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motivated

How to Get Motivated to Workout

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On any given day a married woman can have 1001 things on her plate.  When you have a job to do, kids to attend to, home to clean, and a husband to enjoy, life can be quite busy.

I often describe my life as a circus where I am the juggler that has to keep all of the people and activities in my life up in the air long enough so that they (and I) don’t crash.

Since life is so full of important things that matter, exercising can often get left off of our to-do list.

Not only is it tough to schedule our workouts, but after doing a hundred other things, being tired and overwhelmed with life, it’s sometimes difficult to get motivated to workout.

If you need help getting motivated to workout keep reading I have some of my best tips for you!

How to Get Motivated to Workout

1.  Make it FUN!  When helping my clients choose their workouts I always try to find out what they naturally enjoy.  Whenever you pick a fitness program pick something you absolutely LOVE!!

There’s no need to go swimming if you hate it. If you love to dance – take Zumba. Love to ride bikes? Take a spin class or ride through your town.  Don’t like to jump around, but love a calm peaceful atmosphere? Try a yoga class. I guarantee you there is a workout for everyone! If you need help finding something right for you, just ask me. :)

2. Compete.  Some people, like my dear husband, love to compete. It’s often difficult for him to find the motivation to workout without dangling a carrot in front of him. The carrot that tends to work the best is a competition.  My man is so competitive that he decided to do an Ironman when he turned 40.

Giving yourself something to work for, a deadline, a goal like competing in an event (especially one that you must pay in advance to enter), or competing in one you could win is a great motivator. In order to do well you must train often and hard to succeed.

3.  Treat Yourself.  Gamification is the use of game thinking in a non-game context. Making up mini-games along the way can help you reach your goals. For instance, you can make a game to see how many workouts you can get in a week. Give yourself 1 point for each workout you complete. When you get 20 points you can give yourself a non-food treat. Think – new workout clothes, new shoes, a trip to the spa, whatever you decide.

4.  Partner Up.  Sometimes you need a little extra help and accountability to get you going. Your husband can help you reach your fitness goals. Ask him to be your workout partner.  Getting in shape together can be one of the greatest things you can do to prolong your relationship (literally).

5.  Stickk it!  When all else fails this next tip may be your last resort.  There is a site called Stickk.com where you can put your $$$ where your mouth is. You set your goal, set the stakes, get a referee, and add friends for support. When you set the stakes you can pick an anti-charity, friend or charity to support if you fail at reaching your goal, your money goes to them.

For example, if you don’t reach the goal of let’s say working out 5 days a week for a month then your money you put up in advance would go to that anti-charity. What’s an anti-charity? It’s a charity or cause that you HATE! For instance, if you are against guns then the anti-charity would be a charity that supports guns. If you didn’t want your money to go to that charity, then you had better reach your workout goal.

How do you motivate yourself to workout?

workout tips

5 Valuable Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Next Workout

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Just like a car should be warmed up on a cold winters day before putting it into gear and driving off, you should properly prepare yourself for your workout.

Often times we get to the gym or press play on our DVD player to workout without taking any time to get ourselves really ready.

Sometimes because of we are in such a rush we can cause strains, nausea, dehydration, or worse.

There are several things I suggest you do so that you can make sure you are ready from head to toe.

Note that not everything I write below will be true for you, but take what you think will work for you and try it out for a better workout experience.

How to Properly Prepare for a Workout

  • Hydration is important prior to exercising. Make sure you are getting enough fluids daily so that your workout won’t suffer. When you aren’t properly hydrated you will be sluggish during your workout which will give you sub par results.

 

  • Eat a light snack or meal prior to your workout if you are prone to nausea. Some people like my husband can workout on an empty stomach which is great if you can do that. But for me, having a light snack gives me the energy I need to power through my workout. Try half a whole wheat bagel with a tablespoon of almond butter, or a banana with peanut butter.
  • Proper workout gear is one of the favorite tips of my clients who enjoy shopping. It’s not just so you can look cute for your man, but it’s really important for your body.  Having proper shoes is your first priority. Back and knee issues can often be alleviated with proper footwear. If you are working out at home I highly recommend getting a good workout mat to ease the blow on your bones and joints. Get a great support bra, and you’ll be good to go!

 

  • Prepare your mind.  This could be the most important thing you do before you begin your workout.  Without the proper mindset you can cheat yourself by cutting corners and not pushing yourself as hard as you should.  Don’t allow your mind to wander, instead focus on each and every exercise for maximum results. Go in determined to not give up, and do your best.

 

  • Warm-up before your go full force.  It’s important to warm up your body so that your circulation slowly increases, your heart starts pumping, your body gets moving so you can properly do your exercises. A proper warm up will not only help you avoid injury, but it will also help to enhance your workout performance.

What do you do to prepare for your workout? Which tip will you try?

 

Busy Day

20 Ways to Sneak a Workout Into Your Busy Day

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Being an Olympian people automatically think that I love to workout.  They also assume that I love to eat clean healthy food all of the time. If you were to bet that those things were true you’d absolutely lose your money.

The truth is, I workout because I know that in order to have a healthy lean body it is a requirement.  I’ll be turning 40 in a couple of weeks and one of my goals is to be in the best shape of my life in my 40′s.  If I am to reach my goal I must put in the work and effort to make this happen.

Fit bodies aren’t made by chance, they are made on purpose.  It’s a choice.  Just like choosing to be happy in your marriage and in your life is a choice.  It is also possible. Don’t ever forget that.

Being healthy and fit is possible for all of us, that means it’s possible for YOU too.

Since I don’t have endless hours in my day to exercise, I must do little things here and there on my busy days to get a workout in.  If you are too busy to stop for 25 minutes or more to exercise then this list is for you.

1.  Far Out-  When you are out and about, do not circle around looking for the nearest parking spot.  Drive towards the end of the row, you know where nobody parks their car.  Park far away and walk.

2.  Up and Down- Instead of using the elevator to go up to the third floor, take the stairs!  Heck, take them both ways, up and down.

3.  Push Ups-  If you are at home, make a game with yourself.  Every time you go upstairs for anything at all, as soon as you get to the top, drop down and do 10 pushups.

4.  Always Time to Squat-  This one is pretty funny, but yes I do this.  Whenever you go to the bathroom on those days that you can’t fit in a workout, instead of sitting on the toilet, squat. In fact, before you potty, do 10 squats in place, then tinkle. You’ll work your hamstrings, quads, and calf muscles.

5.  Walk Tall-  Whenever you walk anywhere stand tall with your belly button pulled in.  Pretend like there is a book on the top of your head that you must keep balanced.  Shoulders back, chest up, and you’ll be working more than you think by just walking from place to place.

6.  Dip, Dip, Dip-  During your day when you sit down (on a sturdy non-rolling chair), before starting your work or whatever you will be doing, do 5 quick dips.  You’ll be amazed at how many you’ll get in during the day.

7.  Raise Up-  Whenever you are in line at the market, post office, even waiting for the copy machine, you can do toe raises.  These will help to define your calves.  Sure you may look a little silly, but the next time you put on your heels your sexy calves will be winking at your hubby. 

8.  Just Flex-  Another thing you can do while waiting in line, or even while you are in the car driving, is to flex your abdominal muscles.  Pull you belly button in towards your back and bear down and hold it for 10 seconds, and gently release.  No one will notice as you work on your core.  Make sure to breathe.

9.  Forget About it-  Next time you are in the grocery store and only have a few items to get, forget about the shopping cart and grab a hand basket instead.  Carrying the heavy bags will strengthen your body in the process.

10.  Walk and Talk-  Don’t sit on the couch or in your office chair when you are on the phone.  Get up and march in place or walk around the room.  With how long some of you talk, you can possibly walk a mile in your own office or family room.

11.  Ditch the Chair-  A great way to workout your core all day is to sit on a stability ball.  Ditch your office chair and replace it with a stability ball.  Being off balance and trying to keep stable, exercises your core.  It’s fun too.

12.  Brush Sit-  We all know that we are supposed to brush our teeth at least twice a day for 2-minutes at a time.  Instead of just standing there, put your back against the wall or closed door and do two 45-second sets of wall sits.  Or, you can get in about 2 sets of 8-12 lunges! How’s that for time management.

13.  Box Your Boss-  I’m just kidding here.  This is something you can do while waiting for your water to boil, oatmeal to cook, or waiting for your fax to come through – shadow box.  Holding your tummy in tight, and punching with your legs in an athletic stance, you can burn quite a few calories quickly. 

14.  Go Green-  If you live nearby a store, library, post office, etc., leave the car at home and save not only the planet, but increase the years on your life by walking or biking. 

15.  Do-it-yourself-  Forget about taking your car to the car wash.  Fire your yard man.  Wash your own car and cut your lawn yourself! Not only will you save money, but you can sneak in a great workout this way.

16.  Commercial Workout-  When your favorite show goes to a commercial break drop down and do 10 pushups and 20 sit ups.  If you are watching an hour program this could add up to 40 pushups and 80 sit ups.  That’s probably more than you would have done at the gym!

17.  Watch and Ride-  One of my favorite television shows is the Biggest Loser.  I have an elliptical machine in my family room.  Whenever the show comes on I hop on the elliptical for about 40 minutes instead of just vegging out on the couch.  Use your stationary bike, treadmill or elliptical during your favorite television show.

18.  Just Say YES-  Getting into the habit of saying “Yes” to your husband will not only make him happy, it can help you get trim.  Sexercise is a win-win situation ladies. Do it often. :)

19.  Chat and Scat- I know you love to meet your girlfriends or husband for coffee.  Why not take your coffee to-go! Grab your coffee or tea, put it in a to-go cup and walk and talk with your husband or girlfriends.  You’ll burn calories as you are chatting away.

20.  Change Your Date-  Instead of going on dates where you are sedentary, pick active date locations.  Volleyball leagues, church softball games, and even dance classes can not only spice up your relationship, but can also help you slim down your waistline. 

Question:  How do you sneak in a workout?