Easy as Pie

Yesterday I did go on to do 20 - 25 mins. (I don't exactly time it) of cardio with hits in there (high intensity interval training) then pacing or marching in place to get heart rate down then I did some weight lifting for the upper body = a circuit hit routine.

I am using lighter weights now and doing the move with super concentrated squeezing (not just flapping the weight losely up there). For middle aged women I think the lighter weights work just fine using that technique.

I am using hits another way as in movie soundtrack hits.

Most movies have some snappy tunes so I DVR some songs. I flip on the tv and just go down the list of whatever songs I want to work out with.

My current list of DVR'd songs:
I am Legend
Hairspray
Tropic Thunder (that hilarious dance Tom Cruise does at the end)
Theme song from True Blood
And yes, even a Jonas Brothers song

and a lot of others.

Point is: I don't have to find a workout dvd, or cd of music or anything and get it out and put it in. I am ready to workout at a seconds notice that it takes to just turn on the tv.

Of course you gotta have full cable to get all these movies so that you can choose enough songs to keep your interest. And the time just flies by.

Cardio becomes easy and fun. It is not a chore.
If I do just 10 mins. that is fine, if I go on for 25 or 30 that is great.

But there are other fitness requirements.

You should be on (with healthcare providers clearance) some sort of resistance training (no, resisting exercise completely does not apply).

But be careful - you have to have good form when you do these. If you do bad form and use a weight you can easily do some joint straining.

That doesn't get as much publicity as does the younger crowd just hoisting away at heavy weights all over the place.

Don't do body weight exercises if you are at all overweight: duh, but that is so commonly done.

I do not do push ups (too much strain on elbows) and I do not do tricep dips either.
But I do squats...that is another post the exercises I do for middle aged women.

ANYWAY: I still needed to do some stretching so I did my super quick 7 min. yoga stretch routine (can be as short as 4 mins). I also had incorporated cardio moves that are stretchy in my cardio segment.

Then I had a few minutes later and did a few heel raises. While in the kitchen cleaning up I stopped and did a 25 rep set of squats (careful to not let my knees go over my toes) and really squeezed on the uptake. Work it!

While I thought of it I did ab pull ins. Holding for 3 counts did 3 reps for about 4sets. I also did some pelvic floor exer. while relaxing watching the telly (that is pelvic floor exer. not to be confused with just kegels).

So here I almost effortlessly, and certainly easily did exercise and I started fitting it in later in the day. I can get more in when I start earlier in the day but sometimes I just don't - AND I don't stress if I don't. Exercise stress = any negative thought about exercise you have.

YOU GOTTA GET OVER THE NEGATIVE ASSOCIATIONS WITH EXERCISE.

I felt great doing the exercise and felt good about doing some healthy movement later and all this did was pour out some of those great endorphins (you can get endorphins from not only the exercise but the positive good thoughts you have about it). POSITIVE THOUGHTS ABOUT MOVEMENT OR EXERCISE = ENDORPHIN RELEASE - really just the thoughts can do it. You literally lighten up just thinking of the exercise word.

I really enjoyed being on exercise forums - we would post our goals there. This fitness blog is great in that I can put on here my goal for the day and put results on quickly. Today it is a bum day! Not to worry though I can fit those in effortlessly. And I need to aim for 100 ab pull ins - maybe even get down and do some pilates ab work. (I cannot stand floor work and try to do as little as possible).

Don't forget ladies: crunches can weaken your pelvic floor.