IT’S SIMPLE, BUT IMPORTANT
Or simply important. I have often heard friends say “I try to get to the gym 2-3 times per week”. This begs these questions:
- How successful is your trying?
- What do you do when you get there?
- How long have you been doing this?
- What are your goals?
I work out every day, except for scheduled breaks or injuries. But I don’t ever train the same body parts on consecutive days. It is important to take breaks and I certainly do. Recently, I skipped three consecutive days and felt guilty for doing so, but mentally and physically fresher when I returned. This was because of a back ache. Even with no pains or injuries, we should take breaks periodically to freshen our attitudes.
Looking back, I have been very consistent for about 6 decades. As a retired person and an octogenarian, I now have more time, which may offset (to some degree) the effects of aging.
There is nothing esoteric about “keeping it simple”. I support the idea of uncomplicated, easy-to-understand workouts. Effective workouts never need be difficult to understand or to perform. This is not to say that a weight should be “easy” to move.
BE ACCOUNTABLE AND DEVELOP HEALTHY HABITS
The best way to be consistent, in my opinion, is to be accountable for our performance. We need to measure our consistency by making a journal of our activity. This accomplishes two things:
- We can see a record of what we have done (or not done)
- We are motivated to enter positive numbers and to maintain consistency
My practice is to record the following each day:
- My weight to the tenth of a pound
- My blood pressure and pulse
- My workout numbers – sets and reps performed or cardiac minutes
- Calories consumed per each meal and as a daily total
I have goals to meet for each category above. Also, I have goals for water consumed – 100 ounces per day, though I don’t record this. Also, the 100 ounces per day only includes water consumed from bottles, not the water within fruits or other foods that I consume. Here is my prior article on healthy hydration.
Finally, I have a goal of elevating my legs as often as possible during the day – by using my inversion table or simply keeping my legs above my heart as often as I can. I don’t record this. My prior post on this subject is shown here.
The above image is quite meaningful to me. My daily workouts are only for about 30 minutes. I use lighter weights and high reps. I am now not interested in bench press personal records or the amount of weight used daily. I have general goals – to keep my weight between 182 to 187 and my blood pressure below 125 / 80.
I realize that fitness is a marathon, not a sprint. When I was younger, I did heavier and lengthier workouts 3 times per week. To do more would have been to overtrain. Now I simply work out to maintain strength and fitness.
VENDORS
My favorite source for sports equipment has always been Dick’s Sporting Goods, the largest sporting goods merchant in the United States and – in my opinion – the one with the best inventory, pricing and service.
I have been a customer for several decades and have purchased tennis racquets and accessories, golf clubs and accessories, workout tools and sportswear.
I am now an affiliate and may be compensated when purchases are made from my links. Here is such a link. This will show their entire inventory. It will be easy to review your favorite departments from their site. Be alert to the many specials that are now shown throughout.
I am also a customer and affiliate for Amazon (I may earn from qualifying purchases). Most of my posts have shown links to Amazon products. Why not? They have everything most people need! I constantly use Amazon.
For example, here is something that I am now thinking about purchasing, a workout bench to use at home. Here is the link.
My Amazon links always present the item specified as well as similar options to also consider.
Bullworker produces high quality workout tools. They are unique in that they provide both isotonic and isometric modes within the same product. I use the Steel Bow and Bow Classic. These are spring-loaded pieces with variable resistance created by the springs. They are portable and easy to conveniently take on trips, as well as being great home workout tools.
Here is the Bullworker website.
Goli Nutrition has become well known for their gummies and chocolate bites, especially the Apple Cider Vinegar gummies. I have used every one of their products and have realized the healthy benefits. I am never sure that I eat enough fruits or vegetables and use the Goli products to give me the balance I need. For example, the Goli Superfruit gummies helped me out this past winter when I developed flu symptoms.
Here is the link to all Goli products and the nutrition provided.
CONCLUDING
I often wonder why everyone does not have a workout schedule or some allegiance to a system of personal fitness. It is difficult to imagine that some of us don’t care about our level of fitness.
It is really not difficult to get started with such a program. My time commitment is 30 minutes per day, which is slightly more than 2% of my day. I have roughly 98% of my day for other pursuits. If I separate 8 hours for sleep, I am still only using a bit more than 3% of my waking hours for my workouts.
This is not a major time commitment, but it is certainly an important fitness commitment.
Also, we can radically change our bodies. This takes time, but the best part is that we can see positive results quickly. This helps to motivate us for the long haul. The difficult part is usually the decision to start a fitness program initially.
Please leave me any comments or questions in the “Comments” section below. Or email me, richard@myworkoutathome.com.
Be well! Be consistent!
