December 2006
"Plan it, do it!"
Planning your week to fit your exercise in
I don’t know about you, but I find it challenging each week to make time for exercise. No matter how I try to plan it all out, something comes up to get in the way of my schedule. I try to get 4 to 5 forty five minute sessions in each week. At times, this is a daunting task and most weeks, my plan has to change on the fly. But, I always start with a plan.
Make exercise your first priority
How can I do that when I have all these responsibilities you ask? Take my word for it, you are not alone. I work full time and have 3 children whose activities keep me feeling like I also own a taxi service. What I mean by making exercise your first priority is keeping it high on your must do list. Instead of giving up your plans to exercise first, try to make exercise the last thing you give up when something else comes along.
For example, I planned to run 5 miles on the Friendship Trail last Tuesday night on my way home from work. Then my son called and told me I had to pick him up at school due to a band rehearsal. Of course, I had to be there when I had planned to be halfway through my run. So, I compromised. I picked my son up and went home and instead of running on the Friendship Trail at 5:00 pm, I did an indoor kettlebell cardio workout for 50 minutes. During the summer months I would have run on the Upper Tampa Trail at 6:00 pm. That time of year I find it easy to postpone exercise for an hour or two since it stays light so much later than in the winter. But, since it is winter and shorter days, I simply switched my workout to an indoor workout.
And, no, I don’t need a gym membership for that. In fact, I don’t belong to any gym. It’s important to plan different exercise routines ahead of time just for these situations. I have several 45 - 50 minute living room workouts that I use quite frequently. They don’t require a TV, DVD or Video, and I only need a few items to complete each workout. I keep a swiss ball, some free weights of assorted sizes, some JC Bands (elastic workout bands), a 6lb medicine ball, and a BOSU ball at home just for these workouts. I use an 8 minute warm up that works just about everything and then I use my equipment to build muscle and tone up.
Here’s what one of my living room workouts is made up of:
Melanie’s Living Room Workout #1 -- Repeat series 3X
JC Band Woodchoppers 15ea side
Inverted Bosu Pushups 20
One legged squats with 26lb 10ea side
Bosu Dead Bug 20
Bosu Med Ball Ab Throw 6lb 20
Military Press 18lb 10ea arm
Side Press 18 or 26lb 5ea side
Rolling Deck Squat 26lb 5 (can add press if desired)
JC Band Tricep Press 15ea side
You can create your own work out but I would suggest that you enlist the help of a personal trainer or other professional to get started. There are several websites that provide instruction and show proper form for exercises. I have listed a few of my favorites here:
http://www.dolfzine.com/page2.htm
http://www.trainforstrength.com/workouts.shtml
http://www.myodynamics.com/exdex/pictorial_art.html
http://exercise.about.com/cs/exerciseworkouts/l/blbosu.htm
If you’ve never exercised before, be sure to talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise program.
Don’t let the little details be a show stopper
OK, you planned your meals around your 5:00 pm workout – postpone until 6:00 and you just won’t be able to make it through 45 minutes of anything! This is when one of those protein drinks or protein bars are indispensable. They may not whet your appetite on a regular basis, but one of these and a bottle of water will get you through that workout. Plan to keep some on hand just for these occasions. And if you don’t have any, you can always run into the grocery store and get one if you really are determined to get that workout in.
You forgot your work out clothes or shoes. This is a little tougher. But if you are determined to make those workouts a priority, get a second pair of shoes, shorts and a t-shirt to keep in your car. I keep these and my Trikke 8, some bands, medicine balls, and small hurdles in my car all the time. That way I always have something to wear and something to do whether I’m on one of the trails or find my way to a park.
Don’t let the “I don’t feel like it anymore” syndrome stop you
Have you ever had the best intentions of working out, but by the time you fought the traffic, picked up the kids, and stopped at the store you just didn’t feel like going out and running or riding your Trikke? It happens to me frequently. DON’T GIVE IN! Put on your workout clothes, give the kids a snack to hold them for a while, grab your MP3 player and just get started. I promise you that after the first 10 minutes it won’t feel so hard and after 20 you’ll be feeling good. Once you’re done you won’t believe how good you feel, not only from the exercise, but because in spite of everything, you did it!
Melanie Totcky
Tampa Trikke Club