2009 is MY YEAR!

[Zaphirah]

2009 is my year to get FIT. Only problem is...I can never figure out how and where to start. I know what to do in re: to cardio, but I never know what to do with strength training. I rarely stick to it for more than a few days because it feels to weird and like it's not doing anything. Any advice on something simple to start with? I need a plan. How do I know how much to do and how frequent. I have NO intutition around "sculpting" my body. I just know walking is good for you. so that's what I do....

I'm easily overwhelmed by so 1000s of choices out there. Anyone have a good resource on where to start-esp for someone who has NEVER done ANYTHING other than walk/run?

[michigan roman]

i was raised to play sports and've always exercised my whole life ,
and one thing thats held true for me is that it makes refining / mastering
a movement (that movement could be a running stride , a bat swing ,
a swimming stroke , etc) easier alot of times when you mimic the style
of someone else with a proven technique . like a women marathon runner or triathlete you like . watch her style them copy some of it . it helps one get in a groove of efficient movement thats easier to repeat everyday , and thusly easier to make habit . and thats what the giant factor is = DEVELOPING THE HABIT / MASTERING THE MOVEMENTS .

and if youve never really been athletic what ide do to work on
coordination / hardness / endurance is wind sprints . you only need
a hundred / two hundred feet right in front of your house . sprint
one way , then walk back to the starting point again . get a
sprinters technique off of youtube / tv or something and imitate it .
and sometimes run the sprint backwards to work on coordination and
leg muscle balance .

then for stomach hardness a good basic is laying on back / knees bent / hands locked behind head / bring knees and elbows together to touch over center of body .

then do squats without weights , feet about two foot apart , arms sorta straight out in front for balance , squat down as low as can . this besides building legs also a good stretch .

for shoulders light dumbbells , something you can lift over your head like around 25 times before tiring out . then you just lift them straight up as far as can to harden shoulder joints . theyre good to have laying around tv room so can get sets in while tv'ing . get the hex head solid type dumbbells as theyre more efficient to have laying around , and dont come loose and become a pita to keep tightening up . if have a local ' sports authority ' is a good place to get .

so this routine is getting your legs / endurance = two most important factors . then your stomach and shoulders , second most important muscles imo .

and even when not feeling it try to do at least a couple minutes of something at the scheduled time on your weekly schedule in order to further develop habit .

EXCELLENCE ISNT AN ACT , ITS A HABIT !

GO HARD . OR GO HOME ! :D

* i like a favorite up tempo song before i go out the door to run to get my adrenalin going .

[Ilse W.]

My preferred exercise is rebounding. It exercises every cell in your body. 15 minutes rebounding equals 45 minutes running.

[Zaphirah]

I would LOVE to do rebounding. My big prob is that my house is nearly 200 years old. ANY amt of walking/bouncing makes everything in the house fall off shelves. LOL. I have vivid daydreams of finding 60K on the street and using it to build an exercise room off of this old house. :D

[Ilse W.]

Take the rebounder outside with you (if you have a yard, you may get arrested if you rebound in the street).

[Eva]

Pick FIVE exercises to do every day. Look here: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?Real_New=%3C%3D+7&Name=&MainMuscle=&Equip=BodyOnly&Isolation=&order=Name

These are all exercises that use either only a decline bench or require no equipment. They are all EASY to figure out and with pictures. If you want to stay indoors, you could do these and jumping jacks (although -- don't let your house fall down chica!), or you could run/walk outside for 20 minutes, then come back in and finish with these and some stretching.

Done. No complications. Just pick FIVE every day, and do anywhere from 10-100 reps (whatever you feel like). You can print out the info and go from there.

[Dimond]

I always say, put on your favorite music and just move-dance, aerobics, whatever. The more you enjoy yourself, the more you'll stick with it. Once that becomes a habit, you can more easily incorporate other types of exercise.

Lots of you-tube inspiration like exercise & dance videos.

[jacsam]

I always say....do what you like so you'll stick with it. I really like listening to books on tape or talks while I exercise.