Today marks the end of 4 weeks or one month of my New Year’s Resolution. I decided that after realising that my personal finances were in order and that I was keeping good oral hygiene that I needed to focus on something more challenging. Physical Exercise. So have I fallen off the bandwagon and gone back to my sedentary ways? Here’s my progress report from January 1st to January 31st:
Week 1: Using Wii fitness coach I found out just how out of shape I was. I’ve always been a keen tennis player but have found it difficult to implement a good routine again as I get home from work when it’s dark. As a part of my Wii health assessment I discovered just how difficult it is to do Jumping Jacks for 2 minutes straight! My breathing capacity was appalling (I’m asthmatic so it’s even more important that I try to improve this) and that my resting beats per minute was abysmal for my age. I set a goal with my Wii fitness coach (get in shape) and she suggested a schedule. As I work full-time I decided to walk for half an hour from the train station to my office in Central London. I got to work quite sweaty but a quick trip to the bathroom helped me dab away the sweat. I found myself getting hungrier earlier in the morning and snacked on a banana, cereal bar or rice crackers.
Overall number of hours of exercise: 4 hours 10 mins
Week 2: I have family visiting at the weekend and them am heading off to Paris for two days of work. I need to make sure I fit in at least 4 hours of exercise before the weekend as I know I won’t have any desire to do anything then. I manage to get in my morning walk to work for the first 4 days but on Friday I have a big presentation and don’t want to turn up sweaty – I take the bus instead. Saturday proves to be a small workout of walking around Central London. I add this to my record of exercise. I head to King’s Cross to get the Eurostar and realise I will be quite sedentary from Sunday until Wednesday. Eek. Let’s hope I don’t lose motivation.
Overall number of hours of exercise: 4 hours
Week 3: Exhausted from business travel but know that I have to workout on Wednesday straight after work. I decide to start my routine again by walking to work on the Wednesday morning. Starting to crave sugary snacks after an hour in the office and decide to eat a yoghurt to curb cravings. I eat lunch a little earlier than usual and find myself snacking on rice crackers throughout the afternoon. This exercise is increasing my appetite daily! This week I decide to walk to and from work to the train station meaning I can clock up an hour of walking each day. Back to Wii Fitness coach on the weekend allows me to work other parts of my body. It still makes me very sweaty and red-faced which means my body is still working hard to keep up. My skin complexion is clearing up a bit on the plus side and I feel more energetic than before. Not bad after 3 weeks! I’m determined to hit that 5 hour mark next week.
Overall number of hours of exercise: 4 hours 45 mins
Week 4:
I’m pleased with my progress so far but can’t help thinking how unfit I was before. On average it takes 6 weeks to feel the effects of a good exercise regime. I’m starting to feel the effects now: especially my increased appetite. I’m trying to curb sugar cravings by eating plenty of fruit and eating 70% cocoa chocolate. I’ve also noticed that I feel more energetic which is helping to lift my mood especially with my early mornings for work. I’ve made a commitment to myself and this blog to keep track of my exercise progress because it keeps me motivated and The Fit Diaries will feature every month on The Thrift Diaries. I hope you enjoy reading my journey to physical fitness.
