Spend 30 Minutes Less on the Couch: Days 25 - 30

I'm a couple of days late posting this. Day 30 was technically on Monday, but life has been hectic and I've only found a few minutes to sit and write this now.

I stated in my last post that I would be spending the last six days duking it out with Jillian Michaels, and I mostly did. The only problem was that, by day four, I was so tired that I couldn't finish it off. In the end, I decided to ditch her for a couple of days and do some bellydancing and Latin dancing instead. Less butch, more fun. This is not to say that I will be giving up on Jillian. I plan to keep her as part of my routine.

Because, yes people, the exercise is now my regular routine.

I was sharing with a friend yesterday that I've found that doing this challenge has forced be to learn to become more organized in my evening. I've found that I really do have a lot more time to do things than I thought. Knowing that I've got 30 minutes of physical activity coming up means that I eat less for dinner, get the dishes washed earlier, and have the dog walked on time. I sleep better, I feel better, and I have more strength.

My activities have included:

• yoga
• dance
• good ol' aerobics
• boxing
• Pilates
• Jillian workout hell

Great benefit: I've lost lots of inches. The muffin-top that was sitting over my trousers is gone. My arms and back feel stronger and are less flabby. My knees feel so much better. My legs are just plain awesome.

And those pants I couldn't wear at the beginning of this challenge? I wore them on Monday. I was mostly comfortable in them, but I think that I could still look better in them. It's great to be able to get them on and move and breathe. Moving in breathing is a good thing, in case you didn't know.

As far as keeping up with it, the answer is a big YES. Last night, I did some Pilates and broke into dance when a few Britney songs came on the radio. I'm looking into joining Fitocracy (if I can get an invite) that is sort of like a social network/game for keeping you motivated for keeping fit. And why not? What have I got to lose?

A few more pounds, that's what!

Spend 30 Minutes Less on the Couch: Days 18 - 24

I'm on the home stretch now, and it's been a surprisingly good few days. I say surprising because I never imagined I'd be so pleased to get up and move in the evenings, even on the days when I've been so tired. Special thanks to my Google+ friend who have listened to me grumble on days when I'm dragging my butt.

I've decided to really step it up and spend as many of the last few days of this challenge really working hard. The one workout I tend to avoid is my Jillian Michaels DVD: The 30 Day Shred. I've used it before, and it's one of those things you think will be a breeze, but it never, ever is. It's twenty minutes of an intense circuit: three minutes of strength, two minutes of cardio, one minute of abs... then, you do those over again another two times.

It seems like not very long, but I call it a half-hour workout because:

1) It includes a few minutes of warm up and stretching at the end.
2) I need five minutes to figure out how to move again when it's all over.

Still, it's a good workout because it really blasts you into another level of fitness. Even with the extra cardiovascular work I've been doing, it was still hard work. It was slightly easier than if I hadn't done any groundwork before, but still hard.

So, Jillian... it's you and me for the next six days. Let's see who's still standing at the end...

Spend 30 Minutes Less on the Couch: Day 14, 15, 16 & 17

What happens to you when you take on a challenge?

The first few days are always interesting... a fascinating look into a different life. You find new ways of doing things, and you feel yourself attracted to the change. You like the change, and you enjoy the results. When it comes to physical changes, you enjoy how your body changes. You look and feel better, and then you want more...

And that's usually where I fall down.

I wasn't feeling well over the weekend, and I was so disappointed because I had big plans to try out new activities, exercise more vigorously, try different ways to improve my strength. But I couldn't do it. I couldn't put my body through that because I didn't want to cripple it and set myself back. It would start off with, "Oh, I'm not feeling well, so I'll just take a break for a couple of days..." Then, down the slippery slope I would go.

So, for the first time ever, I said, "Ok, so you're not well. But you can do something... something small, something like stretching or breathing. Get off the couch, find something else to do, and when you're ready, get back on the horse."

Saturday, I did a gentle yoga session... worked on my legs, my knees, my back... lots of deep breaths, still thoughts on an open mind. I slept a lot that day. I had a bath. I went to bed early.

Sunday, I felt more or less normal, but I didn't push it. I did a good, vigorous swim, but then I went home and had another nap. That evening, I did some bellydancing.

By Monday, I was back on track.

So, while I would love to get into those pants I couldn't wear at the beginning of this challenge, I think the longer-term goal of creating positive habits is much, much more valuable. 30 minutes, every day, for the rest of my life.

Here's hoping that's a long time.

Spend 30 Minutes Less on the Couch: Day 11, 12 & 13

The going is getting tough right now. I've been having problems sleeping over the last few days. At first, I shook it off and did lots of vigorous exercise on Day 11, even though I noticed that one of my eyes was a little red. I woke up on Day 12 with a burst blood vessel and a rotten night of sleep.

Ordinarily, I would have thrown in the towel, but after I had a nap, I decided to try out another bellydancing DVD for 30 minutes, which was a relatively light exercise, but still challenging. I had a good night's sleep last night, and today, on Day 13 (Friday the 13th!) I decided to spend my 30 minutes doing a good yoga/stretch session.

I'm slightly worried that I might be coming down with something, because I feel a bit of pressure behind my eyes and I'm still quite tired, but even if I do, I'm going to continue at least stretching for 30 minutes a day. I'm not going to give up.

At the pool this morning, I noticed that one of the "regulars" looked like she'd lost weight... a lot of it. I hadn't seen her much over the summer because she was swimming in the outdoor pool, and I prefer the indoor pool. I stopped her in the change room and said, "You're looking amazing!"

"Thanks," she said. "I've been steadily losing weight for about a year now. I've lost 159 pounds so far. That's a whole person!"

So, if she can keep it up for a year and lose an entire person, I can keep up 30 minutes of something each day!

Spend 30 Minutes Less on the Couch: Day 8, 9 & 10

The last three days have consisted of: exercise ball, Latin dance, and yoga. The last one has been a real lifesaver, because if there's anything I'm bad at, it's taking the time to stretch. And you know what? It's true what they say:

If you don't stretch, you will hurt yourself. LISTEN TO ME: IF YOU DO NOT STRETCH, YOU WILL HURT YOURSELF.

Ask me how I know. Ok, I'll tell you.

I've been having trouble with my knees for the past year. I thought it was because I wasn't wearing the right shoes (I have a weakness for high heels, but I limit how much activity I do in them). I thought it was because I was running the wrong way (because who knew there were so many ways to run?). I thought I was developing arthritis, nursing old sprains, or just plain getting old.

The solution to my aches and pains? Yes, stretching.

My chiropractor gave me the old standby stretches for hamstrings, calves and hips. The one that really surprised me was the stretch he told me to do for my quads. It's the same as I always did before, where you stand and reach back, grab the top of your foot and pull it toward your buttock. This time, though, I was to hold onto a chair and go into full ballerina pose.

Wow, I didn't know I could stretch that part. I feel a stretch that goes over my knees, not my kneecap... like a couple of elastic bands that are lying vertically over my knees that stretch as though they've been waiting for me to do that for a long time. I'd always been told to stand straight up whilst doing this stretch, else risk injury. Well, gee willikers, this is what I've been looking for.

It's not the only stretch that's been helping: I also have to squat as though I'm trying to look into my lowest cupboards (something I've had difficulty with as well over the last year) and to remember to stretch the opposing muscles, too.

It only works if I do it, and well, since I've been making myself do it, my knees have been much happier for it. I'm not totally ignorant of the fact that they'd be even happier if I dropped a few pounds, but that's what this challenge is all about anyway, isn't it?

Yay for happy knees!

Spend 30 Minutes Less on the Couch: Day 4, 5, 6 & 7

Still going... I'm enjoying this challenge, even though it IS a challenge to haul myself up off the couch in the evenings. If anything, it keeps me from eating too much at dinner. It's not pretty trying to exercise with too much in the tummy.

Take last night, for example.

We decided to go out for Chinese food. Not just Chinese food... Chinese buffet. Willpower? Me? No, of course not. But I figured, "We'll walk the dog afterward, and that will help me to digest before I spend 30 minutes off the couch."

We did walk the dog, enjoyed the fresh air and warm weather, then came home. I changed my clothes and went down to the basement and popped in my bellydance DVD. Not too much bouncing in that... should have been ok...

Well, it was, but man, I was sweating hard after that. It was not a pretty sight. It's just not a good equation: buffet + bellydance = burping.

I have LEARNED.

Spend 30 Minutes Less on the Couch: Day 3 & 4

I decided the other day that I should get down to the serious business of toning up, since I haven't done much by the way of strength exercises for a while. I took my exercise ball and did a series of exercises based on a DVD that I used to use on a regular basis. Sit ups, plank poses, push ups, butt lifts, leg lifts... then followed up by doing some stretches. 30 minutes, done.

Of course, the problem with not doing strength and toning exercises on a regular basis is that, when you finally do, you are basically a scarecrow for the next few days. Stiff, sore and scary, that's me. It's still a good feeling, because I know I need to do it, and I know I'm getting stronger. Worth it, if somewhat difficult.

Last night, I thought I'd "give myself a break" and do another section on the bellydance DVD I used earlier in the week, but my abdominals and thighs are even more sore with all that gyration and carrying on. Sheesh.

I'm not sure what I'll do tonight, but I'm finding that it's easy to find time to do this. I just have to get up off the couch, and bam, I'm doing it!

Spend 30 Minutes Less on the Couch: Day 1 & 2

One of the reasons I decided to do this challenge was that I have SO many exercise DVDs sitting around the house, some of which I've only tried once, a few of which I've never even opened. What a waste! So, last night, I cracked open a Latin dance DVD. Holy schmoley, that was fun! Probably not pretty to watch, but who cares? Before I knew it, an hour had flown past!

This evening, I opened up a DVD that I'd purchased a couple of years ago and only tried once, and only half of it, at that. It was Instructional Bellydance with Jillina. It's not even available anymore, it's been around that long. I skipped past the stretches (I'd stretched thoroughly before starting, because I forgot there were stretches on the DVD), and went straight to the Technique section.

There is something to be said for dancing in a room without mirrors. I'm sure I would have given up immediately if I'd seen what I looked like. In the end, I followed along, bouncing my hips, shimmying my shoulders, and performing what is called a "camel," in all different directions, no less. This is particularly humorous if you'd read my last post on my other blog. The "camel" is a pretty sexy move, if somewhat strangely named. I wonder if it has to do with the humps I have...

Anyway, so far, so fun. I think 30 minutes each evening doing something like this is pretty doable, at least at the moment...

Spend 30 Minutes Less on the Couch

I try to stay active. I walk my dog every day for for 40 minutes and swim three times a week... unless something comes up, like sleep, eating, or sitting on the couch. Still, I'm usually pretty good at making sure I don't turn into Jabba the Hut.

I've been having some sleeping problems over the past few months, and my normal morning exercise routines have basically gone out the window while I try to get a few more minutes of rest in the mornings. The result? Belly fat galore. I am a walking pile of mashed potatoes at the moment, and while I don't normally worry about stuff like that, I knew I had a problem when I went to put on a pair of pants this week and couldn't even bend down to pick up a pair of socks on the floor. Oy.

So, the only thing to do is to change some habits.

I love my couch. Seriously. Someone should have given me a medal for having the good sense to buy it. If there's a choice between going out and staying home on my couch, I'm not ashamed to say that, more often than not, I'll choose the couch. My relationship with it needs to change, though.

We need some time apart.

I plan to spend 30 minutes less on the couch each evening. I'm sure I can find something to get me moving the evenings, and while I know it'll do me good, I'm not sure I'll love it. Wish me luck!