How To Start Working Out

Hey everyone :) I've been thinking, and I've finally managed to compile a list of things one can do to help lose the extra kilos put on during the Christmas holidays. I've been trying to diet for quiet a while but nothing seemed to be working. I have to admit though, I have been a little piggy when it came to Christmas pudding and the wonderful cakes everyone was offering me. So I've decided to start working out again. Here is a list of things that I found effective in the past, in hopes that this will help anyone reading to lose the fat they might have gained. I don't guarantee that these exercises will work for everyone, and also, they're not meant to help you lose weight, but to lose fat (There's a difference :P ).

IMPORTANT: Always stretch before doing any exercises to prevent hurting yourself.

TIP 1:
I find that this exercise can help to both lose fat, and also gain some flexibility.

What to do:
Stand in front of a mirror (this will help you to do it right) and open your legs just enough to be in line with your shoulders. Make sure your toes face forward and make sure your spine is straight. Put your arms straight down and put your hands in a fist. Proceed to bend to one side, keeping your back straight at all times until your fist reaches the side of your knee. Slowly come back up and repeat on the other side. Do this around 20 times. Don't do more than that if it's your first time, because you'll regret it when you can't move a day later. You can gradually add the amount when you start doing these regularly. Doing 20 a day before sleep won't take up a lot of time, and these alone will help improve your upper body quite a bit. Don't expect too much by doing just these however. I explained this specific exercise because this is a good way to start working out everyday, even if it takes less than a minute. the practice will help you build stamina for when you're ready to take on more than one exercise.

TIP 2:
I don't only do the exercise explained in tip 1. I also try lunges, squats, 3 minute horse stance, leg lifts and a series of inner and outer thigh exercises. I do everything from the comfort of my own bedroom. Reason? I think a gym will take up more of your money and time, and is sometimes worse for people with a low self esteem. If you can afford the gym, I'm not going to stop you from going. Just know that once you stop regularly attending (and we all know that we have to stop at some point or other in our lives) you will get instantly fat cause of the lack of exercise. Doing exercises at home will help you stick to your regime cause it'll take up less time and money. Also, it is proven that you actually lose more weight at a simple children's playground rather than a gym, so you should take that into consideration :P


TIP 3:
Keep a log of when you started and write down your progress. This will help in the future when you're thinking of giving up. You'll see that your exercise wasn't futile. Having a diet buddy is helpful too, cause it helps you stay competitive and helps you to keep going no matter what. This is also part of the reason I'm blogging this. This way I have a virtual obligation to keep up the exercise and report my progress :)

TIP 4:
A healthy diet also works, but many people fail to stop eating the things they love in favour of healthier foods. I found the best diet is to eat whatever you like but never exceed the daily amount of calories you should intake. If you're overweight, this will make you lose weight. If you're already at the recommended weight, this will not effect you. I also suggest stocking up on fruit for whenever you're hungry for a little snack. Some suggest having one day where you can eat whatever you want so that you have something to look forward to in the week, but with this method you can eat whatever you want and still lose weight. I saw results of this after the first week and it only got better. You have to be very careful about the things you eat however, cause calories build up very easily.

SECRET TIPS:
1. Alternate exercises. I do sets of lunges, squats and a little arm exercises on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
I do the 3 minute horse stance, thigh exercises and the bends mentioned in tip 1 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
On Sundays I do the leg lifts.
This helps keep things interesting and avoid repetition injury. I also walk as much as I can and avoid taking the bus if I need to go somewhere close.

2. Take something with you when you're out for exercise. Taking your camera, music, pet or even just someone to talk to will help you do the exercise without finding it tedious. My camera is my best friend on these types of occasions but I'd love the company of others too. It makes you feel less like you're the fatty who went out jogging ;)

I hope you find these tips helpful. I'm going to challenge myself to have a decent figure by the time summer rolls in. Is anyone else up for the challenge?