Grab Your Tuna!

[stevienickstophat]

This is a thread about reclaiming exercise for those of us who never felt it was for us, or who lost our confidence after childbirth or illness or injury, or just lost our way a little bit regarding looking after ourselves.

This thread is about realising that getting up off the sofa and moving about a bit can be enjoyable, can be done in our pyjamas and can be fitted into lives that are too often lived for the benefit of other people.

This is a thread about firming up our wobbly bits, strengthening our bones, making our joints flexible and lifting our moods, so that the rest of our lives are that little bit easier and more enjoyable.

So, grab your tuna, wrestle yourself into your sports bra and watch out for the Little Differences!

Did Ultimate Fat Burner this morning and am watching Box Fit and semi-following it so I know what to do tomorrow. Co-ordination not my strong point .

Thighs still definitely protesting...

Hello all!

Well done everyone - great that the positivity continues on this thread.

I'm having a rest day today, but I might attempt some of that yoga later.

Did you manage to get any yoga done stevie? I've done nothing today except a very brief downward facing dog as I just felt I needed to do it! Very odd for me!!

Evening all .... my, you've all been energetic!

I'm having a day off tomorrow having done 6 days on the trot. Today was a quick one - warm up and fat burner followed by tone and sculpt. Oh those press-ups are a killer. Shall have to do abs soon .... eek.

The first defence stuff has done the trick and I felt a little better this morning so I did warm up, fat burner, tone and sculpt, abs and some stretch.

I will continue with the the first defence to make sure the lurgey doesn't have a last stand.

I've got the joys of taking DD to swimming and dancing lessons this morning, so whilst dancing is on, I get to drink tea and chat for 2 hours with my friends. We went round to one of the friends house last Saturday night and some people got very drunk (I don't drink so I got to see all the incriminating evidence), so we'll have a good session of dissecting the night.

Ooh, sounds fun, Velma

No yoga

But have a nice clear day ahead so I intend to make up for it.

Little Difference - my arms are DEFINITELY toning up. Must be the tone and burn.

What are everyone's favourite exercises?

I love the fly and crunch and the straight leg lunges.

I don't like any of the exercises but the one I feel the most is the bouncing squats in the legs workout.

The legs workout kills me. I've only done it twice. It really hurts my dodgy knee

Right, I've made up for the yoga no-show this morning!

Warm up, tone and sculpt, tone and burn, abs and fat burner. Feel bloody brilliant!

Bloomin eck Stevie 4 workouts? What happened to this being "oh, I can manage 7 mins"?

I know!

I just kept thinking, "well, I could do another one"

I kept the cardio until the end, because that's the knackering one. That meant I could squeeze more in. Bonus!

Hey, that's another Little Difference, isn't it?

Getting fitter

Is tone and burn making a difference to your body? I've tried it twice but I'm not keen, it's a bit fast for me. If it helps the bingo wings though I'm all for it!

Tone and Burn has definitely helped my arms. I noticed the difference quite quickly.

Anyone exercising with a baby?
I'm having a day off, and taking a look at videos to use. I would add though, only do it if you have a strong back and abs and engage those core muscles!

Think I will have to have the day off, just fell over spectaculary in the garden (unfortunately not on the grass). Bloody orthotics make me unsteady, back and knee hurt now.

Permission to have day off?

Granted, Buzzard

You poor thing. I think a rest and some chocolate are definitely in order.

Thank you stevie, I will swap the chocolate for wine though if that's ok?

I still have to throw together 2 x 60's desserts for a 50th party tonight and bribe DD to take her annual bath (whether she needs it or not) so I will need the wine later.

Blimey you will.

Hello, can I join? I think I'm going to download this and start tomorrow. I don't want to lose weight, my BMI is at the low end but I'm very unfit and need to tone up and get firmer. I have no strength at all and I'm not flexible in the slightest. I haven't ever been able to touch my toes. Do you think this DVD will be ok for me? Which is the best workout to try on day one?

Welcome Miltonmaid! If you don't want to lose weight, avoid doing more than a couple of workouts. Always end in a stretch (I can recommend some Youtube videos if you want to add some extra variety. I can touch my toes again after 3 weeks. If I sit on the floor and try to reach my heels I'm about 3 inches away now (without a warm up). I was 5/6 inches away 3 weeks ago.

It takes time to build up strength and flexibility, but a little daily practice will get you there. I'd recommend yoga (or pilates) for flexibility. My DD has a low BMI sticks to yoga stretches. She can balance on her hands and is working on doing the splits! :)

Thank you for the welcome, Peace. I'll see if I can find some yoga workouts on YouTube. I did go to a class a few years ago but everyone else was so supple and coodinated even though it was a beginners class that I felt out of place and embarrassed. I much prefer the idea of doing it in my own front room where no one can see me. If you could recommend some stretch videos that would be great :)

I am the same way with yoga! My joints will never be strong enough to do the really advanced balances, but I think it would be much easier if I could get my BMI down into the healthy range.

Fitness blender is now my go to company for workouts but they don't say 'engage your core muscles' or 'pull in your abs' enough, and I find myself having to pause and think about it to protect my back. Especially where the back is arched (tummy out/down) or bending over.

5 minutes of cool down stretches.
13 minute 'yoga infused stretches'. Male voiceover.
[http://www.fitnessblender.com/videos/restorative-yoga-pilates-workout-to-improve-mood-and-circulation-relaxing-stretching-workout yoga/pilates 14 mins stretch. Female instructor, own voice.]]
stretch those ham strings! 15 mins

I've been utterly crap. Cold has (as per normal) resulted in a lovely sinus thing.

I'm craving exercise but it's just not going well at the moment! Roll on wellness!

I've done nothing today, well I ate some chocolate Brazil nuts.

I tried one of the yoga videos on You Tube the other day. I can't even get the initial seating position right. Is it meant to be uncomfortable?

Kat hope you feel better soon, sinus pain is shit. I can't imagine exercise would help, lots of rest for you.

With sitting, if you pull in your tummy, raise yourself off the ground, tilt your pelvis forward slightly (as if pushing bum out) then sit back doedown, still holding in tummy I think that should be the right position. (More experienced yogis, please correct me if I'm wrong, am no expert!) Nothing should be hurting.

Can you afford a massage, Kat? I went to one where someone prodded around the back of my armpit and my nose became unblocked and kept running! (Had to keep asking for tissues!) I could feel the pressure in my face ebb away. Something to do with the lymph node, and it was definitely the pressure there that made my nose run. Massage along the spine also helped.