At first glance at this image, all I see is the number 99 next to a lot of unappealing words. Words like: crunches, leg lifts, seconds to do a wall sit ... You must be joking. In the middle of my office, I yell, "How the hell can you do 99 jumping jacks without dying?" My co-workers reply (practically in unison), "It's easy." Well, there goes my support team.
The number 99 tacked in front of any exercise is likely daunting to anyone, but I quickly realize the secret to making this workout feel a lot more doable is to start from the bottom and work your way up. So I start with the 11-minute run. And after the first 4 minutes, I can't take a deep breath without a piercing pain in my lungs.
The next day, I tackle the "22" part of the workout: 22 jumping jacks, crunches, leg lifts, a 22-second "wall sit," and 2 push-ups. The push-ups are a breeze compared to the wall sit. It only takes a few seconds before my thighs begin to burn and my legs start to shake.
But I have to say that despite my initial fears, this workout isn't impossible -- even for a pansy like me. Each portion should only take 5 to 10 minutes and you can do one section a day and work your way up to the 99. For a more strenuous workout, you can do all the reps at once.
For whatever reason, there's this prevailing idea that all beauty editors are skinny girls who eat salads, down shots of wheat grass, and live to take spin classes.
Me? I spend my evenings on the couch, eating Hot Cheetos dipped in cream cheese, watching "The Walking Dead." Oh, and I also don't work out. Ever.
I'm diligent and responsible in most aspects of my life, but when it comes to working out or passing up my favorite snack food, I've never been able to muster any willpower. And, so far, it hasn't really mattered. I've always been one of those "lucky" skinny-fat girls who look decent in clothes but couldn't run a mile to save her life.
But then something bad happened: I turned 25 and gained 7 pounds in a month. Not only was my metabolism screeching to a halt, but I also realized I couldn't climb a flight of stairs without panting. To add insult to injury, I noticed my back is perma-hunched from a lack of any measurable upper body strength. All of this points to the fact that even though I wear a size 2, I am the most unfit person ever.
Since the idea of hiring a personal trainer to forcibly make me shape up is laughable on my writer's salary, I opened my laptop and started searching for free workouts. My first stop for inspiration? Pinterest. It inspires all other aspects of my life, so I figured it might help in the exercise realm, too.
I looked for the four most re-pinned workouts that I could easily print out and follow. And to hold myself accountable, I decided to share my workout journey with y'all. Want to know if I'll live to do another wall squat? So do I ...
