(no subject)

[alexseanchai]

My exercise project (code-named Project Mary, after Mary Campbell from Supernatural, who is kickass) would be going ever so much better if I could convince myself that sitting around with nothing to do and no reason to go to bed yet means it's an excellent time to do yoga or resistance bands and therefore I should get up off my ass.

I mean, it's going fairly well. I've walked at least half an hour every day this week, even if I do keep not checking in. (I blame the fact that the check-in posts turn up in my morning reading-list scan, before exercise, and my exercise is done on breaks at work where DW is blocked by nanny software.) But that is only lower body strength and cardio. I need upper body strength and flexibility. Do I ever need upper body strength—I can't start the lawnmower on my own, nor mow more than a third of the back lawn at a time, and I keep needing both arms to operate the damn stapler. And I hurt less when I yoga more. And there's nothing on my to-do list that won't wait till tomorrow, and I'm not tired, so exercise would be an excellent way to fill the time.

Motivate me? Or explain why I am unmotivated?

Comments

[daedala]

One thing that might help: decide that the check-in post was, for you, to report the day before. That way, you'll have something to report even if you worked out at midnight.

I found that one of my barriers with resistance training was that I do not want to be a personal trainer, not even for myself, and found myself much happier when I started following a prescribed program (New Rules of Lifting for Women).

[alexseanchai]

I like that thought. Thanks.

Ooh. I shall have to track one of those down. Thanks!

[daedala]

If I had to do it over, I'd probably get the newer book ("New Rules of Lifting for Abs," and the authors admit that's horrible), because it includes a lot of mobility and flexibility work.

[shanaqui]

I have the same problem with remembering to check-in. Grr. I might put those posts on an alert so they get emailed to me...?

I just got into a habit of exercising, which I now move into automatically when I have the time. Apparently if you do something twenty-one days in a row, the habit is established. If that'd help you, you might like HabitForge. I used to use Mindbloom, which is nice too.

[alexseanchai]

I'd heard the twenty-one days thing. Never have figured out it if it works. Thanks.

ETA: Okay, just signed up for HabitForge and put ten dollars where my mouth is. If I have a ninety percent completion rate over the next thirty days, nine dollars will go to Water for Africa and one to HabitForge; fifty percent, five dollars each way. So obviously if I don't want the money to go to HabitForge I'd better get my ass up and moving.

[shanaqui]

I heard somewhere else it's more like forty days, which seems more accurate to me... Still, twenty-one days is a start, heh.

Whoops, didn't see the edit. And ooh, good luck!

[alexseanchai]

Well if you factor in all the restarts, it probably does come out to forty days.

[daedala]

I had never seen habitforge before, and that is fantastic. Thank you!

[rydra_wong]

I favour exercising in front of a DVD/the TV as a good tactic. *g*

[alexseanchai]

Yeah, but then I don't pay attention to one or the other, and I like paying attention to my TV. I'm always watching for fannish reasons, which means I need to keep an eye out for details.

[lyorn]

I have similar troubles with the check-in posts. But as my reading list is short, I can always find the one for the previous or near-previous day on my reading list easily.

Regarding upper-body strength, I think that lower-body comes with moving, and moving has to be done, your legs have to carry you. While your arms and shoulders only have to carry what you give them to carry. So, give them things to carry. Or a lawnmower to move. Only one third of the back lawn? Considereing the speed of grass growing in spring and early summer, could you make your daily exercise mowing that third?

Also, if you work on a desk a lot, five-times-a-day stretching and isometrics might help to keep shoulder troubles and headaches away, while doing something for your strength, flexibility, coordination and even mental alertness. Could you find or design a program like that?

Can you add some upper body strength stuff in your existing routine? Take a resistance band on walks and do some two-minute-stops doing stuff with it? Might Nordic Walking be for you or do you feel it's too silly or inconvenient? It's not great for upper body, but better than nothing, and walking is something you do anyway.

Or do the opposite direction and add some concentrated and serious upper body strength training three times a week. Last Summer I had a 15-minute home workout with planks, kitchen-counter pushups, chair dips and moving/lifting a bag of cat litter a lot. Set fixed days and times, set an alarm clock, keep in mind that it's 15 minutes, you do it *now* and then it's *done*.

Good luck and success!

[alexseanchai]

Thanks for the advice! *shall contemplate*