Making exercise a habit (again)

After being quite the exercise slacker for a few months, I’m finally getting back into the daily exercise habit.  I haven’t reached the point where I’m feeling great physically yet, but I know it’ll come if I stick with it long enough.  I have noticed an improvement in my mood though.  I feel better about myself when I set a goal and stick with it.  I honestly believe exercise can often be as beneficial as antidepressants, maybe more so for a lot of people.

One of my goals is to convert my spare bedroom to a gym.  I have some pretty decent equipment to stock it with, it’s just a matter of getting everything else out of that room.  I’ve been able to use it to store Christmas decorations, craft supplies and out of season gardening supplies, so I would need to find some other means of storing these things (or…maybe get rid of a lot of the things I don’t really care about…hmm…now there’s an idea).  My plan is to figure out what to do with everything before I take my next vacation in June (can you believe this is the middle of May already?  How has that happened?), then put that plan into play while I’m off work.

I have several different dumbbells, various weights.  These are the ones I’m using most often now.  I also really like the kettlebells, particularly for core work.  The resistance bands are handy and don’t take up much room.

Stability ball….the people I work with chipped in and bought this (along with some other exercise equipment) a couple of years ago for Christmas.  I use this thing all the time.  I haven’t felt daring enough to try standing on it, you know, like you sometimes see people on the Biggest Loser doing…maybe someday!

My most expensive fitness equipment purchase, the treadmill.  It’s come in pretty handy this spring with all the rain we’ve been having.

Sometimes I think about buying more fitness equipment, but then I talk myself out of it.  I have an exercise bike, a ski machine, a lot of dvds, a ballet barre, Pilates equipment, etc.  If I can’t figure out how to get fit and stay fit with the equipment I have, adding more to my home isn’t going to do the trick.  It’s about consistency, challenging myself, trying new things and constantly looking for ways to improve.  I can do all of that with what I have as long as I continue to stay motivated.  And really, isn’t that up to me?  Isn’t that my responsibility?  I think it is and I’m willing to do what I need to do to reach my fitness goals!  5K, here I come!

Related articles

• Fitness equipment (drkaylosesweight.wordpress.com)
• Good habits part 2: I’m now using http://streak.ly #lifehack (georgemills.wordpress.com)