by Ethan Johnson
September 3, 2008

Hooray for gym memberships. Especially the cheap municipal kind:

by Ethan Johnson
July 31, 2008

The fact that it has been several months since my last fitness update should provide the executive summary for this one. Let's also say simply that depression is a bitch. And the Texas heat. And...

by Ethan Johnson
July 30, 2008

I am jumping the gun a bit here, as I was planning to make mention of my recent municipal rec center membership (super cheap) in a forthcoming "fitness update" article. But that's the scoop: I decided to sign up for the rec center so that I could have year-round fitness opportunities that are not necessarily dictated by the weather. Plus, they have indoor basketball courts. With lines and everything. Score!

by Ethan Johnson
February 8, 2008

Holy cow. I was minding my own business, tending to my mostly daily exercise plan, and realized that February 3 was my 1 year anniversary.

by Ethan Johnson
December 11, 2007

Alrighty, the final fitness update for 2007. I'm feeling pretty good about my personal progress, and believe that I have laid a solid foundation going into 2008. Let's run down the latest numbers, and then I'll close the year out with some reflection and optimism.

by Ethan Johnson
December 4, 2007

As I have mentioned several times throughout my fitness updates, I have incorporated a simple floor exercise into my fitness plan that takes roughly 15-20 minutes to complete, three times a week. This does not require any special equipment, and can be done on a bare patch of floor in a space that allows you to stretch completely out lengthwise (arms over head) and vertically (standing, arms over head). This is not a particularly aerobic exercise, and should be safe for all experience levels. However, as with any fitness routine, consult your doctor - this article in no way serves as a substitute for medical advice.

An exercise mat can be used if available, otherwise a carpeted floor or even a patch of grassy land outdoors will work best. Wear comfortable clothing. In the example photos, I'm wearing a breathable workout shirt (watch for sales at Kohl's, for example) and my "evil Spider-Man™ pants" to best capture the routine specifics. I originally found this routine in the June 2007 issue of the Oprah Magazine, but over time I have added some adjustments of my own. Even now there are more elements to this routine that were not captured on film. Add your own elements as you get accustomed to regular floor exercise.

Drink water before and after this exercise. It can be used as a rudimentary warm-up before walking or bicycling. Other activities often have a more specific warmup plan, so stick with what works best. This routine is a great way to introduce the floor exercise habit without the need for special equipment or other expenses. Ready? Let's begin:

by Ethan Johnson
November 30, 2007

While I was up north for my High School reunion, my parents gave me a workout shuttling them around for various errands. This was agreed to up front, so I rented an SUV, expecting at some point during the trip to lug home an exercise bike for my Dad.

by Ethan Johnson
November 7, 2007

In our last episode, I decided to mothball the whole formal exercise plan thing in favor of doing whatever for the remainder of the year, and getting back to a more disciplined footing next January. How many of you, who have been working on exercise and weight loss plans hit the proverbial wall and decided to "maintain" rather than stick with the program? Only here's the trouble: "Maintaining" didn't happen, did it? And the problem with exercising "whenever" is that it gets pushed off an hour, half a day, day, two days, week, two weeks, and so on. Next thing you know, you're well on your way to undoing all of the good you did for the time you were sticking to the program.