Poll About workout habits

[Hedgehogs4]

I woke up this morning thinking about moms and exercise...I started wondering how many SAHMs who are also homeschooling really take the time to work out, and how it impacts your life and your homeschool. Please take my poll and let me know what you do. I use the term work out instead of just exercise because in this case I mean focused time in which you are not just playing with kids in the yard or something, but rather taking time to work to the point of raising your heart and respiration rates and / or breaking down muscle fibers for the purpose of building strength (i.e. weightlifting or resistance training of some sort). 

 

Be honest! Don't put down what you imagine you are doing or would like to do, but what  you ACTUALLY do in a week. Then chime in and let us know how exercise or the lack of it affects your life and what you would change if you could. 

 

I'll chime in after a few replies...

[lynn]

My other is that I could not vote more than 1.  I do HIIT, weights, running, yoga, core training throughout the week.  Whatever I am in the mood for.

 

I work out at home in the morning most days sometimes it's afternoon.   Exercise is a priority for me for it's keeps me sane, less stressed,

 

As far as sore muscles.  I take time to stretch and cool down and some days I have time to take a bath in my whirlpool tub, add some epsom salt and that seems to help sore leg muscles.   

[Luckymama]

I workout 6 days a week. I use machines (treadmill, elliptical), walk, hike, lift free weights w dh, and do Pilates.

 

On weekdays I find an hour in the late morning or early afternoon while dd works on one of her outsourced classes. On the weekend I exercise whenever it works in our schedule, especially when dh and I go on a 5 mile hike.

 

Muscle soreness occurs after a new move or added resistance. It's not a big deal; in fact, I like the feeling because I know I pushed myself the previous day :)

[8filltheheart]

I had to vote other bc I workout on a treadmill at home.

[Snickerdoodle]

5-7 days a week.

 

I rarely get DOMS anymore.

 

Then chime in and let us know how exercise or the lack of it affects your life and what you would change if you could.

 

 

I love it.  I wish my progress for certain things could be faster, but you know...

[Soror]

At this point in life exercise is family activities for the large part, walks with the kids, bike rides and things like that (not to mention taking care of things around and outside the house). Playing at the playground, when it is warmer sometimes swimming and kayaking. I love to go rockclimbing but it is too far away to do very much. My body doesn't allow me to push too hard right now and with the busyness of life this works well for us. I'm not a huge believer in typical exercise though but rather being active as I think exercise often is just a poor replacement for activity we should be getting throughout our day. I miss those days when I'm not able to be active (generally because I'm not feeling well) but I don't specifically miss exercise. 

[EmilyGF]

I work out with videos at home (Suzanne Bowen's barre style). My goal is half an hour per day, six days a week, but I generally only achieve half an hour four days per week. I didn't exercise at all last week because I was sick.

 

I sleep much much better when consistently working out. Also, my lower back pain disappears. I am highly motivated to exercise.

 

Ideally I'd add in half an hour of cardio three days per week, but if I require myself to exercise for an hour, I won't exercise at all.

[GrammarGirl]

I use videos (Denise Austin, Leslie Sansone) for cardio and conditioning. Maybe that's goofy, but I enjoy it and can do it while the kids play around me. (Sometimes I end up with a toddler twin *on* me if I'm doing ab work on the floor!) My rheumatologist told me I have to work out daily to control my fibromyalgia. My pain is almost nonexistent when I stick to my routine. Unfortunately I got out of the habit for a few weeks and am now having a bad flare up of pain, fatigue, and "fibro fog". Yesterday I made myself workout and I am recommittng to my routine of 5+ days. The benefits of working out, for me, are, obviously, pain management, a sense of accomplishment, and the relief of doing something for me during the busy day.

[wendyroo]

I do YMCA fitness classes 5-6 evenings a week (I've been doing that for about 3 months now).  I do 2 total body strength training classes and 3-4 kickboxing/dance aerobics/cardio classes.  They are all designed to be adapted to many fitness levels, and I feel like I push myself, but not too, too hard.

 

My muscles almost always ache, especially my feet and calves.  I've tried a couple different pairs of shoes, and doing the lower impact exercise variations the instructors show in class, but my feet and legs still hurt on a daily basis to the point that I dread taking the kids for a slow stroll around the block.

 

In the three months I have increased my amount of exercise, I have felt considerably worse overall than before.  My muscles are sore, I have headaches, I am worn out even though I get plenty of sleep, etc.  To add insult to injury, I have lost almost no weight (I have 40-50 pounds to lose).  I am counting my calories, working out almost every day, doing all the normal activities of managing a house of three small children, and yet I am losing less than a quarter of a pound a week.  Then I went to my parents' house for Halloween where I did not have as much control over the foods, and I gained 3 pounds back even though I kept my portions small, made only slightly less healthy choices than if I was at home, and did not eat ANY candy!!

 

I hate exercising and food in general - it's out to get me.  :glare:

 

Wendy

 

 

[nansk]

I voted other because I do both walking and resistance training. I started exercising about two months ago. Dh and I walk for 45 mins to an hour 6-7 days a week. And twice or thrice a week we follow a resistance training workout DVD at home.

 

I experience muscle soreness for a day after the resistance training.

 

Dh and I have noticed a HUGE difference in our health since we started this routine. We have more energy, we are sleeping better, we don't experience the mid-afternoon slump, we don't need an extra nap on weekends, our eyes don't look as old anymore and best of all, Dh is now snoring MUCH less!

[Desert Strawberry]

I'm on a hiatus for this pregnancy (though I exercised through my other pregnancies, I just can't this time), but I answered for what I normally do. 

I would love to do SOMETHING every day, but I voted 3-4 times a week because I think that's more accurate over time. In reality, it's more start-and-stop. Everyday for a week or two, then 3 or 4 days or a week off, then every day again. Depends what's happening in my house. 

I do a fairly wide range of exercises because I have a short attention span  :laugh: Yoga, walking, hiking, running, weight training, and cardio-dancing/pilates/HIIT/circuit training/whatever is trendy and available on Pinterest at the moment. Yoga, walking, and weight training are consistent. When I exercise now, I do those. The other stuff varies a lot. I voted other. 

 

I am very rarely sore, unless I am just starting something new or have taken a long break. I exercise for fun and enjoyment, so I don't usually work so hard that I am in pain the next day. It does happen and I'm fine with that, but it's definitely not a regular thing. I was a competitive athlete in college. I've worked HARD. I'm no stranger to that. I don't choose to do that anymore. 

 

[Ellie]

I don't believe in exercise for the sake of exercise. I don't "work out." :-) I don't believe it's a necessary thing to make sure my heart rate reaches a certain level if it happens outside of my normal activity.

[SKL]

I put "other" because I could only choose one answer.

 

I do some yoga most days (usually brief periods), TKD an average of 1x per week, and walking outdoors when the opportunity arises.  I do a few other brief things as I remember to do them during the day, but not what you would consider "working out."

 

I don't really get aches from exercise.  I get aches from growing old.  ;)

 

(I'm not a SAHM but a WAHM if that matters.)

[MeghanL]

I do a beachbody video 7 days a week. I alternate between the cardio part &  the weight lifting/floor part on opposite days. 

 

I find my muscles hurt when I DON'T work out. My back especially. That's probably why I do exercise on a daily basis. It's motivating to do so if you hurt if you don't!

 

 

[MiMi 4under3]

DD and I take our big dog for a 2+ mile walk on most school days. I experience soreness depending on how fast we walk.

[nwmama]

I got back to regular exercise in February to get back in shape and lose weight and to have more energy. I did get back in shape in that I could actually keep up with my kids when playing and dancing but I didn't lose much weight and I was still exhausted all the time. Turns out my adrenals and thyroid were exhausted. Now that I'm having that treated I have so much more energy and I'm starting to lose the weight. I'm just glad I didn't give up on the exercising because my muscles are already strong, I'm not starting from scratch. I do have a little muscle soreness after working out but it only lasts a short time.

 

I've tried different schedules, working out at 6am which meant getting up at 5:30 or at 4:00 which cut into dinner time. I've finally settled on 11am. We take a break from school and go to the gym and come home for lunch and finish whatever school we have left.

 

As for what I do, I mix it up. I try to balance out the aerobic and anaerobic. Some days I'll do both the same day, some days I'll do one or the other. I use free weights, cable machines, weight machines, treadmills, ARC/elliptical machines. I do yoga, pilates, trail running, and bikes. About the only things I don't do is swim, because I don't like the chlorine.

 

 

[BooksandBoys]

I run and do push-ups and squats 3-4 times a week. My short term goal is to add in some other activities so that I'm exercising 6 days a week. Running doesn't cause muscle soreness, but my push-ups do!

[Tsuga]

I do Beachbody programs, just go through them one after the other.

 

We live in the suburbs so there is little opportunity to get my heart rate up at all outside of sports! I mean when is the last time you tried to outrun a chicken? Chop a cord of wood before making dinner? How often do you make four loaves of bread at a time with all that lifting, not to mention I never bring anything heavier than a laptop anywhere that doesn't have wheels. Darn inventors.

 

So, that's why I work out. It's not that I wouldn't LOVE to integrate these activities into my daily life, but I am afraid that by the time we get to the point where we have that kind of land available, or when we can afford a place in a walkable city, we will already be made of jelly.

 

So, we work out, and frankly I am loving what it's done for my kayaking, my skiing, my climbing, and hiking.

[Coco_Clark]

I'm another "other". I do 2 hours of roller derby practice 2-3x a week. This is about a half hour of stretching, getting on gear and warm up, an hour of heavy skating and drills, and a half hour cool down routine of 50 crunches, 50 lunges, squats, planks, ect. I have muscle soreness when I come back after a pregnancy or some other break but not on a regular basis.

 

I "should" lift weights on my off derby days but I rarely do. When I do, I do experience muscle soreness. I assume I wouldn't if I was in a more regular routine. My arms and shoulders are definitely my weakest point.

 

The kids and I hike 1-2x a week but I hardly count it because they are small and can only go about a mile/mile and a half. I hike alone occasionally and get a better workout but sadly only once or twice a month.

 

 

Getting enough exercise is the difference between being always cranky, never quite able to wake up, anxious, and mildly (and occasionally clinically) depressed and being a happy, energetic person. Really. I'm a mess when I don't work out and its a huge priority for me. Even when things have gotten busy because one reason or another and I've switched to cardio videos at home I've had problems with anxiety and exhaustion. I find I need to bring myself to complete fall-down exhaustion at least every third day to be sane.

 

Now I have at least one kid the same, and I'm encouraging him in the direction of marathon running.

[Jackie]

Before being a parent and before homeschooling, I went through phases of working out but never anything that really stuck. Same is true now, but the phases are fewer and further between.

 

However, last year we moved across town so that we're now in walking distance of many of the places we go, which means that I do get in 1-2 miles of walking most days. It's really the longest sustained period of exercise I've gotten as an adult, though I still don't count it as a workout.

[Coco_Clark]

I do YMCA fitness classes 5-6 evenings a week (I've been doing that for about 3 months now). I do 2 total body strength training classes and 3-4 kickboxing/dance aerobics/cardio classes. They are all designed to be adapted to many fitness levels, and I feel like I push myself, but not too, too hard.

 

My muscles almost always ache, especially my feet and calves. I've tried a couple different pairs of shoes, and doing the lower impact exercise variations the instructors show in class, but my feet and legs still hurt on a daily basis to the point that I dread taking the kids for a slow stroll around the block.

 

In the three months I have increased my amount of exercise, I have felt considerably worse overall than before. My muscles are sore, I have headaches, I am worn out even though I get plenty of sleep, etc. To add insult to injury, I have lost almost no weight (I have 40-50 pounds to lose). I am counting my calories, working out almost every day, doing all the normal activities of managing a house of three small children, and yet I am losing less than a quarter of a pound a week. Then I went to my parents' house for Halloween where I did not have as much control over the foods, and I gained 3 pounds back even though I kept my portions small, made only slightly less healthy choices than if I was at home, and did not eat ANY candy!!

 

I hate exercising and food in general - it's out to get me. :glare:

 

Wendy

You may want to look into seeing a physical therapist. It's normal to be sore for a short time after starting a new fitness routine, but not like you are describing after several months. You may be utilizing incorrect muscles and need to retrain your body. IME this is the main reason for chronic pain like you are describing.

[hornblower]

other.
I do Zumba 2-3/week with a class.
Yoga almost daily
Running - when mood strikes me.

oh forgot - 7 minute workout several times a week I do that with ds.
 

I walk several times a day with the dogs but that no longer counts as fitness as one of my guys is very old & toddles at a funeral procession pace. I'm going to have to start breaking my crew up & doing separate walks/outings but it makes him sad to be left out :(

I'm always sore the day after a run. One of my Zumba teachers does a lot of squats & I feel those the next day too.

[Mom22ns]

I haven't been working out lately. I'm in a slump. But usually I work out 4-5 days per week. In the summer I bike 3 days and do strength focused workouts (still with cardio) the other 2. During the school year, I walk and/or run a couple days week when the weather is good. I do workout videos or Nike Training Club workouts the other days. At times I get very involved with my treadmill or exercise bike and at times they sit unused. For me variety in my workouts is important and I cycle through things as I get attached or bored.

 

I don't know anything about CrossFit and I haven't worked out in a gym since college. My workouts are all at home with the exception of biking. The roads near my house are narrow, winding and have no shoulders. I bike on trails.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I voted 5-7 days a week.  I am not sure this counts, but I walk my dog for about 45 minutes to an hour at least 5 days a week.  I may not get my heart pumping as much as I would like (because his mental stimulation of sniffing and investigating is probably a little more important for our sanity than how physical that exercise is.)  I also rock-climb 2 - 3 days a week.  I experience soreness every day because, well, I am old and just getting out of bed is a painful experience.  I wouldn't say that the exercise itself makes me sore, though. 

 

I know I should do more cardio, though, but with sore knees and ankles and back, I am limited in what I can do that would get that heart rate up.  I would like to swim, but it is so inconvenient.  And with the weather getting colder, I am less inclined to go through getting wet more than once a day:).  I am trying to do more core.  Dd and I are trying to schedule in some yoga at home, though.  I am sure it would help with my soreness. 

[Punks in Ontario]

I only put that I work out 1 or 2 times per week, but I walk almost daily.  I'm sore a lot of the time, but it's not muscles so much as my 50ish yo joints.  I do jog some 1-3 times per week.

[MotherOfBoys]

I do Insanity but I've started to not do it full strength. I also notice I'm sore when I don't work out, not when I do.

[Tsuga]

 

My muscles are sore, I have headaches, I am worn out even though I get plenty of sleep, etc.

 

When is the last time you had bloodwork to check for anemia? Anemia can cause a lot of those issues and working out and trying to build muscle while depleted can make it far worse.

[FriedClams]

OTHER.

 

I walk. I aim for daily, about 40-45 minutes. Some days I do more. Others less.

[Karen in CO]

Until I broke my finger, I was doing Krav Maga 3 times a week. I would be sore for a day or two after each class - unless it was a hard-hitting class which would leave me bruised and sore for days.

 

Right now, I'm going to a personal trainer twice a week. I'm sore for 3 days after each session.

[HS Mom in NC]

Right now I'm on orders from the orthopedic surgeon and physicall therapist to do therapeutic exercises and stretching due to a repetitive stress knee injury.

 

Generally I do an all over cardio and strength training video with light ankle and wrist weights in my living room and then I jog. 

[hornblower]

When is the last time you had bloodwork to check for anemia? Anemia can cause a lot of those issues and working out and trying to build muscle while depleted can make it far worse.

 

I think I'd also want to check for perncious anemia (b12 deficiency), d3 & thyroid. 

 

do you have hardwood floors in your home? If so, consider wearing shoes all the time in the house. When we ripped out our carpets & put in floors I had sore feet for a year before I realized I just needed to wear runners in the house. Sore feet went away after a few months.

 

[KarenC]

We have an elliptical and free weights that I use during bad weather mainly.  On nice days, I walk.

[hollyhock]

I don't work out anymore. I did fairly regularly until my oldest was in about 3rd grade (3x a week, either elliptical trainer I had at home or some kind of intervals using body weight exercises and jumping jacks). But after that I just didn't have the time. I was too busy with school, 4 kids and everything else and when I had a few spare minutes, I didn't want to spend it exercising. 

 

So it worked for me to a point. I know I need to exercise now but for different reasons. I'm having some health issues related to hormones and such and regular exercise helps with that. This summer I walked with my daughter in the stroller almost every day but now that it's cold, I haven't done anything for awhile.

[T'smom]

I don't work out. I do get some exercise by walking with the kids on a 2 mile loop by our house which we do whenever it is not too cold or raining or we are gone somewhere for a significant portion of the day. Probably average 4 times a week, but that will be decreasing as the weather gets worse. I have an infant and don't like to have him out in the cold.

 

Yesterday, I raked leaves for 3-4 hours. I thought I would be sore today, but my muscles feel fine. My knees on the other hand, are killing me.

[Wildiris]

I voted other. I swim three times a week masters swimming-almost nine months. It's hard. Cardio is great. I don't think about losing weight anymore. I just want to be be physically fit. I walk on my days off.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I had to check "don't work out"... and I hate it! 

 

Being physically fit used to be a big part of my life (hobby?  whatever you want to call it)- I ran marathons, could do 8 pullups...  sigh.  Since having kids, I just have not made the time, and I do regret this and hope to change it.  I feel like I always have an excuse, but this time my excuse is relatively legit- colicky newborn.  lol. 

 

It's on my list for 2015 resolutions... 

 

I should mention that we don't own a car, and so we walk everywhere, usually I walk while pushing a stroller and wearing a kid in the backpack or front back.  So I'm not horribly out of shape, I'm just not setting aside dedicated time to gain strength and fitness.

[Hedgehogs4]

Thanks for all the replies, and keep them coming. 

 

I work out at my CrossFit box 4-5 days a week when I'm really on, but right now, I am recovering from the loss of my mom and have been out of routine, so 3-4 days per week is what I've been able to maintain. Some weeks over the last month or so it was only one or two...and this week I'm feeling it! I do the regular posted "met con" (metabolic conditioning) 2-3 days per week, a powerlifting / conjugate strength conditioning class two days a week, and on Fridays some friends and I get together for a cross fit style team work out and then we all bring lunch and eat together with our kids (we all homeschool). That is my absolute favorite! 

 

Before I started exercising two years ago (and admittedly I jumped into the deep end first with CrossFit!) I was very lethargic, achey, overweight, and desperate to improve my health. I was no longer able to sit on the floor with my legs crossed, or get up and down easily from the floor. I could not run a 1/4 mile let alone a mile or more (which I can do now, though I still am slow). I am always experiencing some form of muscle soreness, but it's different every day--just depends on what we've done. I don't mind so much and it's not was bad as it used to be. Today I am super, duper sore, coming back from erratic and not as intense workouts for approximately one month. 

 

My only disappointment is that I have not lost weight with CF. I know that this is true for many folks--there have been times when I was really dialed in on my diet and did lose some body fat (what I mean by "weight" because I have gained 10 pounds of muscle easily) but it is very difficult to maintain a strict paleo diet at all times, with a growing teen boy who has an enormous appetite. That said, though I am in considerably better health, and have become very, very attached to my CF routine and more importantly the friends we have made there. It's a fantastic community!

[Cosmos]

I voted other. I swim three times a week masters swimming-almost nine months. It's hard. Cardio is great. I don't think about losing weight anymore. I just want to be be physically fit. I walk on my days off.

 

Another swimmer!

 

I'm in the middle of transitioning from summer exercise to my winter routine. In the warm months, I do outdoor exercise -- walking, running, biking, and an occasional exercise videos at home. Then in the winter, I get a gym membership and use it mostly to swim.

 

I just signed up for a new 6-month membership this weekend, but I haven't been swimming yet because I need a new suit.  Today I did treadmill and some strength training. But once my suit comes, I'll probably be swimming 3-4 times a week. I love, love, love to swim.

[Aurelia]

I voted "other" for type of workout. Usually I do either stretching or ballet/ballet-inspired workouts. I've been using Ballet Beautiful, Lastics and Finis Jung Ballet Technique videos. I spent about 10 years in a dance studio, so I'm comfortable with this type of workout, but I've got old injuries that I have to be careful not to aggravate. I'd swim if we had a pool close enough, but the nearest one is 20+ miles away.

[rocassie]

I work out for 30 minutes a day M-F on our elliptical unless we are traveling or I'm sick.  My 30 min is also when the kiddos have their screen time so I can do it without interruption.  For me, working out or sustained physical activity (like taking a walk or bike ride) and then stretching keeps my back issues at bay as well as generally increasing my energy levels and helping me sleep at night.  

[LilBearsMama]

Other. 

I alternate because I get bored so easily with exercise. Yoga, pilates, and walking workouts using weights (those Walk at Home things from Exercise TV and American Heart Association.) 

My son normally does yoga with me, but he also goes for walks with me. My husband teaches us both martial arts several times a week.

[...................]

My "other" is very brisk walking about 2 miles but I hope to increase that to jogging 1/4 mile and walking the rest because currently I'm not getting my heart rate up enough, and I know I'm a bit out of shape. This is one of the reasons my kids are in sports - so that while gent exercise I can too!

[...................]

PS j also love to swim but find it very hard to find the time. But you can jog or walk anywhere and I absolutely love looking at trees and houses and bushes and squirrels while walkkng. :)

[Korrale]

I run with my son when the weather is good. We all hike or bike on the weekends. And I do work outs at home.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Thanks for all the replies, and keep them coming. 

 

I work out at my CrossFit box 4-5 days a week when I'm really on, but right now, I am recovering from the loss of my mom and have been out of routine, so 3-4 days per week is what I've been able to maintain. Some weeks over the last month or so it was only one or two...and this week I'm feeling it! I do the regular posted "met con" (metabolic conditioning) 2-3 days per week, a powerlifting / conjugate strength conditioning class two days a week, and on Fridays some friends and I get together for a cross fit style team work out and then we all bring lunch and eat together with our kids (we all homeschool). That is my absolute favorite! 

 

Before I started exercising two years ago (and admittedly I jumped into the deep end first with CrossFit!) I was very lethargic, achey, overweight, and desperate to improve my health. I was no longer able to sit on the floor with my legs crossed, or get up and down easily from the floor. I could not run a 1/4 mile let alone a mile or more (which I can do now, though I still am slow). I am always experiencing some form of muscle soreness, but it's different every day--just depends on what we've done. I don't mind so much and it's not was bad as it used to be. Today I am super, duper sore, coming back from erratic and not as intense workouts for approximately one month. 

 

My only disappointment is that I have not lost weight with CF. I know that this is true for many folks--there have been times when I was really dialed in on my diet and did lose some body fat (what I mean by "weight" because I have gained 10 pounds of muscle easily) but it is very difficult to maintain a strict paleo diet at all times, with a growing teen boy who has an enormous appetite. That said, though I am in considerably better health, and have become very, very attached to my CF routine and more importantly the friends we have made there. It's a fantastic community!

 

That is so cool that you have a group of moms to work out with who also homeschool!  What a great routine for you and your kids! 

[Hedgehogs4]

That is so cool that you have a group of moms to work out with who also homeschool!  What a great routine for you and your kids! 

 

It really is...I realize how very rare it is, but it happened because of something not so great--one of our coaches who is also a fireman developed a ruptured disc in his spine and was unable to do anything for months, and ended up having surgery. He was so bored and frustrated so one day we decided to bring him lunch. He requested instead that he come to one of the ladies' houses and have lunch instead because he wanted to get out. Unwittingly we agreed to his diabolical plan...

 

Two days before he messaged us all and said, "how about I program a WOD (a.k.a. Workout of the Day) for you ladies before we eat?" UGH...he always makes really hard workouts, and yet we agreed. We had so much fun that he started doing this for us on a weekly basis while he was recovering and it just stuck. Every week that he is not at the firehouse on a Friday, we hold this cross fit club. If there are a number of weeks in a row that he can't make it, one of our other coaches fills in. Usually it works out to be about 3 weeks a month or so, and there are five of us who regularly attend and two who come when they are available (they don't homeschool and they work outside the home). Sometimes the kids participate and sometimes they just play together. 

 

That said, I have found that the reason this happens so naturally is that most CF boxes (what CF people call their gym) seem to develop a pretty tight community. Because you have your workouts in classes, and there is so much going on in them (i.e. sweat and suffering! :tongue_smilie:) there seems to develop a "band of brothers" mentality that really keeps you motivated and coming back. We would rather hang out with our CF friends than most anyone else. Last Saturday, for instance we all brought food after the Sat. WOD and people worked out in costumes and then afterward ate, played corn hole and drank beer. It was a great time. 

 

ETA - one of the things I didn't realize as I was struggling so hard to find a way of exercise that would help me is that I need other people in order to feel motivated. I simply won't do it on my own. I am naturally a bit of a sloth...I never wake up in the morning and think "oh! I think I'll go lift weights or do 100 sit ups" Never. It took a friend to invite me to go and the continuing relationships to keep me going. If it all fell apart I would definitely pursue that kind of situation again rather than lose my fitness that I've gained. It's too important. Prior to this I thought it was a flaw in my character that I could not motivate myself to exercise. I figured out that, no....just I'm just extrinsically motivated and I'm okay with that.

 

[Snickerdoodle]

[Hedgehogs4]

 

ROFL I have seen that before...I wish it weren't true...but it kinda is...

 

People who first start seem to react that way. It's not that way for me anymore. Just part of life!  :lol:

 

It's definitely not for everyone...

 

[rieshy]

I chose other because I take martial arts classes with my kids 3 times a week, run or do sprints during rest/reading time of our home school 3-4 times a week, do kettle bell and weight training a 2 times of week at our dojo.

 

On days I'm grounded at home for various reasons I practice martial arts alone or with kids and often do Fitness Blender routines from youtube. My husband and I walk a lot together in the evenings to get alone time- but I don't call that a "work out". Until a few months ago I had a gym membership and the kids and I swam regularly for fun and I worked out on the elliptical machines in the early a.m.

 

I am sore regularly because for the last 6 months have been really pushing myself hard to get to a new level of fitness required by my martial arts. Plus I have arthritis. If I don't work out- I am more sore from my arthritis.

[rieshy]

Until I broke my finger, I was doing Krav Maga 3 times a week. I would be sore for a day or two after each class - unless it was a hard-hitting class which would leave me bruised and sore for days.

 

Right now, I'm going to a personal trainer twice a week. I'm sore for 3 days after each session.

I've always wanted to watch a Krav Maga class!