Day 5: Choose Your 30 x 3 Exercise | 30-Day Weight Loss-athon
Welcome to Day 5 of the 30-Day Weight Loss-athon.
Today we’ll be committing to — dun dun DUN! — an exercise program!!
Read the steps first, then take 10 minutes to complete them.
We only have 10 minutes, so move fast, act quickly and stop over-thinking. Just throw yourself in. Ready?
What You Need:
- Your diary.
Important Note: Get medical clearance if you need it
It’s a good idea to get the all-clear to exercise from your medical professional if:
- You’re new to exercise
- You haven’t exercised in a long time
- You’re significantly overweight
- You have a medical condition or concern
- You’re nervous about exercising.
Step 1
The first step today is to have a little talk with yourself and make peace with the idea that you are going to become a regular exerciser.
That might be something you’re OK with already. Cool – then this will be pretty easy.
Or it could fill you with dread and panic. In which case, take a deep breath because I’m going to let you in on a secret – one that anyone who’s ever lost weight will confirm if you ask them.
As you start to lose weight, you start to enjoy exercising. It may seem hard to believe now, but it’s true.
So comfort yourself that soon, a kind of pleasure will start to kick in. Maybe not a rocking good time, but a definite this-isn’t-so-bad-ness. You just have to get past the beginning.
Step 2
Next, let’s find out what you like and don’t like, workout-wise. Some questions can help:
- Do you prefer to be indoors or outdoors?
- Do you like to work out alone or in a group?
- Do you prefer high or low impact activities?
- Do you prefer a consistent or varied pace?
- Do you want to start easy or be immediately challenged?
- Do you prefer music, TV, or your own thoughts when you exercise?
- Do you feel most energetic in the morning, afternoon or evening?
Once you’ve considered your answers, you’ll find it easier to choose a type of exercise that will suit you.
Step 3
Bearing in mind those preferences from Step 2, you need to:
- Choose something active
- Be prepared to do it for at least 30 minutes at a time
- Be prepared to do it at least 3 times a week.
In total, that’s 1.5 hours a week. Less than a movie.
If you feel resistance welling up and find yourself formulating excuses why you can’t spare 1.5 hours a week, then gently remind yourself that:
- This amount of exercise is a small price to pay for looking good, feeling good and getting healthy
- If you don’t exercise, you run the risk of all sorts of expensive problems that will cost you a lot more time in the long run
- People with greater time pressures and more weight to lose than you have done it, and you can do it too
- There are wonderful rewards waiting for you, as you identified on Day 1.
Choose from the list below, or feel free to add something else. Just be sure your choice raises your heart rate and makes you sweat. Pilates, yoga and shopping can be added extras, but they generally don’t burn enough calories to be good weight-loss choices.
- Walking – brisk
- Walking – hills
- Running
- Jogging
- Skipping (with a rope)
- Cycling – outdoor
- Cycling – stationary
- Elliptical machine
- Treadmill
- Boxing
- Exercise classes – including step, combat, attack,
- Swimming
- Dancing
- Dance classes
- Sports that raise your heart rate and make you sweat – eg tennis, squash etc
- Exercise DVD.
Step 4
Now the part that makes all the difference.
Enter your exercise sessions for the rest of the month in your diary. Yep – put them right in there, at the times you’ll do them.
You’ve just made exercise dates with yourself. Please don’t be rude and stand yourself up.
Bonus Step For 52 Weight Loss Missions Members
Revisit Mission 9: Fit Exercise Into Your Life to remind yourself how to see exercise sessions as commitments. Prepare your answers for those times you’ve scheduled an exercise session and your boss/colleague/friend says, ‘Can you [stay late/attend a meeting/go out]’?
Check in!
And you’re done!
Be sure to leave your comment below to check in and stay accountable. If you’re reading this by email or in a reader then please click here to leave your comment.
See you tomorrow!
I belong to a 24hr gym so I have no excuses not to find time to exercise – will do 30 minutes a day 3 times a week, mixing it up with some extra outside walking.
Committing to 10 minutes a day to work up to 10 minutes 3 times a day starting Monday(until weather permits walking outdoors with the infant.) 🙂 Whew!
regular exercise is already a part of my life, so I’m just going to try to step it up a notch!
I have been committed to doing my 40 day bootcamp at Max Life. Then I also go to Gold’s gym afterwards and stretch out and walk, plus their Body Flow classes through the week. 🙂
I’m commited to go to the gym and either do a fitness class or do some cardio for at least 30 minutes 3 times a week. If I don’t manage to find the time to do this I will ensure that I replace the work out by going out for a fast walk with my bubs in the pram.
I already walk most work days at lunch 20-30 minutes. on weekends I have a 4 mile loop I walk with my hubby, but it hasn’t been consistent. my goal would be to be more consistent, and maybe even go out at night now that it’s nice and light.
I am going to commit to doing my exercise DVD 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week!
Checking in. I exercised 3x this week for at least 30 min. I am encouraged to read I may eventually feel good about exercising.
I have a long driveway with a hill so weather permitting I will walk briskly. Other days I will dust off my elliptical. Unfortunately, I have been very sick the past few days and feel my body cannot handle it yet. Hope to start tomorrow.
I just started C25K this past week and have already completed my first 2 days. I am committed to doing this 3 days a week. The other days I am committed to working out at home using my variety of cardio DVDs and my Wii Fit.
I have started walking/jogging outside now that the weather is nicer. I will continue to do this at least 3 times a week, hopefully more. In May my daughter graduates from college with an exercise science degree. She will be returning home and already has a program designed for us.
Because of my back and hip issues, I have decided to begin with group pool exercises at a local health club. It was recommended by my Doctor until I get in better shape and lose some of the weight. Already called around and chosen. Signing up today. I am excited!!!!
1 hour of Kukuwa on Mondays, 1 hour of Yoga on Saturdays. I kick-off the week with a cardio blast and end the week with relaxing activity. I am also committed to walking a minimum of 30 minutes per day – 5 days per week. Wow, I don’t have time to gain weight!
Did 30 minutes on the treadmill and tried the hill option. That was new…..and good. I also purchased a diary/journal. Thank you for the motivation! It is nice to concentrate on me for a change. Thank you!
I’ve scheduled my workouts for the month of April which will have to be during lunch. Good thing is I can read and workout my stress at the same time before returning to work. If I am able to walk at home with the family, that will be an added bonus.
This one is a little rougher for me. I’m extremely out of shape so I’m going to have to start out slow but I do need to learn to stick with it. Need to not stand myself up.
Committing to walking at least 30 min. at least 3 days a week, but will plan to walk every day and not feel guilty if I skip an occasional day. Walked at lunch for a break from my desk job and walked again at home tonight with our young and lively (unlike me) dog.
With the nicer weather (and the pine pollen virtually gone!), I’m starting to walk outside again. Thanks to health issues, I added strength and toning exercises too. I cannot wait for the pool to open! Looking forward to swimming and exercising in the pool with friends and neighbors.
Starting tomorrow, I will go to the gym and do the treadmill every other day. Now that I have a dvd player and tv I actually know how to use I will do exercise tapes in the AM on the opposite days. I think this can work for me. One more week of long hours at work and then it will be easier to get on track and stay there.
I got up an hour earlier this morning just for exercise before work because I know if I wait it will NOT get done. Totally set the mood for the rest of my day…and it was a good one!