When I'm too lazy to go to the gym

So since coming back from Malaysia I've been slacking in terms of not eating loads of junk food and going to the gym. I have this weird approach to getting back in to more of a health conscious regime. I start by working out at home, then introducing changes to my diet so that I notice that I'm less bloated or my jeans fit slightly better and then I head back to the gym. This is usually over a couple of weeks and it's the only way I can my head back in the game. I always think see if you put more effort in look and what the results would be. Do you have any weird and wonderful methods to psyche you up to start exercising. Or are you someone who just keeps it up - I think thats going to be my focus from now on. I need to be more consistent and stop yo-yoing.

I go to the gym near my office #gymbox and when I'm on leave or at the weekend I find it difficult to make the trek (all of 25 mins) there.  When its chilly exercise outdoors is a no-no, so I have to find ways to incorporate exercise into my day at home. To be fair I also not a fan of sweating profusely or huffing and puffing in public. So except for a group boot camp I attend sporadically and a outdoor run once or twice a year it's the gym or home for me.

To give you a general idea on my thoughts on exercise this is what my ideal workout would be - copious amounts of shopping which includes speed walking, lifting weights and a sauna (when you're laden with bags and a coat the Tube its awfully hot). But if want to try other methods here are a few that I use:

I hula hoop, I bought a hula hoop a while ago and try to use it whilst watching tv usually for about 15 minutes at a time. If you really go at it, walk around and hula at the same time, use your arms, squat and hula etc you will build up a sweat. It also helps to tone your stomach area. I like it because you can do it anytime and as I said its easy to do whilst catching up with my Sky+ box. I also skip and use the hiit method to do this 40 seconds maximum effort and 30 secs rest for as many rounds as I can do. I try to do 20 minutes but I'm usually dying before I can get to 12.  I use an interval training app on my phone that helps to track the time and tells me when to start, stop and prepare for the next round. I also have an ab roller at home, and fitness bands which I use for arm and leg exercises.

I'm a big fan of Fitness TV Sky channel 282 and I do randomly flick to the channel and join in a work out if there is one I like. There are lots of different types of exercise classes available. Some are regular fitness shows and others are actual fitness videos so you get a good mix. The only downfall is that some of the instructions aren't very good but I guess that's the same for any fitness video. 

Another way I access exercise videos is via YouTube. There are loads of great videos that it can be difficult to know where to start I would definitely check out Fitness Blender, Hip Hop Abs if you like a dance class. There are 1000s of classes to choose from. I've also tried Results with Lucy which is a series of online videos as well as programmes you can purchase and then access online. I liked the range of videos, and the fact Lucy Meckelnburgh (formerly of TOWIE) and her trainer are very down to earth. Some of the exercises are easier and some are pretty intense - day to day I wouldn't use this but it's worth checking out if you like bitesize videos you can pull together and if you need great inspiration - have you seen Lucy's abs!!! The programmes also look really good and some of the testimonials are amazing and show terrific results.

But my favourite way to exercise at home is to dance followed by using my Nike NTC app. If you don't know about the NTC app it's a free app with hundreds of exercises focused on getting lean, toned or strong with exercises you can do for anything from 7 to 45 minutes. Athletes like Serena Williams demonstrate the exercises or alternatively well known trainers like Jeanette Jackson or fitness models. I  also use this in the gym as well but I love that I can do a quick 15 minute workout when I can't get to the gym due to the variety available. I usually only do the 15 minutes ones at home and usually do one cardio and one abs or yoga and I also opt for the no equipment ones as I do not have weights at home - although you could use a tin of beans or two full bottles of water.

Just so you know I'm not super fit, I'm actually far from it but I find that exercising is a good stress reliever I guess it's all those endorphins you release when you're working up a sweat. It also helps me to feel more confident in my appearance. I personally prefer it when I'm slimmer and more toned and with a BMI thats in a healthier range. 

Before you start an exercise regime it's recommended that you consult your GP also if you have any injuries then you need to consider focusing on exercises that are less likely to make your existing injury worse. Think low impact.