About LazyGirlFitness Excuses for not exercising are the best. They’re fun, imaginative and – much like the old ‘dog ate my homework’ trick – they’re also completely transparent. Here are 10 of my favourites, as well as some rebuttal for you to use next time you find yourself in an internal argument about whether or not you’re going to the gym.
I often get asked about my training schedule, with many people assuming I work out every day. I don’t – nor do I think it’s necessary – and I thought today was as good a day as any to let you step a little further into my own lazy girl world by sharing my training program with you.
A couple of weeks ago I shared with you my first adventure race workout. If you haven’t tried it yet, you should. And if you have tried it, congratulations – you win a gold star and a ticket to round two!
These days I’ve become much better at listening to what my body is trying to tell me. If I’m having a flat day I’ll program myself a less intense gym workout, if I’m feeling a bit rundown I’ll up the greens and supplements in my diet and if my body wants a little chocolate – well, as you know by now, I give it that too. But there’s one area I really fall down in, and that’s running.
Whatever you do, don’t think about a puppy. Do not think about a cute little pink puppy tummy, just waiting for you to rub it. In fact, do not even think about thinking about a puppy. Stop it. Stop thinking about a puppy!
If you’ve been following my blog here for a while (well, the 10 weeks that it’s been going anyway), no doubt you’ll be aware that many of my workouts are designed to be undertaken outside in the fresh air. As an outdoor trainer, it’s possible that I’m a little biased, but I do think there’s something special about training amongst nature, with the smell of freshly cut grass, rain and the occasional dog poo.
No doubt you hear the term ‘incidental exercise’ bandied about fairly regularly, but maybe (like many people) you don’t quite understand what it is, and the huge health benefits it can bring. So, what actually is incidental exercise, and how can you apply it to your life to help you burn more calories and lose weight faster? Well in short, incidental exercise is the exercise you get when exercising is not your main objective. (Phew, try saying that five times fast.) It’s the stairs you take two at a time on the way into the office or running for the bus in the morning. And while incidental exercise should never be seen as a replacement for dedicated exercise, it really can make a difference to your health, particularly if weight loss is your main objective.
Navigating the stormy seas of gym correctness can leave even the most hardy gym-goer emotionally and mentally exhausted. Is it ever ok to leave sweat drips on the treadmill? Towel or no towel on the way to the showers? I answer these, and all of your other burning etiquette questions, in today’s post.
So in case you hadn’t noticed, since the Tough Bloke Challenge a week ago I’ve developed a little thing for adventure races. Getting down and really really dirty with mates can be quite a bonding experience, but one thing I’ve learnt is that ordinary workouts simply don’t prepare you for knee high mud, monkey bars, tyre-jumping, rope climbing and wall clambering. No sirree, this kind of hell deserves it’s own special kind of training.
If you haven’t done much in the way of exercise since compulsory PD/H/PE classes ended in year eight there’s no doubt that many of the workouts out there (and even on here) could be a little intimidating. So if the phrase ‘high intensity interval training’ has you cowering in the corner, fear not – this post is for you!