“I don’t have time to exercise.”

How many times have you heard or have yourself said this before? I know I have!
Between the job, kids, family, cooking, cleaning, the random “to-do” list, and of course a social life, there is always going to be an excuse to not exercise.

Many times we think that exercise needs to be blocked out in our schedule for at least an hour.
Well get ready to throw out the “no time” excuse from your vocabulary!

Research has proven that a short 15 minute intense exercise workout can be just as effective as an hour long moderate pace exercise routine. In order to see change, the body needs to be stressed. This is why INTENSITY over VOLUME is vital.

Here is a example of a 14-15 minute workout:

Floor pushups for 20 seconds( do as many as you can do in that time) rest 10 seconds then repeat 5 times

* Rest for 1 minute

Mountain climbers for 20 seconds ( do as many as you can do in that time) rest 10 seconds and repeat 5 times

* Rest for 1 minute

Ball or Floor Crunches for 20 seconds ( do as many as you can do in that time) rest 10 seconds and repeat 5 times

* Rest for 1 minute

Body Weight Squat for 20 seconds ( do as many as you can do in that time) rest 10 seconds and repeat 5 times

Done, Done, and Done… Total: 14 minutes

So turn off that TV or shut the laptop and get moving!

What’s your biggest excuse in not exercising?

ps: Don’t forget to head over to the VITATOP giveaway!

Thanks for all the wonderful birthday wishes!

I had such a great birthday weekend back home in California. I’m usually running around all over the place trying to see everyone when I go home, but this trip I decided to dedicate to my family. And what a great decision it ended up being!!! My husband and brother were both gone at a 4-day conference so it was so nice to have my parents all to myself.

Here are a few pictures from the weekend… my camera battery died so I didn’t get many pictures.

My friend made me a beautiful dolphin birthday cake!

Birthday-night out with the rents

Birthday Dinner at Woodward Ranch BBQ

My husband definitely knows me! For my birthday he got me The Wave by The FIRM. I had never seen or heard about The Wave workout, so I was very interested to see how it worked. I love all of The Firm workout DVDs so I had high hopes for this one. It came with a board, 3 DVDs, and a success guide with nutrition tips.

The workout kind of feels like step aerobics with a twist. The arched board can be used as astep or can be flipped over as a rocker. And let me tell you, the rocker works the whole body trying to balance on it.

I love this workout! I would say that I am more of a cardio girl … I hate lifting weights. This workout involves lifting weights, but it didn’t really phase me because I was moving so much while lifting. The time definitely goes by way too fast and my whole body feels it by the end of the workout. The only down fall- I’m so clumsy that one day I know that I am going to trip or fall off the board. When that day comes I will be sure to let you know.

To see the WAVE in Action, check out this short video clip-

Have you seen or tried The Wave workout?

What are some of your favorite workout DVDs?

Don’t forget to head over HERE for a chance to win the Turbo Jam Workout DVDs! Turbo Jam workouts are just as fun as The Wave!

Oh water… can’t live with it, can’t live without.

If any of you are like me, you choose flavored beverages over water anytime of the day. I must admit, Diet coke is my guilty pleasure and it gets in the way of my 8 cups of water a day, leaving me dehydrated and feeling sluggish. I know, I know… Diet Coke is horrible to drink and I shouldn’t be drinking it. I am working on it people… ok, maybe not as much as I should. I guess this post is more for me than it is for you guys!

Water works in so many different ways throughout our body. Just look at how water affects out body

There are so many benefits to drinking water besides the obvious of staying hydrated! Drinking at least 8 cups of water a day aids in weight loss, moisturizes skin to make it look younger, relieves headaches, fuels to brain to function better, aids in energy to exercise longer, prevents cramping and sprains, and helps fight against the flu.

So with this in mind, how can we get more water in throughout the day?

Here are 7 great tips to get in more water:

1.)  Buy a fun water bottle and NEVER let it leave your side

1. Rule: Only fill up with water

2.)   Drink one glass of water prior to every meal

3.)  Spice up your water with a slice of lemon or lime.

1. My friend taught me to slice up cucumbers and throw them into a pitcher full of water the night before. The water soaks up the flavor of the cucumbers to give a nice taste. You can do this is all sorts of fruits!

4.)  Straws… They work wonders

1. Who would have known that straws help in drinking water? I find myself drinking so much more when I drink from a straw.

5.)  Drink and Drive… water that is

1. Ok, this is the only time on my blog that I will ever encourage you to drink and drive. Keep your car cup holder full with your fun water bottle and make it a priority to drink your water while on the road.

6.)  Add your vitamins

1. Kill two birds with one stone by getting in your vitamins and water at the same time.  There are several different vitamin supplements made to be mixed with water

7.)  Filter your water

1. I don’t know where you live, but Arizona has the worst tasting water in the world. Brita Filters have saved my life ever since I moved out here. They aren’t too expensive either. Speaking of filtered water… Starbucks has the best water ever! From what I hear it’s triple filtered

Find what works for you. Hopefully some of these tips will help you cross the finish line of 8 cups by the end of the day.

Cheers and drink up!

Question: How do you fit in your 8 cups of water a day?

Weight can easily become an obsession.

Living a healthy life and losing weight is something that takes time and energy as you count calories, plan out healthy meals, and exercise daily . . . and that is ok. But what most people don’t realize is that losing weight to live a healthy life can soon be tossed out the window and the numbers on the scale can start to define you.

It amazes me how a scale can dictate the mood someone is in or consume the mind day in and day out. The scale starts to define one for who you are… one day they are thin and beautiful because they lose a few pounds. The next day you are fat and ugly because you went up 1 pound.

A piece of metal has so much power and control in one’s life… Don’t let the scale define you!

I challenge you to copy this picture for one week and seek out what defines your life. Living a health life is so much more than numbers… it’s about feeling great, living longer, being able to run around with your children or grandchildren, or gaining confidence in your self.

What defines you?

Jillian Michaels is probably the most intimidating person on the Biggest Loser. Personally, she scares me! But I guess fear can be used to stay on the treadmill or walk away from those Oreos. However, her drive, determination, and wisdom has changed the lives of people all over the world.

I received the Jillian Michaels- 30-Day Shred for christmas. I have heard so many different reviews that I thought it was about time that I try it out for myself. Jillian Michaels can be tough, but at least she has proven herself to know what she is doing.

I will give a low down for those of you out there that have never tried Jillian Michael’s workout video. The 30-day Shred is broken down into 3 different levels of 20 minutes each. Each level contains 3 rotations of cardio, lifting, and abs. The only down fall is that it can get monotonous after doing the same routine for 30 days.

The time goes by so fast while working out with Jillian Michaels and your body will be sweating and shaking by the end. I could barely get out of bed the next morning after completing Day 1 of the 30 day Shred. It might sound sickening, but there is nothing better than the feeling of your entire body aching after a good workout!

I’m sure many of you have tried Jillian Michaels 30 day shred! What are your thoughts on the workout?

Diving is a mental sport. As a springboard diver in college, I use to freak myself out on the boards because I would think too much into my dive… the fear of hitting the board, loosing my balance, or hitting the water at the wrong angle. A teammate of mine once said, “ Don’t think, just do.” This motto helped me push through those mental blocks and eventually led me to nationals.

These days I still look to this motto. There are days that I wake up and dread the cold, the aching muscles from the workout the day before, or just no motivation to get out of bed to workout. The holidays don’t make it any easier for those that have taken a break. It’s hard to get back into the swing of things.

I have found that the motto, “Don’t think, just do,” has helped me overcome these days. When it comes to exercise, “don’t think, just do it.” Wake up in the morning and head straight to those shoes… don’t think about the cold, how tired you are, or what needs to get done that morning. You won’t regret it!

What exercise motto do you live by?