Nuggets for the New Year: Working Out in Baby Steps

Dear Ones,

Glad to have you join me for another installment of The Blended Blog’s “Nuggets for the New Year”.  Today we are talking about our work out routines.  If you hopped over here from Nicole’s blog at Nick & Nicole Plus 4, welcome.  If you started this blog hop with me, hope you will go from here to visit with Andrea at Living on Cloud Nine then hop on around to read all of the gals’ great posts.

First of all, let me set the record straight.  I am certainly not an athlete or a work out guru. Never played organized sports, never competed athletically at anything.  So I come to you as a grandma who goes to the gym, runs the occasional 5K, hikes and swims.  Here are a couple of things that help keep me keeping on.

5 Tips that Keep Me Moving

Layout your workout clothes the night before/plan your workout the day before.

These ideas are successful because of their guilt factor.  They guilt me into working out.  If I see my clothes waiting for me when I jump – who am I fooling? CRAWL out of bed – I am more likely to put them on and drag myself downstairs to work out.  Treat yourself to something cute to work out in.  I love the Xersion line of activewear available at JCP.

For years I exercised first thing in the morning before work, but when PC and I married we kind of slipped into this comfort zone of not working out PERIOD (morning, noon or night!).  We joined a gym about two years ago though. And now days, on our way out the door to work, we always confirm that we WILL be going to the gym in the evening.

I am also trying to get back to doing a quick a.m. work out before getting ready for work.  Ten minute abs.  Mile run on the treadmill.  Then if we don’t make it to the gym in the evening, I have at least done something.

Participate in a 30 day challenge or set a workout goal.

This is a tip I have had good success with.  Most of my goals are little things that I do to motivate myself.  Run a mile under 10 minutes.

Under 9 minutes.  Still working on that.  It has happened once.

Wanted to work up to running a 5K so found a 30 day challenge that would help me build up to that.  With help from this little gem, I was running 3 miles at the 30 day mark.

Nuggets for the New Year: Working Out in Baby Steps

Every month when I write my goals, there is one specific to working out.

Just the act of writing a goal for working out makes me more accountable.

Find a workout buddy.  Or marry one.

My Prince plays baseball and is good at all kinds of team sports.  He is very coordinated.  I am his polar opposite.  So he plays baseball on Saturdays and I cheer him on.  But we do other physical activities together.  Hmm, that doesn’t sound exactly right…but you know what I mean.

We hike together.

We walk (PC) and run (me) 5Ks together.

We ride bikes and go on walks as a couple and walk the kitties as a family.

Having a work out buddy helps with accountability and makes getting fit more fun.

Give yourself a little grace.

There are some days I just can’t do the gym.  So we might walk the kitties.  Other days I get to the gym and just don’t feel like running and lifting weights.  So I ride the bike and lay on the hydro-massage bed. But I show up.

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And now and then, I don’t even show up.  I do the best I can and try not to beat myself up for slipping.  Tomorrow is always another day.  And thankfully every week starts with a Monday.  Clean slate.  Start-over.  Reset.

Start with baby steps.

In 2013, I had to have cervical spine surgery.  A mesh cage and metal plate were inserted in my neck to replace a disintegrating vertebra and narrowing disks.  Within a year, the plate had shifted and was pushing on my vocal chords and inhibiting my speaking and breathing.  I had a second surgery to remove the plate.  After both surgeries, I had to start with baby steps toward working back into a fitness routine.  In fact, I bought the kitty stroller for that purpose.  It allowed me walk while holding on to something, rebuilding my strength while giving the kitties a breath of fresh air.

We all know little tricks for adding exercise into our daily routine.  Parking the car farther from the store so we walk more.  Taking a flight or two of steps rather than using the elevator.  How ’bout doing 10 squats every time you go to the bathroom?

Wearing a pedometer has really made me more aware of how many (or how few steps) I have taken in a day.  I started with a FitBit Zip.

Then moved up to a FitBit Flex.  My goal is 10K steps a day.  And most days I get them.  Wearing the Flex makes me aware of how much I have moved during my work day.  The device tracks my steps, how many miles they translate into, how many active minutes in my day, and how many hours I have walked 250 steps or more.  So if I am too sedentary, my Flex silently nags me to get up and move.  And it can even monitor my sleep and remind me when it is time to get ready for bed.

Because of my Flex, I walk more at school – it’s almost like a game for me.  I take the long way around to the cafeteria, the office, everywhere but the bathroom.  That could get messy.

Bottom Line

Most importantly, have fun!  I listen to books while working out.  Have an iPod full of up-tempo music to motivate me when I run.  And I shop for inexpensive, cute workout clothing.  The Fitness Tee company is a great place to find darling graphic tees and tanks.

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So how do you stay motivated to exercise?  What is your favorite work out tip?  Won’t you share in a comment below?

Then hop on over to visit Andrea at Living on Cloud Nine and check out her work out plan.  I will be heading there, too.  Girlfriend has a darling figure and yet features all of these fantastic recipes on her blog.  I need to know how she stays so fit while eating so well.

Next Monday, 2/27 will conclude our Nuggets for the New Years series at The Blended Blog.  But with March we begin a new Monday series, “Stream of Consciousness”.

Curious?  Come back to learn more.

My FitBit says it’s time for bed.  Hope you will hop back here for another visit real soon.  Nightie night!

Hugs and kisses,

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