I joined the gym just over a month ago now and I've been going 3-4 times a week during my lunch break (plus 1-2 workout DVDs a week). I've been attending spinning, circuit training, body pump and core - that together with the 3 miles a day walking (most of the time running for the train!) I've really ramped up my fitness. I've actually lost a stone (approx 6 kilos) in the last 4 weeks, which I don't think I could ever do on diet alone. I don't believe in diets anyway - they don't work for me. I tend to reach a plateau and can't lose any more and I also can't sustain it. I find it easier to sustain exercise so having lost the weight, here are some the things I have learnt along the way:
1) If you can integrate exercise into your day either by walking or cycling to work then it's cheaper than joining the gym. Every little bit of free exercise (taking the stairs instead of the lift, walking rather than getting the tube) is well worth doing. It never ceases to amaze me how many people drive a mile (or less) to the gym. Not only do I get free exercise walking to work from the mainline station, but I also save myself a fortune over the year because I don't have to fork out for a zone 1 travel card.
2) I find I tend to give up when I have a busy period at work when it's hard to fit exercise in. The way I have got round this this time is that if I don't make it to the gym at lunch time, I put the dinner on and do a 30-min exercise DVD (really recommend any of Davina's). By the time I've finished, dinner is ready and then you can sit down for the evening and relax.
3) Don't make the excuse that you are waiting to buy a wii fit or some fancy gadget before you can get fit (I can't tell you how many people I have heard say they can't get fit until they buy this!). All you need are good trainers (well worth spending £60+ as they save your knees, ankles and shins from damage), a good quality sports bra (M&S sell an excellent one for runners) an old t-shirt and joggers/shorts and a water bottle! You can buy very good workout DVDs on amazon for less than £5 so why pay £200 for a wii fit?!
4) I don't believe in structured diets, but I have been really organised with my food. I know a lot about food and nutrition (all common sense really) so I've made up my own eating 'plan'. I buy all the supplies I need for my lunches/snacks on Monday and put them in the fridge in our office. I've been having a muller rice (100 calories) for breakfast and an apple or cereal bar an hour before the gym for extra energy, lunch is either pasta leftovers or a low fat sandwich (approx 300 cals) followed by muller light yoghurt (100 cals), mid afternoon snack of either snackerjacks or similar (better to eat something here than wait until dinner and scoff too much). For dinner I've been having pan fried squid and rocket salad, pasta and lots of veg, vegetable stirfry (trick here is to add ladles full of water not oil to steam the veg), fishcakes and salad etc, followed by yoghurt for dessert. If one day I want some chocolate I have it, but then I do more exercise the next day.
4) I don't believe in structured diets, but I have been really organised with my food. I know a lot about food and nutrition (all common sense really) so I've made up my own eating 'plan'. I buy all the supplies I need for my lunches/snacks on Monday and put them in the fridge in our office. I've been having a muller rice (100 calories) for breakfast and an apple or cereal bar an hour before the gym for extra energy, lunch is either pasta leftovers or a low fat sandwich (approx 300 cals) followed by muller light yoghurt (100 cals), mid afternoon snack of either snackerjacks or similar (better to eat something here than wait until dinner and scoff too much). For dinner I've been having pan fried squid and rocket salad, pasta and lots of veg, vegetable stirfry (trick here is to add ladles full of water not oil to steam the veg), fishcakes and salad etc, followed by yoghurt for dessert. If one day I want some chocolate I have it, but then I do more exercise the next day.
I have a long way to go yet to get to my target size - a nice curvy size 10-12 (from a size 12-14, already down from a 16), but I don't think I've ever been as focused as I am now! It makes a huge difference that there is a lovely girl at work who is totally on the same page as me and is really keen to get fit too. I'm running in the Ashdown Forest 5k fun run on Sunday I only hope I can get a good time. I'd be really happy with 40 mins! :-) If you are looking for something to do over the next couple of weekends there are lots of events going on in our local area and don't forget the South of England show at Ardingly.
On a different note - I love the company I work for. An email was sent round today offering free hair dye! So I went round and they had hundreds of them! I've got about 10 now, some to last me 6+ months, some for my mum and some for my sister! I've probably saved everyone about £50 in buying hair dye now! :-)
