Got over 14.3k steps in today so far.

Got about 12.3k steps in today.

Just completed the level 1 workout of Jillian Michaels' "Killer Buns and Thighs" workout program. It may have been level 1 but it still kicked my butt! My face was the shade of a tomato afterwards and I was sweating A LOT. So I definitely have a love/hate relationship with this workout. But it feels good to do proper workouts again. Walking is nice but I like to add more when I can.

On Monday I called in sick for the first time since starting this job, due to feeling unwell both physically and mentally. I rested Monday and Tuesday, and went to work today. I logged 11.4k steps total, but will not do any other exercise aside from that. I noticed at work that I felt weak, sweaty, and my throat got worse as the day went on and I moved more. Feeling decent now, but taking it easy this evening.

Today TheDragon and I got up to over 10.5k steps from exploring downtown Toronto. We went to the CN Tower and the aquarium, which was awesome!

Got around 10k steps today, mostly from walking at work.

[eunice0303]

Originally Posted by DarknessIsMyFriend

I want to motivate myself to do this so bad but I have trouble because it takes so long to get into shape

I'm not overweight but I'm still a bit on the chubby side and I have a lot of stretch marks on my body from back when I was overweight as a child which make me feel worthless and ugly lol. I want to do something about it but I don't know how to motivate myself because I find most of the physical exercises that I've done so freaking boring.

How do you motivate yourself to put the work in for this among all of your other issues? Because I always end up either putting in 1-2 weeks worth of exercise and giving up when I don't see any noticeable changes in my body or outright put it off all together.

Even on really fit people, I've seen stretch marks. It's a natural occurrence on our bodies to have, and it's not specific to just women (even though it is more commonly seen), but also men.

It's really hard to get into the lifestyle of exercise, because it's a lot of perseverance. I started skiing, hiking, and mountain biking with my dad because I was overweight as a teenager due to really heavy eating from stress. It was a lot of work and of course there were times when I wanted to quit consistently. But my dad really encouraged me and trained me to do better and be better at exercising my body to be healthy. A personal trainer may be expensive to have, so if you have a friend who is willing to spend that time with you to make you go out and exercise, that's also a great option.

And now, I still feel like giving up from time to time, but it's very brief and I encourage myself to keep going and not give up. It helped a lot in the end, not just physically but also for my mental health. Exercising has become a major part of helping me keep my anxiety in check and keeping it under control. It's my way of letting lose at the end of each day. I go running either in the mountains or just around the neighborhood and it has certainly helped me in my struggle with anxiety and depression.

It's hard to see the changes in the first month, especially depending on the person as well (metabolism, body-shape composition, fat to muscle ratios, etc). So it can be frustrating when that improvement doesn't come about sooner. But be patient with your body and yourself. I think of it like a plant, it takes time for it to flourish. And it's also important to be forgiving to yourself, especially when you don't quite meet the goal for that day or for the week.

I guess this is just some of the things I've noticed about myself that was useful for me. So I hope this helps somewhat.

Hit 10k steps today from work. I will be starting to work slightly more hours so my step count on work days will be even higher, hooray!

This morning I did a quick 7 minute bodyweight workout from FitnessBlender to try and give myself some more energy. It was a very basic, very simple workout but it's a great warm up and doable at any time.

It is now evening and I just finished a 3 mile walking workout from Leslie Sansone. I was red in the face afterwards and sweat a lot! I feel much better than before I did the workout though. The feeling I get after exercising always makes it worth it.

Today I did a pilates workout that focused on the lower body. My upper body was surprisingly sore from the working out I did yesterday. Including the warm-up and cool-down, I got about 30 minutes of physical activity in today. Not perfect, but it was something.

I'm looking forward to seeing my step count after my 8 hour shift tomorrow. Usually I do 5 hour shifts and break 10k steps, so my amount should be quite good tomorrow!

Today I got just short of 20k steps, the most I've had in one day! My feet are a bit sore from the longer shift but hopefully they'll get used to the extra walking.

Today I did an upper body & cardio workout. Got a good sweat going and my upper body definitely feels sore. Here is the link to the workout if anyone is interested, all you need to do this are dumbells or any replacement like jugs of water, books, etc:

I have around 16.7k steps total so far. My muscles are quite sore from previous workouts so I will be resting for the remainder of the day.

Got 13,855 steps today. A bit less than usual for a work day because I was given a ride to and from work, which is awesome but lowers the step count.

Yesterday was a lazy Saturday filled with naps and baking brownies. :P It was a nice relaxing day though.

Today I just finished a lower body workout with weights, hopefully they aren't too sore at work tomorrow but I got a good sweat going and right now my legs feel kinda like jello. Here is a link to the lower body workout if anyone is interested:

Today my lower body has been super sore. I can feel soreness in my legs when just walking normally...add in any incline or a flight of stairs and it's torture. Unfortunately I had to leave work a couple hours early because I was feeling sick (still am), so I got up to 17.2k steps total.

Yesterday was a rest day, because my legs were so sore and I had to deal with feeling sick.

Today so far I've managed around 16.2k steps.

[hvert]

You are getting in so many steps, that's amazing!

[Snap66]

I never know if it ok to reply...

I never get that " good feeling" that everyone talks about from training.... but I do get a good feeling from your post as its really nice to read such a positive thread....PLUS what I also find impressive is your will to stick at it, which ultimately will make your goals a reality...if they haven't already.

Although I don't train for cardio, I must say your exercise choices are brilliant.
There is nothing worse than a workout that has no substance because at the end of the day there is no reward for a bad session only a big waste of time and effort.
What you have chosen, especially the five day workouts that you posted will do nothing but give positive results.
The step count like hvert has said is amazing... I only manage between 7 to 10k per day and 10 will be quite rare for me. BTW the steps are great for maintaining your progress from the cardio.

Thanks for such a great thread. :-)

Today I got around 14.5k steps. Less than usual because I got a ride to and from work.

Also did FitnessBlender's Day #1 workout in their 5 day challenge for busy people, with TheDragon! The focus was on HIIT and lower body. It was fun to work out with someone, we both got a good sweat going.

Today TheDragon and I did FitnessBlender's Day #2 workout in their 5 day challenge for busy people. Today focused on cardio and upper body. It feels nice to work out with a partner.

Yesterday I hit 13k steps, today has been an absolutely lazy day off.

Got over 15k steps today from work.

Also did a light workout this evening: A 5 minute warm up routine followed by a 20 minute pilates workout that focused on lower body/core, and ended it with a quick 5 minute cool down stretch. Feels good to move and get a bit of a sweat going, even if it's just moving for 30 minutes.

Just finished a cardio + upper body routine from FitnessBlender. My arms are nice and sore, and although the cardio wasn't super intense, I got a small sweat going.