Move it Monday: Bad weather and Exercise.
Davina
15 Comments
Ugh. Not again.
I think it's one of the worst ways to ruin a perfectly good intention. The night before...usually Sunday night...I once again recommit to myself that this week will be different. THIS week I will get back on track. This week I will exercise every day. This week I will eat food that will benefit my health and only when my body says to eat. This is the week I'm going to reclaim my healthy lifestyle.
And you wake up.
And it's raining.
And raining.
Not letting up.
No sunshine in site.
And the wind is blowing.
And it's a cold wind.
So what's supposed to be 60 degrees...
feels like 40 degrees.
It's cold.
It's dreary.
There's no sun.
It's raining.
You're now in no mood for walking...
now, you just want to curl up on the couch with a good book...
and a fire.
And pretend you never recommitted to yourself.
Last night.
Let's just forget about last night.
It's the morning after...and you don't want to think about it anymore.
It's raining.
So what to do when the rain wants to try and ruin everything? Tell us all in the comments. I know I want to hear!
In the mean time...here's a little list I found:
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Step 1
Hit the stairs for a quick cardio workout. Running up and down stairs, or even a few steps, is a great way to exercise during bad weather. In a mere 15 minutes, you can get a great cardio workout in your own home.
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Step 2
Pop in a fitness DVD. There are so many different fitness DVDs to choose from. Having a wide variety in your collection allows you to get the perfectworkout, any day of the week. For example, you might want a low-impact workout one day and a cardio workout the next.
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Step 3
Dust off your at home exercise equipment. If you love to exercise outdoors, your fitness equipment is probably covered in dust. During bad weather, take a few minutes to clean off that treadmill, and then hop on for a quick workout. In just a few minutes, you’ll get the exercise you need without having to go for a walk in the rain.
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Step 4
Rethink your exercise program. Exercise doesn’t have to involve walking or lifting weights. You can actually get a great workout by simply cleaning your house. If cleaning your house doesn’t sound fun, why not dance? There are so many activities that don’t seem like exercise, but actually burn several calories.
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Step 5
Head to the gym. If you don’t like the idea of exercising at home, head to the gym. The gym is a wonderful place to exercise during bad weather, because you can get a complete workout. You can spend time on the treadmill and then hit weights to tone your muscles.
real. LIFE.
Reader Comments (15)
We had planned a 50 mile bike ride for Sunday. (My first 50 miler). We set out yesterday to go (even though I said this exact sentance outloud to my husband: "I just want to curl up on the couch in a blanket with a book." Yes. I said it.)
But I had already committed to the ride. With other people. The other people are the key to me following through.
Anyway, we started riding and 10 miles in the HEADWINDS and RAIN were unbearable. So we cut it short. Only going 20 miles. The 50 miler will wait for better weather. Until then I'll be glad I made it out the door at all. ;)
Having "alternatives" planned in case of bad weather eliminates the "all or nothing" mentality that often accompanies bad weather & exercise.
i plannes exercise this weekend...and then the temps dropped to freezing and the winds came in strong. so...i did nothing :(
To me exercising and being active needs to feel good and something I enjoy and look forward to -- so I cut myself slack if it is bad weather. Although one of my favorite bike rides we did was in the pouring rain -- we were drenched and pedaling so hard - we were stuck in it so we couldn't go back just had to push through. Generally in cold or rainy weather I like to do something with someone else -- a yoga class, brisk walking at the mall, etc.
I'm doing ok on exercise... not going nuts but making sure I get out everyday. It's the eating less part that I'm struggling with! After watching what I eat and exercising for a couple of weeks with no results, I got discouraged thinking if I'm going to just maintain, I can do so with a lot less effort! So... kind of in a funk with the diet. Still love how exercise makes me feel, though!
I do love cleaning the house as exercise. Not only do I get a little workout, I can enjoy the benefits (both physical and visual) all day!
I have a dog. My dog's nickname is "Relentless". Rain, snow, sunshine, sleet, wind, darkness...you name the weather condition and we have been out walking in it! She is my motivation (so is my butt) and if she doesn't motivate me, she agitates me into it!
Whoever said: "There is no bad weather, just bad clothing!" was right! Get a pair of waterproof shoes and a waterproof jacket--make sure it's breathable--and walk anyway! Sometimes you see the most interesting things in the "bad" weather!
Buying a pedometer has really helped me! Keeps me on track and keeps me parking way out in the parking lots just to get those extra steps! (Dick's carries one for--$15.00)
Watch 'em!
you tube exercise videos!!!!!!!!
149.5
I'm a broken record
I'm 140.5. I'm going the wrong direction. Food is my vice. I love homemade chocolate chip cookies. They call my name. I put them in the freezer so I don't have to look at them any more...
Shannon, I hear you on the food. I'm struggling. Really, though last year when I lost weight and it felt easy I just started taking less food on my plate and then consciously leaving a little bit on my plate. It's crazy but it worked. It clicked something in my brain. I need to do that today. Just eat a little less and leave some on my plate. That's it...and walk for 20 minutes. That's the way I started out last year. Little steps that get bigger and add up over time. That's the other thing I did. I said, "I'm not going to see a change for a year. So everyday will eventually add up." But I had to keep on keepin' on. I had to keep reminding myself that I was going to make this right decision today. I got to the point where I was exercising for 40 minutes everyday and it didn't seem like a big deal. I was also passing on the sweets or just taking a little bite and being satisfied. After doing that for just 4 months I had lost 25 pounds. During that 3 months it seemed like it was taking forever and many weeks it felt like I was taking 2 steps forward and one step back. Getting committed to doing the work for a year helped my mind. I wasn't looking for a quick fix. I think I'm back at the point now.
Good luck ladies! We can do this. We want healthy lives...no more being out of breath after walking up a hill...or stairs.
So I'm thinking about taking an adult ballet class...what do you think? I took one in college and it was painful. That was 18 years ago!
135.5 Up-down, Up-down, Up-down! Seems like we are all in that battle! I just try to keep thinking, "it didn't arrive overnight and it's not going anywhere overnight!" Keep walking, keep making better choices with food!
GMA had a segment on yesterday about how women need to exercise for at LEAST ONE HOUR a day just to maintain their weight. More time if trying to lose weight!
Watch 'em!
LeeAnn, you make a great point about it not arriving overnight. :)
139.5
hey i'm back, i hope. i went on vacation last week, and got out of the habit of posting here. my husband and i did lots of biking on vacation. we weren't super hard core about it, but it was still crazy good exercise. makes me want to see about getting my own bike in good working order.
i weighed myself at the gym today. the exercising is paying off on the scale. 113.6 yay yay!! just a little, but it's still encouraging. and it's good i gained a little weight since i'm giving blood next week. i think one unit weighs about a pound. i don't know how long it takes my body to replace that. it'll be interesting to see how it affects my weight.
139.5
it's raining, or I'd go out and move some dirt. And we all know that dirt moving is a form of exercise in MY book. ;)
139.5.still
ate stuff I shouldn't have yesterday. 141.
eating stuff I shouldn't makes me feel icky. Honestly, my body is being a hater today. :(