Comments on Cranky Fitness: Fitness "Bargains"

I wanted to say thanks for these! I decided to try...

2008-09-16T15:07:00.000-04:00

I wanted to say thanks for these! I decided to try Counter Pushups while I waited for the tea today and I'm hooked! I even threw in some Counter Tricep Dips as well! Whee!

Maybe Sunshine /is/ the last name? Could be a rela...

2008-09-16T13:03:00.000-04:00

Maybe Sunshine /is/ the last name? Could be a relative :)

Umm, maybe I was a little vague in my "Sunshine" r...

2008-09-16T12:59:00.000-04:00

Umm, maybe I was a little vague in my "Sunshine" recommendation. That's me. Vague.

The actual title of the DVD is "Fun Circuit Super Speed Weight Loss with Sunshine" and it's available on Amazon.

Sunshine does not appear to have a last name.

How about great fitness Non-Bargains. There was a...

2008-09-15T23:02:00.000-04:00

How about great fitness Non-Bargains. There was a think in the Business section of the NYT about something I think was called a FitTracker or something. Cost $99. I am SO going to get one!! I'm too tired to look it up now, but I'll get back to you about it.

(I have 4 cartoons now.)

I got the chore extra credit today when I mowed th...

2008-09-15T21:55:00.000-04:00

I got the chore extra credit today when I mowed the lawn. Yay me! :)

ok, I have one to add, and it begins with a C too!

Child curls. (similar to a bicep curl, but with a child/baby) Mine loves it and at 22 pounds, I am getting some decent resistance.

Since it has to start with C...CUT OUT the time wa...

2008-09-15T17:34:00.000-04:00

Since it has to start with C...CUT OUT the time wasting isolation exercises. For every isolation exercise you're doing, you could be working that same muscle with a combination of other muscles and be burning more calories while doing it.

For example, instead of bicep curls and tricep extensions, do push-ups and (assisted)pull-ups.

Kind have to go with jenn's idea of Combining. I'd...

2008-09-15T16:46:00.000-04:00

Kind have to go with jenn's idea of Combining. I'd call mine:

Scuper-Scets. Because we all know I love my scuper-scets.

Combine a stable weight training exercise with a similar unstable one (or two). Move from one to the other and rest when you've done them all.:

example:
Flat bench chest press, bench tricep dips, bench crunches.

Bent row, stretchy band military press, bench push up.

You end up working out harder, and the workout is completed quicker.

BTW, doing any exercise on one foot, or adding more instability skeers a lot of the gymrats.

When I do dishes or cook, I periodically stand on ...

2008-09-15T16:31:00.000-04:00

When I do dishes or cook, I periodically stand on my tip toes.

This may not sound too exciting but I work near my...

2008-09-15T15:38:00.000-04:00

This may not sound too exciting but I work near my sister's house, on the same property so when I go to her house to pick up anything (my fridge'd lunch, mail etc), I ALWAYS walk around her house, front to back, down stairs, up a hill and then allow myself to go inside the house to get what I wanted. I wear a pedometer daily so those walks add up especially on top of my 40 minute morning walk.

I also do a lot of stretching using her granite counter tops. My cheap formica would just crack under the stress.
From the looks of some others posts, I wonder what we'd do without counter-tops?

I'm all about caffeine (within reason) some of the...

2008-09-15T15:29:00.000-04:00

I'm all about caffeine (within reason) some of the time -- especially when I just need an extra kick to get going.

I got nothing. nothing innovative I mean.I did 35...

2008-09-15T14:04:00.000-04:00

I got nothing.
nothing innovative I mean.

I did 35-40 minutes of cardio and now Im HIITing on the recumbent bike and doing 25.

does that count?

**crickets chirping**

Love this post.I was JUST thinking the other day a...

2008-09-15T14:01:00.000-04:00

Love this post.
I was JUST thinking the other day as I ran 4 miles in about an hour (and hey back off...that included stretching okay?)

"Huh. If I run faster, I can be done faster."
Lightbulb moment.

So I'm trying to (drumroll please)...

run faster than I normally do.

LAME.kidding.How do i get more results in less tim...

2008-09-15T13:38:00.000-04:00

LAME.

kidding.

How do i get more results in less time?

CRACK. Its where it at.

www.groundedfitness.com

Hi Crabby,I do love your math. So far, my best eff...

2008-09-15T13:30:00.000-04:00

Hi Crabby,

I do love your math.

So far, my best effort includes lots of walking instead of driving and when I hang out with my grandkids, I do stuff with them instead of watching them do it. Right now we are very big on lining up every chair in the house two by two and making a school bus. Yesterday, I helped carry the chairs and since it was my house, I got to put them all away afterward.

Great column and great suggestions.

Terrie

The math made my brain hurt.I stumbled upon a supe...

2008-09-15T13:14:00.000-04:00

The math made my brain hurt.

I stumbled upon a super simple circuit training DVD done by a woman named Sunshine that turned out to be a fantastic AND effective workout.

Thirty minutes total (a lot less for me because I refuse to do crunches)of simple strength training exercises that end with three sets of a killer Compound move. I have yet to get through one set, let alone 3, but boy is it effective.

If you can get past her accent, it's a no frills workout that's great for both beginners and lazy exercisers.

And she doesn't annoy the crap out of you by babbling on about nothing during the workout.

Dude, I was a mathematician in my former life. Th...

2008-09-15T12:35:00.000-04:00

Dude, I was a mathematician in my former life. This post made me tingle not unpleasantly. Add bicycle maintenance to the list. I spent Saturday afternoon cleaning my bike and greasing the chain. All that time bent over my baby's sexy frame has me sore in the hams and triceps. It was all worth it though.

No wonder women are better balanced than men!

2008-09-15T11:52:00.000-04:00

No wonder women are better balanced than men!

I'm running away screaming from the math- that's m...

2008-09-15T11:37:00.000-04:00

I'm running away screaming from the math- that's my kind of fitness bargain!

When I'm waiting for food to cook I'll do some jumping jacks/push ups etc. I like to do calf raises when I'm brushing my teeth, and I do chores to keep myself moving rather than plonk myself in front of a tv. Even if the chores are simple like doing dishes or dusting. Then your house gets cleaned AND you get in a bit of exercise!

This is the first time I've seen your blog... Very...

2008-09-15T11:34:00.000-04:00

This is the first time I've seen your blog... Very funny! I'm a personal trainer and I always tell my clients to do SQUATS when they are brushing their teeth!

Here's mine: Multitask Less. I know it's a wrench ...

2008-09-15T11:26:00.000-04:00

Here's mine: Multitask Less. I know it's a wrench to lose time and sacrifice efficiency but if you end up running up and down the stairs twice as much and taking many more steps than you normally would as you go about your day, great!

For example, whenever I need to put something back or retrieve something from upstairs, I do it right away instead of waiting for several things to pile up and consolidating my trip. When I make the bed I walk from one side of the bed to the other multiple times. When I put away laundry I walk back and forth from laundry basket to closet with just a small bit of clothes in my arms so that I'm walking more. Silly little stuff, but it all adds up.

A big thing for me: ignoring the elevator - I work...

2008-09-15T10:57:00.000-04:00

A big thing for me: ignoring the elevator - I work on many different floors in a building and end up with the opportunity to do a lot of stairs at work. A while back I made a vow to always take stairs down, and unless I have to use the elevator (carrying lab/heavy stuff) I take the stairs up as a rule, 2 at a time if I can.

And I try and do a few sets of lunges throughout the day in teh lab when I'm waiting for timers. I work alone so I can make a twit of myself and noone will see...well not very often anyways.

Also, walking to work or biking to work over the bus when I can...it's been less than I"d like, but I figure any little bithelps :)

I'm totally down with the commuting part - when th...

2008-09-15T10:45:00.000-04:00

I'm totally down with the commuting part - when the weather's nice I walk about 30 minutes on my commute, when it's not nice, I have to take the bus :(

I'm all for circuit training! Though because I'm the in the group ex studio, I have to make it more organized (I'm picturing all the members running back and forth and running into each other. While that sounds amusing, probably not so great for liability purposes. I put a post on my blog with one of my thematic circuit classes: Olympic Boot Camp

That way, the misery of exercise is balanced by a ...

2008-09-15T09:57:00.000-04:00

That way, the misery of exercise is balanced by a comforting tail wag afterward :)

What about another C -- canine? For a nominal fee ...

2008-09-15T09:56:00.000-04:00

What about another C -- canine? For a nominal fee at a shelter you can get an exercise partner who's always up for a walk no matter what the weather.

Dr. J - how else does one shave their legs? Of co...

2008-09-15T09:53:00.000-04:00

Dr. J - how else does one shave their legs? Of course you have to stand on one leg!

Crabby - LOVE the math. I had never thought of it before that way but your misery quotient is right on:) You pretty much summed up the principle behind HIIT! Loved your suggestions.