Good morning, everyone!
Today I want to share with you what I do to stay fit underneath the time constraints of "life". Haha! For those of you who think that it is just impossible to work out when you have all of these things to do, I want you to know that nothing is impossible! Working out is not about finding time to do it, it is about MAKING time to do it. If your philosophy is to workout when you're in the mood, or to abandon your workout based on each day's circumstances, then today is the day where those foolish habits and excuses must stop!
In the same way that we find it mandatory to wake up for work or school, brush our teeth, take a shower, and eat food- working out must be the same priority. If you want to reap the benefits of incorporating activity into your life, it has to become a part of your lifestyle!
On average I devote about 20-35 minutes of my time every day to exercise. My preference is early in the morning, but currently I have tailored my schedule to the evenings in order to incorporate a workout partner (shout out to my boyfriend Vince! :-) ). If you find that working out with a partner gets you to stick to your routine even more, then by all means I advise you to accommodate your workout schedule! Below are some different routines that I do based on my time available during the week, and how I change it up to avoid boredom.
Enjoy! :-)
Gym Routines:
For those of you that belong to a gym, I have a gym within the development where I live and on most days of the week I hit it up in the evenings when I get home. Around 6:25pm is when I go, and I use the cardio and weight lifting equipment in 3 different variations. On the days where I lift weights, I do my quads and hamstrings on the the leg extension equipment at 30-40lbs., and lift 8lb. free weights, doing biceps, triceps, shoulders (deltoids & traps), and calves.
*Never do this two days in a row. Allow your body to fully heal, with no sore feelings and/or pain before you return and move up a weight level if you choose to!
1) 12-15 minutes of running/brisk walking intervals on the treadmill, & 15 minutes of lifting weights.
Total Workout Time: 27-30 minutes.
2) 12 minutes of running/brisk walking intervals on the treadmill, & 20 minutes of P90x Ab Ripper X Dvd (back at home).
Total Workout Time: 32 minutes/ Price: ~$19.99-25 (Amazon)
3) 12 minutes on the elliptical at max resistance, & 15 minutes of lifting weights.
Total Workout Time: 27 minutes.
Dvd Routines:
For those of you that have a gym commute more than 5 minutes away and are pressed for time, I advise you to ditch the gym and to start incorporating dvd's! Working out with dvd's or dvd programs helps you to make the time for your workouts when YOU have the time available. There are no gym hours to be flexible with here and no commute to the gym that you have to factor in! Who can beat the beauty of that?! Furthermore, you can pick a dvd each day that is a length of time appropriate for your schedule!
1) Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30
Total Workout Time: 24 minutes/ Price: ~$8.96-10 (Walmart)
This workout dvd is a current favorite of mine! It is more advanced than the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred dvd that I have featured below, incorporates Jillian's 3-2-1 weights, cardio, & abs training system, and is still short and concise. The dvd features 4 intense workouts to get you into insane shape. For those of you thinking this dvd is just for women...you are so wrong. Men if you want to step up your cardio and cut your workout time, THIS is where its at. P.S. it had Vince huffing and puffing, and he has been doing P90x (an intense, professional-level workout dvd program) for years!
2) Gilad 15 Targeted Express Workouts & Rodney Yee's Ultimate Power Yoga
Total Workout Time: Gilad: 7:35-9:40 minute workouts multiplied by the # that you do, Rodney: 15-20 minutes/ Price: Gilad: ~$15-20.86 (Walmart/Amazon) /Rodney: ~$8.96-10 (Walmart)
Gilad 15 Targeted Express Workouts are a collection of 15 targeted weight lifting, 7-10 minute workouts that you can mix and match depending on what you want to work on and how much time you have! This dvd is excellent for those who do not like a lot of intense cardio (those 50 yrs. old+), but still need a great workout. I highly recommend this dvd for those who do not have a lot of time and want to start incorporating weight lifting into their routine!
Rodney Yee's Ultimate Power Yoga is a dvd that features 5 15-20 minute workouts designed to build strength, relax the mind, and boost ENERGY! What I love about Rodney Yee's dvd's the most, is that there is no creepy yoga instructor whispering to you to "breathe slowly and imagine yourself as a tree" while you are trying to get your workout done. I can't stand this about yoga! He has a very relaxing voice that is not irritating. Haha!
3) Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred
Total Workout Time: 20 minutes/ Price: ~$6.96-10 (Walmart)
For those of you who are just starting out (I am not, so this dvd is no longer commonly used by me), this a great dvd to help you lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time! It comes with 3 workouts that are 20 minutes long and are designed using Jillian's 3-2-1 weights/cardio/abs training system! This type of interval training incorporating weight lifting, cardio, abs, & stretching gets your body LEAN. If you have fat that you want to burn and do not have a lot of time, this is your dvd!
Comments!:
This workout routine works perfect for me and for other individuals who may have little time to devote to exercise. I can workout as little as 20 minutes a day if I need to, or I can maximize my routine and push it to 30 minutes+! My most important tip would be never to incorporate a workout routine into your life that is impossible to keep up! What is the point of being healthy if you are either going to workout 100% for a short period of time and then not work out at all for even longer?! Be realistic!
On average I work out 5-6 days a week. I encourage all of you to focus on incorporating smaller amounts of daily exercise into your lives, rather than larger amounts 3-4 times a week. Even if it's just cardio, and you weight lift every other day or every 2 days, exercising every day allows you to reap the many health benefits of exercise 365 days out of the year. :-)
Also, make sure that you take off at least one day during the week to rest and re-cooperate from your week of training! My days off are usually Sunday. Instead of doing one of my normal routines, I just do 15-20 minutes of relaxing yoga in the morning. :-) And remember, a day off does not mean a day stuffing yourself with junk food. Maintain your normal healthy eating habits, and you will be thankful!
I hope this helped everyone out a bit!
P.S. If you would like for me to do some more in-depth reviews of dvd programs before you make a purchase, just request in the comments below and I would be more than happy to. :-)
Xo -Jess
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ReplyDeleteNothing is impossible, Jessica. If you want to achieve something, you’ll exert time and effort, no matter what. Aside from regularly exercising, you can also develop your own healthy eating habits and live a healthy lifestyle.
ReplyDelete-Ginette Harmon