Metro Machinations

Exercise is important for not just cosplay, but daily life as well. 

Exercise doesn’t have to be a big important thing every day. It just has to be a routine thing. That’s the key. NOW, that does NOT mean you could exercise one day a year but on that SAME day EVERY year. That’s just preposterous. But maybe once or twice a week, tuesdays and thursdays, or something. Cause they both start with T.

This is the first FITT principle: Frequency. It goes hand-in-hand with routine. Once your body understands that this new exercise routine is going to happen at this supposed time every week, it will become less strenuous and you will just feel generally better.

The second FITT principle is Intensity. Always stretch before and after, drink water; Don’t overdo it. Feel the burn, but don’t regret it later when you pull a muscle or throw your back out or tear a ligament.  That is counterproductive. Then we’ll all just laugh and say I told you so and call you a derp. Derpes is not a attractive disease, trust me, I know. 

The third FITT principle is Time. This principle is about how long you endure an exercise and how much time a day you spend exercising. Just because someone runs for half an hour every day, does not mean that in order to keep up with them, you need to (.5 hours x 5 days = 3 hours) run 3 hours in one day every week. That will NOT work. Take your time, do it right, and only do as much as your body will allow. 

The fourth FITT principle is Type. This is the part of the FITT principles that I think will answer your question. It’s about what kind of exercises you should be doing in order to gain the results you want. You want a flatter tummy? Do core exercises and run to burn calories. You want bigger muscles? Lift bohf a dohs (both of those) weights! You have a small child and want to take them to the con and dress them up as a Squirtle but don’t own a kid leash? Suicides are the exercise for you! (Do NOT commit suicide. JEEBUS. It’s an exercise we do in tennis. It helps you turn on your heels faster.) Plan on holding some popular bishoujo magical girl pose for about an hour while people take your picture? Stand on one foot while you talk on the phone. That should improve your balance. 

Other tips:

1. Shower. 

2. Stop eating pocky AS OFTEN. (It’s delicious, I understand.)

3. Don’t let friends get in the way of your exercise, invite them to come with you.

4. Don’t rationalize that you’ll “burn off these calories later.” Cause you won’t. That’s the first step to quitting. No one likes a weak-minded quitter. 

5. WORK IT GURL…. BEN. 

Love, 

M