Tricks to Motivate Myself to Exercise: #7

Hi friends,

Finding the motivation to exercise, will help us get active and hopefully keep us healthy – and help us maintain our weight. The main reason I exercise if for well-being (for health, happiness, & to de-stress) and the second to maintain my weight. It is not always easy to motivate myself to exercise, so I’ve been sharing the tricks I use. Here’s trick #7 – Exercise on weekends. Hope you find it motivating!

Do you exercise on weekends? When do you prefer to exercise? Do you have any tricks you’d like to share? I’d love to hear from you.

Hugs,

Paola

Tricks to Motivate Myself to Exercise #7: Exercise on Weekends

Generally, on weekends we have more free time, that is if you work a Monday through Friday schedule, like I do. So, weekends are a good time to get in some exercise! If you like sports, you can play tennis, basketball, go surfing, swimming, or any sport that gets you out there being active and breaking a sweat. My hubby and I were playing racquetball for a few months and it is a great workout, plus it’s fun! You can also go for a bike ride or get out there to throw a ball with your children or friends. If you jog, on the weekends you can jog as far as you want! I prefer to walk and on weekends, I can take more scenic walks and not be as concerned about how long the walk will take.  Or, you could also go for a walk on a beach or a hiking trail. Or, if you have a membership to a gym, you can take a class. I like to go to Zumba classes on weekends, usually in the mid-mornings. Many people like to take a yoga class on weekends, to help them stretch and de-stress from the workweek.

If your children play a sport on the weekend, you could try to go for a walk around the field before or after the game. I used to do that when my hubby was helping coach my nieces’s soccer team. I’d out on my Ipod and walk around the field a few times, then watch her play.  If you have little one’s, you could go for a walk and push them on a stroller. I’ve done that with my nephews and they enjoy getting out of the house and seeing the scenery, plus we all get some fresh air. If the weather is too warm or cold, you can exercise to a DVD. I’ve done that with my sister and we have fun dancing to a Zumba DVD!

I know, on weekends we want to disconnect and relax, but if you exercise, even just a little bit, you will feel better and sleep better! Remember, if you can, try to carve out a little time for yourself to stay active and healthy!

Hugs,

Paola 

DSCN9207

DSCN9144

Lola and I recently went for  walk at Balboa Park on a weekend, we chatted, enjoyed the beautiful Park, and had fun while exercising!

582228_3240051288278_2068416036_n

I’ll exercise at the gym on weekends, even a few minutes on a bike can get my heart pumping!

DSCN8249

You could go for a jog.

DSCN8274

Take a walk.

DSCN8192

Go swimming.

lola-paola-exercise-bay-150x150Here is another picture of Lola and me on one of our walks, this one was by the bay in downtown San Diego.

Tricks To Motivate Myself To Exercise: #6

Hi friends – Happy Wednesday! I am continuing the Exercise Motivation Tricks Series. This is trick #6 that I use to motivate myself to exercise! I was out of town last week and that threw me off my exercise routine, so I haven’t been getting many workouts lately. I may use this trick this week to jump start my metabolism this week!

What exercise tricks do you use?

Hugs,

Paola

Tricks to Motivate Myself To Exercise: #6 Use Exercise Videos

zumba-dvd-pic-1

I have a few exercise DVD videos that I use to exercise at home. I also use them when I travel and I know it may not be possible to exercise outside or at the hotel gym. When the weather isn’t nice outside, I have used these videos to exercise at my sister and my friend Lola’s house.

Currently, my favorite exercise videos are the Zumba DVDs. They are fun & the music just gets you  dancing. How can you listen to salsa and bachata, and not start moving your hips and shoulders? It is like a natural reflex for me. Maybe because I am Hispanic, haha. I also like exercise videos because I can do them at any time of the day and on any day of the week. Also, if I only have fifteen  minutes to exercise, then I just do fifteen minutes of the video and simply press stop. Fifteen minutes of exercise is better than not doing any exercise at all. It is good to get our bodies moving! It also helps our mood (gets us in a better mood), and gets the endorphins and metabolism going! When I use DVDs to exercise in the mornings, I simply get up, put the Zumba DVD in and the music starts playing while I change into exercise clothes. I put the volume high, once I hear the music I am ready to Zumba! Even on mornings when I am feeling sluggish, I may  not do the exercises 100% correctly or at full cardio level, but at least I am moving and that alone gets me feeling more energetic, before I know it, I am smiling!

DVDs are a convenient way to exercise, it’s like taking a class at a gym, but in the comfort of your home. In my opinion, they should also be fun. I have  few more intense exercise videos, like toning DVDs, and some hard core abs and boot camp videos. I have used those DVDs a few times, but honestly, they aren’t much fun for me.  Zumba is fun for me because I like to dance and it includes lots of dancing. I also like using my yoga DVDs when I feel a need to relax , stretch, and reflect. Everyone is different though, one of my friends really likes her butt toning videos and she is disciplined about doing them a few times each week, those are quite hard core for me! What matters is that you like the video and the exercises, and that you get the workout.

So, if you don’t have exercise DVDs and you think this is may be a type of exercise you may enjoy, then get some! The videos aren’t expensive, most cost between $10 – $25. You can find them at Target, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, sporting stores, and you can also buy them on-line. If you aren’t certain which video you may like, you can do a little research on-line and preview some videos beforehand. You can also preview exercise videos on YouTube.

Hope this exercise trick will help motivate you to exercise!

1377369_10200373626611380_1481818695_n

This is a picture from a charity walk I participated in (I am the person to the farthest right, in the second row). Our team was on stage to kick-off the walk with a warm up and it was Zumba! It was a fun way to get the walk started!

You may also like these:

1268341_10200321700073249_822789476_o-300x169

Tricks to Motivate Myself to Exercise: #5

582228_3240051288278_2068416036_n-300x165

Tricks to Motivate Myself to Exercise: #4

 

 

 

Tricks to Motivate Myself to Exercise: Tip #3

Hi friends , Happy Saturday – hope you are enjoying your day! This is the third tip from the series Tricks to Motivate Myself to Exercise. Hopefully you are liking the series. If you have tips that work for you , share them below!

Hugs,

Paola

Trick #3: Find a Workout Class You Like

yoga stretch july 82013

Exercise classes are a wonderful and fun way to exercise! I go to a few 24 Hour Fitness gyms, either close to work or home. I periodically print out the class schedules and highlight my favorite classes: Zumba & Yoga. I keep them in a special red folder in a file cabinet at my desk at work and in the glove compartment of my car. This may seem a bit much, but hey, it works for me. I have so much on my mind, it helps to have the schedules handy when I want to look up a class to attend. I also add the classes that I am most likely to attend on my Outlook electronic schedule (I easily have access to the schedule from my cel phone). I add classes that are held on weekday evenings for the gyms close to work. I add a few options because I don’t always leave work at the same time, if I miss the first evening class, I know an hour later there is another class available. I add classes held on weekend for the gyms which are close to home. It helps me remember the times and locations the classes are held at.

Attending classes I like makes it fun to exercise. I know with Zumba, I will dance and enjoy the music! I’ll break a sweat, get lots of cardio, and always leave with a smile and feeling great! With yoga, I know I will stretch and balance, and always leave feeling relaxed. I’ve also become familiar with some of the instructors and have my favorite classes.

Do you have any favorite classes you attend?

Hugs,

Paola

1008806_303576346446110_1453996674_o

This picture was taken as I was leaving the gym after a Zumba class! After a long day at work, a Zumba class makes me feel good & even re-energized! I get my endorphins going & feel great!

920731_4502050717475_1460463408_o

ESPAÑOL:

Estrategias para Motivarte a Hacer Ejercicio: #3 Clases de Ejercicio Que Te Gusten

¡Las clases de ejercicio son una manera divertida y buena de hacer ejercicio! Yo voy a los gimnasios 24 Hour Fitness que están cerca de mi casa y del trabajo. Periódicamente imprimo los horarios de las clases de ejercicio y marco mis favoritas: Zumba y Yoga. Mantengo los horarios en un folder en mi oficina y en la gauntera de mi carro. Quizás parezca demasiado tenerlos en dos lugares, pero a mi me funciona. Tengo una agenda ocupada y muchas cosas en la mente, así que me ayuda tener los horarios de las clases a la mano cuando quiero ver las opciones disponibles.

También agrego las clases a las cuales es mas probable que vaya en mi calendario electrónico. De esta manera tengo acceso al horario por medio de mi celular. Agrego clases que se llevan a cabo en las tardes en los gimnasios que quedan cerca del trabajo. Agrego clases que se llevan a cabo los fines de semana en gimnasios que quedan cerca de mi casa. Esto me ayuda bastante, son recordatorios de donde y a que hora son las clases, y me ayuda a organizar mi día de tal manera que logro acomodar el tiempo para hacer ejercicio.

¡Tomar clases que nos gustan hace que el ejercicio sea divertido! Se que con Zumba bailaré y disfrutaré la música. Voy a sudar, haré cardio, y siempre salgo con una sonrisa y sintiéndome excelente! Con Yoga, se que me estiraré y haré ejercicios de equilibrio, salgo sintiéndome relajada.

¿Vas a alguna clase de ejercicio? Cual es tu favorita?

Un abrazo,
Paola