A couple of months before we left Glasgow I backtracked on a lifetime of disdain and joined the local gym. I loved it. I'm nothing if not inconsistent.
Then we moved to the Highlands and we lived in the middle of nowhere and I can't drive and there was no public transport, so no gym. I thought about exercising outdoors but I don't care what the Scandinavians say (smug bastards), there is such a thing as bad weather and I was not going to start running in this.
I meant to start some sort of at home fitness regime, I really did, but I just.... didn't. And now it's 6 months later and it turns out that the memory of exercise and how good it makes you feel isn't actually the same as exercising. Nor is imagining yourself exercising. To surmise: I feel like crap, my clothes don't really fit and I get out of breath walking to the shops. But after the unimaginable cost of moving house I can't really afford a gym membership. I know that running is free, but I really don't like the idea of exercising in front of people who aren't exercising. Not yet, not while exercising makes me spit up a lung.
That leaves DVDs. You have no idea how bad I have to be feeling to even contemplate a 'workout' DVD. My only experience of such things is being about 10 and looking up from my game of sonic the hedgehog to watch my aunt jumping around the living room in lycra and wondering why a) she was torturing herself and b) why the women on the telly were wearing a fluorescent floral leotard that exposed more of their crotches than they covered.
One look at exercise DVDs online tells me that things have moved on from Mr Motivator only in that all of the lycra clad tyrants on the boxes are now women, the lycra is all one colour and the sense of humour seems to have been removed from the whole endeavour.
So, what I'm looking for from you is recommendations. I've heard of some ballet-based one. And another that you do for a few minutes every day and makes you cry. I don't mind exercise that makes me cry but I want to cry because it hurts, not because I'm despairing at the state of humanity. What have you got? I need to stop imagining that I'm exercising and actually start doing it.
* old photo, via Tenka Gammelgaard
Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. It has 3 different levels of exertion/difficulty, so you don't have to hate humanity right off the bat. And you can do the whole thing, including warm-up & cool-down, in just under 30 minutes.
ReplyDeleteAgreed!!
DeleteIt is good and it will make you cry when you move up the stages but I'm happy with stage one.
DeleteI also do Shiva Rea flow yoga as I am a big hippy though. That works up a sweat too. I sometimes get annoyed at her but am too busy breathing and that to care.
I second the 30 day shred, it is awesome.
ReplyDeleteI've been doing Ballet Beautiful - it kicks your butt, but man does it work.
ReplyDeleteBallet Beautiful - you can stream the 15 minute videos on the website and do them anywhere. And you can imagine for a few moments that you are a dancer...
ReplyDeletePilates or yoga if you like exercise even less. It's good for the mind too see so you can be impressed with yourself on two counts. If you do it regularly it does tone you up pretty well (apparently). I'm more of a once a fortnight kind of girl.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kate and Kristy on 30 day shred and you can pick it up for 5 pounds on amazon.co.uk
ReplyDelete30 day shred gets my vote too
ReplyDeletei like to do the spark people videos on youtube. they're free, and each one is only about 10 minutes. so on my best days, i'll do five of them, and on the days that exercising feels like a tremendous chore, i'll do one or two. my sister does the pop physique videos (you can get them on amazon). she's been a dancer her whole life, but once she started pop physique she got into even more amazing shape than dancer body shape... if you can even believe that.
ReplyDeletei use the nike training club app. it's free & has a tons of workout options. you can play your own music and the app fades it when it gives you instructions. the app keeps track of all your work outs and i have found it to be pretty motivating. there is no humor involved, unfortunately, but if you get motivated like i do by seeing incredibly fit women working out, it's a good bet. bonus: no need for tv, so if someone walks in while you're working out you can pretend you were weird-dancing or something.
ReplyDeletehere's an example: http://youtu.be/2-WbrqcJ2fo
I've never tried a fitness dvd, so I'm no help there - but I can offer up the world's most reasonably priced gym chain - the Gym Group. It's about £10-20 a month, depending on which gym you pick, and while it's no-frills, so no pool or spa, all the equipment is new and shiny and there's plenty of it, so no queues. I used to go to the one in Vauxhall when I last lived in London, and it was perfect for my needs (which were mainly cardio). Not sure if there's one close to you, but there are a few dotted around south London...
ReplyDeleteI really like Jillian Michaels. Her workouts are hard, but she's also a good motivator and when I finish the workout I really feel like I've accomplished something. The length is pretty good as well.
ReplyDeleteSecond this. 30 Day Shred hurt my knees after a few weeks, but I've been using her 6 Week Ab one, and a yoga workout (which is not really yoga as I know it, but whatever - it makes me sweat) for several weeks now. I hate her with a burning passion, right up until the minute I finish, and then I think she's a genius. Levels 2 or 3 are as hard as the hardest gym class I've attended.
DeleteNew York City Ballet Workout. Best by far, I've found. The production values are laughable, the voice over amusingly fanatical in volume 1 and then resentfully patronising in volume 2 (very funny) and Sarah Jessica Parker's hair is a terrifying shade of yellow in the intro, but it has amazing results. I (and others I've recommended it to) have found that it makes you feel lovely and lean and quite quickly people comment on a real change of shape. This completely changed my relationship with skinny jeans.
ReplyDelete30 day schred is great! I found the first week available on youtube so you could go there and try it for free before you buy.
ReplyDeleteI love blogilates. (www.blogilates.com) She is horribly cheery and positive and I enjoy muttering swearwords at her when I'm exercising. She also has a sense of humour and a giant teacup in her apartment. It's a mix of pilates and cardio.
ReplyDeletesecond! I love her. She has a couple 30 minute total body workouts that i enjoy, but she also has 5-15 minute videos that target specific body parts. mix and match. she's on youtube: just search pop pilates
DeleteI was going to recommend blbogilates too...it's free, its on youtube and you can print off her monthly workout plan and just follow the videos for the day you want. I've been doing it for a month now and already notice a difference in my stomach tone!
DeleteDon't be too quick to dismiss running - I've been doing it for about 4 months now, I do little and often (1 mile, 3 times a week) and without changing what I eat I've lost nearly half a stone. I wasn't even doing it to lose weight, but to get fit and to spend more time outdoors, alone, free. It's very liberating. No shouty ladies, no lycra. Highly recommended.
ReplyDeleteI love "Ballet Conditioning." I've used it for a few years now off and on. It's a good workout and enjoyable at the same time.
ReplyDeleteTWO CELIAS! TWO CELIAS!!
ReplyDeleteHaha! Yes indeed - hello. It's not often I encounter another Celia under the age of 60...
DeleteI have tried LOTS - yoga, Gillian whatshername from the Biggest Loser (hard and serious) and Tracy Anderson (far too dancy dancy)-honestly think Divina McColls (spelling!?) are easy to follow and enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteDo you not have on demand television? My favorite was I kid you not videos by the Playmates. It was really fun to watch these blond T&A sorts do pushups. And I'd just follow along.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course the yoga guys are good too. Especially Yoga By A Canyon.
Seconding "Ballet Beautiful", but if the idea of a ballet based workout (or the insanely toned instructor) scares the crap out of you, I'd suggest "Barre Body" - it's an Australian program that combines yoga, pilates and a bit of ballet (so it relaxes you as it kicks your ass). There are free streaming videos on the website (barrebody.com.au) and if you put do the "long and lean" videos in a row, it's the same as doing the hour long class. They also have a DVD (but I'm cheap and just use the free videos).
ReplyDeleteThis works for me really well:
ReplyDeletePilates, there is a nice book plus DVD for a set of 15 min programmes which you can fit in almost any day. They look simple but the effect is soon visible. You'll need weights (or two 1 litre water bottles, filled that is). Look for Alycea Ungaro (the author I would recommend) on amazon.
Cycling. I know, London is not the best place for that, but maybe in the suburbs with a buggy/trailer for the girls to bring along. It's not gym work but in the long run (spring is on!) replacing the car with the bicycle will increase your level of fitness, especially in your legs. And outdoors can be really lovely.
Walking. Lots of it, slowly increasing your distance etc. Simple and effective. Never mind the adjectives, power walking, nordic walking, bla bla bla. Just walk and the rest follows. In fact, research has shown that its even better for fitness than jogging. Also works as in walking to and from the gym. Double effect.
Have fun. Don't punish yourself. Enjoy.
Oh I am with you. I started running (with this program that starts from scratch) and then it snowed and then I stopped.
ReplyDeleteWe are taking salsa lessons and I am calling it exercise.
Otherwise I think yoga looks doable.
The gym is too overwhelming for me... and the one time I went into spinning for real, I put weight when I stopped. So , no intensity for me, I do not want my metabolism to change and I don't want to become a slave of exercise.
It sounds like there is some really good advice in the other comments. I'd like to suggest something that I've really enjoyed: kettlebells. They're getting easier find in stores, but you can always order one from Amazon. I originally started using them after reading Lauren Brooks' story on her blog and I've been using them as part of my workout ever since. They're actually fun to use, and they make you feel so strong! They get your heart rate up quickly and give you a good cardio workout while making your whole body stronger at the same time. (Just be sure to do a little research and make sure you're using good form. listen to your body.) You can make the workouts fairly short, too. They're so versatile and you can find lots of videos on youtube.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, ANY kind of activity that you find enjoyable is good! If the weather's crappy, stay indoors and do a workout with a kettlebell or some power yoga (which I also love). If it's nice out, walk and run some sprints! Do what you enjoy and don't let yourself feel guilty on those days when you just don't want to push yourself. Remember the good example you'll be setting for your girls as you're taking care of yourself and loving your body!
I really like the Core Fusion DVDs. My favorites are abs and arms, thighs and glutes, and lean and toned. I also have pilates plus and body scuplt. They all have five 10 min segments, and you can do all together or just pick and choose what you have time for.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what the weather is like there or how accommodating that city is to bikers, but biking is a great way to get a workout, get yourself the kids out of the house and explore your new city all at once. Those things you pull for kids add to the workout factor, but not the ease, maybe you and your husband get the plastic add on seats?
ReplyDeleteOtherwise I enjoy Bob Harpers weight loss yoga tapes for indoors. Worse comes to worse some push ups and running stairs works too. :)
Tabatas - high intensity intervals of various calisthenic style activities. They're time-efficient, and very effective. A good iphone app is "you are your own gym."
ReplyDeleteI know I'm both late to reply and behind the times in general, but I really like EA Active for the Wii. It can be fun, I always hurt in a good way afterwards, and you can totally set how long you work out (from like 20 min to an hour) and if you're doing more traditional stuff (running, squats) or playing fake volleyball and basketball. Plus, it's a wii, and you can do play game on it with the kids maybe? It's kind of old tech now, so it should be cheapish.
ReplyDeleteHasbro's Get in Shape, Girl!
ReplyDeletePink legwarmers, pink headband.
I LOVE Power Yoga by Rodney Yee (tho I know true yogis may look down their noses at it). You really get your heart rate up while still doing strength exercises. Plus, you don't have to feel like a fool jumping all over your living room.
ReplyDeleteI was also really into P90X for awhile- but you will be jumping all over your living room in that one... (my poor downstairs neighbors!)
Good luck!
Sarah
So this post inspired me to check out Ballet Beautiful, and I just bought the DVDs and book. Hope I like it! :)
ReplyDeleteI have done two Jillian Michaels videos online that I like (but that are very hard for me), but I am super excited about this Ballet-inspired approach and the concept of working towards a more dancer-like body. I am short/petite, so I am not really looking to add bulky muscles. The idea of lean, long muscles is appealing...