You might want to grab a coffee for this one. I might be in a rambling mood. If you don't want to hear part of my life story (kidding. no i'm not.), just skip on down to the My Workout part 😊
I'm always curious about other people's workout routines and eating habits. NOT in a judgy way, not at all. Just in a curious way, about what works for others and what doesn't. Growing up, my Mom was a very healthy eater, and she got up and took walks at 5am every morning. There goes Mom, out for her walk, before the sun is even up. Didn't matter the weather either. I've always admired her for that, and for tons of other reasons. But that's for another post.
Then there's me. Kind of opposite. I mean, I was very active in high school, and I even taught aerobics classes in college! I was a female Richard Simmons. Not really, but close! Wow that takes me back! Getting off track again. Back to what my habits are now. Now, and actually since my son was born 14 years ago, I seem to naturally lean more towards the "no time for that" camp when it comes to exercise. And food? For years, YEARS, after my son was born, I didn't eat anything that wasn't handed to me through a drive through window. I could make a very long list here with excuses for that, but when I really think about it, I could have done better. I just didn't really care to.
Fast forward to today, no, to when I met my new husband a few years ago. New husband, who's name is Joe, ( I say new because this is my second marriage and we've been married for almost two years now) is a healthy eater and exercises regularly. I see how busy he is with work and family and he still makes time to workout and to cook healthy meals. And it motivated me. Here was this real person in my life who I have a ton of respect for anyway, who cooks healthy meals and exercises regularly. So I slowly, and I do mean slowly, got back into a workout routine and I honestly feel so much better. I've been eating healthier and exercising regularly for almost four years now! I'm under no illusions that I am going to drop 50 pounds and be a size zero. I've been this same size (10-12) for so long now and I am SO alright with that! I simply enjoy that I really do have more energy. I enjoy the mental boost that I get from knowing that I do something for myself each day. Exercising brings a sort of mental clarity for me too, not to mention stress relief. I just had to find a workout routine that works for me. One that I don't DREAD. That I don't spend more time coming up with reasons NOT to workout than it would have taken to do a quick workout. That gets my heart rate up, but without being so hard that I want to punch someone in the face. That I actually feel energized after my workout. That I don't get bored with.
The answer is going to be different for each of us, and it took some time, but I finally found what works for me. I'd love if you share what works for you in the comments below too! Maybe someone else will try it out and find that it works for them too.
I am not any kind of fitness expert anymore (I'm sure that a lot has evolved since my aerobics instructor days 15 years ago -OK FINE, 20 years ago), and I am not trying to kill myself getting skinny. I enjoy exercise now because it makes me feel good. Physically and mentally. I am not trying to enter any competitions or win any awards. I just want to be healthy and feel good. I also don't like working out at a gym. Now that's just me, and remember, I don't judge anyone else. I respect whatever works for you 😊 So, after all that rambling--here's what I do and why it works for me.
-My workout-
6 days a week I ride a stationary, upright bike in my bedroom while I watch my DVR'd shows for 20-45 minutes, depending on how long the show is and/or how lost I get in the show I'm watching. This works for me because the bike is quiet, I don't have to blast the volume on the TV and disturb anyone else in the house, and the shows (usually some Bravo series TV show--Hi, I'm Jen and I'm addicted to Real Housewives shows) keep my mind off of what my body is doing and makes it go by SO MUCH FASTER. I up the resistance setting on the bike every few months to keep it challenging. It has to be an upright bike for me. I tried to switch to a reclined bike for awhile because the upright seat took me some time to get used to. My poor butt hurt for DAYS after the first time. I sat on a pillow while I rode for a week or so after the first time. I thought the reclining seat would be more comfortable. Well, it was, but I didn't get as good of a workout with the reclined bike. So, it took some time, but now I am used to the seat on the upright and I get a good workout. I also do 50 ab bicycles and 30 push ups (separated out into sets of 25 ab bikes and 15 push ups) three days a week. For the first few weeks I did modified push ups (with my knees down) and worked up to the real thing. Push ups are HARD but they do so much good all around. I also only did 25 total ab bikes for the first few weeks and worked up to twice that many now. When it starts getting easy, it's time to increase how many you do, or switch it up. I should probably switch it up more but I just don't like to mess too much with what works for me.
We also have a treadmill and an elliptical torture chamber and I hate them both with a passion for different reasons. I really need to sell them because all they do is collect dust.
My Eating Habits
This is going to be short. I only eat when I am hungry. Then, in moderation, I eat pretty much whatever I want to, and in moderation are the key words there for me. I have to attach some rules to that eat-whatever-I-want thing. 2 Dark Chocolate Reese's mini peanut butter cups instead of the King Size pack. One dip of ice cream instead of a large shake. One piece of pizza and a big salad instead of five pieces of pizza. So, yeah, I have to attach some rules to that eat-whatever-I-want thing. I eat more slowly now too and really try to enjoy each bite when I can. Otherwise I will want to eat, and eat more, until I feel like I've gotten to enjoy my bites which means I will have eaten a cheeseburger the size of my front door. I have cut out soda for the most part, and I have cut out fried foods for the most part. I splurge once a month or so on that stuff. My daily meals are mostly low fat meats, bread, veggies and fruits when I get hungry. And you know what? I feel soooo much better when I eat healthy that now, I prefer to eat healthier food. I feel like crap after I drink a soda any more. And I don't mean mentally, I mean I physically feel sluggish and achy after a soda or a really greasy meal and I feel like crap for HOURS. WHY do that to myself? I drink coffee in the morning and water or koolaid the rest of the day (yes, koolaid! ha! I love Pink Lemonade koolaid and will drive around to several stores if needed to find it 😋).
And I think that's it!
Please don't think that I'm claiming to be some kind of expert on any of this. I'm so not. I'm not trying to convince you to do any of this either. Just sharing what I've found to work for me so far, and hoping you'll share what works for you too. I'm not even sharing any links in this post 😁 I just think it's a fascinating topic and would love to hear what works for you. Please comment below?
XOXO,
Not A Two
