Seriously, it makes me a touch sad when someone says "I exercise 2 hours a day, I love the gym!" Really? REALLY? There is nothing else you would rather be doing than making yourself work? You must be an alien. No honestly, humans are not built like that. It's not that we're not lazy, just opt for the path of least resistance. I'm not saying for one minute that exercise is not a good, healthy habit, it is, but don't kid yourself or anyone else. You love the results (immediate and long term) that you get from exercise. Not necessarily the act of doing it. Plus saying stuff like that just makes you look like an a-hole to the person sitting next to you that thinks they're chubby.



My dogs are highly unimpressed by your bragging.

        (Note this is not bragging, just intended to give you some background. Haters gonna hate, right Ms. Swift?) I exercise a minimum of 4 days per week. I do it because it is my chosen vocation, and I can't preach stuff if I don't. Plus I want to look a certain way. Plus I like feeling healthy. Plus I am trying to evade death as long as possible (ahem...I'll save that for another post). I get the job done, and then forget about it. Exercise is not my entire life. Furthermore, the gym is actually the last place I would like to exercise in. It actually makes me cringe how much time and effort people waste on exercises that will likely just cause a repetitive strain in the long run, and will definitely not take any fat off the area they feel they are "working". And it almost kills me when gals say "I'm just lifting light to tone, I don't want to build bulk." Trust me girly, you won't. Unless you have an excess of testosterone, or are secretly pumping the 'roids, you won't.

        I have always actually hated the thought of relying on a certain place / certain hours of operation / certain people to work out with when I wanted to. (Even more so after having a baby and not being able to leave the house / workout whenever I wanted to - if I relied solely on a gym membership exercise, then I would not have exercised for well over a year.) I would much rather be outside, with my family, being a good example for my little girl than stuck in a gym. Or in my home where I can multi-task between sets by catching up on my email, facebook, or re-watching copious episodes of Three's Company. Right now the place in my home where I normally lift weights is piled high with books and furniture due to a forced renovation so I literally have like 2 feet by 2 feet to workout in. But - I can still do it. It might mean doing something different for a while, but I still get the job done. I sure sound de-motivating, don't I? Here's the main take-away point for you:

        You have no excuses if you can exercise anywhere. And, if you do it with your family, friends, kids, dogs, whomever - it benefits them too, and passes the time faster. It becomes a fun habit, not something you dread or have an excuse not to do ("I forgot my runners", "I'm to tired to drive to the gym", etc.) So, if you are new to regular exercise, ignore the thought that you need a gym membership to get or stay healthy. Go outside, in your basement, in your garage - lift boxes, do stairs. Climb a tree. (Please scroll down to my "free beer" blog post for more ideas on what you could have in your home gym.) Gym mentality - be gone!

          Ex & Oh's my friends,                                                                                                                                                                        

         Laura B.