When asked how I stay fit, it’s not always a short answer and I’m sure some have regretted asking. 
To give you an idea of what activities I do right now to maintain my weight loss I’ll simply spell it out as best I can.
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Strive for hard exercise 5 times a week for at least 45 minutes, but more typically an hour to 90 minutes.
When I say hard exercise, that means giving it my all, pushing myself as hard as I possibly can. -
I am excited when my alarm clock rings at 4:15 am. I get my coffee going, get ready to get to the health club by 5:00 am and by 7:00 am I’m fully charged up, mind cleared and ready to deal with anything that comes my way.
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Always mix it up and never repeat the same things day after day (well, with running I make an exception)
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Pilates once a week using Pilates equipment and trainer. (I’ve tried mat Pilates classes but just never got the same effect.) There’s a lot about Pilates that I just love, it’s incredibly hard to do it right (a great challenge), makes me feel like a kid again (doing upside down inversions), and stretches your body in ways that, when it’s all over with, feel so good.
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Running: 15-30 miles a week depending on how excited I am about running. Then again, some weeks I just skip it entirely and let my feet recover a bit.
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Spinning (cycling) class once a week
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Step aerobics class once a week
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Weight lifting and/or cardio weights (Body Pump class) once a week
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One hour on the elliptical trainer each week
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Riding my bike. In the summer, I’m on my bike whenever I get a chance, in the winter when it’s snowy, not so much, but I’ve found a solution to that…
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Sign up for events 6 to 12 months out to keep myself motivated. I recently completed the 2008 DisneyWorld Marathon. This past week I signed up for the 2009 Goofy Challenge where participants run a half marathon on a Saturday, then follow it up with a full marathon on Sunday. They call it ‘Goofy’ for a reason! And no, it’s not because I love running. To me it’s a challenge, something I can work towards and helps motivate me even more to maintain my level of fitness.
For those not so much into exercise right now or hate going to the health club (I know you’re out there because I’ve been there myself), there is nothing that feels better than finishing a good workout.
What motivates me to get up at the crack of dawn nearly every day? Knowing how good I’ll feel once I’ve gotten my exercise, stretched out and worked up a sweat.
Some tell me they would rather say in bed. I can’t even relate. The moment the alarm goes off, I’m already thinking of the cardio class I’ll attend, what distance I’ll try to run or how many laps I’d like to swim.
Tags: activities, aerobics, exercise, motivation
