As my life has seemed to become more inundated with things to do, I've let a few pounds sneak up on me.
It's been a shock...and a blow to the ol' ego. Up until probably a few years ago, I couldn't GAIN weight. Now it seemes here to stay, even though I eat a pretty healthy diet. (Very little fast food, I love fruits and veggies.) I probably eat too much cheese, but I've cut back on that.
On a bad day I'm about 12 to 15 lbs heavier than I was last year at this time. There could be reasonable explanations for this:
- I spent the winter working my butt off on freelance...but that meant a LOT of sitting on the couch and writing after sitting at work all day. (And snacking).
- I was diagnosed with IBS and began taking medication for it...which could account for the weight gain, not only as a side effect of the drug, but also because of reasons I'm sure the internet does not want to read about. So. I'll leave it at that.
- My metabolism is slowing down...I am 28.5 years old now. (Although it's been screwed since I turned 19 and acquired hypothyroidism). I was slow the last time I went to the doctor, so my meds were switched up a bit, but losing the weight isn't as easy as it was to gain, even if it wasn't my fault.
So I have to find ways to try and work my body every day. Some current ideas:
- Walking Molly at a fast clip
- using our gym in our building (weights, elliptical)
- buying Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred... (I need to actually DO that, though).
- cutting waaaaay back on pop (I am about a can-a-day girl, I'm trying to cut that back further. And NO, I will not drink diet pop. Life's too short. I'd rather only have one a week than one a day with that awful diet aftertaste.
- What are some of your least-hated workouts?
- Healthy meals? (Vegetarians, I'd love your input here, as our Farmers' Market is kicking into high gear and I love buying fresh produce there!)
- How do you stay on the workout wagon?
- What are songs that ALWAYS put you in a good mood, rev up your energy, and keep you going when all you want to do is plop down on the couch with a pound of goat cheese and a spoon (or whatever your vice of choice may be)?I'm not a music snob in the sense that I won't listen to Top 40, but I like other smart dance songs, like the recent Yeah Yeah Yeah's Heads Will Roll?
15 comments:
My lardass has zero suggestions.
But hello. :)
You need to find something that you love to do. You'll know you've found it when you feel like you're going to die if you miss a workout. You'll know it because you won't care if it means getting up at 5:30 a.m. in the cold, dark winter, and diving into a cold, dark pool.
hi!!!
no suggestions, really. sorry. i also hate exercise. i used to enjoy tennis, but there aren't really good courts near where we live, and i don't have someone to play with here. the hubs and i fight whenever we try to play together and are at different skill levels, my other tennis playing friends live too far away. everything i've found i love to do per daniel's definition has nothing to do with physical activity, unfortunately. i'm unathletic and just don't enjoy most sports, even if they give me the exercise high. it's not enough to keep me going for long.
i feel ya, and sorry to hear about the health issues that are aggravating this.
Fatty. I think you missed something: I won't ever have one of those things. I don't like exercise. Period. It's not even necessarily a bad attitude about it; I really just don't enjoy strenuous physical activity. :) For real. I just have a couple of things I find tolerable or slightly rewarding, but they aren't enough to shed the lbs.
I hate to exercise too - there was a point in time where I religiously went to the gym because I had nothing better to do (it's at least a good way to kill a couple of hours and avoid going home to an empty apartment...) but those days have swiftly faded. So for a while I did nothing. Then I found a team sport that I love - and it's not for the exercise that I love it, but for the fact that I started out not knowing how to do it AT ALL and am now getting better at it. Coaching helps, for sure, and I probably wouldn't have stuck with it if I hadn't had to go to practices as well as games. Then there's the whole "other people are counting on me to be there" accountability factor, which is a huge motivator. I started playing when I was in the depths of a major depression (not sure how that all worked but whatever) and realizing that people actually would notice if I didn't show up and would harass me about it was key in getting me to keep going even though I cried the whole way there. So my suggestion to you is to find a sports league for total newbies and join it for an 8-week session. Go each week and see if the social aspects don't at least counteract some of the horribleness of having to actually exercise.
Barring all that, get yourself a Wii Fit. :)
Um, I too hate working out. I always feel good after, it's the getting to do it that sucks. There are websites, like mapmyrun.com where you can make a fitness goal (even as simple as "workout more in 30 days") They send you email reminders and track your progress. Yoga and pilates videos are great...if you do them. I even do leg lifts while I blow dry my hair. I have read that one of the best cardios/losing weight strategies is to run intervals. 20 minutes of 1 minute running hard, 2 minutes walking is a better workout than an hour off jogging. I know it sucks, but it's 20 minutes.
invest in a pedometer...it puts your actual physcial activity levels into perspective. before starting to wear one myself, i always THOUGHT i was doing an alright job...but wearing one painted a different picture. They can be fairly inexpensive, and some health care plans even offer free ones.
i also enjoy taking bike rides. the first few rides usually leave me with a sore bum..but after my body adjusts there are some extremely peaceful trails in mn.
good luck! (and call me if you want to go for a walk!!!)
I'm a fan of the 30-Day Shred. While there's no trying to convince yourself that it's fun, it's over in 25 minutes, and if you actually do it faithfully you'll see results fast. But seriously, the first time I did it my whole body trembled for a few hours afterward, so be prepared. :)
Hi, you just described me exactly, Internet Twin. If you figure anything out please let me know!
I bought a workout video, but I hate doing it because it's boring and I sweat and ew. I try to eat less junk, but I do this for a week, then I run out of the healthy food I bought and don't have time to shop, so I end up eating the hot pockets I had left over from before the health kick and then I'm back where I started.
So for real, let me know if you find something that works for you because maybe it'll work for me too.
If it's any consolation, you still look gorgeous, KD. But I totally hear ya about wanting to be more healthy. I do the 30DS three times a week before work (I set the alarm for the ungodly time of 5:15 a.m.) and I try to run at least once over the weekend (key word = TRY). Have you ever tried kayaking? That's a fun summer activity. I also recommend finding your nearest 2-year-old and chasing him/her around. :)
I feel like such a nerd for saying this but I love to exercise. I was once a couch potato and then one day, I got sick of my body and feeling like a slug and forced myself to the gym.
I hated it. I hated it for a long time. I'm not even sure when it changed but now I hate NOT getting a workout in.
Recently I've begun loving running.
I think you need to do something where you can set small but achievable goals. Once you hit each goal, you feel more and more motivated to keep going.
exercise sucks, so i don't do it.
although i'm currently trying to blame AF for the extra pounds i'm carrying, rather than the PB&nutella sandwich addiction.
I also love 30 Day Shred. I have also been doing it in the a.m., after I read on CMS's blog that she was doing that. (Thanks for the motivation, C!) It is only 20 minutes, but I feel like it really kicks my butt. I haven't lost a lot of weight, but I feel more toned and overall healthier.
I definitely prefer laying on the couch to exercising, but I always feel better when I do it.
I just got a bike. Love it. Also I don't think it works for you, but I will get off the el like 5 stops sooner so I have to walk home further...just little ways to walk more, I guess is what I'm saying.
Ugh, I wrote a novel and it is nowhere to be seen. Highlights:
-Yes, the thyroid sitch makes it very easy to gain.
-LOVE spinning, biggest bang for your buck
-Lately into cardio ballet. see: Bar Method, Fluidity.
-Windsor Pilates videos were immensely helpful.
Good luck!!
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