To start this blog post I have been trying to think of an inspirational speech or quote to inspire you on the road to fitness. But I can’t so you will have to make to do with this old advert:
It always makes me want to destroy my beer belly anyway! Besides this blog, working on my fitness has been my main activity over the last few weeks of unemployment and the belly has taken a severe hit. All the exercise together with cutting down on food has really left old belly without much chance so it won’t be long till it’s gone completely. In your face belly!
I wasn’t much overweight to begin with really but am feeling much better so far, and exercise is really addictive. After the first few gym sessions anyway (those first few are a massive struggle). It was only within the last few years that I realised how much exercise can lift your mood aswell as give you more energy so I always try to fit in a gym session or some other activity where I can. Although I regularly get lazy, get out of the habit and don’t go for weeks, this time I am finding it a lot easier to stick to it because I haven’t got work (or much else) to fit in to my day as well! Also, it is tiring (in a good way) so is helping me get to sleep at night and I’m not staying up till 3am watching rubbish films anymore.
My local council provides gyms, swimming pools and other facilities at reduced rates for anyone on the usual benefits so I have been going to the gym 3 times a week. It costs £1.90 a time which is good because (obviously) it is cheap and also you aren’t tied into any contract so if you can’t afford to go you don’t have to pay.
There are plenty of things you can do to work on your fitness so this is an ideal time to get in shape while you have the chance. Cycling or running costs nothing (assuming you have a bike, if not there are always cheap ones on auction sites that people are trying to shift). Even just walking daily will make a massive difference, try it and see!
Due to my car tax running out I have been cycling most places, I’ve found it’s a lot quicker than the bus so much prefer it. Once the bad weather kicks in it won’t be so nice though so may have to resort to using smelly old public transport again.
One thing I always try and remember was an Army fitness instructor I saw on TV saying something along the lines of “You didn’t become overweight overnight so you won’t lose it overnight”, it obviously takes time but maybe this can kick start a routine that we can stick to once we are employed again. I would give any new regime at least a month before saying it doesn’t work, preferably longer. At the worst we will be muscly, toned gods/goddesses signing on at the job centre, before outrunning that big belly that is waiting round the corner! Jobless people 1, Belly 0.
