Like many people who exercise, I think it’s important to change your routine every few weeks or months. I tend to get bored if I do the same thing over and over again, so I change things up to shake up my mind and body. I also like to challenge myself physically. Before I outline my routine, though, I want to tell you the most important part it – exercise DVDs. I don’t have a gym membership because of the cost, and I don’t have time to go to a facility and get all the things I need done at home.
I grew up in a small town without a gym, so I started uses exercise videos as a teenager. I learned to create at-home routines by using simple tools. Sadly, some people still believe you have to go to a gym or have a personal trainer to succeed. The best thing about exercise DVDs is customization. I have DVDs that range from short 10-minute workouts to hour-long routines, so I can adjust my workout according to my daily, weekly or monthly schedule. Here is a general outline of my fitness routine.
Aerobics/Cardiovascular Activities
In general, my fitness routine consists of approximately 300 minutes of aerobics/cardiovascular activities per week. This is the equivalent of an hour of aerobics five days a week. I break it up according to my goals for the week. Usually, it’s broken into four or five days. Of course, I may do aerobics every day for less than an hour if I’m busy. When I have a lot of time (which is rare), I challenge myself with a two-hour workout. I do this just to see how far I can push myself.
To make sure I get my 300 minutes, I keep a log of my workouts for the week. I enjoy dancing and cardio kickboxing, so most of the DVDs in my collection are of that nature. My favorite workout routines are Zumba, Turbo Jam and Dance Off the Inches. I have regular low-impact and high-impact workout DVDs mixed in, as well. Sometimes, I just want a traditional aerobics workout. I have enough variety to fit every mood.
Strength/Circuit Training
I strength train or do circuit training workouts at least three times a week, sometime more if I have a specific goal in mind. These workouts are usually 20-45 minutes. I don’t really like keeping track of how many repetitions I do, so I use exercise DVDs to keep track of the workout for me. I like workouts that build muscles and burn calories at the same time.
At this time, I’ve been using a workout program called Supreme 90 Day, as well as Jillian Michaels’ DVDs. I like them because you get a full workout in less than an hour. Even though most of these workouts are 40 minutes or less, by the end, you feel like you’ve spent more than an hour at the gym. I think they are much better than trying to fight for a machine at the gym or having a personal trainer scream at you.
Additional Activities
In addition to scheduled aerobics/cardiovascular workouts and strength or circuit training, I try to get a little extra exercise in during the day. I have a treadmill in the living room. I try to walk 10-30 miles on it per week, depending on how I feel. It sounds like a lot, but it’s my multitask tool.
I usually take leisurely strolls on it in while watching television; otherwise, walking aimlessly on the treadmill would bore me to death. It’s hard to believe how much extra exercise you get in while watching a television show or movie. I work part time at home, so 10 minutes on the treadmill also re-energizes me during the midday lull.
I’ve also gotten in touch with my inner child with my child’s jump rope. You never think about how may calories you burned as children while you were just playing with toys. When I found out that you burn more than 100 calories after jumping for 10 minutes, I started keeping the rope in the living room. I jump during commercial breaks or while waiting for something in the microwave.
Tools for My Workout Routine
The most expensive workout tool I have is my treadmill; however, my other workout tools are things that cost less than $20 and can be found at department stores. I have hand weights in multiple pounds because some toning exercises require light weights and other heavy weights. I have recently discovered kettlebells. After I took a spinning/kettlebell class last year, I was hooked. I purchased one, and either use it with a DVD or in place of hand weight. My last tool is the Swiss ball. I use it for toning or as an alternate for a chair.
Weekly Schedules:
It’s hard for me to compose a definitive weekly workout schedule, so I’ll provide two basic routines that I follow. I didn’t add time to the schedules because that changes, depending on my schedule.
Aerobic/Cardio Focused Schedule
Sunday – Zumba (or other dance)
Monday – Turbo Jam (or cardio kickboxing)
Tuesday – Strength Training (or circuit training)
Wednesday – Zumba (or other dance)
Thursday – Strength Training (or circuit training)
Friday – Turbo Jam (or cardio kickboxing)
Saturday – rest or extra workout
Strength/Circuit Training Focused Schedule
Sunday – Aerobics/Cardio
Monday – Strength Training and/or Circuit
Tuesday – Aerobics/Cardio
Wednesday — Circuit Training + Cardio
Thursday – Aerobics/Cardio
Friday – Strength Training and/or Circuit
Saturday – rest or extra workout
At times, I don’t follow the above schedules. When I purchase a new workout program, such as Supreme 90 Day, I follow the accompanying schedule to add variety to my workout and get ideas on how to change things up. This really helps when I hit a dreaded plateau. Alternating between weeks of high intensity and moderate intensity workouts has really helped me in the past few months see physical changes.
Keeping a routine has helped me fight my family history of heart disease. I’ve never had problems with my cholesterol or blood sugar. My blood pressure rises when I’m stressed. It’s a challenge keeping it at bay, but I always think about how bad it would be if I didn’t exercise. I also feel so much better when I’m active.
In the past, I let my exercise routine falter because of other obligations. My physical and mental health declined. I was tired all of the time, too tired for my age. Now, I feel like myself again and actually carry out my life obligations better. I find myself dancing around by my little girl and keeping up with her bundle of energy. Because I exercise regularly, she too has shown interest in having her own exercise DVDs and exercising with me.
