Table of Contents
Date with my character
Something happens all time. The job, the family, the household… But strictly speaking, only two things can keep us from sport: everyday life and the weaker self. The good news: Both can be outwitted. Mental coaches say it takes about six weeks for a resolution to become a habit. So you have to stay tuned for that long. Go through your calendar and schedule two exercise sessions per week, 30 to 45 minutes each (for example, once in the evening and once during the day at the weekend). This makes exercise a part of your usual weekly schedule. When shopping or vacuuming, you don’t keep asking yourself whether this is really necessary.
Get out of the running routine
The best tip: try new routes. If that doesn’t work on your doorstep, you can walk the usual route in the opposite direction. Or you just run differently. Variant 1: change of pace. Short sprints are followed by periods of snail’s pace. Variant 2: Sense run. How does the autumn air smell? Where do the leaves shine most beautifully? Where do the leaves rustle under your feet ? What counts here is what you feel, the pace doesn’t matter.
Train many muscles at the same time
Phew, two hours of exercise now. Oh no. The best way to tame the bastard is to stroke it briefly and promise it: “A little exercise doesn’t take long at all.” Or, to put it more scientifically: Lower the psychological threshold by doing the training units make it short and manageable. It helps not to train each muscle group individually, but many at the same time. This means you can do less exercise and the amount of work you want to do seems smaller. Suitable exercises to do at home: jumping jacks, planks and push-ups. Don’t get on the treadmill or stepper in the studio, but on the cross trainer. Or join a complete body workout class, where both strength and endurance are trained in 45 minutes, including warm-up and stretching.
Lunch class instead of a break
A trend is emerging in cities and larger companies: Instead of having lunch in the canteen, people are doing something for their bodies. The courses are usually more compact and softer than in the evenings, because many participants have little time and don’t want to go back to the office too sweaty afterwards. Offers at studios in city locations such as Meridian Spa or Fitness Company, but also at small yoga studios. Companies often organize the lunch workouts themselves, ask the HR department or the works council.
Playing fit – on the Wii
You can only play around with a game console? Not correct. In this form of exercise, you stand on a plastic disc, the Wii Fit Balance Board, and hold a remote control in your hand. Sensors register your movements, translate them onto the monitor and correct them immediately. Jogging , yoga, skiing – whatever you want. The sports games awaken the desire for training, which motivates, as a study by the German Sport University in Cologne shows. And your kids will love you for it. Board approx. 40 euros, with game console approx. 250 euros.
Mini workout in the morning
You can do these five minutes! If you like to start the day gently, do the sun salutation. As the name suggests, this sequence of movements from classic hatha yoga is ideal for starting the day: the body is stretched and stretched, the muscles are activated. The sun salutation wakes you up and gives you energy. Repeat as many as three times, great even with the window open . If you want to take it a little more vigorously, combine jump rope, twirl spins, and abdominal crunches.
For the twirl , sit upright, legs extended and closed. Extend your arms to the right and left. As you exhale, twist your torso to the side until your left arm is pointing back and your right arm is over your legs. Important: stay upright! Slowly roll back on an inhale, changing sides. Repeat several times.
For the abdominal crunch , lie on your back, bend your legs, put your feet up. Pull your belly button in, press your back into the floor, arms are parallel to your body. Now straighten your chest until your shoulder blades are in the air. Lower again, but do not lay your upper body down completely. 20 repetitions. After a short time, this will seem as normal as brushing your teeth.
A positive side effect: the short sports packages in the morning are often a gentle introduction to longer exercise units: once you get started, 5 minutes quickly turn into 15.
Train briefly and intensively
Fitness studio chains especially for women, such as Mrs. Sporty and Fitness First, have already made many fit with this program: All main muscle groups as well as endurance and coordination are trained in a 30-minute circuit training session. The Institute for Prevention and Aftercare in Cologne helped develop the effective program and demonstrated the lasting effect on body weight in a study. More than 400 clubs in Germany, often in residential areas for easy access.
Shall we meet at the pool?
Whether it’s a girls’ night out or appointments with friends or colleagues: it doesn’t always have to be at the cinema or in a café. “Associate exercise with positive feelings,” advise sports psychologists. This is how you gradually reprogram your subjective perception of sport . So why not book a badminton court, go bowling or go to the swimming pool?
The electronic trainer in the mobile phone
Do you often travel for job reasons? Jogging is always possible. Pack running shoes and let free apps like Smartrunner (for Apple devices) suggest good running routes. Fit even without exercise: the Accupedo app (for Android phones) counts every step, even if you’re carrying your smartphone in your handbag.
A DVD is always possible
The course times at the sports club do not fit into your everyday life, membership in a studio is also out of the question – then just bring the trainer home. “Fit in 10 minutes. Figure styling and core training” provides five intensive short workouts. Each forms a self-contained full-body workout with warm-up and stretching. Not much more is possible in ten minutes (from Tolfioow, approx. 14 euros). In “Yoga everyday” actress Ursula Karven (see also page 10) presents seven 15-minute yoga sequences for beginners and advanced users. The film was shot on roof terraces, in gardens, on a jetty by the lake – nice for the eye (approx. 17 euros, both can be ordered from www.amazon.de ). Tip: Fitness DVD prices change quickly. It’s worth browsing.
