A very small beginning of a fitness program

I've begun to workout in earnest.

Here are a few things I have learned over the years in regards to exercise and me.

1. I do not workout well alone. I love people and the more that are in it with me the happier and more enthusiastic I am about the workout.
   
   
2. I love aerobic exercises that get me sweating hard. I do not think that I would have the patience for yoga or other slower forms of exercise.



3. I can not follow an exercise book. Cannot. Enough said.



4. I don't mind exercise videos. As long as I can change it up and try new ones regularly.



5. I love best to be outdoors when I am exercising. This is not always possible in Alberta.



6. My favorite form of exercise would be a game. Tennis anyone?



7. I hate paying the huge fees for gym memberships.



8. I quickly get bored of places like Curves for Women.



9. I hate the atmosphere of the big gyms where the attitude is 'dog eat dog' and 'each to their own'. It's as if there is so much competition that no one wants to cheer when someone else is successful in reaching their goals.

With all this in mind and a determination to begin a consistent exercise program that would fit my needs and desires I began my search for the perfect workout.

Along comes Walking at Home with Leslie Samsone. Most of this video is walking in place with all the enhancing exercises that can be done will doing the walk. Leslie has been on my shelf for a few years now but I refused to look her way until a few weeks ago. I glanced at her book long enough to remember that I had one of her videos stored away and that I ought to give it a try. I dug it out and promptly fell to watching it. As I watched with nary a sweat, I became excited. I could do this. And I did. And again and again. Leslie is very enthusiastic and she has other exercising with her in the videos. She is humorous and cheery. I can feel as if I am with people to a degree and this is important to me. Now I have 4 of her exercise videos and am enjoying the ability I have to change them up. When I get bored I will just buy some more.

That is how I get in aerobics every second day. I do it in my center hall while Channie watches me and does her annoying copying thing. Every word I say, see copies. She thinks she's being cute, but it annoys me somethin' fierce.

Then I walk the road a couple times a week with either a neighbor or a friend.

And I do two weight training videos a week, at least I am trying to do two. These are not as welcome for me but I need to build up muscle in order to metabolize my foods so much better and faster. Both weight training and the walking with Leslie can be done outdoors on my deck. Another big deal for me.

Put these all together, along with the stretching and I have a program that fits many of my needs and comes close to the perfect way for me to get my exercise.

Fitness is so important for us. It gives us such a boost of energy and confidence. Tell me, how do you get in your daily quota of heart and mind-healthy activity?

Morning Stretching

I need to start stretching in the mornings. Exercising the first thing in the morning is the most convenient time for me but not always the most welcome time. I am not one of those people who wake up fresh and energetic in the morning, ready to dash out into daily living with oomph. I am very slow at getting going in the morning and need a few minutes to really wake up.
The thought of indulging in a few hard core exercises upon awaking is enough to discourage me. But to try a simple stretch a few times and perhaps see a difference might be enough to motivate me to continue.



Why stretching in the morning?

With three to four minutes of easy stretching in the morning my energy will come surging in and I will feel as alert and as full of energy as I might normally feel at mid-morning.



How to stretch in the morning
1. Stretch hard 5 times, maintaining “stretch” for 3 seconds and relaxing for 2 seconds
2. With elbows tucked in beside body and legs together, arch back 3 times
3. Tense all leg muscles hard and relax. Do this 12 times
4. Do 2 sit-ups reaching as far as I can to my toes.
5. Raise bent legs over my head and reach as close to my ears with my knees as I can 3 times.
6. With palms pressing each other, hands close to front of chest, push hard to one side and then the other, resisting with the other arm. Do this 10 times.
7. With fingers flexed, grasp hands and pull apart, first to one side and then the other. Do 10 times.
8. Place hands on abdomen and push vigorously while resisting by tensing abdominal muscles. Do this for 3 seconds and then relax for 2 seconds. Repeat 10 times.


The time required for these stretching in the morning exercises, once I get the hang of them, should only be two to three minutes. When I really get the hang of them and can breeze through this series in less time, then I will do it twice.

I believe that, at most, five minutes is sufficient to get me started in the morning.