Fitness campaign

photo credit H@rpoon

Despite very convincing previous postings (12,000 steps and Reasons I should be exercising), you will be surprised to find that I have not in fact been inspired to exercise. Perhaps the recent posting Reasons I should be allowed to eat what I want may have been the give-away clue.

So I have finally bitten the bullet and seen an exercise physiologist.

Now I have to say, I am a relatively educated person, and I have worked in the health industry for many years. I know about Type II diabetes, cardio-vascular disease, cholesterol, lifestyle risk factors, Syndrome X etc. I’ve read the women’s magazines, taken the quizzes and enrolled in Weight-Watchers (a number of years ago when, in retrospect, I really didn’t need it). So I think I know quite a lot about diet, exercise, metabolism etc. Fundamentally, I know what I am supposed to do, I just don’t do it.

I have also seen the various internet adverts promising the “secret exercise tricks” that can help you lose weight rapidly without having to spend hours exercising. Now much as these ads had my name all over them, I did resist sending any money to find out the secret exercise tricks. I am sceptical about miracle cures, much as I would really love to see one (use one and be the living proof).

Well, turns out there is such a thing as a secret exercise trick – and I will reveal it here! With no guarantees, as I haven’t actually tried it yet, but a very convincing exercise physiologist showed me the graphs and some pretty diagrams which he highlighted appropriately as he explained it. So I am convinced.

The trick is actually to exercise like a sprinter, not an endurance runner. And since I am starting from a very (very) low level of fitness, this means interval training. Five repetitions of 30 seconds working at maximum capacity, interspersed with two minutes of low level exercise. All done and finished in fifteen minutes.

Apparently exercising like a sprinter means you use sugars while you are exercising, but your body resets to burn fats over the next two days. So I only have to do this 3 or 4 times a week. I can probably manage to motivate myself for that!

Meanwhile, if you’d like to send your money for this amazing fat-burning secret, please drop me a line and I’ll send you my PO Box.

12,000 steps

This is not me! Licensed under Creative Commons from Adria Richards http://www.flickr.com/photos/adriarichards/2798736890/

Acording to health and exercise gurus, I should be doing something between 10,000 and 12,000 steps a day. No, that is not a typo. Ten thousand to twelve thousand steps a day.

My average sits somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000. Unless I am particularly busy at work, in which case it can drop to as little as 2,000.

I have a fairly sedentary job. I spend my days sitting in my car driving, sitting at a computer, sitting at my desk reading, sitting in meetings.

My children on the other hand, can run up 12,000 steps in a couple of hours. They run, jump, hop, play sports, climb, skip, chase, etc.

So how can I get my steps up?

One work colleague suggested walking before work (clearly he doesn’t have to get children ready for school in the morning. Or put on a load of washing, empty and reload the dishwasher, make beds, iron a shirt or two, prepare lunches and defrost tonight’s dinner).

I could get up early – but I am already sleep deprived. (I do however acknowledge the argument that if I were fitter I might not have the sleep issues and my energy levels might be better managed).

Another colleague suggested a quick walk at lunchtime. I spend most of my lunchtimes doing emails. I have a long commute to and from work and would prefer to spend all my time at work productively. And yes that probably does say something about my priorities and how, as a working woman, I should be prioritising myself…..

A third suggestion was a walking group after work. I need to be at the other side of the city before childcare closes.

And when I get home I have dinner to prepare, homework to supervise, fights to break up, a house to keep in some semblance of tidiness.

On the weekend I can get a little exercise in. In between study homework, shopping, running the children to sporting and social committments. And writing this blog. But this little bit of weekend exercise does not make up for the daily deficit.

Clearly I need to do something. More exercise would increase my energy levels, reduce BP and stress levels, increase brain function, etc etc (see Reasons I should be exercising.) What I can do at the moment is try to build extra steps into my day. I walk to local work sites when I can. I do try to build in an errand or two at lunch time to enable me to take a five minute walk (post office, supermarket, newsagent).

But if exercise is like a bank, I am definitely living on my credit cards.

Thanks for listening to me whinge!