Most of us have a full day almost everyday with work, kids, and other obligations that need to be squeezed in. It’s hard to fit a workout routine into our schedule when we feel sleep takes a higher priority than our health.
Here are some fun and creative workout tips for women to help stop the excuses and start living a healthier lifestyle. Make your health a priority!
- One way to live a more active lifestyle is to commit to a 30-minute fitness regimen on your lunch break. In order to make your lunchtime fitness routine a success, be sure to plan and prepare. If you start off with the idea that you’ll be at the gym every single lunchtime Monday through Friday, that’s not realistic. You’ll feel like you’re failing and then be less likely to go.
To stay motivated, review your calendar for the upcoming week, figure out which days will allow you the most time for an efficient workout, and write in your scheduled workout for that day. Treating your workout like any other appointment will help you stay committed and on track with your new routine.
To maximize your workout and minimize boredom, try creating a circuit that incorporates cardiovascular exercise, strength training and ab work. Each circuit should have 1-2 minute cardio bursts followed by 30 second-1 minute series of resistance and core exercises.
- Keep a journal! By simply writing down what you eat and when you eat it, you’ll be able to identify eating patterns you might not be aware of. Once you begin to recognize these patterns, you’ll be able to plan ahead. You might be surprised to see that you tend to crave certain foods or overeat at the same time each day. Being aware of our less healthy habits helps us understand and plan ahead to avoid them.
- If you are a mom trying to combat the “baby weight” and time for working out is not flexible, be more innovative. Who says you need a gym to break a sweat??? How about incorporating these ideas into a new mom workout…
- Exercise with your baby! Crawling around on the floor with your little one, doing a silly dance, holding him or her while you do squats, or simply lying next to them while you do crunches and push-ups are all ways to be present with your little one while getting some exercise.
- Take the baby for a brisk stroller walk each day. For new moms, getting out of the house can seem like a major event, so start at 15 minutes and work your way up to an hour.
- Buy workout DVD’s and exercise while the baby naps. Choose videos that have cardio and strength training elements so you can break a sweat, tone up and boost your metabolism.
Lisa Corsello has worked as one of San Francisco’s premiere personal trainers and nutrition counselors. She recently used her extensive training and fitness background to develop a hot new fitness technique called Burn. The 55-minute workout brings the benefits of dynamic individualized workouts to groups using a method that draws upon the best of pilates, strength and core training for optimal results. In addition to classes, Burn offers individual nutrition counseling and body composition assessment. For more information on her new workout studio and to view the class schedule, visit www.burnsf.com
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