Nothing new and tasty this week....we did make the Oreo cake
recipe into cupcakes and it turned out well. Making biscuits again this morning
but used butter milk instead of almond milk so we're looking to see how it
turns out...I'd imagine well...
Had an interesting conversation last night with one of the
guys from my small group. We talked exercise! Now I know yer
thinking....exercise? Ick. No me gusta! And you know what true believers? I
don't blame you an iota. I loathe working out about as much as I dislike school
work or washing dishes and believe that is something I most certainly do not
want to do. However, if you wanna get skinny or at least drop an lb. or two
you're going to have to sweat some or get off your butt and move around a bit.
Ideally you'd join a gym and get a trainer or a boot camp
(for those of you who like to get up early and get yelled at by someone who is
in a shape you'd kill to get into). Many of you, like myself, aren't dripping
with the kind of disposable income it takes to give that kind of stuff the time
it requires to make the magic happen. You could join a gym and go it alone.
Problem with that? Which gym to join. Depending on where you live the choices
could be significant and run the gamut from dirt cheap (around $10/month which
could still be too much depending on your financial planning skills or lack
thereof) or outrageously expensive ($150+/month). On the higher end the
amenities are nice...massages, water slides, heated towels, and so on but since
you're there to sweat and not ride the log flume? Find one that has the
equipment you want, hours of operation that work for you, and works with your
budget.
You broke bro? No worries. If you're reading this odds are
there's a park "near" where you live, a road with a sidewalk, a
middle/high school with a track, or some other public amenity that you could
use on the cheap ("free"). Now a quick side note if you're going to
use the track at a school? PLEASE contact the school to let them know you'll be
there. Don't go during school hours unless you want to wind up on Action News
Alive at 5, 6, and 11 with Chip McIntosh and Louisa Gutierrez-Chang.
Back on topic....
Point here is there are plenty of ways to exercise for all budgets
or no budget. I was blessed to have access to a gym at my place of work for 3
years. Best gym I ever had a "membership" with as I got paid to work
out there. There were at least two treadmills, two ellipticals, a stair master,
and 10 weight machines (five upper body, three leg, two core). In my experience
its best to alternate days to give your muscles time to rest. For me odd days
were legs/core and evens were upper body. I eventually switched to weekends
(when I felt like doing it) and Wednesdays to be cardio only and
Monday/Thursday legs, Tuesday/Friday arms. Why? For best results (supposedly)
you want to give your muscles three days to rest before abusing them again. You
can easily find exercises to do by searching online.
Now.....are you an Olympic athlete? Have you been
crossfitting for years? Do you routinely exercise for 30 - 45 minutes a day?
No? Then don't walk into a gym and try to blow it out on the first day. The
only thing you'll blow out is a joint or a set of muscles and you could cripple
yourself. Also if you go to the gym here are some rules:
- Workout - You got a membership to exercise, not meet people. That good looking guy or girl isn't there to get hit on by you. This isn't to say don't do it. If you think you have the shot Ghostrider? Take the shot. When you miss? Move on and get back to the sweat.
- Dress Appropriately - You want clothing that fits well. Tight enough to where it won't get in the way of movement but not so tight that we know what you had for lunch. Put your sex organs away people. You don't need to look sexy when you exercise. When you get done? You should look like you've been working outside during the summer.
- Sweat - I don't care if you don't like to sweat. You're not going to get results unless your body expels some of that moisture you've been building up all day.
- No Talking in the Dojo - If you are able to hold a conversation while you're exercising? You're not working hard enough.
- No Parking on the Dance Floor - You need to keep moving. You don't stop moving for more than 30 - 60 seconds. And only when you're moving from machine to machine or exercise to exercise.
- You are not Alone....We are here with you - Unless you're there first thing in the morning or at the end of the operation day? You're probably not alone. All that grunting and animal noise you're making is probably unnecessary. Some degree of heavy breathing is expected but seriously? Knock it off.
And for you folks who don't have gym money or access? I
didn't forget you! I've attached a picture of something you can do from the
comfort of your home. I promise if you stick it out the 30 days? You'll love
your results. I did it in December in two different countries. If I can manage?
So can you. Don't get discouraged....just keep trying!
