Guest Post by King County Employee: Michelle Fujiwara
During a conversation with a new acquaintance, I mentioned something that happened when I was working out. The surprised reaction I received 
made me consider if some people have preconceived notions of who works out. Working out isn’t limited to teenagers, big burly guys or those with perfect looking bodies. “Normal” people of all ages and body types work out too. Here are some things to consider for your work out:
• Do what works for you. If you don’t enjoy it, you are less likely to stick to your work out.
• Schedule your time. If you schedule your work out like anything else important, you are less likely to skip it.
• Wear comfortable clothes. If wearing a nice outfit motivates you to work out, get one or two or five.
• Find a work out buddy. You can motivate each other to keep to your work out schedule.
• Set short and long term goals. When you reach a goal, reward yourself with something like a new outfit or massage.
• Mix it up every so often. Run a different route. Instead of doing crunches, hold a plank for 30 seconds.
If you have work out tips you want to share, please feel free to submit them.
What is a plank?
In my previous blog post on working out, I mentioned holding a plank. The word may conjure up pirates forcing you to “walk the plank”. Food lovers think of cedar planked salmon. The plank I suggested is an ab exercise that works your core – your abdominals, hips and back. It is considered one of the most effective ab exercises.
A plank is similar to the push up position where your body is parallel to the floor, supported on your elbows and toes. Your back should be flat. Hold your abs in without allowing your hips to sag. Hold it as long as you can, gradually building up your time.
If you want to further challenge yourself, do a side plank where you balance on your side. There are different variations of planks, adding weights or other movements.
Holding a plank may not have the same prestige as bragging that you did 100 crunches. Working your core in less time with great results is worth considering as part of your work out.
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