Big Goal #6: Meaningful Workouts

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out this post, where I share my 8 BIG GOALS for these 43 days.

And don’t forget to GET IN ON THE GIVEAWAY!

 

This post will be short because it’s been a busy day, and it’s almost 9:00, which means it’s almost time to shut this thing down (read more HERE).

Basically, I just want to introduce my 6th BIG GOAL for this 43-Day Challenge: Meaningful Workouts.  What does this mean?  Well, fitness is definitely one of those things that is different for everyone (n=1), but I’ll tell you what it means to me…

I’m a firm believer in not killing yourself during a workout.  What this means is that I don’t agree with the mentality that a workout has only been good if you’re about to pass out on the floor by the end of it.  In fact, I don’t really think you should be overly exhausted after a workout.  Working yourself to the point of pain and exhaustion only adds stress to the crazy amounts of stress we already have to deal with on a daily basis.  And I’m not just talking about mental stress here, though that is an issue… I’m also talking about our bodies’ already on-the-go predicament.  If you think about how things used to be, before the craziness of the agricultural revolution and the development of the 40-hour work-week, things weren’t as busy as we keep ourselves these days.  Just keeping up with real life puts enough stress on us, and I don’t think adding “just a little more” is worth the benefits that may come from killer workouts.  Basically, I think those types of workouts just shoot us in the foot, so to speak.

What I believe is best is MEANINGFUL workouts.  Do just enough to work your core muscle groups HARD.  Then stop.  For me, this means lifting heavy dumbbells (bigger than the ones pictured, I promise!), squatting, lunging, etc.  I do a little low-impact cardio in intervals just to raise my heart rate a little, and then I let it lower again while I do more lifting.  I do around four 45-minute workouts each week, and I find that this keeps me in great shape.  All these exercises are done in my home, and I do use a few videos occasionally to keep me motivated, as well as a few yoga tapes for some variety.  Keep it simple!

I’m firm, toned, and strong, and I like it like that!

Again, my workout may be very different from the one that is best for you… I’m just sharing my thoughts on my eight goals (though I do believe the same “don’t kill yourself” philosophy goes for everyone).

For more of my posts on fitness, click here.