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 often do the “I will get to the gym three times this week!” and fail. Child care, unavailable with sick child.. just to busy.. on Facebook goofing off? But a walk I can do. I know that doing something will lead to more things (like fly lady’s shine your sink!) Often I feel guilty going to the gym if my home needs some work, not that I do the work I just sit at home instead of going to the gym lol, But I can go for a walk, I never feel guilty about a walk not with a stroller happy tot and a dog that leaps three times his height when he sees the leash come out. walks are a reward for all.
This is the perfect time to start holding myself accountable for my Couch-to-5k running again. I’ve had a goal in mind to be able to run a 5k by this summer but I haven’t been holding myself accountable to work on it and always let other things come before working out. Now I will start making dates with myself instead of excuses.
I do 2 or 3 30 minute workouts a week at the gym organised by a GP referral scheme in my town. I’m also in touch with the Healthy Walks co-ordinator and should be starting an 8 week course soon. They last about an hour. The aim was to get out of isolation and meet other people as well as losing weight and becoming fitter. When I’ve finished the walks and it’s getting near autumn time, there is an actual course with circuit training and advice about healthy eating to help lose weight, so I’m hoping to join that 🙂 These are all timetabled so I have the timetable on my desk here.
Done…water aerobics 2 days a week (class) and walking (if weather permits) at least once a week. Have exercise DVD to use when weather does not allow walking.
May be a day behind, but have have read and made my exercise plan! Will be walking and indoor cycling 30 minutes three times a week. Does trying to resettle ones’ home– unpacking, cleaning ect. count for anything? :>)
Walking – I don’t mind walking. Walked the mall today with my daughter while we shopped for clothes for her. Walked faster than normal in between stores and then to the car. While I know this will work for now, I will need to figure something else out for when summer hits as we live in a desert and it gets quite hot.
I’m going to do a Leslie Sansone DVD first thing in the morning on Mon Wed and Fri! If I wait till later in the day something else always seems to come up. So I have set my alarm on my phone for 6:00am and then I set it again for 6:05. I’m also puttng my phone over on the dresser. This way I can get my exercise in before my 2 and 4 year old get up around 7! And maybe get a shower in too! I would like to be able to do a 1/2 hour on my elliptical by the end of the month!
I have always disliked exercise, not totally lazy, just haven’t found something I can stick to and keep my interest. And then granting myself that time to myself away from entertaining and homeschooling the kiddos, housework, etc. has not been a top priority. I have pretty severe allergies, outdoors is limited, so I have a slew of exercise DVDs and a new treadmill. So far the treadmill is working since I can watch my guilty-pleasure soap and use a preset workout during that time. Having paid for the treadmill, it must be used:-)
I normally walk 5 miles per day, but to mix it up I added in jogging & ended up with 12.4 minute miles compared to my 15.5 minute miles, then came home & did the 10 minute cardio work out with my hubbie!
I love to walk when the weather is good. My challenge is in bad weather; I tend not to pop that DVD in. I wish I could become “addicted” to exercising (in a healthy way) like I hear others say happens with them…
This is where I lose my commitment. Exercise makes me feel awesome, but the minute that my husband or one of the kids need something I let my appointment with me go. The minute my partner(s) have a scheduling conflict, I “wait” for them to come back. Then I switch to morning commitment, and it lasts a week maybe two before I pull “just five more minutes” This time I am making the commitment to walk 3 times a week starting today, in front all my fellow weightlossathon friends, so I have more accountability. On days that I can’t get out, I will Zumba on the WII. I will allow myself to change the walk to something like biking to keep it fresh but I will not allow my need for this to be put behind every other person’s needs.
Last week, I ran into an acquaintance, and we decided to start walking together MWF early mornings each week for one hour each time. After the Wednesday walk, I discovered that I’d developed HUGE blisters on my fourth toes of each foot. Ouch! But I didn’t let them stop me! They were better enough by Friday to continue our walking dates (with my old shoes), and on Sunday I went to a specialized running to store and got fitted for some better ($$) shoes. I walked in them on Monday & today (Wed.) with no pain! Thankfully we rarely have bad weather here in TX, but I realize that we do need a backup plan for rainy days. Perhaps we’ll walk at the nearby mall on those days. I’m thankful that my walking buddy has been consistent and motivated, walks at the same pace as I do, and has been a joy in getting to know her better and developing a new friendship with.
(A little late, but) DONE. I try to schedule my running time anyway so I can line up running buddies. So much more fun to run with someone.
Walking in the great outdoors with a friend or by myself with music 🙂
I can definitely schedule four days to go to the gym (the wknds that my ex has the girls) and already scheduled it into the phone. The rest are going to work like this – I am walking everyday for 15 and at least three of those days I will take the longer way which adds another 10 minutes. This I can commit to, I think if I do anything different I will overwhelm myself and end up giving up. I have my girls and my son with me all the time and my husband just started a new business; many nights he isn’t home until 7, has paperwork to do then, and I’m a teacher on top of that so I always bring home work too.
I burn a lot of calories at work (I twist, turn and stand on my feet for 8 hours a day) but I’ve been packing my gym bag every day and going to the YMCA right after work. If I skip going home, then there is no chance to sit down and watch tv and not feel like getting back up. I’m up to 2 hours of cardio plus my resistance training. 🙂 And most mornings I get at least 1/2 hour on the elliptical. I’ve noticed that if I work out in the morning, the rest of the day I feel better. I’m not as stiff and sore as I am on days that I don’t work out. 🙂
Aargh I’m playing catch up! I haven’t checked in for the past couple of days (though I have read the emails & in most cases I’ve done the steps).
Anyway, so today’s check-in: I will go for at least a 30 min brisk walk 3 times a week when I get home from work / at the weekend (specifically Tues, Thurs, & then at least once on Sat or Sun – if it’s nice weather then I’ll aim to do both). If it is pouring with rain then I will follow one of my exercise DVDs at home for at least 45 mins.
Although I don’t completely care for exercising, I do realise it is an important thing to do. Interestingly enough, my 4 and 6 year old children are the best motivators and workout buddies!
I will plan my weeks in advance instead of monthly as hubby works different shifts. I think that actually recording the exercise done in my diary (apart from the “exercise appointments”) will help to keep me on track ( “accountable”). Amazingly my yoga workout DVD makes me sweat after only 10 minutes (are you sure it doesn’t count to burn calories?)
I fell behind with Easter traveling and Family, but I HAVE been exercising regularly: walking the dog with my kids and or husband almost every day for 20 min (since Feb 1st), and doing a 90 day transformation program with my youngest daughter for the last week. I can do exercise most of the time.