First thing in the morning I do what most people do: gather my thoughts, try to remember what I might have forgotten, plot my day and think of new ideas all in my own peaceful mind space…And Oh, I might just happen to be running on the treadmill while this is going on.
Working out first thing in the morning can become “your time,” and it is the very best time to work out. The air is fresher, the world is quiet, and you can actually hear yourself think. Working out allows you to burn more body fat and speed up your metabolism to burn more fat throughout the day. Plus, you can get it in without fail. There is no excuse why you can’t get up an hour earlier than usual to work out. As parents, it’s only sensible to take care of the person who’s taking care of our kids.
Implementing a pattern of respecting our bodies will teach our kids to respect theirs. Besides, our kids learn more from what we do than what we say.
The early morning purge is a powerful thing, and that feeling of accomplishment can become addictive. Without getting too technical, let me just say, “The brain can become as addicted to positive stimuli just as well as the negative.”
To ask me “Why I work out” confounds me to ask, “Why wouldn’t I?” It makes me feel good, and it’s good for me, but the most important reason as to why I work out is “Cane Day.”
Aging is inevitable. I know one day I will have to walk with a cane and on that day, I will WISH I had the choice to run. I thank God I can run now, so I will run, sprint, lift, jump, and kick in celebration until I can’t anymore. The more I work out now, the longer I delay “Cane Day.”
Nothing is worse than living in regret, and I believe we all can and should improve our quality of life right now. Your life and your body are your ONLY true possessions. They can’t be repossessed or foreclosed on. It’s time to build equity for your most prized possession, YOU. You just have to love yourself enough to believe you’re worth it, and believe me, YOU ARE!
MY ROUTINE:
I work out 5 days a week. Mon-Wed. with Thursday off, and Fri and Sat. with Sunday off. I start off with 45 minutes of cardio first thing in the AM. That could be running, treadmill, stair-mill or heavy bag. Then I commit to 90 minutes of strength & conditioning in the afternoon or evening, meaning weights, kettle bells, pull up bars, pushups, sit-ups, Martial Arts). Since I don’t want to be any bigger, I use weights purely for toning, and do 4 sets of 15 reps, with 12 sets total per body part.
Weight training is important not only to maintain strength, but it keeps volume in your body as you age and is one of the only things that strengthens your bones.
I feel weights should be used primarily to balance the body nature didn’t give you. Most of us are not born with a totally balanced physique and your entire weight regimen should be prioritized to build where you are lacking. If you train your entire body the same, you’ll just emphasize your flaws. I used to have a weak back. My arms and thighs were too big and my shoulders were rounded. Although I balanced out my physique through weight training over the years, I still emphasize back training first and foremost. A strong back has its benefits beyond just aesthetics (wink) and as I age, I want to still be able to carry my great grandchildren on my neck and put off “Cane Day” for as long as possible.
