Consistent Exercisers Nonslackers Tips Bare Minimum?

[yahoo205]

For those of you that don't slack on physical fitness, what is the bare minimum physical activity you require of yourself daily (working out, walking, etc)?

I am in a major rut (again) and really need to get back on track.

Thanks!

[Jane1721]

For me, it's one hour. But, my regular routine is an hour in the morning and an 60-90 minutes in the afternoon/evening. There are some days that I can't fit in the afternoon workout, but I always do an hour in the morning. Even my "rest day" workouts are an hour.

[marmact]

I went off the bandwagon for a while a couple of years back. To come back, I did 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. And all I did for the first 30 days was walk with Leslie. I set a mileage goal for the month; that helped a lot in having something to work toward that didn't feel overwhelming.

I think it's too easy to get caught up in the dread factor if you set your expectations too high at first.

Good luck!

[Laura S.]

I exercise 6 days a week. But, that's the only bottom-line requirement. My focus is on maintaining that habit, so when things get tough or my time is short or I'm just NOT in the mood, I get something in under the "something is better than nothing" principle. So, there are weeks, when I am lucky to get in 20-25 minutes each day and/or my workouts are on the "easy" side.

[desie]

You will get it back. You just need to fall in love with a new workout and do it over and over because it’s so fun.

Perhaps you are paralyzed by choice, I know I sometimes am! I keep a list in front of me of the 4 workouts I’m going to get done in the week, ones that I like and that are effective. In addition, I try out one new workout a week.

Perhaps your workout time is not set in concrete as a specific time slot that is always part of your day. This is what helps me the most. My at home daily routine is golden. But I have trouble with the days that I have to stay overnight somewhere. I need to work on my “away from home” daily routine.

If you just think of yourself and how you are/who you are when you can’t (or won’t) exercise, and compare that to the version of you who can and does exercise every day, it’s an easy choice to get up and move.

I have a litmus test question that I ask myself, not about exercise, but other things, but it works. Is what you’re doing getting you what you want?

[JackieB]

I feel best when I walk at least three miles every day. I also do at least one CS/Essentrics episode and some Qi Gong. My "treats" are longer and different workouts--Ellen, other barre, etc.

My main goal is to stay pain free and mobile. I have enjoyed many different workouts through the years but this is my mainstay. It doesn't hamper my brain with analysis paralysis and I have lost weight and slimmed down. I enjoy my walks with my neighbor and she has longer legs than me so it keeps me moving.

I keep thinking I should do some super rotation, etc but I have stuck with this current rotation for at least three years now.

Jackie

[furmomof6]

As Jackie mentioned, I have been the victim of "analysis paralysis" for years now and it has made me horribly inconsistent with exercise. I just recently decided that I would commit to walking every single morning (because I love it!), no matter what for an hour, or at the very least 30 minutes. I've been doing this consistently for the third week now and I feel fantastic. I also started some Classical Stretch at night and/or will throw in another 30 minute workout if I can, but that is just the icing on the cake. If I can't get to it, at least I got my walk in. This has been working wonderfully for me and I can't even express how much freedom I feel just doing what I love and committing to it without worrying about what else I "should" be doing.

[Kathleen86]

10,000 steps! I feel so much better getting 10,000 at least ...I was previously getting as low as 3,000 if I was inside studying all day or 6,000 if I ran errands but didn't do any exercise. I started to physically not feel that great and, mentally, I felt more foggy. Been doing 10,000+ since early May now.

Others have mentioned Classical Stretch..I'm loving these too..on a sedentary day, they wake your muscles up and give a feel good stretch for your back (to combat the effects of too much sitting!). When you're more active..they make a good warm up or cool down and feel good for sore muscles. There's a lot of variety and if any given move is 'tough' before you know it she's moved on to something else. The fact that she doesn't overdo it with the reps is what makes them good add-ons, but you could surely be fit just doing these consistently, IMO.

[mommyofjoeyp]

Like someone else mentioned I find the key to consistency is to do something each day. I work out first thing in the morning (which also helps!) and some mornings I don't really want to get out of bed. On those mornings I'll allow myself to just do a 30 minute workout or something gentler for a full hour (Ellen, yoga).

[Nuggie's Auntie]

I view my workouts as pure, utter delight! I love them! It is pretty much the only thing I do for myself. Having this 'exercise is joy' mentality, even when the the workouts are hard, helps me view it as a pleasure and not something I just have to endure or 'get out of the way.'

That said, I find exercising in the morning to be very helpful. I try to do at least 30 minutes, and if everyone is happy and not needing anything, I might do more.