It’s now seven months since the advent of the piglet, and my clothes are telling me that it is time I started on a fitness program. Sigh! I really enjoyed my months of pregnancy where I ate what I pleased and had minimal exercise. Unfortunately, all that self-indulgence is really showing up now :(.
The months of juggling work + home – self is also showing its results. Instead of the usual smiling, relaxed Nishita, I see a frowning, snapping harridan who can’t stand the sight of herself in the mirror. Something just has to be done.
Unfortunately, I am short on budget (no gym) and short on time (again no gym), so I am trying to structure some efficient workouts on my own, and since I am a rank amateur when it comes to physical fitness, I really would appreciate some pointers, help, and advice through your comments. Please help me guys!!
So, this is my plan. I am going to re-start the Couch to 5K program. I am so unfit now that I am going back to basics and starting from Week 1. The Couch to 5K program should get me doing something 3 times a week. If I can add one day of swimming to the program, then I should not be too bad in terms of exercise.
Once I get a bit stronger, I would also like to mix it up with some interval training (the Nike Training Club app kicks butt), and if my budget permits try to enroll for a spinning/yoga class depending on timing, availability, and my fitness goals at the time. I want to do some yoga to stretch out my arms and reduce my RSI and upper-back pain issues. The spinning classes of course will intensify the calorie burn. I am looking at early 2013 for enrolling in these classes because that’s when the most competitive deals are floating around. But, let’s try to focus on the interim for now…
When it comes to food, I’ve been a bad girl. My life has been super-stressed lately and as always I have turned to junk food for comfort eating. I’m trying to restrain myself a bit more and try to focus on the quality of the food I eat. I hope to get back to using MyFitnessPal and start on some good eating habits to up my quantity of fresh fruits and vegetables, and cut the quantity of white foods – sugar, salt, simple carbs. Juicing seems to be an easy and pain-free way of getting my fruits and veggies, and I have made a tentative start of having a juicing dinner 2-3 times a week. Any more is just too painful for me :(.
Hopefully, putting my goals on paper (or rather the web), will compel me to stick to them. I also plan/hope to do regular updates on my progress/lack of it, although I probably won’t be doing hard numbers.
What tips/tricks do you use to stay on top of your fitness goals?
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Sounds like you have a great plan. I do My Fitness Pal and think it really helps. I’m on my last week of Couch to 5K, but I don’t think I’m actually running three miles yet, I’m still pretty slow. And then I try to do an hour-long yoga tape twice a week, but thanks to the Chinoiseries, I’m off to check out YogaGlo.
@Carol: Thanks. The trick is to now summon up the discipline to actually do it 🙂
OMG! I just was thinking the same things, only about the fitness though :D. It is been 2 years since Aarya is been with us, and I never really did anything about the curves I keep adding up 🙂
So, I went and joined a gym for a months program, and it is been 3 days since and I am zombying around :S. Now to really start working on the healthy diet…. it is soooooooo difficult.
I am not a runner but I want to be one – that is my ultimate goal… high hopes, I think 😀
These are great tips and I’m a big fan of MyFitnessPal. I see such a difference in my healthy eating when I’m tracking things everyday. It’s good you have such a positive attitude and motivation to get started. For most people this is half (if not all) the battle.
I have a tip Nishita, maintain an excel sheet charting out your progress every single day. that way even the tiny progress is charted, and you don’t feel demoralized… also, if you ever start going off your fitness plan, the negative effects will immediately show on the charts and warn you.
This is advice from a person who lost 27 kg in 3 months and kept them off 🙂
Also, i don’t want to push or advertise, but I just started a health& lifestyle blog where we are focussing of weight-loss, and how normal working women with families can make it happen.
It’s very new, but we are going to share a lot of great tips from other women like us who have made weight-loss work…
Please do visit the new blog, and if you like, please follow! (linked with my name)
Vinyasa yoga (via the YogaGlo site) is my life (and waist) saver. Couch to 5k sounds good too, I’m waiting for the weather to finally clear up before starting. Perhaps your body will remember that it used to run and you’ll be back on your old level soon?
As for food: cutting back on meat and dairy (cheese… my weakness!) a few times a week can help. I usually have a green smoothie for breakfast, in order to guarantee a good helping of green leafy veggies and fruits for that day. Good luck with your fitness/health goals!
@Chinoiseries: I never heard of Yogaglo. Thanks for the recco, the site looks really interesting. I am going to sign up and give it a try.