Girl, Look at that Body! I Workout!

Day 8 is all about adding fat burning cardio-respiratory exercise.  I wrote an entire post that I am now scrapping.  Why?  It was much of the same things you've heard before - how much to exercise, how often, etc.  Blah, blah, blah.

Everyone seems to have a different opinion of not only how much you need to exercise but what constitutes as exercise.  Food Lovers says 12 minutes twice a week.  Other programs have said 30 minutes three times a week.  I've even heard 30 minutes every day.  As for what constitutes exercise, many programs say any kind of activity is activity while I recently heard someone say that walking a dog or using a treadmill isn't (yes, ISN'T) exercise.

Here's what I think - get moving!  I don't care what type of activity it is.  If it is above and beyond your normal day to day activities (i.e. walking to and from your car, walking around the office, doing laundry, cleaning your house, etc.), then it is GOOD FOR YOU!  

I also say DON'T listen to those people who say you have to practically kill yourself to benefit from working out.  That just sets you up for failure.  When I was trying to do some of the Biggest Loser workouts at the gym, I found myself getting very discouraged.  You can't go from completely sedentary (like me) to boot camp type workouts.  You also can't put a gal of my size, with my knees, on a stair climber for 30 minutes.  Find something you enjoy doing then push yourself just past your comfort zone.

The important thing is to get your heart into its target rate and keep it there.  I really like Food Lovers way of knowing if your heart rate is in that sweet spot where you burn fat.  They suggest trying to sing in one breath

"Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are."  If you can’t sing the "Twinkle, twinkle little star" part in one breath – slow down because you are working too hard.  If you can get all the way through to "what you are," pump it up a bit.  If you are at your target heart rate, you’ll run out of breath somewhere through the second half of the line.

Hee, hee, I can see the looks I’m going to get at the gym!

Now, for my journals . . . I wasn’t going to show you (or even complete) my journal from Saturday as it was just that bad.  I decided to go ahead and complete it and show it if for no other reason than to smack myself upside the head!  You’ll see how much red is on it!  Sunday wasn’t much better, but take a look at today!!!  As of 5pm, I had NO red circles; and I don’t plan on having any!!!