Despite my very best intentions, I haven’t fared too well at this challenge. I mean, it was simple enough… “Move More, Sit Less” they said…. “Show us how you squeeze more activity into your day” they said.
And so I thought about it. And I thought about it some more, and I spent so long thinking about it, that I didn’t really do a huge amount about it. What is it they say about the road to hell being paved with good intentions? Oh yeah, that.
It’s not as if the plan doesn’t give you an incentive to exercise either. You can earn activity propoints by working up a sweat before swapping them for normal propoints which is ideal if you’re a propoint or two short of that glass of wine you’ve been craving. So why have I failed? Well, I promised myself that last week would be the week I’d finally pull my running shoes back on. The snow has cleared, the temperatures have risen a touch and the sun seems to be hanging on for just a little bit longer in the evenings. Did I get out there for a run? Did I naff. I didn’t even drag myself out for a brisk walk!
So lame-ness aside, what did I do? Well, I dusted off the Wii Fit in an attempt to alleviate some guilt. I loaded up The Biggest Loser game (yeah, that’s me – and not in the positive sense of the expression), please excuse the feet, I’m surprised I was able to see them.
It was fun for about 5 minutes and then it actually started to burn a bit. Why can’t exercise just stay fun? Why does it have to start bloody hurting anyway?! I’ve learned that I can do a pretty mean squat, that my lunges are atrocious (I wobble all over), and that I need to wear my sports bra if they start with that jumping jack stuff again.
In all seriousness though, I banked two activity propoints through my efforts so it wasn’t all bad for a half hour routine.
My other efforts at increasing my exercise count involved a far more enjoyable play with my hoops! The one in the photo below is my most recent acquisition, she’s smaller and faster and has white glitter tape, isn’t she pretty? I still need more practice at keeping her up so I did end up moving back to a slower hoop that gave me more control, I’ll get better though!
I do find hooping far more enjoyable than other forms of exercise and I’ve been doing it (on and off) since last April but I’m not sure that it really gives me enough of a work out. I’ve tried the weighted varieties (which make you sweat!) but I’ve read too much about the potential damage they can cause to want to go back to them. I found it pretty difficult to gauge how many activity propoints I could bank with the hooping, but I let myself bank 3 propoints for 40 minutes, based on a rough 70kcal burned = 1 activity point rule. I’ll have to use my heart rate monitor this week to see if I’m being too generous with myself!
It’s not always easy to find obvious ways to incorporate exercise into our busy schedules, 40-minutes of hooping is actually quite a large chunk of my free time, it’s just as-well I enjoy it! If the weather is kind this week, I’ll be swapping the steering wheel for some cosy insoles and walking to pick Leila up from nursery. I’ve got a pedometer* to ensure I don’t miss a trick and make the most of this additional activity. If I’m doing it, you can bet I’ll be banking it on the Weight Watchers app!
How are your activity levels? Are you skirting around some serious workouts like me or are you straight into building up a sweat?
* I am a Weight Watchers blog ambassador and my links to their website are affiliated. I have received no payment for this post. The pedometer mentioned is a press sample.
Since August last year I am all about proper sweating when it comes to exercise… Before that I couldn’t even think about sweating haha! After a few hardcore sessions I have come to terms with it and now embrace it 😉
I love 30 Day Shred and Blog Pilates by Cassey Ho for toning. C25K was fabulous for keeping me motivated in completing my cardio sessions. Now that I have completed the program I am thinking of doing a 10K plan so I can do one this Summer! I must point out I have been doing it on the treadmill – As if I am going to go running in this weather!
We also have a rowing machine and stationary bike which I like doing HIIT with 🙂
Ps. As for the aching… Get used to it if you’re in it for the long run (I say this with lots of love haha)! I do have rest days and *usually* exercise every other day but I can’t remember the last time at least one part of my body didn’t ache every day. No pain, no gain! Xx
Oh man, exercise is totally my bugbear too. It was fine when I lived in London because I lived literally round the corner from an amazing gym with a ladies only room and it was only £15 a month, but now I’m back in the frozen north without a student loan (so I can’t afford £40 a month on gym fees) and I *really* don’t live in the kind of place I’d feel comfortable jogging in, especially not in the dark.
I’ve been seriously considering a Wii Fit – are they actually conducive to losing weight/getting fit or is it all a bit of a gimmick? Might have to Google “Wii Fit success stories”…
Erm… I don’t much either. I’ve been to a yoga class for the last two weeks. I used to swim three times a week and that got me ever so slim and toned, but then the pool burned down, which sounds like a very improbable excuse, but is actually true.
I’m going to buy the 30 Day Shred. I used to like the Wii Fit but it needs batteries. It’s a bad indication of how much exercise I will actually do if I’m too lazy to rummage in the cupboard for batteries.
Haha, the pool burning down is a better excuse than one could ever think of if they tried (:
x
Agreed. It’s actually still burned down. So what can I do? Sit on my bum, methinks.
Look how cute you are! Even when I’m skinny I don’t have collar bones that nice.
you flatter me too much, but thank you – I’m totally taking that compliment to the grave with me!
My biggest problem with Slimming World (as the big alternative to WW in the UK) is that it offers no incentive whatsoever to exercise.
There is a Body Magic award which they supposedly hand out in class, but in my many years of going i’ve never seen one!
Mate, I’m quite sure you know that I’ve turned from the laziest person ever into a hardcore gym bunny. In all seriousness though, it definitely is not easy. Take it in steps and you’ll be able to build it up. I can’t tell you to do X Y and Z because you’ve got a different life to me so me saying ‘oh, go to the gym in the morning and then after work’ isn’t going to work.
What you could do (something that I also do) is maybe park the car further away and walk a bit more and then build that up to going walking around the park, turn that into interval running and then all out running?
Or,you could be cheeky, get a free gym taster thing, ask for a programme and tell the people in the gym what you can realistically do. They’re usually pretty good at helping you out.
I’m going to come out and say it – I love exercising! I honestly do. Some people seem to hate me for. I do around 10 classes a week at the gym and I honestly would do more if I had the time. I like Les Mills classes best, they’re fun but seriously hard work and really get results.
I can understand that some people find it diffucult to fit in a decent amount of exercise with work, kids etc but once you get into a routine, you won’t want to miss it.