Wednesday, January 6, 2010

The Plan - Activity

So, as much as diet is key in losing weight, activity is a vital part of the health equation. I know for myself, being active makes me feel better, have more energy and actually makes it easier for me to stick to healthy eating.

This is why it is a part of my plan. It is way too important to be considered an afterthought.

I have no excuse not to get regular exercise in. I am phenomenally well set up. I live in a town not far from the mountains and am across the street from a beautiful paved pathway system. I have a bike and a chariot with attachments to be used as a bike trailer, jogging stroller and regular stroller. In my basement, I have a recumbent exercise bike, a rowing machine and an elliptical trainer. I also have free weights, a weight bench, and an exercise ball.

So, you see, I have no excuses. So, I'm going to stop making them.

In the winter time, most of my activity will be inside. I have 2 children under the age of three, so I can't fully plan my days, but what is working for me right now is to jump on the bike or rower after the kids go to bed. When the weather is nice enough, we go for walks, even in colder weather, but unless both my kids decide to ride, the pace is pretty slow, so I don't consider it cardio. So, the evening exercise machine it is.

I am looking forward to the spring and summer when the paths are clear again and the mountains are hike-able.

I also feel that strength training is a very important part of the equation, but for the time being, I'm focusing on cardio. I have a couple reasons for that. One is that I am still trying to heal a sprained wrist. I have exercises I do specifically for my wrist, but aside from that I'm a bit paranoid about pushing it.

The other reason to wait is that I simply don't want to overwhelm myself. I am changing alot of parts of my life right now, and this is one that I am waiting a bit on. For these reasons, I am making the commitment to reconsider strength training as of February 1.

So, right now, my commitment is a minimum of 30 minutes of cardio each day as well as my wrist exercises, stretching and foot exercises (for plantar fascitis).

3 comments:

  1. Sounds like you've got a good plan for activity. I biked all summer with the chariot and my kiddos loved it, and I got into great shape. I too am anxious for the spring!

    I used to be a total cardio girl, I love running. But I started getting a women's fitness magazine and realized how important strength training is especially for women. It protects against osteoporosis and arthritis. And the added bonus is muscle burns more calories, so the more you have the better!

    I've enjoyed reading your posts so far! I'm cheering for you!

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  2. This sounds great Deb! I'm enjoying this new blog and look forward to hearing about your success and seeing photos.

    I'm cheering for you from China and even though blogspot is still hard to get onto from here I'll make the effort!

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  3. Do you guys have a TV and a Wii?

    I'm getting a great cardio and weight training workout with EA Sports Active.

    I was finding I had really packed on a lot of pounds over the winter. I biked a lot with the Chariot in the summer but I find it really difficult to get a good workout in the winter as a single low income mother. Since I started using the EA Sports Active program I have noticed big changes in my muscle tone and I feel 100% better. Now I can get a great workout anytime I have 20 minutes to spare no child care required.

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