Fitness/Exercise is still a big red for me. I want to put together a plan so I can kick it off with back-to-school in September.
I've tried intermittently since January and could just never get a good routine together that I would stick with. I tried a pushup, situp, squat program for about a month, I tried some dumbbell exercises for a few weeks, I tried a couple of different body-weight type programs for a couple weeks each. I just never seemed to be able to keep up with it.
In the past what worked best for me was 3 days a week a the gym with a personal trainer. However, I don't think I can afford the cost of the trainer right now. So I'm just looking for some general all-around advice/suggestions.
1. When do you workout? (Morning, Lunch, After work, night, weekends)
2. Where do you workout? (Home, Gym, Trainer, Crossfit, etc.)
3. If I go the gym route do I need a personal trainer?
4. If I choose the at home route, what do I really need equipment wise?
5. Can anyone recommend a good at-home program?
Schedule wise for me the easiest would be to find three nights a week to go to the gym for an hour, but that would also be the most prone to getting skipped?
Thanks in advance.
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I usually go during the day just after normal lunch hour for day workers when it isn't too busy. Once I'm there I don't have any reason not to work out like I would find at home.
I usually work side jobs in the evening so I'm pretty much left with time to take a long walk with my wife and the dog.
You have to do what's best for you. You also have to make it as much a priority as going to work or eating etc.
I figured when I first started lifting my wife would be upset that I was gone for a couple hours and not helping around the house. Boy was I wrong. She fully supported it from the get go.
I bought gym memberships, chose gyms where I could come anytime I wanted, because I thought this flexibility would help me stay on board. Nope.
I joined running groups with friends, thought, they would keep me accountable. Worked only for a couple of months.
Now I've been working out constantly three times a week, come rain come shine, for more than a year. I only skipped twice and that was because I was sick.
What worked for me was a combination of finding something that I really love AND fixed hours.
1. I pay for the whole year and can attend any of the training sessions. They are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 6 to 7:30 in the evening. I decided to come to all three weekly trainings, period. Scheduled it in my calendar and that's it.
2. Krav MAga at the police sports union.
If you want us to be unapologetically feminine, be unapologetically masculine.
I used to start/stop workout or exercise programs regularly just as @Maria described. Then when I started this morning thing it became completely addictive. I also used the be the kind of person who couldn't pull myself out of bed early. Now I just do it no matter what. I think there is one key to it: do it every single day. That creates the habit. So if you're only lifting weights three times a week, go jogging or do HIIT on your other days. Do something every. single. day.
If you prefer in-person training, you might book just once a week with a gym trainer to keep you accountable and motivated while keeping costs down. Many trainers are willing to assign you workouts on the days you're not with them. And if you let them know that you need the accountability, they'll even have you bring in your food/exercise log when they meet with you.
As @nubby said, the key for me (especially early on) was to make workouts a priority. I really had to make the time.
Fitocracy: atxchick
Enneagram 6w5, married to a 5
1. When do you workout? (Morning, Lunch, After work, night, weekends) Work out 6 days a week. M-5 5pm-630pm/ Sat. I work out 9-1030am
2. Where do you workout? (Home, Gym, Trainer, Crossfit, etc.) I strictly do Crossfit. Its varied and allows me to use the fitness elsewhere.
3. If I go the gym route do I need a personal trainer? No, I have had trainers before. I think with determination and drive, you can do the same on your own. Many people crossfit in their own homes. Its about the output of energy... If you can talk after working out or during it, you arent doing it right.
4. If I choose the at home route, what do I really need equipment wise? Honestly, I think the first thing people need are good running shoes. Start there. Run 1 mile as hard as you can for 1 week. Add a 1/4 mile a week ( week 2, you are running 1.25 miles as fast as possible, etc)... Start there. If you cant beat your time from previous day, then stay at that mileage til you can. The Lbs will start coming off if you combine this with diet. Then slowly, start adding in weights and or crossfit. Get to a stable starting point, then tackle the strength.
5. Can anyone recommend a good at-home program? Honestly, as much as i hated it, the P90x programs were good. Felt like a damn pyramid scheme with the shakeolgy stuff, but it literally is a great program if oyu do it daily. But just getting up and running is a perfect place to start.
#6 by me.... Fix your diet first. After hitting the gym religiously for last 10 years ( 5 of regular gym, 5 of crossfit)... You cannot ever outwork a bad diet. Until this year, I ate however i thought worked. I ate Paleo ( made me weak)... low carb etc... none of that worked for me. I started counting macros and boom, down to 12%BF in a few months. Abs are popping and i get lots of compliments. I swear that 85% of looking better is diet, and 15% is working out. Swear by it. A really fit buddy told me that one time and i didnt listen til this year. And its true.
When I am home I find no one is looking for me early (very rarely if they need a ride to an early activity/practice). So then early is the best for me. Like a few have said it is you need to have the determination get it done.
I agree with Generalzod about the stronglifts. I did that for 18 months until an unrelated injury. Great results, easy to get started, easy to follow. I worked with a trainer to rehab and develop my program to go to the next level and the new program still has about 80% of the stronglifts program as it's core. These really are the best lifts.