10 minute workouts

My friend shared with me a really great sight full of 10 minute work outs!  I love doing a bunch of these for a work out.  Especially if your at home.  This arm one leaves me feeling like jello every time! The best motivator line: "Just think when you wave at someone, your arms won't wave back!"

Popsugar Fit Tv

Actively Engaged in Your Own Life.

I think that getting into shape is kind of daunting for some people. The thought of going to the gym for an hour every day can almost be painful.

Going to the gym isn't for everyone, but that's not the only way to be healthy. Even working out isn't the only way to be healthy. Yeah, if you want muscle tone and stuff like that, you probably need to go to the gym. But in order to feel good, you really just need to move. Get up. Walk around. Be engaged in something other than sitting.

ac·tive/ˈaktiv/

Adjective:	(of a person) Engaging or ready to engage in physically energetic pursuits.
Noun:	An active form of a verb.
Synonyms:	lively - live - brisk - energetic - operative

Physically energetic pursuits aren't only running or weight lifting. It's all about choices--how you choose to live your life. Instead of spending your whole weekend on the couch, choose to do something different. Engage your mind, engage your body.

A few days ago, my boyfriend and I went on a group date with my sisters and their husbands. We went to dinner, walked around downtown a little bit, and then went to a park so my nephew could play. While we were there, all of us started playing on the playground, and it was honestly pretty fun. Monkey bars, cargo nets, weird spinny things... all that good stuff. I wasn't sweating after, I didn't feel like I was exercising, but I felt good. I felt active. I was choosing to play instead of just watching my nephew, and that made all the difference. 

It wasn't only that my body was active, my mind was active as well. I was focused on not falling off of the monkey bars. I was focused on not slipping from the rock wall. Being actively engaged with your mind is just as important as with your body. Sometimes, pick one. Sometimes, pick both. Just choose to do something. Make a decision, and then follow through on your decision. By not choosing to make a decision, you are choosing to not be engaged in your own life. That's when you start to feel like you're not worth it. 

Walk around the block, take the stairs, do some cleaning, have a dance party, play basketball with the neighbor kids, have a game night, bake some muffins, go to the Farmer's Market, run through the sprinklers, fly a kite, throw some rocks at the annoying birds in your yard. Then, after you've had some fun, rest. Recuperate. And get ready to be active again tomorrow. 

I promise, once you start making a conscious effort to be actively engaged in your life, there's no going back. 

Healthy Habits: Morning Exercise Update

I have been looking around for some exercises that will work for my morning workout goal.
I wanted to find things that I can do at home for 10-20 minutes.

Here is what I've been trying:

• Good Morning Yoga Sequence from MindBodyGreen-- I put on some calm, instrumental music and tried out each pose. This was still a workout, even though it felt a bit more relaxing. :)

• Free YouTube video workouts from Fitness Blender -- there are a lot of different workouts to choose from. This morning, I tried this one for abs:

 

These other YouTube videos look like they might also be worth a try...if you can handle cheesy workout instructor talk, haha.

• 10 Minute Cardio Workout at Home
• Fat Blasting 10 Minute Workout
• BeFit videos- another channel with a lot of options

I've been trying to work different parts of my body every day, and it has been feeling great to move and get my heart rate up in the mornings. It's short and simple, but consistent, which is really working for me right now.

One Step At A Time.

Since I'm sure the Olympics are one thing everyone in the world knows about, I think it's fair to say that EVERYONE is feeling a little bit less of an Olympic athlete. Except, of course, for the Olympic athletes.

I got these from Google Images by typing in 2012 Olympics. 

What I'm trying to say is that it can be hard to watch 16- and 17-year-olds propel themselves off of a vault, turn at least three times in the air, and then land safely and gracefully without a single step or hop. All the while, you're thinking: Man. I really should do some push-ups today. But... this ice-cream sounds better. 

Watching the Olympics can be discouraging for so many people. But I say we take the amazing feats of these young adults and turn them into inspiration. Do you know the sacrifices these athletes have to make to maintain their physique? I once heard an athlete (via an inspiration advertisement) say that he hadn't ordered dessert in four years. FOUR YEARS. These kids don't have social lives, they don't have GNO's or parties, they don't have any spare time except for eating or sleeping, they don't even get to enjoy ice cream--which is happiness whipped into a perfectly delectable frozen cream and sugar substance.

So, ask yourself this question: how badly do you want the "perfect" body? Also, ask yourself this question: how many of those world-class athletes have the "perfect" body? I will answer that one for you: none. They don't have "perfect" bodies. They have healthy bodies. And guess what? You can have a healthy body, too. 

Those athletes didn't start out as experts. They had to put in their hours, put in their time. You don't have to sacrifice what they have, but you do have to sacrifice a little. 

Here's my advice: take this healthy thing one step at a time. Every day, make a plan. Make one conscious healthy decision. Whether that is exercising for ten minutes or two hours, eating yogurt instead of ice cream for one meal, or going to bed an hour early instead of watching the Tonight Show, that's one more step in the right direction. 

Pretty soon, you'll have so many steps under your belt, you won't ever be able to go back. 

The new me

{photo via pinterest}

It has now been 2 months since I have exercised on a regular basis.  Doesn't seem like that big of a deal.  Back in January I found out a few ladies in my neighborhood would work out every morning (Mon-Fri) for 1-1 1/2 hours at our near by church.  And the kids would play in the nursery room.  

For quite some time before this I was feeling pretty stuck.  I was not content with my mommy body, my teenage acne came back after having a baby, and I just seemed to be missing a portion of good self esteem that was starting to wear on me.  It seemed as if all the women around me who had just had a baby looked far better then I did, and everyone else around me that hadn't had a baby didn't quite understand what it feels like to have your body completely change on you with out your consent.  Yes, the baby is worth it ( I would do anything for my little man), but it still doesn't change the fact that even after I lost all the "baby" weight my pants never fit the same.  And over time, with the wrong attitude, my self esteem dropped. Fast.

After a while I realized that sitting around and moping about it was doing me no good.  I gained the courage to ask the ladies if I could join their group.  I had no idea what an impact it would make on me. Especially after I have gone with out it for 2 months.

3 healthy habits I have learned:

1. Exercise.  People, its only function is not just losing weight.  After about 4 weeks of consistently working out, I not only looked better, but I felt GREAT.  I didn't lose a single pound. (gasp)  I was in shape, a toner more lean body,  and little things like carrying my little man up and down stairs no longer made me pant for breath.

2. Social.  I didn't realize talking to a 2 year old all day can limit your self esteem.  I am moving in a month, completely across the country.  I thought I successfully didn't make any close enough friends to have it be a hard goodbye when we leave our neighborhood.  In a matter of a few months seeing these ladies everyday I can say I have made life long friends and would trust them with anything.  They are truly amazing and lift my spirits everyday.  It is important to have friends that are positive in life.  It's like seeing someone smile, you can't help but smile back. 

3.  Attitude.  "if your feeling blue, try painting yourself a different color." I still couldn't fit my jeans.  But with the uplifting friends and exercise I happened to gain a bit of courage.  So instead of moping about it, I went and bought jeans that did fit, and from that day on I have far less days spent looking in the mirror wishing and hoping for a better.  Change is good.  Especially motherhood. Since my change in attitude towards my body and trying to love the new me instead of always wishing for something different,  I truly feel my appreciation for motherhood has grown immensely.  I am completely in awe each day with the love I get to feel as a mother, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.  Even if it means getting bigger and bigger hips as the years go on.  At least,  I know what matters most.  And that perspective was all I needed for a happy heart.

Healthy Habits: Morning Jump Start

My healthy habit focus right now is exercise.

As a teacher on summer vacation, my mornings have been pretty lazy. 

All too often these slow, lazy mornings lead to an unproductive day. 

I decided to start my day off in a more active way 

by making a small change to my morning routine.

Now, I'm not usually one for exercise videos, but I needed some motivation.

Netflix instant stream has these 10-minute Solution workout videos.

I decided to give it a try, and did one, 10-minute video each weekday last week. 

 

Even though I was only exercising for a short amount of time,

it really helped me to start the day off right. 

I felt like I had more energy and motivation to be productive during the day.

This week, I felt like I could do more and increased the time to 20 minutes.

 

Sadly, these videos will no longer be available on Netflix, starting tomorrow. 

So, my willpower to maintain this habit is being tested a little bit. 

But I'm feeling pretty determined, 

because 10-20 minutes in the morning feels really doable. 

I think it's something I can keep up, even when I go back to work.

 

At least these videos have given me some ideas and a place to start.

I may have to use a timer and add my own music,

but I will be exercising first thing tomorrow morning.