How to make exercise a priority
You know the routine. You’ve been busy all day either attending school, working or taking care of the kids. The last thing on your mind is going through a workout. All you want to do is relax and unwind. If you’re overweight the effects of a busy day can wear you down even more than your thinner counterparts.
So how do you make exercise a daily priority?
I have tried to make it a part of my daily routine as so many experts have recommended. For the most part it does help, but I’ve found that it just became one of my many tasks that I didn’t want to do. Currently I workout 4 days a week 30-60 minutes per session. I have been able to stick to it because I have made exercise a part of my unwinding and relaxing time. Now I look at it as time just for me to do what I want to do and not what I have to do.
The secret is to make it fun and competitive.
Find a physical activity that you enjoy doing like walking, running, biking or even lifting weights and set a realistic goal for that session. It could be anything from the amount of calories you burn to how fast you can complete a set distance.
For example my exercise of choice is running. I have 2 routes a 5 kilometer one and a 10 kilometer one. On each run I set a goal time to beat. (23 or 50 minutes). It’s an awesome feeling to beat or even reach that goal. It keeps me motivated and I look forward to beating that new time on my next workout session.
Cutting out the excuses
There are so many excuses that can trip you up. “I’m too tired, the gym is too far away, my favorite TV show is on or it’s raining outside” are some of my favorites. All of these can stop your momentum, but can be easily overcome. Here are some simple ways to counter those excuses:
1.) Change into your workout clothes right after dinner.
2.) Set a time to meet with a workout buddy. You’re less likely to skip it if you have someone else waiting on you.
3.) Use your Tivo, PVR or VCR and record your favorite TV shows and watch them on your rest days.
4.) Who says you need a gym to workout. Put on a workout video, run the stairs or do some body weight exercises.
5.) Work out in the morning as a great start to your day.
My favorite excuse is I’m too tired to workout. There is no better cure for low energy than a good 20-30 minute walk/jog. Motion creates energy and increases the oxygen flow to your brain, essentially waking it up.
Regular exercise can improve your overall health, add years to your life, improve your self-confidence and make you look and feel better. So good luck and get moving.
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Free Workout Videos Online
It’s no secret that I am a fan of the P90X workout plan. It’s really effect and thousands of people have seen great results with it, but unfortunately it isn’t free in fact even on sale you are going to pay $100 for the complete program.
Fortunately for those of us with big bellies and skinny wallets can find a ton of really great workout videos online for FREE
Below are some good videos that I’ve found. You really need to wade though a lot of crappy videos to find a few diamonds in the rough on youtube, these are all good, watch the videos, subscribe to their channels and get fit 
Enjoy and hopeful you can mix and match the videos to create your own total body exercise plan.
10-Minute Cardio Kickboxing Workout by Coach Nicole from Sparkpeople.com
View her youtube Channel here: sparkpeople
Bex Life: 300 Rep Superhero Workout Cardio
View her youtube Channel here::genghisgirl
Destorm: The Best Home Workout – Exercise Routine
View his youtube Channel here: DeStorm
Leehayward: Complete Chest Workout
View his youtube Channel here: Leehayward
Homeworkoutroutines: Intense Home Ab Workout
View his Youtube Channel here: Homeworkoutroutines
EmpowerYourBody: Sexy Arm Routine
View her youtube channel here: EmpowerYourBody
Brides Made Fit: The Really, Really Good Leg Workout
View Her youtube channel here: Brides Made Fit
This video is by Craig Ballantyne creator of the Turbulence Training Program. He has done a ton of work for Men’s Health Magazine and really knows his stuff.
cbathletics: Great Upper Back Workout
View his youtube channel here: cbathletics
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Fitness and Weight Loss DVDs On Sale
Just a quick post to let everyone know about some big savings on fitness, weight loss and workout DVD’s at Amazon.com going on now until January 24th.
There are over 200 fitness titles on sale for up to 50% by some of the biggest names in the industry. I have listed them by groups and a few titles that I like. They are only on sale for another 13 days or while supplies last.
You’re saving $6-$10 per DVD and you don’t even have to dig through the discount DVD bins at Wal-mart (Come on I know I’m not the only one who’s done that before)
The Biggest Loser Workout DVD’s
-The 30 Day Jumpstart
-Power Sculpt
-Cardio Max
-Bootcamp
-Weight loss Yoga
-Last Chance Workout
View all Biggest Loser DVD’s on Sale Here
Jillian Michael’s DVD’s
-30 Day Shred (Excellent)
-No More Trouble Zones
-Banish Fat, Boost Metabolisim
View All of Jillian’s Titles on Sale Here
10 Minute Solution
There are over 21 titles in this series on sale here are just a few:
-Fitness Ball Workouts
-5 Day Get Fit Mix
-Blast Off Belly Fat
-Rapid Results Pilates
-Fat Blasting Dance Mix
-Target Toning For Beginners
-Kickbox Bootcamp with Keli Roberts – (I could take her )
-Quick Tummy Toners
-Plus 13 other titles. One thing is for sure, the producers of these videos are not fond of fat!
View All the 10 Minute Solution Titles On Sale Here
I’m not going to go into anymore detail, you get the idea. Great titles, Big savings and they are all eligible for free shipping (if you spend $25 I think).
Check Out All the Fitness DVD Titles on Sale (Including Denise Austin and Kathy Smith) Here
Please note that these link to amazon.com and I receive a small commission from any items that you purchase, just so you know 
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Great Songs for Running
I just finished a great 45 minute run on the treadmill about 15 minutes ago and I wanted to write this down before I got distracted with some other project.
Many people get bored while running and have a hard time keeping their minds “occupied”, myself included. A great way to fight this is listening to music and singing along with it. (if you are at the gym keep it in your head, lol )
Just google “running music” and you’ll get thousands of sites offering different mixes and playlists, most are listed by BPM (beats per minute) which is convenient if you are looking for pace based workouts. I look at it differently though.
My Ipod is filled with different playlists organized by genre and not BPM. Each genre is best suited for my different moods and how energetic I feel before I workout. For example If I’m in an angry mood or just feeling pissed at myself for missing a previous workout, eating too much etc.. I put on the Hip-Hop or more specifically the Gangster rap. I generally don’t like the content but the beats and over all tone of the music just gets me pumped. (P.S I’m the whitest guy you’ll ever meet).
Tonight I was in a good mood, had a good amount of energy and just wanted to enjoy the run. For that kind of mood I go with either the Dance/techno songs or the Classic rock. It was classic rock night.
Great Songs for Running
Here are just a few of the songs that got me going and yes I know most of these are from the Rock Band games.
Mississippi Queen – Great for singing along with, 3 minutes gone and didn’t even notice it.
Hair of the Dog (Nazerth) – I like to visualize myself gaining on people while running a 5k and saying “now your messing with a son of a bitch” that and I like making the guitar noises half way through the song
Spirit in the Sky – I’m not religious, I just like singing “gotta have a friend in Jesus” or Allah as my Muslim says. I dare you to singing it without smiling.
Stranglehold – Ted Nugent – The drums and guitar just put me in a better mood, that and I like to imagine me getting my fat self in a stranglehold and giving him crap for not doing more to get the weight off sooner.
Won’t Back Down – Tom Petty – Great song for the last 5-10 minutes when you’re tired and feel like hitting the stop button. The line, “hey baby there ain’t no easy way out” is perfect and fits with my whole weight loss philosophy.
Spoonman – Soundgarden – Not exactly “Classic rock” but it has a great beat, plus I kick ass at rock band on this song and have the rhythm down perfectly. I literally finished my cool down listening to this while playing the air guitar and air drums.
Those are a few of my favorites I have a ton more of 90′s rock, Dance, Techno, etc… sorry no R&B or Country music on the ipod I rather listen to a 45 minute track of screaming babies over that stuff
The whole point of this is that I had fun while exercising by singing along and getting into the music the 45 minutes flew by. It was actually more like 50 minutes because I wanted to hear free falling one last time.
So I want to know what is in your Ipod and what are your favorite running/workout songs. Maybe I can add some new stuff.
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Exercising While Injured
This seems to happen to me any time I start getting on a roll. 2 weeks ago I had lost 6 pounds through lots of hard work and planning. I felt great and thought that I’m really starting to make a difference in my weight loss efforts.
That all changed on May 12th when I decided to play in a pick up basketball game after work with some friends. I played for literally 2 minutes before I got injured. 2 MINUTES!!!
Now I have a torn MCL and I have to go through 5 weeks of Physio Therapy just to be able to walk properly again. I’m also wearing a range of motion brace to keep my knee stable.
For the past week I have been sitting and laying down and more sitting and more laying. So this begs the question how do you lose weight while you are injured? Since I have a leg injury I can’t do my usual cardio workouts, running and jump training. So how am I suppose to burn calories? Weight training is very limited no leg workouts and other upper body exercises surprisingly depend heavily on your legs for stability Push ups, dips rows etc…
This has thrown my whole routine off and I need your advice.
What should I be doing exercise wise to keep up the weight loss or at least prevent any weight gain until I’m back to normal? How have you worked around your injuries in the past?
I don’t mean to come off as being a complainer, injuries happen I’m just frustrated and anxious to get moving again. Please leave your comments.
Thx
Steve
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Exercise or Diet
NOTE: This was originally posted in March 2008, the funny thing is that I have changed my mind a little on this I now believe that Diet is a bit more effective. Live and learn right?
When making the change to a healthy lifestyle it can all seem overwhelming. Many of us have been inactive for years and the thought of heavy sweating, muscle soreness and the time commitments associated with working out can be enough to turn anyone away from doing it.
On the diet side of the equation it doesn’t look any easier. You’ll need to stop eating the high fat, high sugar foods that have become a daily part of your life. Then replace them with fruit and veggies and lean cuts of meat. Blah.
The combination of the two will undoubtedly change your body and drastically improve your overall health. But that is not easy to do all at once. I think that it’s easier to concentrate on just one part in the beginning.
So which one is more effective?
Almost all the advice I’ve read or received on this say diet is the most important. Changing your diet can be amazingly effective but I’d have to say that focusing on exercise is the way to go.
Exercise is easier to start and stick with hands down. When you finish a workout you get a real sense of accomplishment and pride. Can you say that about finishing a salad?
The most amazing thing about setting up an exercise program first is that it will almost force you to want to eat healthier food. Your body will begin to crave water instead of sugary drinks and fruit instead of chips and chocolate. It sounds crazy but I’ve seen it happen to even the most hardened junk food addict.
On top of this you will notice changes in your energy levels good and bad which is a great motivator. If you’re not eating properly you’ll notice that your workouts will suffer and you’ll feel tired, all day. That will ultimately lead to you looking for ways to fuel yourself instead of just filling yourself.
I’ve found that healthy eating doesn’t necessarily encourage or motivate you to exercise.
Final Thought
To sum it up when you feel like a complete lifestyle change is too much to handle all at once, choose exercise first and add the diet after.
Let me know what you think. Which do you think is more effective?
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