Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Fabletics. I will receive a small payment for writing it. The links however are for your convenience and I will not receive money if you purchase from them.
Now I know as we all do that I need to exercise on a regular basis. However I have gotten into the habit of not having time. Then in December I had a huge awakening. My doctor informed me that my levels put me at pre-diabetic. She suggested I start exercising more, losing weight and see a nutritionist. My adventure began. I am not on a diet. I have done the diet thing. In fact I was successful as a Weight Watchers member after having Hazel, but by the end I had tableaued. I know what I need to do to lose weight, but sometimes life gets in the way. Now when I first had Hazel walking was easy. I put her in a stroller and actually met a neighbor who became a good walking buddy (and a good friend). We use to meet each other and walk a couple of miles as we pushed our kids. Now that Hazel is older it is not so easy and my friend moved further away. Having a buddy is one of the best motivators for continuing an exercise regime. So if you have one, use them to get you moving and stay moving.
Now I was finding out about my diagnosis at the holidays. The holidays!! Ugh!! With all the great foods around and the crazy holiday season of Christmas, my father's birthday, my sister's birthday (it was a round one this year) and Hazel's birthday. Oh, and then in January is my mother's birthday and in February we have Steve's and his mother's birthdays. Yes, basically Christmas day until Valentine's Day is a big celebration here. But guess what I got through it and I lost some weight!!
A few things have helped me, so I thought I would share them here. First the local radio station I often listen to in the car has a weekly health report and the deejay who runs it has been on a diabetes kick lately. Her talking about how diabetes (type 2) is a disease we give ourselves really woke me up to my issue. Exercise has to become a priority to prevent it. This message was a very clear. Diet is important as well. I knew I needed to make some lifestyle changes. This is not a diet. A diet only lasts for a period of time. I need to change my lifestyle to something I can keep going forever. So the first thing I have done is decided not to cut out all of my sweets and carbs. Then it was making exercise important and a priority. My goal is to exercise (usually a two mile walk) either at home or at the gym at least three times a week. Now when I started my old walking DVDs again they were hard. After doing them a few times I got back into my groove.
There are days I still make excuses and don't do it, but I try not to let that happen two days in a row. I try to make a date with myself for my exercise. I put it in my schedule. I found a shorter walk to do at home for the days I don't have the time for the two mile walk (which is a little more than half an hour). The shorter walk is on a more intense walking DVD. I find the one mile walk with the cool down and stretching also gives me a good workout. The walk on this DVD has more speed and ends every mile with a jog. I choose to only do the first mile and then skip to the cool down. Eventually I will be doing more on it.
My schedule is to drop Hazel off at school and come home to walk. I have to get it done first thing in the morning or else I tend not to do it. The gym is also close to Hazel's school so some mornings I head over there and walk on the treadmill. The best part is that I just throw on workout clothes each morning and it eases the stress of getting out of the house for school.
Now some things I found I need for working out are a water bottle (even at home I use my water bottle because I like a drink while walking and walking and drinking from a glass is messy), good sneakers, a good sports bra and comfortable clothes. Plus since I have asthma I need my inhaler. Fabletics has some great choices for workout clothes. I also recently had to buy some new sneakers. I am loving them.
Now the exciting thing is that now that I have added the exercise to my schedule my body misses it when I don't do it. March has been a very bad month for me. I had a minor car accident at the end of February and did not have my own car for most of the month of March. And on the day I was to return the rental (and get my car back) the rental car was hit in a parking lot. Yes, that basically describes my March. I am ready for April and hopefully some spring weather. So anyway, this March I got off my schedule. And guess what I did not gain back all the weight I lost since December. I gained a couple of pounds at most and am getting back into the swing of things. However I also started my Bullet Journal this month and have a page in it to keep track of my exercise. I also am keeping track of my water intake, my carbs somewhat and my weakness which is chocolates. My diet has changed including less carbs, more vegetables and less processed food. Do you know how much sugar and salt is in the processed food in our country? It is scary!!
So here are my final tips for you to add the must have exercise into your schedule no matter how busy you are.
1) Make it your priority--your health is important and if you don't take care of yourself you cannot take care of your family.
2) Put it into your schedule.
3) Dress in your workout clothes and get it done first thing. Make sure you have comfortable ones that fit well!!
4) Don't beat yourself up when you cannot do it. Making yourself feel guilty won't help you do it again.
5) Get the family to help you. Hazel gets on me if I miss too many days. She knows it is for my health, so she is there to remind me to do it and why I need to do it (she just doesn't know she is one of the big reasons I do it).
6) Still don't have time? Try doing some family walks and family active games like tag, or soccer so your exercise is also family time.
What helps you get the exercise in?
Now I know as we all do that I need to exercise on a regular basis. However I have gotten into the habit of not having time. Then in December I had a huge awakening. My doctor informed me that my levels put me at pre-diabetic. She suggested I start exercising more, losing weight and see a nutritionist. My adventure began. I am not on a diet. I have done the diet thing. In fact I was successful as a Weight Watchers member after having Hazel, but by the end I had tableaued. I know what I need to do to lose weight, but sometimes life gets in the way. Now when I first had Hazel walking was easy. I put her in a stroller and actually met a neighbor who became a good walking buddy (and a good friend). We use to meet each other and walk a couple of miles as we pushed our kids. Now that Hazel is older it is not so easy and my friend moved further away. Having a buddy is one of the best motivators for continuing an exercise regime. So if you have one, use them to get you moving and stay moving.
Now I was finding out about my diagnosis at the holidays. The holidays!! Ugh!! With all the great foods around and the crazy holiday season of Christmas, my father's birthday, my sister's birthday (it was a round one this year) and Hazel's birthday. Oh, and then in January is my mother's birthday and in February we have Steve's and his mother's birthdays. Yes, basically Christmas day until Valentine's Day is a big celebration here. But guess what I got through it and I lost some weight!!
A few things have helped me, so I thought I would share them here. First the local radio station I often listen to in the car has a weekly health report and the deejay who runs it has been on a diabetes kick lately. Her talking about how diabetes (type 2) is a disease we give ourselves really woke me up to my issue. Exercise has to become a priority to prevent it. This message was a very clear. Diet is important as well. I knew I needed to make some lifestyle changes. This is not a diet. A diet only lasts for a period of time. I need to change my lifestyle to something I can keep going forever. So the first thing I have done is decided not to cut out all of my sweets and carbs. Then it was making exercise important and a priority. My goal is to exercise (usually a two mile walk) either at home or at the gym at least three times a week. Now when I started my old walking DVDs again they were hard. After doing them a few times I got back into my groove.
There are days I still make excuses and don't do it, but I try not to let that happen two days in a row. I try to make a date with myself for my exercise. I put it in my schedule. I found a shorter walk to do at home for the days I don't have the time for the two mile walk (which is a little more than half an hour). The shorter walk is on a more intense walking DVD. I find the one mile walk with the cool down and stretching also gives me a good workout. The walk on this DVD has more speed and ends every mile with a jog. I choose to only do the first mile and then skip to the cool down. Eventually I will be doing more on it.
My schedule is to drop Hazel off at school and come home to walk. I have to get it done first thing in the morning or else I tend not to do it. The gym is also close to Hazel's school so some mornings I head over there and walk on the treadmill. The best part is that I just throw on workout clothes each morning and it eases the stress of getting out of the house for school.
Now some things I found I need for working out are a water bottle (even at home I use my water bottle because I like a drink while walking and walking and drinking from a glass is messy), good sneakers, a good sports bra and comfortable clothes. Plus since I have asthma I need my inhaler. Fabletics has some great choices for workout clothes. I also recently had to buy some new sneakers. I am loving them.
Now the exciting thing is that now that I have added the exercise to my schedule my body misses it when I don't do it. March has been a very bad month for me. I had a minor car accident at the end of February and did not have my own car for most of the month of March. And on the day I was to return the rental (and get my car back) the rental car was hit in a parking lot. Yes, that basically describes my March. I am ready for April and hopefully some spring weather. So anyway, this March I got off my schedule. And guess what I did not gain back all the weight I lost since December. I gained a couple of pounds at most and am getting back into the swing of things. However I also started my Bullet Journal this month and have a page in it to keep track of my exercise. I also am keeping track of my water intake, my carbs somewhat and my weakness which is chocolates. My diet has changed including less carbs, more vegetables and less processed food. Do you know how much sugar and salt is in the processed food in our country? It is scary!!
1) Make it your priority--your health is important and if you don't take care of yourself you cannot take care of your family.
2) Put it into your schedule.
3) Dress in your workout clothes and get it done first thing. Make sure you have comfortable ones that fit well!!
4) Don't beat yourself up when you cannot do it. Making yourself feel guilty won't help you do it again.
5) Get the family to help you. Hazel gets on me if I miss too many days. She knows it is for my health, so she is there to remind me to do it and why I need to do it (she just doesn't know she is one of the big reasons I do it).
6) Still don't have time? Try doing some family walks and family active games like tag, or soccer so your exercise is also family time.
What helps you get the exercise in?
