The Workout Question

Originally Posted on December 31st, 2006 1:16 pm

The most frequently asked questions I receive relate to workouts and exercise.

• Did you exercise at all to lose weight, or did you do weight watchers alone?
• How many days a week do you get in a “workout”?
• What is your workout routine?

I always answer these questions with the same wishy-washy response.

I stay active, take walks, dance around with my son and, every once in awhile, do a real workout.

It’s about time I address this exercise thing more seriously. So I decided to write about how I stay active and to make a commitment to my New Year’s workout resolution.

First, while I was losing most of my weight I was doing some fairly regular workouts while staying active. What does that actually mean?

Yourself Fitness & Kinetic

Both of these are “games” for the playstation. Yourself Fitness provides you with a virtual trainer. It’s like a workout video with a memory. Kinetic uses the eye toy and allows you to interactive with your whole body. You end up doing some pretty fun activities and it gets you moving. It also tracks your workouts and keeps a progress. I did this a lot during my losing phase but fell out of the habit for some reason. Honestly, I loved Kinetic! It was much more interactive then a video (for me) and time flies when you are working out.

Dance Dance Revolution

I got the dance pads on ebay as a joke and ended up falling in love with this game. It is loads of fun and if you have a friend (or husband) that is willing to look like an idiot with you, you can get in some intense dancing. The only problem is its all legs but for someone who does not like aerobics it is an alright alternative.

Baby Workouts

I know there are workouts out there to do with your baby but I never invested in one. Just make it up! When my son was young, I would lie on my back and put him on my legs for some lifts. He loved it and I was getting a good workout in. I would also dance around holding him out and do arm lifts. Again, he loved it and my arms would be burning after a few minutes! Now that he is a bit older, he loves being upside down. So I hold him by his ankles and do curls. He is giggling and I am working out my biceps. It’s fun and he’s almost 30lbs!!

Every Day Activities

I never take the elevator below 5 stories. It’s a rule. I always park far away from my destination. I will carry things instead of using a cart. I do squads while brushing my teeth. These things add up! You may feel like a goof at first but after awhile it becomes second nature.

Take Walks

Everyone can do it! It’s easy you can go at your own pace. I love walking alone, with friends, or pushing the baby carriage. It doesn’t really matter to me. There are some nights now I’ll throw on my iPod and walk alone. It’s nice. I get a break, unwind and listen to music. What else is better for a busy mom to get a few minutes to her self?

That’s what I have been doing. So what am I going to do?

I actually really enjoy weight training. It gives me a sense of strength and confidence. My New Years Resolution is to weight train at least 3 days a week and to walk for 30 minutes at least 3 days a week. It’s going to take a commitment from me but I know if I force myself to do it the month of January I’ll make it a habit.