Free (and some not-so-free) Workout Tools

I saw a picture of myself a few years ago that I really didn't like. In fact, I hated that picture! When it would appear in our computer's screen saver slide show I would cringe. I still do in fact. However, instead of cringing in embarrassment, I now cringe in relieved regret. I have lost over 30 pounds in the last three years. Yes, that's a long time and people on The Biggest Loser lose that in two weeks. I know, though, that it took time to put that weight on, and it takes time to take it off. I think slow and steady is healthier in the long run.


So, how did I do it?

I stopped enjoying dessert every single night. We implemented "Saturday Dessert". Now we could look forward to enjoying some ice cream or a cookie, but it wasn't every night. The treat seemed much more like a treat, too! We have been eating more and more whole food for several years. Our diet overall was (and is) pretty healthy. But I saw a problem. I was often consuming carbs at every meal. Wholesome, complex carbs, but carbs nonetheless. I noted that it was pretty common for me to have oatmeal with toast for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and a dinner of meat, starchy-carby side, veggie side and roll. I changed my meals around to include only one carby serving of food a day. I greatly increased my water consumption (made all the easier by purchasing a Berkey water filter!).



Finally, I began exercising. I began doing Namaste Yoga.  It's an easy, energizing type of yoga that I was glad to find. I ignore the commentary which can be pretty 'eastern'. I also turn it off before the 'meditation' portion. I invested in The Biggest Loser DVD's from my local Costco. They were only $5.99 each! I especially like Weight Loss Yoga with Bob. It really makes you work and doesn't have any of the eastern meditation junk. Jillian's Yoga Meltdown is also well worth getting. Chaturanga push ups are amazing.

I also completed a FREE 6 week workout at Marine Style Fitness. This was an incredibly beneficial workout. I did not do the cardio portion much of the time. I wish I had! However, just doing the strength training really toned me up.

Bob Harper from The Biggest Loser also has FREE challenges on his website. These are HARD but they are only two to three minutes. You can do it! I only do these on occasion, but I imagine that they could be a workout program on their own! Of course he sells his DVD series, which I bet is well worth the money.



Currently I am doing P90. It's a tough and effective workout. I have lost only two pounds since beginning three weeks ago, but my newly purchased pants are once again beginning to droop from being too big. That's all that matters to me!

Livestrong has also been a help. I use the free portion only. It's so easy to log in your food and see how many calories you are really consuming. It helped me to see that my portions were still too big. I love, love, love that I can enter my own recipes and get a nutritional breakdown.

I can now see that I can workout in odd times rather than big chunks of time. Any activity is better than none. I brought in an extra cement block left over from building our garden and use it for a step. Why spend $20 on a plastic step? I can do 15 minutes of stepping while listening to a child narrate or read aloud. Then I can plug in the info on Livestrong or here to get an estimate of calories burned. Seeing those numbers encourages me not to eat a handful of candy corn when it's on the refreshment table at church. I also walk for an hour in the mornings before the children wake up. I stay within two or three streets of our home so I can hurry home if I need to. I bring my phone with me. I listen to my Mp3 player and enjoy The Word for Today or an audiobook from Audible. I really enjoy my time working out and I have seen the effort chiseling down my hips and thighs.

Working out and eating right doesn't have to cost a fortune. You don't need a gym membership. You don't need to have a fancy kitchen filled with special ingredients and fancy machines. Basic, simple, whole foods, walking around your neighborhood and working out in your living room can do it for you, too!