start exercising

I joined a local gym two weeks ago and I went 6 times this week! Cardio every day combined with weight lifting every other day.

When I finally do get myself to the gym to workout I’m going to give this a try. It’s supposed to burn three times the fat and only take half the time. Apparently alternating jogging and sprinting burns more fat than just jogging steadily at the same pace for 40 minutes.

Warm up for 4 minutes at a level 3.
Sprint for 30 seconds at a level 7.
Recover for 90 seconds at a level 4.
Sprint for 30 seconds at a level 8.
Recover for 90 seconds at a level 4.
Sprint for 30 seconds at a level 9.
Recover for 30 seconds at a level 4.
Sprint for 30 seconds at a level 7.
Recover for 90 seconds at a level 4.
Sprint for 30 seconds at a level 8.
Recover for 90 seconds at a level 4.
Sprint for 30 seconds at a level 9.
Recover for 30 seconds at a level 4.
Sprint for 30 seconds at a level 7.
Cool down for 3 minutes, 30 seconds at level 3.

It’s been a month since I posted this goal to start exercising and I haven’t worked toward it at all. Granted I have had a lot of other things going on in my life and I don’t have a lot of money, but walking is free and so is the fitness room at my apartment complex.

My caseworker at the hospital said there are so many studies showing how exercise improves mood and strongly encouraged me to get moving. He told me to start slowly at first and just take a five minute walk every day for a week. And each week increase my walk time by five minute increments until I had built up to walking 35-40 minutes at least five days a week. The hard part is getting myself started. Once I get going I’m okay and I always feel better afterward.

So I’m going to try to commit to taking a five minute walk tomorrow even if it is 30 degrees outside. And maybe try these ab exercises that I found on the Never Say Diet and Self websites:

http://www.neversaydiet.com/article/cut-out-those-crunches?nlcid=xd|02-04-2009|

http://www.self.com/fitness/workouts/2008/11/sculpt-a-list-arms-fast/?slide=1#showHeader

To look at me now you’d never know I used to play high school sports. Embarrassing as it is to say, the closest thing I get to exercise these days is walking around the apartment building to dump the trash. I know a lot of my sedentary lifestyle has to do with my depression and I’ve read that exercising not only helps with weight control, but it improves mood and sleep.

I’d love to join and gym and be able to work with a personal trainer for a little one-on-one advice about how to start, areas to target, and developing a plan for getting me back in shape. But the financial situation being what is, this is yet another activity where I will have to find an alternative solution. I read where some people used the internet to help them with this goal. What web sites did you find to be particularly helpful?

I guess in the meantime just taking a walk around the apartment complex or walking on the treadmill in the apt fitness room is better than nothing!