Easy Couch Potato Workout

It’s tough to start a fitness journey.  I know, I’ve been there.  That’s why I am going to share my COUCH POTATO WORKOUT.  I started my workout endeavors and new found love of fitness, nutrition and health just about 5 years ago.  I can say without any doubt, starting was the hardest part.  Once results come, the endeavor gets easier.  As with most things, wins build confidence and that confidence often leads to a desire for more positive outcomes.  I didn’t take a lot of photos during my heavier period but I found one before and after to provide and idea of my results. 

This is me at 46 on the left and me at 51 on the right.  20 pound difference, and lots of lean muscle too.  Read on if you want to know more about my fitness journey and check out my COUCH POTATO WORKOUT for somewhere to start.

Like I said, starting out is the toughest part.  I was in my mid 40’s and probably beginning to experience some perimenopause.  My mood was down, my weight was going up rapidly.  I was exhausted all of the time.  No amount of sleep would help.  I was famished and fueling my day with caffeine and whatever quick snacks I could grab.  A lot of my meals were packaged and processed foods.  I was not active at all.  

The rapid weight gain made me think something was off with my thryoid meds.  After years of being hypothyroid, that is always the first place I look when something feels off.  There was nothing off with thyroid.  Possibly being in menopause, I discussed with my doctor, hormone replacement.  However, during this time I had some breast cancer concerns and underwent surgery and began a regimen of tamoxifen.  So, no hormones, and in fact this regimen would only make things worse.  Coinciding with my health issues, I learned that one of my daughters was having life threatening thyroid issues of her own.  That was the last straw for me.  Once we made it through my daughter’s complete thyroidectomy, I began researching everything.  I learned nutrition, weight loss, fitness, and so much more.  I embarked on a journey one step at a time.

I can tell you, that, if you are struggling with weight, eating, stamina, and confidence you have to just start.  Start with baby steps.  I am not a nutritionist or fitness expert, but I will share what worked for me.  I did 3 KEY THINGS DAILY:

1.  First, I started moving.  I was not strong, and low on energy so my initial workouts were a COUCH POTATO WORKOUT which you can view on my YouTube Channel here           ​https://youtu.be/-9J4DgCVX4s

and a FLOOR WORKOUT that I plan to post very soon.  The most important thing is that you start moving.  Any movement, especially in the beginning, is more than you were doing and will lead to some results.  From my experience, once you see results, it feels so encouraging to keep adding a little more.  I started with the couch and floor workout and gradually worked up to cardio and weights.    I workout at least 5 times a week now.

2.  Next,  I purchased a smartwatch to track all of my activity.  I chose an Apple Watch that you can find on my Amazon Storefront.  (As an Amazon Associate I do earn commissions for products purchased through my links, however this does not affect the price to you).  The smartwatch assists me in focusing on my movement and activity throughout the day.  It helps me monitor the calories I am burning,  if I am standing or sitting and so much more.  The Apple Watch is great because it works with my smartphone and has lots of other features I love.  When you workout, you simply press the workout that you are doing and it records all of your stats too.  

3. Finally, the third change I made was food.   I knew I had to get a handle on my eating.  I started writing everything down Just to see the foods that I was consuming.  There were lots of wasted calories and junk foods in the mix.  I quickly realized that I needed to count calories and macros, so I downloaded a fitness app (I use MyFitnessPal and I do not receive any compensation for mentioning this.)  This is simply the app that I find most beneficial for my needs.  It is so easy to log all of your food, water and exercise.  Everything is broken into meals.  To start, you enter your weight and activity level, along with goals, and the app populates the amount of calories and macros you should consume.  ​This is a critical piece of the fitness journey.  Knowing what you consume will help you get a handle on eating and in the long run, help you consume foods that are beneficial to your health and fitness needs. Below is a screenshot of the app.  Additionally, you can enter your exercise and the app adjusts your nutrition based on the activity level and calories burned.  Entering every single item that I ate was an eye opener.  I was quickly able to see foods that I had to eliminate and the foods that were most beneficial.  I was able to make changes over time that helped me achieve my fitness goals.  I still use this app 5 years later.  I enter every single thing I consume, every single day.  Doing this keeps me on track and reminds me that I am on a lifelong journey to be healthy.  

I mentioned my daughter earlier.  She made the exact same changes as noted above and is doing fantastic.  Our workouts now include cardio and wight training.  We go back to the floor workout and couch workout on days we are feeling lazy.  Today, we are strong, muscular and healthy and not looking back.  

I hope this helps inspire you to just start.  Go easy on yourself.  Baby steps are ok.  Just start.  Leave me a comment if you try any of my suggestions.  Let me know how it goes, and share things you’re doing for your longevity.  I wish you health in all things and success in your own fitness endeavors. 

If you are just starting out, try my Couch Potato workout.  Comment and let me know how it goes.  The most important thing is that you start.  That’s the hardest part.  Once you start moving and eating healthier, It’s so much easier to keep doing it.