I don't exercise

And I haven't done so in about three weeks. (I was in a weight training class during the semester.)
I feel so sluggish and out of shape.

What can I do for starters to ease myself back into exercising every day?

Replies

  • Walking and light yoga!
  • How long would I have to walk? And speed? Power-walking kind of sucks, haha.
  • one thing i'm trying to remind myself of:

    "No matter how small or how short the exercise, you're lapping everybody on the couch"

    Billy Banks Tae Bo is pretty fun, but its a bit intense at first. Maybe purchasing a yoga video for beginners or just doing some stretches and something small like 10 jumping jacks or push ups a couple times a day?
  • "No matter how small or how short the exercise, you're lapping everybody on the couch"

    I love that.
  • Walking and light yoga!

    I wouldn't even consider that exercise. OP should at least do calisthenics/cardio
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    I dont think you need to worry about how long or how fast, just walk!
  • How long would I have to walk? And speed? Power-walking kind of sucks, haha.

    Both up to you. 2.0 to 2.5 mph is great to start out with if you don't exercise often, in my opinion. As for how long, that's really up to you. Any is still some!
  • Walking and light yoga!

    I wouldn't even consider that exercise. OP should at least do calisthenics/cardio

    It's great for getting back IN to exercise. (But it is actually exercise.)
  • Back before I gained a ton of weight, I would eat less and walk about a half hour every day. I lost 20lbs. So I would think that it's exercise.
  • Samantha44145
    Samantha44145 Posts: 66 Member
    First and foremost, you have to make a commitment to yourself that you WANT to get fitter, not just thinner, but fitter.

    Second, find something that you either thought you could never do or something that you've always wanted to do. For me it was martial arts.

    Third, invest in it. I joined a dojang. It was expensive and I had to sign a contract but I had to put my money where my mouth was.

    Fourth, let yourself feel embarrassed for your failures and then get pissed off. In my case, I couldn't run around the room. I couldn't keep up with the class. I was singled out as having to walk in the middle of the room when everyone else was running around it during the warm up.

    Fifth, cross train to improve your performance. For me that meant learning how to run and increasing my overall strength. I started walking, walk-jogging, jogging, then running - now I am training for my second marathon. I also joined a gym and started weight training and supplementing my cardio.

    When you place all your effort and faith onto performance on the scale, you're setting yourself up for failure. I was more than 100 pounds obese. There are things that you're going to need to love about you and your life to keep going in the long run. If I had placed all my effort into what I would look like 100 pounds lighter or solely on the numbers on the scale, I would have failed yet again.

    Find something that you love to do. Get passionate about it.
  • Take a look at "Ladders" - you pick 5 exercises like lunges, press up, squat, single leg deadlift, french press, shoulder press/arnold press - use weight at about 35-40% of 1RM or use bodyweight exercises - Do 8 of each, then 7, then 6, then 5 etc. till 1 - if you can go back up the ladder then do that. Firing cardio and some nice use of Type II muscle fibres.

    I generally do

    Lunges onto bench - with DB's (left then right leg for one rep)
    Side Step Up onto bench - with DB's (all left leg then all right leg)
    Skull Crusher -
    Chest Press
    Squat with DB to single arm push/press then arm moved to perform negative bicep curl - (left side then right side)
    Arnold Press - but you asked for something gentle hence only 5 exercises