Getting in exercise

[Night Elf]

So, I've been trying to get back into an exercise routine. The only exercise I find someone manageable is walking on my treadmill. I haven't found any other exercise or dvd that works. So, I am trying for the minimum recommendation which my doctor said was basically 150 minutes of brisk walking per week, usually 30 minutes 5 days a week. So here's my question. I take warmup time to get up to speed on the treadmill, and then I take time to cool down. So when it says 30 minutes, is that supposed to be only the brisk walking that does not include warmup and cool down? Or is the 30 minutes the entire time I'm on the treadmill?

[Mom-ninja.]

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It depends on effort between warm up and cool down. You can get away with less time with the same benefits (sometimes more) by doing short bursts of higher intensity. If you're not breathing quickly and heavily (you should be able to manage a word or two but not an entire sentence) then you're working at a lower effort level and need to go longer. 

 

That said lower pace has its own benefits as well so don't discount it. Another thing to keep in mind is that short workouts spread throughout the day carry more benefit than one longer workout. So you could split treadmill walking (or walking anywhere) into 10 min segments. 

 

The 150 minutes a week usually means 150 minutes of faster heart rate so however you get that done is the best way. 

[AnniePoo]

While starting, I'd just count the warmup and cool down as part of the 150 minutes.  As you get more fit, you can probably tweak things a bit.  Make it manageable to start.

[Pawz4me]

I wouldn't over think it.  Just do it.  If that means 30 minutes total, then that's better than nothing.

[Hikin' Mama]

Take this with a grain of salt, because I'm a Type A overachiever (this often is not a good thing), but I wouldn't count the warm up and cool down in with the 30 minutes. Unless 30 minutes of brisk walking is too much, then work up to that. One thing, in my opinion, that makes treadmill walking more effective is to walk without holding onto the sides of the treadmill. You may have to walk a little slower, but I feel (and I've read many times) that it really is a better workout if you are walking and moving your arms. Have fun!

[Greta]

I think it really depends on you. If you're intimidated by this and somewhat reluctant about doing it, then count then warm-up and cool-down as part of your time, because that means you're more likely to get it done. And anything is better than nothing! (That's my mantra on days when I don't feel like working out, which has been a whole lotta days recently.)

 

If you're stoked and enthusiastic knowing that this change is going to reap many benefits (which it is!) and/or if you're a nerd who likes quantities and precision (like me), then don't count the warm-up and cool-down, but count only the time that your heart rate is in your target zone.

 

Either way, there really isn't a "wrong" answer. Do what works for you!

[pehp]

I agree--count the w/u and c/d as part of the workout for now.  Don't make it harder than it needs to be!!  Just take it slowly.  You may need this time to just get used to the idea of investing 150 mins/week into exercise to begin with, without the added 50 mins of warm-ups and cool-downs, if that makes sense. Do the best you can, where you are, and go from there. Once you get into a routine, you'll probably be able to increase to 45-60 mins without feeling it is hard on your schedule. 

[Soror]

Personally, I start with whatever I feel I can reasonably do without being discouraged that it is too hard and that is usually 15 min- total. If you are consistent with 10-15 min it doesn't take long to build up your endurance. Make small goals you can keep, you are more likely to stay motivated if your goals are something you are likely to achieve.

[Night Elf]

I can walk pretty fast. During warmup, I ramp up to walking 3.8mph and take twice as long to cool down. If I do 30 minutes of brisk walking at 3.8, my total time is almost an hour on the treadmill. I was doing that a couple of times per week, but lately, just the idea of being on the treadmill that long makes me have zero motivation. And the way my personality works, if I can't do it properly, I don't want to do it at all. So the idea of walking only 30 minutes sounds like it isn't good enough. But I'd like for it to be. That's one tv show and I'm fairly certain I can commit to that a few times a week. Then maybe if I'm feeling especially good, I can walk longer. I don't want to do that all the time though.

[Rachel]

Seeing your second comment, I would count your warm up and cool down. I think you are better off walking a shorter amount a few times a week than a longer time twice a week. Of course anything is better than nothing. I have no research to back this up, just personal experience and a few random articles I have read.

[swimmermom3]

Beth, is there anything else at all that you might be interested in doing?  When the weather is good, is a mild hike in a nice outdoor setting a possibility?

 

Golf?  Belly dance (tribal) or Zumba?  Yoga?  Pilates? A water aerobics class? We all know what we "should" do and sometimes that "should" part makes us not want to do it.  Do you like music?  On the days I don't think I can stand walking the same bike path one more time, I set the timer for the top of the hour and pick something on Pandora to "dance" to for the 3-5 minutes it takes to play the song. If it's a good song, i might watch the live performance on Youtube. I am usually "huffing' and "puffing" by the end and have a better attitude. Yes, I know it's not the "perfect way" to exercise," but I am not looking for perfection, just moving my body more throughout the day.

[Soror]

Beth, is there anything else at all that you might be interested in doing?  When the weather is good, is a mild hike in a nice outdoor setting a possibility?

 

Golf?  Belly dance (tribal) or Zumba?  Yoga?  Pilates? A water aerobics class? We all know what we "should" do and sometimes that "should" part makes us not want to do it.  Do you like music?  On the days I don't think I can stand walking the same bike path one more time, I set the timer for the top of the hour and pick something on Pandora to "dance" to for the 3-5 minutes it takes to play the song. If it's a good song, i might watch the live performance on Youtube. I am usually "huffing' and "puffing" by the end and have a better attitude. Yes, I know it's not the "perfect way" to exercise," but I am not looking for perfection, just moving my body more throughout the day.

:iagree:  :iagree:  :iagree:  :iagree:  :iagree:  :iagree:  :iagree:  :iagree:  :iagree:

 

No way could I keep the motivated to exercising if it was an activity I hated. There are so many ways to move and be active don't pick something you hate. Think outside the box, go for your dreams, try something new.

[Night Elf]

Beth, is there anything else at all that you might be interested in doing?  When the weather is good, is a mild hike in a nice outdoor setting a possibility?

 

 

 

The only thing I sort of liked was using the exercise machines at the YMCA when we were members, but that wasn't cardio. I do like walking outside a couple of places when the weather is nice and my DH is always up for going outside. He's a runner so he spends as much time outside running as he can, but he is happy to walk with me if I decide to go. I do have some exercise tapes that are so-so interesting, but I don't have a good place to do them. My bedroom is too small and my living room is too open. I don't know, I shouldn't care if my ds sees me exercising, but I do. It feels weird for me to be dancing around, huffing and puffing. And I wouldn't even be able to use the living room when dd is out of school because her bedroom is directly beneath the living room floor and she hears us walking on it. If I'm working hard on it, like clomping around, it will wake her up. So I ended up doing the treadmill only because at least I can watch tv while I'm doing it. I have certain shows I only watch when I'm exercising. They are half-hour shows, so one show would see me through a 30-minute workout. When I'm trying to walk briskly for 30 minutes and also have a warmup and cool down, I watch two shows and it just seems like such a long time!

[Soror]

The only thing I sort of liked was using the exercise machines at the YMCA when we were members, but that wasn't cardio. I do like walking outside a couple of places when the weather is nice and my DH is always up for going outside. He's a runner so he spends as much time outside running as he can, but he is happy to walk with me if I decide to go. I do have some exercise tapes that are so-so interesting, but I don't have a good place to do them. My bedroom is too small and my living room is too open. I don't know, I shouldn't care if my ds sees me exercising, but I do. It feels weird for me to be dancing around, huffing and puffing. And I wouldn't even be able to use the living room when dd is out of school because her bedroom is directly beneath the living room floor and she hears us walking on it. If I'm working hard on it, like clomping around, it will wake her up. So I ended up doing the treadmill only because at least I can watch tv while I'm doing it. I have certain shows I only watch when I'm exercising. They are half-hour shows, so one show would see me through a 30-minute workout. When I'm trying to walk briskly for 30 minutes and also have a warmup and cool down, I watch two shows and it just seems like such a long time!

I don't qualify exercise as cardio or not. IMO any movement is worthwhile. I do mostly yoga these days, some sessions pretty intense and quick moving and some slower. I walk and hike(3-5x a week) because I like it, sometimes slow and meandering with the kids and sometimes brisk. I run in sprinklings here and there when I feel a desire to. I'm active through the day. I understand the desire to quantify and such but make the goals ones that will motivate you, your building a habit, enjoyment is needed in the long term to keep with it, especially to make it past the initial discomfort aches and pains. Start with the walking but try to think of something that will motivate you a bit more.

[fruitofthewomb]

I am new to exercise but I think I have a similar personality. I ended up just doing it. Whenever, wherever-just do it! I am enjoying Leslie Sansone & Jessica Smith. The latter has tons of YouTube videos & a website-jessicasmithtv.com I am about to start her Fit in 15 series. Neither ladies take up too much floor space. Or requires lots of jumping around.

 

I only do 20-30 min a day but at least I am moving purposefully! I will ramp it up when I can but something I enjoy (and I do enjoy both of these ladies) is better than slogging through OR doing nothing.

[Soror]

I am new to exercise but I think I have a similar personality. I ended up just doing it. Whenever, wherever-just do it! I am enjoying Leslie Sansone & Jessica Smith. The latter has tons of YouTube videos & a website-jessicasmithtv.com I am about to start her Fit in 15 series. Neither ladies take up too much floor space. Or requires lots of jumping around.

 

I only do 20-30 min a day but at least I am moving purposefully! I will ramp it up when I can but something I enjoy (and I do enjoy both of these ladies) is better than slogging through OR doing nothing.

Is Nike's slogan still- Just do it? Just move :)

[Mom-ninja.]

Is Nike's slogan still- Just do it? Just move :)

 

Agree. Every one of us could sit and form a never ending list with "reasons" (that are really excuses) to not exercise. No space, no time, doesn't fit in schedule, no equipment, too cold, too hot, kids around, too early, too late, no gym, gym too far, don't like gym, no money, and on and on.

 

We need to be honest with ourselves and recognize excuses....not true reasons. A broken body part or recovering from surgery is a reason. There are many reasons to not fit in exercise but there are many MORE excuses. So just recognizing the difference between reason and excuse is a huge step. Once you do that you can work out solutions to get rid of the excuses. Don't let excuses stop you from exercise. You are worth too much.

 

As others have posted, find and do something you like. There are so many ways to "exercise" which really is just using and moving your body.

 

Rebounding on a small trampoline is really fun and takes no space. Much less space than a treadmill. Easy on joints, small area, and you feel like you are flying! :D Can be done with music or watching TV. You can get a trampoline for around $50. There are expensive ones, but I've found that the cheaper ones last long enough.

 

So many free videos on youtube and such. I make a fool of myself all the time trying new things, and my kids love it. I am being a role model for 1) trying new things 2) not being afraid to "fail" 3) laughing at oneself when messing up 4) not giving up 5) make taking care of oneself is a priority 6) and I'm a motivation for my kids.

 

Check out the book Hot Sweaty Mama. It is filled with great advice, suggestions, and stories from moms on how to fit fitness into a mom's life. 

[KungFuPanda]

If it's on a treadmill, I'd just pick a distance and do it as fast or slow as I felt that day. If outside, I'd pick a destination. That way you can listen to your body and move WITH it while still getting your mileage in.

 

You could be all adult and use the time to clear your head OR you can pick a TV show, podcast, or book on tape and ONLY watch it from your treadmill :-)