Sunday, January 5, 2014

Fitness on a Budget

Can't manipulate your schedule to fit in some gym time?

Perhaps you actually can't afford a gym membership (totally understandable. Priorities).

The thing is .. YOU DON'T NEED A GYM MEMBERSHIP TO STAY ACTIVE! 

Ask yourself this:

1. the main road doesn't charge you $25 bi-weekly to walk/jog/run the sidewalks, does it?
2. the hardwood in your living room isn't going to charge you a fee to lay there and push out a few sit-ups, will it?
3. your driveway isn't gonna say a peep if you take 5-minutes to use the skipping rope on it, will it?

Seriously, it is the small changes that will kickstart a lifetime of change.

Take a week and try something new. I'm challenging you to try this:

Upper Body Exercise for Home (15-minutes in your living room)
10 push-ups
20 lateral raises
30 tricep dips
40 reverse flys

*Complete the above for a total of 4 sets.
**You just worked out for 15-20 minutes .. it was free

Push-ups

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Lateral Raise (again, try soup cans or a few water bottles as your weights)


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Chair Tricep Dips


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Reverse Flys



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Lower Body Exercise for Home
50 squats
25 jump squats
25 jumping jacks
15 alternating lunges
15 burpees

*Complete the above for a total of 4 sets.
**You just worked out for 20-25 minutes .. it was free

Squats


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Jump Squats



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Jumping Jacks



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Alternating Lunges



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Burpees

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Don't thinks pictures clarify how to workout at home?
Follow each youtube for a tutorial on a hard exercise that's easy to make time for.


So what's your excuse now? Cause if you're reading this, you obviously have the Internet. So click a few links .. get up and move move move. Move, eat, repeat!

How about this

  • try different gym trial memberships <--find the the gym that works for you
  • try outdoor skating (FREE)
  • try different yoga studios around time (usually, your first class is free)
  • buy a skipping rope ($6.00 at Walmart) - Skipping is actually one of the best cardio workouts you can do
  • start snowshoeing. Yes, you'll spend $120+ dollars now, but you'll have an intense workout plan for the next 4 months (given how our winter has been going)
  • start parking as far from your destination as possible
  • try swimming (omg, like $3.50 for an hour+)
  • stop pulling a Victoria, and volunteer to shovel the snow (omg, you will sweat to death)
  • start home fitness videos. Jillian Michaels has a number of videos in the Walmart dvd bin that range in price from $5-7. Seriously. 

Not kidding, My friend Steph (waving Steph) has tried these and she is living proof that they work!!

Ok, so you can afford the gym but you don't know where to start? Look into the following fitness centres and studios (I'm sure there are more, but these are the some popular ones in the city)

Gym(s), Fitness Centres & CrossFit

GoodLife Fitness 
Global Gym
Hot Fitness Studio
The Works
Max 
YMCA
Definitions
Curves
New World Fitness
Heavyweights
Personal Best Fitness Studio
CrossFit Islander 

Yoga
Moksha Yoga
Nova Yoga
Yoga Room

 Pools
Aquarena
Mews Center
Wedgewood



So, from here onward..

 Stop giving up
Stop throwing in the towel because you've reached your heaviest weight and you feel like a lost cause. If you were going into a final exam and you were heading in with a fail with your lowest grade .. would you skip studying? Perhaps you're a math wizard but you failed because you didn't attend class. Perhaps you know it'll take you no time to learn the material .. all you have to do is get in there, write and pass. Would you skip it then? You know how to move. You know how to sweat, so get back at it! Why would you pass on kicking yourself to lose weight (if you're overweight) or at taking the first step at leading a healthier and happier life?

Step 1: Admitting you need a change. It's not just about losing weight, it's about creating a lifestyle that works for you. Seriously, I've been there. I am there.

I ate some pretty bad foods over Christmas that made me feel guilty, like a blog hypocrit, like a slob (I got naucious on more than one occasion) and just overall sh!t! So let' do it together. Let's start now!

Step 2: Taking the necessary steps forward and just going.

  • scheduling workouts X amount of times a week
  • ensuring you break a sweat X amount of times 
  • move more, sit less
  • healthier grocery shopping
  • meal planning

Step 3 : If need be, WRITE IT DOWN. Some people find that documenting their activities and food consumption really helps at staying on track. It helps with keeping focussed. If you're one of these people, start now. I obviously am. I use this blog as an online food/exercise diary.

Stop weighing
I had every intention of weighing myself on January 1st. Then I just... didn't. I was 173-lbs on November 29th, and I know that I'm heavier now. But, who cares! I'm gonna keep on movin' and attempt shrinking. As mentioned before, my plan is to stop focusing on the digital visual and start focusing on the size 28 jeans that my mother bought me for Christmas. In the end, it's about feeling comfortable in your skin, and leading the healthiest life possible. (Just gonna admit it again .. I smoke dirty cigarettes so I obviously have my own obstacles to overcome with regards to leading my healthiest life possible).

Stop waiting until Monday
It's true, they say that 70% of diets are more effective when they start on a Monday .. but what happens if you say you're gonna start this Monday, and then cheat? Are you gonna wait 6 days until next Monday? How about you tell yourself that every day is Monday.

Now, go!

I'm gonna go.

I'm gonna head to the gym now and get my sweat on. Because today is Sunday, but today is my Monday!!


Move. Eat. Repeat

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Questions
1. What are some exercises you do at home?
2. Do you like working out at a gym or at home?

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