Tea Gets Fit!
Jun. 9th, 2010 12:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
teaberryblueSo I decided recently that I desperately need to get more exercise. I’ve been consistently gaining weight, and while I’m not really at an unhealthy weight, I’ve noticed that I’m not nearly as flexible or as physically strong as I once was. And that can be frustrating.
I am very much against dieting. I don’t do it. I think that, when you’re discussing people like me, who have relatively healthy relationships with food, at least (I know it’s different for other people), out bodies tell us what kind of food we want to eat and it’s because those are the foods that have the nutrients we need. I rarely eat fast food or red meat, and most of the food I eat in my home is vegan and raw, but I don’t limit myself to a specific diet. I rarely drink soda and save it for when I have a headache or allergies, and when I drink sugary juice, I drink it half-and-half with seltzer. So my eating habits are already pretty healthy.
But I don’t exercise at all– I mean, other than the ten blocks I walk each way to work every day (that’s about a 12 minute walk for those of you who aren’t familiar with NYC blocks). And my upper body strength is abysmal. So I decided I needed to do something about it. I don’t want to be one of those people who didn’t exercise when she could have and realizes at fifty that I have health problems I could have prevented in my thirties just by taking better care of my self.
I recently turned my Netflix account back on after nearly five years, and discovered that I can get fitness videos on Play Instantly. I also got my Wii set back up for Play Instantly, and that means one of two things:
1) I can play more Wii games, which are more active than some of my other stay-at-home activities
2) I can use fitness videos
So, starting Friday, I have been walking home from work at lunch, doing ten minutes of beginner fitness video workouts (ones that are designed to be short stretches and such), eating lunch at home (cheaper than eating at work!), and walking back. I’ve also been playing more of the more active Wii games I own. This adds close to a half-hour of walking to my daily schedule, plus the exercise in between, and at night.
I don’t know if it will really have an effect, but I’m certainly willing to try. It’s been nearly a year since I stopped using shampoo and that was an excellent personal improvement. It seems like it’s about time to fit in another one!
I’ve decided I’m going to take progress pictures so I can see if there’s any visible progress from my increased exercise. I’m going to take them every Friday. This is sort of my way of holding myself to the self-improvement goal, because while I don’t really have a goal of losing a lot of weight, I do want to see more muscle tone on my body and an overall healthier look. I also feel like this is the kind of thing that people don’t often talk about in real, visual terms. Lots of people feel like they have awkward bits on their bodies no matter what shape their bodies take, and we’re all too used to seeing airbrushed models. I feel like the more we get used to seeing normal bodies, the better off we’ll all be in the long run. I’m a little, I don’t know, apprehensive about this, because part of me feels a little weird putting up pictures of myself in shorts and a sports bra where everyone in the world can see, but hey, it’s more clothes than I would be wearing at the beach. So here’s Week 1:
 Tea Gets Fit Week 1--Front |
 Tea Gets Fit Week 1--Side |
And no, this isn’t going to preclude my usual food posts. Like I said, I don’t do dieting. Plus, I just made a quart of Earl Grey ice cream and it’s in the fridge freezing.
Mirrored from Antagonia.net.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 04:34 am (UTC)X3 BUT. soon i will have toned muscles... and a better heart.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 03:47 pm (UTC)So far I have been sleeping WORSE! I don't quite know what to do with that. Most people say they sleep better when they start exercising but it's not happening for me. I literally couldn't pull myself out of bed this morning.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 05:10 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 04:39 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 03:53 pm (UTC)But yeah, it's kind of frustrating when I notice that I can't touch my toes anymore, and my joints don't bend like they used to, I want to improve that!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 11:57 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 04:39 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 03:56 pm (UTC)But yeah, I notice that when I post things regularly on the internet, I have more of an impetus to follow through so people aren't like, hey, what happened with that thing you were thinging? And I feel like photos will help, too, because while I don't expect visible progress after a week, I think it will be something that might help foster discussions of the fact that getting in shape doesn't happen overnight, and even if the progress over many weeks might look astounding, the progress from one week to the next is going to be kinda meh.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 04:47 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 03:58 pm (UTC)And thanks; no sweat, I wouldn't think that was weird coming from you, anyway! That's really the point. I know I look okay, but it's frustrating that I can't bend and lift things the way I used to, and I want to improve that!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 05:10 am (UTC)But I think the Wii exercise regime is a good plan!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 04:16 pm (UTC)You could try out for roller derby? You would make a good derby girl, I feel.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 05:43 pm (UTC)Though not while I'm in Willimantic.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 08:24 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 04:19 pm (UTC)And yeah, I have good genetics in terms of my body type and all that, and I live in a city which pretty much induces me to walk everywhere.
Thanks! I hope it works, and I hope it works out for you, too.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 08:28 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 04:19 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 02:26 pm (UTC)In short, yes I do wish to subscribe to your newsletter. :)
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 04:20 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 02:39 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 04:21 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 03:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 03:46 pm (UTC)But yeah! I don't own a scale, and it's less important to me to be losing weight than to be looking and feeling stronger and healthier. I know I'm pretty thin, but I'm also pretty flabby, so if I manage to put on some more muscle, I figure I can reasonably expect to gain a couple pounds rather than take it off. But if I'm happy with the way the results look in photographs, I think that's a great way to judge.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 03:48 pm (UTC)Wishing you much success with this!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 04:22 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 07:16 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 05:00 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 07:34 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-10 01:39 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-10 01:48 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-13 12:56 am (UTC)You can do so much with balance balls! Here are some of my favorite balance ball workouts:
- Squats (quads): lean against a wall, with the ball between you and a wall. Slowly lower yourself into a squat. You need to be at an angle with the ball (leaning into it) or it will fall. Do 20-30.
- Pikes (shoulders/abs): Lay stomach-down on the ball. Roll yourself forward until most of your stomach is off the ball. You will need to tighten your core for stability. Then, pull up and in to lift your hips toward the ceiling. Lower yourself down and repeat, 15-20.
- Crunches (abs): simply do a sit up while laying back-down on your ball. I've found that this technique doesn't hurt my neck as much.
This website also has a lot of good suggestions: http://exercise.about.com/cs/abs/l/bl_core.htm
Also you can usually find good stuff on youtube if you spend a little time to weed through some of the not-so-good stuff.
I noticed you said that you don't have weights but you probably have so many things in your house that you can use as weights substitutes. When I'm on the rez, I use heavy books or filled water bottles or well-sealed food containers. If you want to see change in your body, the best route is weight lifting. To tone muscle rather than build it, use light weights with many reps.
Just some ideas. Where I live now (Navajo Nation), many forms of exercise are not an option due to weather, geography and distance from 'civilization', so I really got into weights this year. It makes a huge difference!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 07:13 pm (UTC)Two, Earl Grey ice cream sounds awesome.
Good luck and way to go with this!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 07:16 pm (UTC)Also, it was pretty awesome. Recipe tonight.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 08:47 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-10 02:32 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 09:28 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-10 02:32 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-09 11:59 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-10 02:33 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-11 03:25 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-11 03:28 am (UTC)