So as you know I’m actively living life after pet loss and finding ways to improve my wellness and have fun. One of the ways in which I’m working on this is through exercise. I’ve tried the gym and wrote a post about that previously which didn’t end up so well. However, what has been working for me is working out at home. While doing so I decided to try circuit training.
After about a month of trying the treadmill and cardio focused DVDs my progress seemed to plateau so I decided to mix things up. I’m not so much a creature of habit when it comes to exercise because I like variety and I get bored easy with the same routine for a long stretch of time. My new thing is circuit training. If you are not familiar with circuit training here is an explanation as provided by WebMD.com:
“This workout gets your heart rate up and strengthens your muscles at the same time. You’ll move quickly through 8-10 exercise stations to work different muscle groups with little to no rest between stations. Each station has a different exercise. You may do bicep curls or jump rope for 60 seconds. You’ll do about 10-25 reps at each station, lasting between 30 seconds and 3 minutes, and then move on to the next station. To keep things interesting, you can switch up the sequence, swap out different stations, and do it at the gym with equipment, at home with dumbbells and resistance bands, or on a fitness trail by alternating push-ups and squats with brisk walking or biking.”
I’ve been doing pretty well so far with circuit training. I rotate between doing cardio and circuit training. I like Jillian Michaels and Biggest Loser workouts as well as On Demand circuit training workouts at home on cable. My workouts are 30 -45 minimum and I strive for 5 days a week. My circuit training workouts are total body, so you are working out abs, arms, back, chest, shoulders, legs, and the rear. I find if I plan and wake up an hour earlier Monday through Friday and workout, I ‘m more consistent and successful as opposed to working out in the evenings after a long day at work. I can say however that since I’ve been working out I’m down about 5 pounds. That may not sound like much but I’m
losing weight the slow and healthy way. I can see my clothes fit better, I have more energy overall throughout the day, I sleep like a log, and am physically stronger and have a little more endurance.
So far I’ve been consistent and that’s a win for me. If you are like me, I have a habit of starting and stopping or falling off the wagon, but I don’t quit. I start again. Also eating clean goes hand in hand with exercise and I know this to be true based on experience. It’s all about proper balance. Again this is another goal I am actively working on. I’m not perfect just a work in progress.
So if you are looking to get a natural mood lifter and move your body and improve your wellness, give circuit training a try. You might like it. Try something new. You can find a variety of options online or even On Demand if you have cable options. Here is a link to a few options on Amazon that may help get you started. You can read reviews and see details as to fitness level, running time and equipment needed. Aside from the physical benefits I like circuit training because minimal equipment is needed. You basically just need an exercise mat, a light and heavy-set of dumbbells and your sneakers.
Note: I’m not a fitness trainer or doctor by any means so be sure to check with your physician before starting any exercise program.
So, let me know. Comment below. What types of exercises do you do to stay in shape?
Works Cited
Robinson, Kara M. “Circuit Training.” Circuit Training: What You Do, Benefits, and More. WebMD,LLC, n.d. Web. 3 Sept. 2016. <http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/a-z/circuit-training>.