By Lynn Haraldson-Bering
The question people ask me most frequently, next to the “skin question,” is how did I start exercising and what keeps me motivated? I suspect many of you get asked this, too.
Barbara and I were talking the other day about our different approaches to exercise. She loves tennis and aerobics. I love machines and strength training with weights. We both know people who prefer Zumba, kick boxing, running and curling. Whatever it is, we agreed there has to be some kind of passion behind our choices in order to stay motivated.
When I first started losing weight, I thought of exercise as something I had to do, like a mammogram, in order to get and stay healthy. I put it off for over a year (and 110 pounds gone) before I started walking at our local track in April 2006. I didn’t expect to like it, so imagine my surprise when I actually loved it. Couldn’t wait to get up and do it. Well, most days anyway. I started out walking one mile at a steady pace, then one and a half with spurts of faster walking, until finally, toward the end of summer, I was walking a 5K in 38 minutes. What a high!
Then the weather turned cold and I knew I had to go indoors. With my arthritic feet and knees, I thought the only equipment I could use at the gym was the treadmill. I liked it, but it wasn’t the same as walking outdoors. I liked being able to raise the incline and vary the speeds, but after a few months I got bored. Someone recommended I try the elliptical. I always thought it looked like fun, but I was afraid it would hurt my knees. But I gave it a try and found it easier on my knees than the treadmill. Who knew? Since then, I’ve expanded my machining repertoire to include other types of ellipticals, the arc trainer and the recumbent bike. I average 200 minutes of cardio exercise and 200 minutes of strength training per week. Not as much as some maintainers, but it’s six to seven hours a week doing something I’m passionate about. And it's that passion I feel while working out, both physically and emotionally, that keeps me motivated to go back for more.
As I walked to the gym this morning, cursing the wind blowing through what I thought was a thick enough jacket (God forbid I walk home and put on something warmer), I thought about ways in which I will change my exercise routine over the winter. And that’s where I need your suggestions.
I have some cardio and strength training equipment at home so I tend to go to the gym less over the winter months. I like to dig out the “Walk Away the Pounds” DVDs and other low-impact videos, too, and chasing my 1-year-old granddaughter around the house counts, right? OK, maybe that’s not real exercise, but she does put me through my paces.
So what do you do? I’m always amazed by what people do for exercise. Spinning always looks like such fun. So does the strength training aerobics class at our gym. A friend of mine just took up ice skating. What are your exercise passions? Do you change things up in the winter? Do you prefer group sports or individual exercise? Do you have any favorite videos?
As always, leave a comment or send me an email atrefusetoregain@gmail.com. I really appreciate your input!
By Lynn Haraldson-Bering
The question people ask me most frequently, next to the “skin question,” is how did I start exercising and what keeps me motivated? I suspect many of you get asked this, too.
Barbara and I were talking the other day about our different approaches to exercise. She loves tennis and aerobics. I love machines and strength training with weights. We both know people who prefer Zumba, kick boxing, running and curling. Whatever it is, we agreed there has to be some kind of passion behind our choices in order to stay motivated.
When I first started losing weight, I thought of exercise as something I had to do, like a mammogram, in order to get and stay healthy. I put it off for over a year (and 110 pounds gone) before I started walking at our local track in April 2006. I didn’t expect to like it, so imagine my surprise when I actually loved it. Couldn’t wait to get up and do it. Well, most days anyway. I started out walking one mile at a steady pace, then one and a half with spurts of faster walking, until finally, toward the end of summer, I was walking a 5K in 38 minutes. What a high!
Then the weather turned cold and I knew I had to go indoors. With my arthritic feet and knees, I thought the only equipment I could use at the gym was the treadmill. I liked it, but it wasn’t the same as walking outdoors. I liked being able to raise the incline and vary the speeds, but after a few months I got bored. Someone recommended I try the elliptical. I always thought it looked like fun, but I was afraid it would hurt my knees. But I gave it a try and found it easier on my knees than the treadmill. Who knew? Since then, I’ve expanded my machining repertoire to include other types of ellipticals, the arc trainer and the recumbent bike. I average 200 minutes of cardio exercise and 200 minutes of strength training per week. Not as much as some maintainers, but it’s six to seven hours a week doing something I’m passionate about. And it's that passion I feel while working out, both physically and emotionally, that keeps me motivated to go back for more.
As I walked to the gym this morning, cursing the wind blowing through what I thought was a thick enough jacket (God forbid I walk home and put on something warmer), I thought about ways in which I will change my exercise routine over the winter. And that’s where I need your suggestions.
I have some cardio and strength training equipment at home so I tend to go to the gym less over the winter months. I like to dig out the “Walk Away the Pounds” DVDs and other low-impact videos, too, and chasing my 1-year-old granddaughter around the house counts, right? OK, maybe that’s not real exercise, but she does put me through my paces.
So what do you do? I’m always amazed by what people do for exercise. Spinning always looks like such fun. So does the strength training aerobics class at our gym. A friend of mine just took up ice skating. What are your exercise passions? Do you change things up in the winter? Do you prefer group sports or individual exercise? Do you have any favorite videos?
As always, leave a comment or send me an email atrefusetoregain@gmail.com. I really appreciate your input!