Working out with your dog

Elsa is sure that it is playtime.

I have two blogs; my Lifting for Life and my Just dogs with Sherri one.  Today I covered both topics in one blog.   This morning I decided to skip the gym and workout at home; which meant getting my dogs or dog involved.  Elsa thinks the whole idea of working out is great fun.  Luke on the other hand is more of a spectator; although he occasionally gets off the couch to see what I am doing on the floor.  My girl Tilley who is now gone, use to lay across my chest if I got on the floor to do leg raises.

Trying to force a toss.

When it doesn't work, she tries playing with my gloved hand.

I started my workout with leg raises and moved onto squats and lunges with a 25lb. dumbell.  I wear my gloves when I do any sort of lifting and Elsa thinks that my gloves are pretty great.  She loves to nibble on them and considers it free for all wrestling match time when I don my gloves.  

As soon as I get onto the floor she runs for her ball.  While I am stationary on the floor, she thinks that it is a great time for ball games.  Heck, my hand is right there for the plunking and it has a glove on for extra games.  When I do not respond to her ball placements; that is when the gnawing of my hand begins.  She is sure that my working out is some sort of game and she wants to be involved.

Trying to drop the ball on my face.  I'll sure throw it if she drops it there right?  

Dropped beside me as I do my planks.

Heading up the stairs where Elsa awaits. 

Waiting to attack me. 

Then it was onto the stairs.  I lunge up two steps at a time; again this is pretty great fun as far as Elsa is concerned.  She waits at the top to attack me each time; then runs back down the stairs with me and we do it all over again.  She is great motivation and keeps me laughing through my workout.  She stays with me the whole time I run up and down the stairs, great work out for her too.

Luke watching the shenanigans of Elsa. 

After my "at home" workout, Elsa and I hit the park for a power run and walk.  If you don't want to go to a gym, you don't have to.  With a few pieces of inexpensive equipment, you can work out at home.  The bonus is that you can workout alongside your dog.  

Just dogs with Sherri blog

Lifting-for-Life blog

More about home workouts in the next blog. 

What is the obstacle?

Love'n it. 

What is the obstacle?  The road block?  The hurdle?  What is the reason you have not started to lift or workout yet?  I'd really like to know, because I often wonder what my own was.  I know that I did not like the gym that we were members of for a very long time.  Then there was the rut thing; I got stuck in a rut and found it difficult to get out.  Once we joined a different gym and I took that first step back into the gym and lifting; it took no time to climb out of my rut and back into the weight room.  I love lifting, I always have.  But I was stuck in a non lifting, non workout phase for a long time.  

There can be many different obstacles that keep you from exercising, lifting and eating properly.  Figuring it all out may or may not be a possibility.  So, you just need to forget why and do.  Take that first step and get to it.  The beginning can be tough; it can be all too easy to come up with excuses as to why you cannot workout or go to the gym.  My method of just getting it done was to get dressed for the gym.  Like a robot I would get my gym clothes out and put them on.  Already dressed, I was going.  

Once I got back to it, it felt great.  The next step in the progression was results; once I got some of those, I felt even greater.  The stronger I got the more I enjoyed going to the gym.  Then I started to drop some weight which is a huge motivation to do more.  Much like a snowball effect; taking that first step can be like the first snowflake.  

Making a change is a step by step process; and I truly believe that it must be a way of life change.  That means no pills, no frozen diet dinners; changing how you move and eat for your life, the rest of your life.  The changes that never seem to work on the instant and/or easy changes.  Take that first baby step to your success for life.  See you in the gym.  

Motivation

Motivation is huge when it comes to working out.  Lacking it, we find ourselves slipping into the non workout mode which is not good.  How do you keep motivated? Day in and day out, working out everyday?   How do you get motivated to go in the first place?  You want to go but something just keeps you from it. 

Motivation -  the act or process of giving someone a reason for doing something; a force or influence that causes someone to do something. 

During my break from lifting, I had no motivation.  I didn't like the gym that we had joined so I had no desire to go and lift.  I was in a period of boredom.  I'd been lifting for so many years I needed to switch it up big time to get myself back into it.  So we joined a new gym and I started getting my lifting mojo back.  But the need for motivation continues and you need, while you keep at it.  The day to day motivation to get up and get to the gym, or run, row, or whatever it is that you exercise at.  Motivation is what drives us to get where we need to be.  Without it, we can quickly slip back down the slope. 

When I'm not in the mood to go to the gym; I get up, and put my workout clothes on.  It is as simple as that for me; I'm dressed, I may as well go.   There have only been two times when I've gotten dressed and not gone.  But the more you work out the more you are motivated by witnessing the change in how you look and feel.  It feels great to be strong and the stronger you get the more motivated you get. 

Like anything, motivation is a very personal thing.  It might be the inch or two that you lost that keeps you going.  Feeling great or getting strong may be the driving force behind your motivation.  But there are times when you  just need a little extra boost.  A new pair of work out shoes, new pants or even gloves can really super charge your work outs.  I love having new workout clothes; it just gives that same old routine a little zing. 

Find your motivation, it's in there.