same exercise or variety?

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clewliss
clewliss Posts: 640 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm wondering how many of you mix up your exercise routines? A typical week for me (and it goes by so fast) is like this: I work out on my elliptical every morning and depending on how many times I hit snooze, I will work out from 10 to 30 min. In the afternoons I choose one of these: step for 30min, walking-30 min, dance/music cd 40min (this is my favorite and I do this just for fun most days), Turbo Jam Burn (haven't made it past that one yet) or buns of steele. I am becoming addicted to exercise and never thought in a million years I would ever say that! See, there's hope:wink:

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  • clewliss
    clewliss Posts: 640 Member
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    I'm wondering how many of you mix up your exercise routines? A typical week for me (and it goes by so fast) is like this: I work out on my elliptical every morning and depending on how many times I hit snooze, I will work out from 10 to 30 min. In the afternoons I choose one of these: step for 30min, walking-30 min, dance/music cd 40min (this is my favorite and I do this just for fun most days), Turbo Jam Burn (haven't made it past that one yet) or buns of steele. I am becoming addicted to exercise and never thought in a million years I would ever say that! See, there's hope:wink:
  • sweetpea03b
    sweetpea03b Posts: 1,124 Member
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    I used to do elliptical everyday and got burned out on it. Usually I get one day in the gym for elliptical... 20-30min. Usually 1-2 days of a DVD (Leslie Sansone Walk Off The Pounds or Express Pilates), 1 day running on the track at the gym, and just hop on the treadmill the other day mostly for warmup and do weights that day. On the weekends I try to get out for a short walk or do a fitness class. It helps to do a little something different sometimes to keep you going.

    Take pilates... you don't burn mad calories like you do on the elliptical.. but its an awesome toning workout... I usually feel it for days afterwards.
  • gmukris
    gmukris Posts: 539
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    Good for you clewliss! I find I am starting to like exercising more too. But I'm not sure if that's because I can then eat more during the day or what, but in general I am feeling great! I tend not be so tired anymore too!

    I like to try to switch up my routine because it's good to fool your body and do different things, right? I am doing Jillian Michael's 30 day shred everyday and although that's the same, there are three levels so I'll trick my body when I advance to the next level. At the gym, I like to use the elliptical, the treadmill or the bicycle. If I am feeling motivated, I'll use two of those machines in one day or maybe throw in some weights. Plus, I've started yoga and pilates once a week. I feel my routine is just random enough for me not to get bored.
  • ChubbyBunny
    ChubbyBunny Posts: 3,523 Member
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    I am doing P90X, which is all about muscle confusion...and trust me...mine are confused.
    I used to do the same stuff over and over and eventually I stopped seeing results.
    I like to mix it up, but that's just me.
  • allaboutme
    allaboutme Posts: 391 Member
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    Clewliss, how do you motivate yourself to get up and exercise. I woke this morning and thought I should, then hit the snooze button. I would love to get it done first thing in the morning to have the rest of the day to myself. I go to bed early, but I would have to get up at 5 to work and out still get to work on time. Do you have to start that early. I hate having to shower twice a day, would like to wrap it all up with one :) plus have more time for my family after work??? Do you have any recommendations? thoughts? magic potions?
  • clewliss
    clewliss Posts: 640 Member
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    Clewliss, how do you motivate yourself to get up and exercise. I woke this morning and thought I should, then hit the snooze button. I would love to get it done first thing in the morning to have the rest of the day to myself. I go to bed early, but I would have to get up at 5 to work and out still get to work on time. Do you have to start that early. I hate having to shower twice a day, would like to wrap it all up with one :) plus have more time for my family after work??? Do you have any recommendations? thoughts? magic potions?

    This was SO me, I promise. I used to tell my DH that "tomorrow is the day, I'm waking up early and exercising" and he wouldn't comment b/c he knew I wouldn't. I finally told myself that I would just try it for one month (oct) and see if I had any results, so I decided to wake up 10 min earlier and do a 10 min elliptical workout (100 whopping calories, whoo hoo) I did that for 3 mornings and then went to 20 min for two days and the next thing I knew, I was waking up before my alarm goes off with enthusiasm to exercise! I was in shock that the actual exercising thing was motivating me to do more. I have to leave my home at 6:50 am every morning! I wake up at 5:00, work out from 5:10-5:40, shower, get dressed, have breakfast and leave. It's made such a difference in my day! I am not sluggish anymore and I get to bed and fall to sleep faster, I sleep better..ect...And I will tell you, I would have never thought I would feel this way about exercise! I battled it for years. Waking up is no longer a battle, it's just amazing! Now, if I can just learn to drink enough water:noway: lol hope this helps. Didn't mean to write a book!
  • allaboutme
    allaboutme Posts: 391 Member
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    I will give it a try. I will start out with a little first and see how it goes. I hope it works, would absolutely love to have it done first thing, it isn't that I hate exercising, it just takes up time.

    Tomorrow, up at hmmmmmm okay 5:15 and no snooze. I will try to do it every day this week and see how it goes.
  • clewliss
    clewliss Posts: 640 Member
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    I will give it a try. I will start out with a little first and see how it goes. I hope it works, would absolutely love to have it done first thing, it isn't that I hate exercising, it just takes up time.

    Tomorrow, up at hmmmmmm okay 5:15 and no snooze. I will try to do it every day this week and see how it goes.

    I had to tell myself 10 min because when I woke up and thought about 30 min of exercise facing me, I would fall right back into bed, but that' helped me to get started. Just start with 5 min if you need to! Good luck!
  • gmukris
    gmukris Posts: 539
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    I will give it a try. I will start out with a little first and see how it goes. I hope it works, would absolutely love to have it done first thing, it isn't that I hate exercising, it just takes up time.

    Tomorrow, up at hmmmmmm okay 5:15 and no snooze. I will try to do it every day this week and see how it goes.

    Good luck! I am going to try to get up at 5:30 and get my shredding in first thing--it was great doing that the other day. Slept in until 6 today though.
  • allaboutme
    allaboutme Posts: 391 Member
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    mind over matter right???
  • gmukris
    gmukris Posts: 539
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    mind over matter right???
    Exactly!
  • psyknife
    psyknife Posts: 487 Member
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    If you want to avoid plateau your exercise regime needs to get changed up... I'd say at least every 30 days.

    It's based on 4 factors... FITT

    Frequency
    Intensity
    Time
    Type

    So, to continually progress in your fitness (and weight loss) you should be looking to change/amp things up every now and then.

    If you get in a funk either.
    A.) Increase the frequency you are working out (if you are doing 3 days, go for 4 days per week)
    B.) Increase the intensity (if you are staying at about a 5 out of 10, then take it to a 6... or try upping the weights you are lifting by a little)
    C.) Increase the time you spend working out (take it from a 1/2 hour to 45 minutes)
    D.) Change the type of workout you are doing.

    Do realize, though, that some of these should have caps... I mean, when it comes to frequency and time, you can only do so much before you risk taking your body into overtraining.
  • clewliss
    clewliss Posts: 640 Member
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    mind over matter right???

    That's what DH has told me over and over! Shhh....I think he was right!:blushing:
  • allaboutme
    allaboutme Posts: 391 Member
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    Okay Clewliss, I got up at 5, was on the treadmill by 5:15. Head was a bit fuzzy, and only had some water to drink before I got on. The best I could do was 20 min, alternating walking/running. I didn't seem to have much energy. Normally I can go for 40 min, same deal, walking/running. I know it is probably because of no food, but I can't eat then get on the treadmill. So I am thinking it may just take some getting used to. Let my body adjust to the exercise that early. I love the thought that it will be done for the day (not today mind you, will do some more tonight, since I could only get 20 min) so I will give it a couple weeks at least and see if it improves. Layed down to do some abs, and thought, oh, I could go back to sleep here :)

    Mind over matter :)

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