Forgettable Fit: A morning on the elliptical

By: LL
Forcing myself to go to the gym early in the morning can be tough. It is hard to get motivated and roll out of bed with a 4:30 am alarm when your body is barely awake and you still have pillow marks on your face. But, the feeling after a morning workout, and the energy that I get for the rest of the day, makes it all worth it.

However, there is nothing worse than psyching yourself up for your planned workout and being forced into something else - like the elliptical machine. Nothing against ellipticals, they can give you go0d workouts, but when you are not planning on using an elliptical, and you are forced to adhere to the 30 minute time limit due to other gym members waiting, it is hard to get in a good workout. And trust me, I tried.

This morning, as I popped my iPod headphones into my ears, and placed my water bottle and towel in their appropriate places, I already felt the tapping feet, waiting for me to finish. I tried to tune them out and used my annoyance as motivation to push myself harder, but I still didn't feel satisfied at the end of my 30 minutes. I really could have used an additional 15-20 to really get into my stride.

So how did I compensate? I went over to the free weights (where there normally is minimal, if any wait for use) and added in some plyometrics to keep my heart rate up for the additional time, and add in some strength training. And, I was pleasantly surprised with how I felt at the end - tired, sore, and energized.

Does this ever happen to you? You step reluctantly off the elliptical (or stair machine, or treadmill even) and do not feel satisfied with your workout, but have no choice but to move on. Well, here are some great ideas to add to the end of your workout, before you do your cool down:

Forgettable Fit: Resolution Exercisers!

By: LL
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I just got back from spending 10 days back in the Midwest for late holiday celebrations and a friend's wedding. Whereas it was a wonderful time, wrapped up in a flurry of fun activities and good company, it also was filled with too much food and little exercise. Not a good combination! I definitely tried to fit in fitness while I was on the road, but it wasn't a very relaxing vacation and there was little time to squeeze in yoga sculpt or a run in the snow. My fitness activities were confined to 20 minutes of yoga 4x scattered over 10 days, and a few bouts of power walking. Not impressive, I know.

But this lack of physical activity made me very motivated to get back on track. I was even excited to dedicate a few early morning hours to my first workout post-vacation. Unfortunately, other gym members interfered with my plan and instead of a morning of circuit training, I was stuck with an overcrowded space and a 30-minute limit on the cardio machine. And this was at 4:30 am! Oh, the New Year's Resolution Exercisers...I can only imagine how busy the gym is later in the day. The joy of this time of year!

So needless to say, after only 50 minutes of waiting and having others give me the stink eye as they wait for me, I forfeited my exercise plan and headed home, grumbling over this forgettable fit.

Sound familiar? It can be difficult to stay motivated and enjoy a workout when the facility - whether that is a gym, studio, running path, or bike lane - is overcrowded - and especially filled with those individuals who are new to the system, and don't follow "protocol," if you will. In situations like this, it can be nearly impossible to bring your heart rate up - except out of anger. But something like this shouldn't stop you (or me) from getting what you want out of your daily workout. Instead, let this challenge of space serve as motivation for you and let it lead you to try new things. For instance, say the treadmills and elliptical machines are occupied. Why not try the stair-stepper or the bike? The change in routine will make your workout more interesting, work your muscles in different ways to help you avoid over-training, and will allow you to still get your workout in.

I have to remind myself to try to send out positive energy to help encourage these New Year's Resolution Exercisers to continue with their workouts. Don't be like me this past morning and let amazing motivation turn into a forgettable fit.