Gyms are all very well and good, but at £25+ a month I just can’t justify the cost. I was planning on signing up over my placement year, but said gym is the other side of town from where I am living, and I don’t feel comfortable with the walk in the dark. Sure, I still go swimming on occasional weekends but the majority of my exercise is done at home, in my teeny tiny room.
I’m planning on heading out for proper runs as soon as the evenings lighten up – which shouldn’t be long now as there’s now enough light to see the keyhole when I get back (I was shining my phone at the door last week – note to self: ring council to fix street light). I’ll be using the Couch-to-5k program, but my real goal? I really, really, really want to run a 10k by the end of the year. I wasn’t going to mention it here, but I’m feeling that telling you all with give me motivation. Feel free to nag me if I get lazy!
I’ve also been loving the motivation from Youtube videos –
this one is my current favorite although I find it really tough. I’m not really a huge fan of celebrity exercise DVDs, but I’ve enjoyed
Charlotte’s 3 Minute Belly Blitz. The exercises are actually really fun, and it’s not too teeth-grittingly cheesy. 3 Minutes is a total lie, the Warm Up is 5+ minutes, but the actual routines are quick, fast-paced and seem to be having the desired effect. I find them fun too, with the best part being they don’t require too much space. Thanks to Cash Generator for sending me this!
I’ve also been doing some of these 3-day Challenges – my favorite being the Squat one. I do them twice a day. In the morning I use the time it takes to boil the kettle (now I’m on 150 I’m filling it up a bit more!), in the evening I just slot it in after whatever other workout I’ve done. I’ve been skipping rest days too, as I really struggle the next day! The Lunge one I’m taking slowly as my technique is poor, and I’m struggling through the Tricep Dips. I’m picking up an exercise mat this week to start on the Abs too!
Finally, weights. I’m not after muscle, but I am after tone, and using light weights is actually making a real difference. I don’t do an awful lot with them at the moment, but just a few reps in between more fast-paced cardio bits is fine for now. Once I’ve lost weight I’ll be upping the toning!
Alongside this I’ve been eating healthier, taking low-fat soups to work and cutting down on the tea. Dinners are more packed with vegetables, and I’ve really cut down on white processed carbs. I must admit I am finding that tough, I was far more reliant on pasta and potato than I realised. Keep an eye out for more healthy recipes over the next few weeks…
Do you have a gym membership, or do you exercise at home? Tell me about your routine!
