Working out the Kinks

Now, although I have written quite a few blogs about eating and eating alone DON'T forget the workout half of the bargain. It is a part of the deal, and you won't get to the weight you want to get to without it.

My new favorite workout is hot yoga. I get a mix of a calm cardio workout, always a full hour and being in a room that gets up to 90 degrees keeps me sweating off the extra fat as well as great exercise. The problem with doing hot yoga is that it costs money. You can't get the kind of heat and experience from anywhere but at a studio. Even if you cranked up your heater (and ran that bill high) you still would not get the kind of extremes and practice that you would get in a class. There are however DVDs that do basic yoga (or power yoga) and gyms such as 24 Hour Fitness that have free yoga classes. These are good ways to get the exercise and flexibility that yoga has to offer in cheaper ways.

Another great way to loose weight is to train for something. Whether it be a triathlon/decathlon, marathon, 5k, swim contest etc. Having the goal behind your workout will help your motivation even on the days you don't really feel like it.

Try to do 3-4 challenging workouts a week. Whatever thing(s) you choose to do to work out try to do it a couple times a week. Those days that you are just not feeling it, can't get yourself motivated, or are exhausted from a previous workout, get up and MOVE. Walk on a treadmill(if you have a gym membership), walk around your neighborhood, walk back in forth in your house. If you aim to do at least 30 minutes of WALKING on your off days, you will see a serious improvement. It is amazing how our body's just need activity to get into and remain in great shape.

It may not seem like it, but there tons of different workouts to do. You don't have to choose one work out and stick with it. You can do muscle building, running, biking, swimming, dancing, yoga, pilates, surfing, paddle boarding, hiking, soccer, baseball, softball, basketball...the list can go on and on. Get a group of friends together and go throw a Frisbee, or make a goal of going on a hike every weekend or grab a friend and walk around the closest mall for an hour(without shopping). There are tons of ways to stay active and interested.

The number 1 thing to remember is not to get out of the habit. Do something every day. Walking is wonderful for our bodies, it is low impact and costs nothing. We can do it any where, anytime. Weather, sore muscles, tired, busy, stressed and all the other excuses that someone can make aren't going to stop my idea that if you just do a little activity every day you will get your body into great shape! I am prone and hear over and over again people who are also prone to the "I can't work out because..." Those days should be over! There is no excuse! Have a busy day: get up 30 minutes earlier. Stressed out with finals? Read on the treadmill. Work got you busy? Walk during your lunch break. There is no excuse for not working out other than "I don't feel like it" and you can't let you do that to yourself and your hard working demeanor you are trying so hard to build up. Once its a habit, you won't know how to stop.

So get moving!

More to come.

The Health Guru