Mom, can spare thirty minutes a day for a quick workout at home? You’ll probably say, no. Your reason, just like any other mom is, “I’m too busy” or “I don’t have time.”
Busy is what most Moms are every morning. You and I are always in a rush. As soon as the kids are in school, we try to tick off everything on our to-do list. That is why working out or going to the gym is absolutely not our priority. What if tell you that you can create a fitness regimen in 30 minutes or less despite your busy schedule? Stick with me…
A couple of months ago, I was commissioned to research and write about Nutrition in Cancer Therapy. The information I gathered got me thinking about my health. I’m in my early 40’s and not as young as I used to be. I know I need to change my lifestyle.
Little by little, I started to make better food choices. Aside from this, I decided to start a regular fitness routine. Scientists and fitness experts agree that regular exercises have proven benefits.
Photo captured by Jianne Agbayani 🙂
Here are the top four fitness sites that helped me create a regular fitness regimen:
LiveLovePartyTV. Do you love to dance? I do!!! Live Love Party is a YouTube channel where local ZINs or Zumba Instructors show you exhilarating dance routines. The steps are easy to follow that you can’t help but click repeat and dance again. If you want to start dancing as a fitness routine, you can do so with 3 to 5 songs a day. This will allow your heart and your body to get used to the jumping, turning, swaying and so on.
This will allow your body to adjust from being sedentary to being intentionally active. You will surely get a kick out those very entertaining Zumba instructors. Check out my favorite dance routine here.
PopSugarFitness. This is my current love! I still dance once in a while but I want to challenge myself. That is why I’m taking my fitness to the next level via Pop Sugar. There are a lot of exercise routines you can follow on their site.
If you have 10 minutes to spare, Popsugar has something for you. They have a variety of exercises you can try like do Cardio-Pilates, Cardio boxing, and dancing. You will also learn how to do burpees and planks. My personal favorite is the HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training). It is an intense workout but it’s super worth it. My husband noticed the changes already, so that’s a woot-woot!
What is High-Intensity Interval Training? This workout involves alternating between very intense bouts of exercise and low-intensity exercise. For example, sprinting for 30 seconds, then walking for 60 seconds is high-intensity interval training. I’ve seen more people attesting to the benefits of HIIT workout. Find out its benefits and why it can be a better workout alternative for you.
Check the workouts on their YouTube channel that would suit your fitness level.
Women’s Health. I checked some of their routines and they are quite similar to those on PopSugar. If you’re the type who gets distracted with talking, the instructional videos here might help you focus. The instructions are also easy to follow and will tell you the number of repetitions you need to do.
Blogilates by Cassey Ho. I alternate PopSugar with Blogilates especially when I am not “in the mood” to workout. Cassey’s Pilates exercises look easy when you watch it on her Youtube Channel but when you’re actually doing it, it’s hard! But it’s really fun! Blogilates has the best thigh exercises! You’ll see results if you do them consistently, of course. Cassey also a monthly workout calendar for her subscribers.
Since I homeschool and mostly do work from home, going to the gym is impractical for me. I need something that is easily accessible and does not require any financial obligation (gym membership). Hold on. If going to the gym will get you started on a fitness program, then by all means enroll. I’m not discouraging you. I’m sharing my personal experience and what works for me.
Can’t wait to try them out? Before you do those jumping jacks, please be reminded of the following:
- Consult with your doctor before doing any of the strenuous exercises.
- Prevent injuries by wearing rubber shoes or training shoes. NEVER go barefoot unless you are doing yoga or Ppilates.
- Listen to your body. Take breaks. No to overexertion.
- Do not gulp but take sips of water.
- Don’t forget to breathe.
- Enjoy!
When you’re at my age, 40ish, aging becomes a concern. You see and feel its effects. I’m not afraid to grow old. It’s inevitable. What I don’t like is to see myself as a sickly, inactive, and grumpy old woman.
My personal goal for starting this now is not to get rid of muffin tops and cottage cheese… they will if you take it seriously, though. My goal is to be intentional in allowing my body to have at least 30 minutes of regular exercises or some form of physical activity. I want to be healthy for myself and for my family. And It only takes a few minutes to do that.