for 2 weeks, your doing a 1/2 hour and then only do 8 one day, it's alright. I know the restraints of having infants. I do know that if you lie on your back with your legs bent in the air, your baby would love to lay on your shins and go for some rides while you get a few leg lifts in. Try it, it's fun. The more you move, the more you will want to move. Keep up the spirits.

I have a dog that is positively joyful when he gets excersize. I would love to have that feeling of absolute nirvana at the thought of going for a run or a swim or to chase after a ball.

I used to be in good shape. When I lived in North Van , I used to have an excersize buddy and we would go to aerobics every morning ending with a steam bath. It took about half a year before it started feeling good to go, and about a year before I started missing it if I couldnt go.

When I moved to Whitehorse and got sick, I wandered around like my dog, wanting to excersize, craving it, but having no one to throw the ball for me, I lapsed into couch potato-dome.


When I get my knee fixed, I am going to brave this all again, and swear that I will never allow myself to get out of shape again.

Holly

I couldn't resist sharing my exercise experiences. I was a confirmed couch potato with an aversion to sweating. (Mom told me ladies just don't do it!)

When I first decided to start exercising about four years ago, I'd never been much into sports or exercise for my whole adult life. Mostly I considered myself 'too fat to start'. As a kid, I water skiied, swam, rode a bike, walked and ran, snowshoed, skated, and danced. I looked here for inspiration and to find something I'd enjoy doing again.

I began with walking. Free and easy to do anywhere anytime. A walk around the 'block' where I lived, took about 20 minutes, so that is where I started. The small town I lived in was perfect for walking and I was able to add hills and distance when I was ready for the challenges. I acquired a walking partner and together we walked and ran 7-10K a day, almost every day, for three years.

I hadn't danced in years so for one winter, I took line dancing classes and absolutely loved it. I found it to be a far better workout that even the step aerobics class I did twice a week the same winter. The following summer, I felt fit enough to take up kayaking and though I was always at the back of the pack, I paddled my own kayak and loved it!

When I moved to the big city, I chose the location I live based on the idea that I park my vehicle and walk everywhere for everything. In fact, I plan small errands daily to make sure that I take those walks. I was in school with a very heavy course load until June 2001 and walking was all that I could manage because of time restrictions.

Now, finally, I have the time again to focus on my fitness so I've joined the local rec center and I'm about to start swimming (which I love) and aerobics along with some weight training.

The number 1 reason to exercise that I repeat to myself over and over:

Muscle burns more calories than fat!! Yeah muscle!! I want more of it!!

Man! You should move to California!

I've always hated exercise. Avoided P.E. in schools (if your grades were good enough you sort of got away with it. Last year I went to the gym for about 5 months - and I hated it.

Now however - I'm near the end of the 3rd week of a Body for Life challenge and I've been getting up at 5.30 (while baby still asleep) and working out HARD in the garage for about an hour six days a weeks. I don't know what's changed. Seeing the transformations in the BfL book and website have been an inspiration (though to be honest it would take an Act of God to change me like that in 12 weeks). Somehow I've been bitten by the bug and I'm enjoying it for the first time in my life.

I think the people who say "Make a plan and stick to it" are right. I've got a wallchart with all 84 days on, detailing what to do etc. I plan my workouts the night before and I stay in the garage till I've done it. Two things help (1) if I win the challenge (some hope) I get $100,000 (would be nice) and (2) someone on another board said "The pain is simply weakness leaving the body". When I'm sprinting to the 20th minute on the bike that helps.

Good luck with it

Jon

You mean it doesn't get dark in California, Bill? I'll be right over! Actually, with age comes wisdom . . . I have a treadmill now so I'm no longer a slave to bad weather.

I agree with a lot of the posters here that you have to start slow on some occasions and work up. . .but to what?

I think the goal of all of us on this board is not just to be aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but also fit and healthy. Walking may be great to start us all out, but I believe that harder exercise must eventually come, or our bodies won't reach the potential that most of us want to see.

I can't stress enough how much hard blood pumping, out of breath exercise has helped my diet along. . . I guess I don't recommend it for everyone, but. . . I can't help but give that as advice.

Thanks,

Mike

Does but different exercise then…

Yeah but those can be pulled!

Darn!

Ouch! I prefer to disguise them . . .

I am not an exerciser myself, but I got this book...and it's so fun and easy. I know, I know cardiac burns the calories, and this is more oriented towards toning, but since the weight is dropping off, I'll ease in on this first.

Basically, the book gives you two excerises to do each day for a month that target a particular areaand it only takes 8 minutes. I love it, and it's helped me get excited and interested in what area I'm going to do next and it's never the same exercise.

The book is called 8 Minutes in the Morning by Jorge Cruise.

He also has a website, if you want to check it out first (b/c the book at Barnes and Noble was 25 bucks):

www.jorgecruise.com
(I have not visited the website yet...)
Hope it helps,
Erin

That book sounds really nifty.

{Erin: The book is called 8 Minutes in the Morning by Jorge Cruise. ... has a website, if you want to check it out first ... www.jorgecruise.com }

Went into the website. Looks pretty good. I like the way he breaks it down into small steps. I don't know my weight in pounds so could not continue but worth going back when I do.

Thanks Erin.

In case you were wondering still...Itsjotful posted this message today about KGs to Pounds...

"If you use the metric system, calculate your weight to pounds by multiplying your weight in kilograms by 2.2 (i.e., 60 kg x 2.2 = 132 lbs)"

Hope this is helpful.

Very thoughtful, helpful and considerate. Thanks Erin.
As easy as x 2.2

I admit I too get high points in the why I don't exercise club. I tell myself that I will start tomorrow.....and then I don't take myself serious enough to start....
I think the only way is to write it down and post it on my bathroom mirror and then start with small periods of exercise...then reward myself with a special treat if I can finish a full week
....Wish me luck