So my first step to getting healthy was to do 10,000 steps a day. How do you do this being stuck indoors in winter weather? Walk on the spot or get a exercise mini trampoline. I find the time goes fast with the rebounder in front of the TV. Then you can watch your favorite shows while getting your 10,000 steps. For motivation I watch health and fitness shows like the Biggest Loser but anything that helps you stay there to get your steps will work.
In the past I have wasted lots of money on lots of exercise and equipment, you may have too. I have used the Orbitrek, treadmills, gone to gyms, fitness classes locally, group trainers, curve and more. They all help but for people looking for excuses to not exercise you will find them. They cost money, time, opportunity (it is raining, I don't want to catch a cold from the others indoors), they are inconveniently placed (Orbitrek is in the garage and I can't use it, I need to pull it inside or elsewhere to use it) I have no space indoors for the treadmill, I have placed the Orbitrek and treadmill in convenient places indoors but then resent the space they take up and get guilty when I give up using them. My foot gets numb on the treadmill after a while and I find I don't want to use it. Gym classes are 15 mins away and I need to go on their schedule and work my week around this. Group trainers are great but expensive. You get the point, excuses can be many and go on and on.
Get any mini trampoline that works for you, do make sure it can hold your weight though and I have a link on my page for one that is heavy duty. If you are thinner then the rebounders are built cheaper and cost less too, again find something that will work for you. You can find specials for rebounders from $30-90 or more depending on features, quality and weight restrictions. The one I suggest is very reasonably priced yet heavy duty for most customers. But 'caveat emptor' either way.
Get a pedometer, anyone will work, I use and love the fitbit (mine costs $100, but I got it from my credit card thank you points) and that costs from $50-120 but any pedometer will also work. Keep your pedometer on all the time, yes it will alert you to how little you may move every day. But keep it on, it will propel you to do your workouts and to not avoid reality. It is easy to fool yourself in to thinking that you get more steps than you actual do. Obesity does that to you, kind of like addictions (you are sometimes in denial). I got my fitness tracker last Mothers Day 2014 and I was excited to do my steps in the beginning, then once I got too busy I realized how few steps I actually did. Now I want to stay at the 10K steps range to lose weight.
Find a time that will work for you, I have tried all sorts of different times through out the day and have found it the easiest to stay the course if I get started the first available opportunity as early as possible in the day. If you are not a morning person, then try to have a routine where you do your steps as soon as you get home in the afternoon. I find if I don't do my steps as early as possible that there will be ALL sorts of distractions later on. Someone will have an urgent issue that keeps me busy, something else will come up or I will be tired later on.
You can wear fitness clothes but really no special clothing or shoes are required. If you walk on the spot then sneakers are recommended but not necessary. Rebounders are easier without shoes so no additional purchase is required.
The next steps is to repeat this activity EVERY DAY. It doesn't matter if you don't feel like it and there will be days that you will miss but unless you force yourself to do this every day then you won't get anywhere fast. Things that work are to make yourself put your exercise clothes on and get on the trampoline even if you don't feel like it, in fact you won't feel like it most of the time but do this anyway even if you don't want to. Then put your show on and get walking, doesn't matter how fast or slow just get moving. Might take a couple of episodes in the beginning to get your 10K steps in and I was looking at the pedometer all the time to check steps, but stay there till you get as many steps as you can.
One thing that propelled me to lose weight is a photo taken of me and my cousin. I hate taking photos of me and this may also be connected to the denial linked to obesity. I can be in denial if there is no proof. So if you find you can't make yourself get on the rebounder, get someone to take a photo of you, you will surely get on the next available time. Keep doing this or anything else that makes you keep getting on the trampoline EVERY single day. Yes you will get sick and can't etc. But get on asap the next best available opportunity.
I don't weigh myself regularly as it makes me sad and then I overeat but I have noticed I feel MUCH better. I have more energy, get up easier in the morning, can do my daily tasks without too much trouble, can take a walk without getting winded, get a surge of feeling well (what is the word I am looking for?) right after my workout and much much more.
Let me know how you do! Any other advice or tips? Are you joining me in my journey or just getting inspired?
@myHFjourney
, he is the leader, and very few people will dispute any of his suggestions or ideas. He advocates natural foods, slow cooking, whole foods and more. Nothing to hate there.