“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!

Sorry for being MIA these past few months. Nursing school almost ate me alive this year… but needless to say, I am alive. Eight months of torture and pain have paid off.

Labor and Delivery- Check

Pediatrics- Check

Mental Health- Check

Home Health- Check

Community Health- Check

I feel like I’m on top of the world… for the summer break at least!

Made it to the top... that's me in the middle

Two years down and one semester to go till I am an official Registered Nurse!

Oh to dream of never having to write another 40-page patient care plan, reading endless pages of information I don’t retain, stressing over critical thinking tests, or working in the hospital for free. Well, 8 more months and this dream will come true. For now I will enjoy the 4 months of summer break.

My lovely nursing buddies... what would I do without them?

Today marks the first day of summer and I welcome it with arms wide open. 4 months of summer bliss, blogging, and traveling to see the ones I love… and of course, getting back into shape!

DunDunDun… (it just sounds better than reading)

It’s time to put back on the running shoes and hit the ground running. My focus for this summer is DISCIPLINE. In the past year I have lost the concept of being disciplined in so many different areas of my life. It’s time to start working out daily, eating right, reading my bible, blogging and

. . . Well, I guess I should be disciplined to study for the NCLEX.

We will see how well the last one goes. Right now I am so over anything remotely school related.

What areas in your life have you lost discipline in?

With that in mind, I can’t wait to get back into the blogging world. I’ve missed you all so much

. . . See you tomorrow!

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!

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?

A long, hard, strenuous, workout deserves a snack, but did you know that the food you choose is just as important as the actual workout itself?

For many people, exercise has become an excuse to eat whatever you want. Not just right after the workout, but throughout the entire day. This can be especially harmful since the metabolism is jump started after a workout, increasing one’s appetite throughout the day. With this mentality and an increased appetite, it can lead to over eating and reaching for the wrong type of food.

On the other hand, one might think that not eating at all after a workout will aid in weight loss, when in actuality, a small 200 calorie snack can prevent you from pigging out down the road with a 800 calorie snack. Having a post workout snack also helps in keeping your metabolism rev’ed up. One should grab a snack 30 minutes to 2 hours after a workout.

So, what should you eat when you get home from the gym?

To contrary believe, carbohydrates are essential to a post-workout snack and should make up about 60% of it. During a workout, the glycogen storage is depleted and should be replenished and refueled to make it through the day without overeating. A post-workout snack for moderate exercise should include 30-50 grams of carbohydrates.

Second, the snack should include some sort of protein which aids in rebuilding muscle.

Here are 7 great post workout snack that will leave you full and keep you going throughout the day:

* Egg Sandwich: 100 calorie English muffin with egg whites

* Fruit and Yogurt mixed with a small amount of granola

* 1 tbsp peanut butter and 1 banana on a rice cake

* Low fat fruit smoothie and protein powder

* High fiber crackers and low fat cheese

* Low sugar fruit juice and a hand full of Nuts

* Cottage cheese and fruit

Question: What is your favorite Post-Workout Snack?

I love making fruit smoothies after my workout!

It use to be that I would workout for a certain amount of time, but lately that has switched. Instead of staring at the clock, I have started focusing more on distance. For me it has helped me to go longer in my workouts and increases my intensity when I am in a time crunch.

But really, what is more beneficial, exercising for distance or exercising for time?

“FITT” is a great acronym that can guide you in your cardio workout plan.

F.I.T.T. stands for Frequency, Intensity, Type, and Time.

Frequency

How often should you workout?

For those of you that are just starting to workout, start out slow and work your way up. Aim at about 3 days a week and gradually work your way up to 5 or 6 days a week. When it comes to weight loss, the more days the better. But don’t forget to allow your body a day or two of rest!

Intensity

How hard is your workout?

This can be a hard balance to find. You want your workouts to overload your body but at the same time you don’t want to create too much intensity in your workout that it creates injuries or burnouts. A heart rate monitor can determine intensity but another great way of measuring your intensity is from the ability to speak while working out. You know you are having a great workout when you become out of breath during it.

Type

What activities do you do that increases your heart rate?

Most of us have our one cardio activity that we enjoy doing. For me, it’s the elliptical. I can stay on that thing forever, but put me on a treadmill and I can’t stand more than 5 minutes without getting bored and miserable. Find activities that increase your heart rate and that you love. Switching it up too can throw off your body from adjusting to that one activity.

Time

How long is your workout?

The recommending time of a cardio workout is going to vary on it’s intensity but it’s around 20-60 minutes.

So, maybe I shouldn’t just focus on miles. According the “FITT” principle there are several things to take into consideration. Bring both miles and time into my workout would be more beneficial than focusing on one or the other.

Question

When you workout, do you focus more on time or distance?

What is your usual time or distance each day?