Variety

I talked about variety in my last post as a means to keep from getting bored. Variety is important for a few other reasons though too.

Flexibility:

Doing a variety of workouts is great for keeping your body limber and in the best shape that it can be. If you are constantly doing the same type of workout, you are limiting yourself. You'll still be more flexible and stronger than people not doing anything, but I really feel to get the maximum benefits, you need to incorporate different types of workouts.

Strength:

When you think strength, you might think of weight training, but variety comes in handy here too. Sure, you will get strong pumping iron, but you also gain strength overall including running, swimming, and even yoga into your fitness schedule. If you think yoga is just for girls or isn't a "real" workout, then you have been misinformed. Check out this video: In The Yoga Studio and tell me that you yoga is to be overlooked.

Shaping Your Body:

One of the best ways to get the body that you have always dreamed of is to include variety in your workouts. In this way, you build strength, flexibility, endurance, burn more fat, and really get the tone look that you are looking for. You cannot spot train and melt fat or tone just one area of your body at a time, so by adding variety to your workout routines, you can achieve the thinner tummy or toned arms, while also strengthening your heart, increasing your stamina, and toning your booty at the same time.

So what kind of workouts can you do to get the maximum benefits?

 

Ideally you would like to have a good blend of these types of exercises: 

 

Strength training: lifting weights, weight machines, pilates, body weight exercises (pushups, squats, etc.)

Stretching: Yoga (there are several different kinds) and stretching

Cardio: running, biking, interval training

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training): Intervals of strength and cardio moves with very short rests between.

I can't say that one is more important than the other. They all work together to give you the overall effect that you're hoping to achieve. Plus, it's just more fun to have variety and something new to do each day. And always, always remember to warm up, stretch, and cool down before and after your workouts and always drink plenty of water too.

Getting Started

I find myself in this stage fairly often. I've been giving excuses as to why I can't do my workout today or why I deserve the piece of chocolate. One day turns into two and soon I find that I am heavier than when I started and I feel horrible. Anyone else go through this cycle?

I'm starting this blog to help keep myself motivated, to help others in their journey (however I can), and to just have fun writing. I plan to research different fitness and nutrition articles, compare workout programs, and share all my findings with you! The more I learn, the more equipped I feel to take on this task of getting myself healthy... more tools in the tool belt to get the job done, as they say.

I've written out the reasons why I want to get healthy, lose weight, and trim up. I plan to post motivating quotes and pictures every day and also hope to have an article on something related to nutrition, fitness, or other general weight loss. I'm open to comments and suggestions as I go.


To start out, I plan on keeping variety in my schedule. I get bored if I have to follow anything for all that long, so I plan to do a variation between jogging (trying to get back up to my half-marathon level), Ripped in 30 by Jillian Michaels, and new to the DVD world of things is Zuzka Light with her ZCut Super Cardio Series. All these things are definitely very different and should provide plenty of options for me to keep me from getting bored. When I get bored, I give up!

I'll try to write a review of the different products I've tried tomorrow too. Good night and keep your chin up! There is a light at the end of this tunnel!