Apples to Oranges [003/020]

Sharing is what humans are meant to do, so I don't understand it when some people covet their hobbies, activities or choices. Perhaps it is selfishly driven? Either way I'm happy to welcome my husband back to the fold of healthy living and eating and am so thrilled for him that he is already seeing results. He wants to lose 64 pounds to get to his goal weight of 156 and I want to lose 64 pounds to get to my goal weight of 135. We have the same amount to lose so we've teamed up to become weight loss buddies! It is very exciting for me.

He made a decision to be on E2L and detox a full six weeks. I know he won't slip in any mistakes since I'll be the one doing the cooking, but I hope his determination and dedication carry him 100% to the point where he learns he could do it - even without me in his corner. It took me months to be brave enough to know I could do it on my own without feeling deprived or unsupported. He's doing well..I'm proud of him and I've found my affection toward him raising now that he's making choices I'm proud of and proud to support.

So let's see now: Ways to work out without hitting a gym is today's post. I've found a lot of ways to work out without hitting a gym, and I must say the most effective one is bringing gym equipment into my home. An eliptical can be used two ways (arms, and legs/cardio seperately) but isn't always affordable. I definitely advise checking out bargain hunting newspapers, or classified ads. A lot of people love offloading their fitness supplies for next-to-nothing to gain back space. If you have no money for fitness supplies (or space to house it) you can get a full body work out with cardio and strength training with nothing but the stuff you can find in your own home. It's actually pretty amazing!

• Tinned food: Cans and tubs of food in equal sizes on both sizes can be used to strengthen and tone. Try 200 reps of curls, lifts, or extensions with a big can of baked beans and tell me you don't feel the burn. Toning is achieved with multiple repetative low-weight movements. Cans are great for that.
• Gallon-jugs of water: You can work your entire core with one gallon of water. Swing it like a kettle bell with hip-pops, use it for obliques by controlledly twisting yourself from side-to-side whilst holding it, use it for leg-squats, or work on your endurance by simply holding it above your head for as long as you possibly can.
• Pillows: Have someone hold a pillow for you and punch it as hard and as fast as you can for as long as you can. Great way to get your heart rate up, and get it up quickly. You don't need to be a boxer, or have any rhythm or form at all. Just punch like a maniac and see the magic happen!
• Chairs: Can be used as supports for pushups, situps, stretching, strength training - the list goes on forever.
• Couch: Whilst watching tv do mini sit-ups and put a small effort of thought into isolating your stomach muscles themselves to pull you up rather than relying on momentum. It looks a bit like you're rocking but anything done repetatively for the duration of a 30 minute television show will give a workout!
• Office chair: If you have a spinny-chair that has wheels and can swivel from side to side try putting your forearms flat on your desk and use your obliques (abdomincal muscles on either side of your torso) to force your body to twist back and forth. I lost something like 3" off my waist one month doing this while watching Korean historical dramas on the computer.
• Beds: If your bed can handle it, it is great cardio to jump up and down and the springs just make it fun. If your bed can't handle it, just jump up and down on the floor a lot. Great cardio and your heart rate will get into a good fat-burning zone.
• Floors: Situps, pushups, tagging pushups (if you have a buddy), planks. You name it, it can be done in some variation on the floor.
• Yoga: Can be done at home with no supplies at all. By exercising exact control over your muscles and holding poses for long periods of time you can get a great work out in.
• Walking/Jogging/Running/Cycling: If you have a bicycle, or a pair of sneakers, get outside and go. Walking is great for your health and burns a good amount of calories. If you have children you can take them along with you and teach them all about a healthy lifestyle simply by having them see you doing something good for yourself!

I'm sure there is a lot out there that I'm not immediately recalling but this short-list of things I do, or have done personally, to help me keep my inches in check and to get my heart rate into the prime-zone for fat loss! And, as an aside I checked my body fat percentage yesterday and registered in at 37.8%. In June I was at 39.3% so in those two months I've managed to lose 1.5%. Although 0.75% per month isn't the greatest ever it certaily isn't too shabby either!

I'm content with where I am, but really need to get exercise back into my life as a regular part of my daily routine. Exercise isn't always easy, and unless I've already started it or am 'in the mood' it can be rather trying at times. I'm going to get some walking in, some eliptical running, some strength training and perhaps a bit of training on the Wii Fit to mix things up and keep things fun.

Eggs out!
xx