the gym substitute

I've been trying to get back in shape lately, but with little success. My first step was to get my own weights and a bench press, but I have found that I only get temporary results. I'm not sure if I'm not lifting often enough, or if I just need to be pushing myself more with additional weight resistance. When you live in a small town, it can be difficult to get an all-round exercise program put together. It takes so much time just to hit one type of exercise that trying to fit in multiple forms is time prohibitive and expensive. We don't have an all-in-one gym anywhere nearby where I could lift weights, run the treadmills and also play some racquetball in one setting. As a result, I'm just going to have to get more creative.

For cardio work, I'm going to have to start doing more walking and running. The hills near my home offer quite a bit of resistance, so that should also help. For my weight training, I'm just going to have to keep plugging away at what I have, perhaps doing more repetitions. I debated working out more often (every day?), but they say that it can actually be bad for you if you stretch your muscles out too frequently.

On the bright side, we live near the mountains and there are many wonderful trails and lakes where I can also find ways to exercise - hiking, biking, rowing, etc. The weather is absolutely gorgeous this tie of year, but the cold weather makes breathing more strenuous. I guess I should feel lucky that I have to get my exercise in the form of outdoor activities, rather than sitting in a sweaty gym. But it isn't going to be easy to find the time to fit all of these activities into my schedule.