Tricks of the exercise trade

unequalstars13

So I know that we are all pretty serious about working out and eating right. Over time you eventually learn little things that help you out, that either help you feel better or burn more calories or just make things easier.

What little tricks have you learned since you began dieting and/or exercising?

For instance, anyone will tell you that it's really important to drink 8 glasses of water a day. I used to think that was an outrageous amount but I've learned that a lot of the time when I THINK I'm hungry if I just drink some water I will find out that my body was actually just craving water and my brain the the signals crossed. Water also helps fill you up when you're having one of those awful cravings for a certain bag of Doritos...

When I work out, I have a tendency to get bored with what I'm doing pretty quickly so to keep myself motivated and keep my workout fun I like to mix up my cardio. Walking/jogging for 20, elliptical for 20, biking for 15, walking for etc, etc, etc. It changes things up a bit and keeps me going! Not to mention, when you do one exercise all the time your body eventually gets used to it. This way you keep your body surprised and working!!!

Just curious to see if anyone else has any little helpful tips for working out/dieting, even if it's just motivational ones!

bprague

I lie to myself. lie lie lie! "One more minute, and you can stop running. Now just one more minute after that. Look, you're so close to your goal anyway, you might as well just finish this mile... but look you can also round out this time- just finish the 30 minutes." And on and on! lol

Hollie55

I talk to myself to & tell myself lil lies - Just one more rep, one more rep.
Or I say - I can do this, I can do this It's not that hard.
When I am on the elliptical I look out the gym window @ the cafe sign across the road & focus on that. If I lose my focus I find I lose my rythum

bregalad5

This may sound odd and seriously OCD, but I have a weird thing where I don't feel right if things, such as laps (ok and TV volume numbers - I'm not odd about steps or crazy things like that), don't end on multiples of 5. A lot of my exercise is daily swimming. Well, I'll get to 10 laps and, oops, I accidentally started another! Looks like I have to do 5 more so I end on 15. Oops, I accidentally started another! Looks like I have to go 20! Yeah... I trick myself :P

06MustangGT

If going for high reps on an exercise,such as 15, try and break it down to smaller numbers so it doesn't seem as much. For example count to 5 then start over and count to 5 again, etc. Sounds dumb but it honestly helps and makes you feel like you aren't doing that much. Just my 2 cents.

unequalstars13

such good tricks! keep 'em coming! I need all I can get!

AZackery

I make my workouts fun. I'll add my own fun spin to a move. I laugh at myself, etc.

To me workouts are always supposed to be fun, no matter what.

Lozze

I'm another who lies to themselves.

Music or TV shows are brilliant to have if you can. I actually went 10 minutes over one day because I had to see the end of the episode I was watching.

Switching often helps. The longest cardio I do is on the treadmill, which is 20 minutes (plus 5 minutes warm down as I always finish on that)

If you're using machines I ALWAYS pick the heart rate option and set it high. (150-160 depending on how I'm feeling) The machine will keep making the workout harder for me so I can hit that target. I was on 14.9% incline yesterday!

Nuts4play

I keep either a treadmill or exercycle in my living room next to a window with a view of the TV, and pick a show or time to walk/bike.

I keep a book next to the cycle or treadmill and only read that one book when working out on that machine.

When commercials come on I'll do some floor exercises like crunches, butt lifts or leg lifts. Or just stretch.

As I'm stretched out on the couch watching tv or reading I'll occasionally stretch my legs and/or do some leg lifts.

It's like receiving a little birthday present to remember that I literally crawled out of bed and lay on the floor and got my floor exercises over with before the day even started

I remind myself that the day isn't over till midnight, and as long as it's before midnight then it's not to late to do SOMETHING, even if it's only 15 minutes worth!!!

I listen to fun, silly, goofy songs while working out... Anything that makes me smile or laugh. DUMB DITTIES, GOOFY GREATS, Ray Stevens are my favs.