Work it Out

Top: Redvanly
Pants: H&M
Shoes: Nike
Headphones: Barbara Bui

I’ve finally done something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time! I get so many questions from everyone about my health and workout routine. I’ve been doing a lot of healthy cooking posts lately, so here is the exercise part to go with it!

Before we start let me give you the pep (or prep) talk. You can see major results in the way your body looks by adapting a few changes, many of which are easier than you think. You need to think about health and exercise as a lifestyle, not a “diet”. I eat very healthy, but I would never consider it a diet. I don’t “eat good” all week and then stuff myself with nachos and deep fried oreo’s (yes they exist) on the weekend. I’ve adopted a healthy lifestyle where I choose not to eat white breads, pasta, refined sugars, butter, and most cheeses, etc. I’m not life or death about it. I’ll choose a 100% real fruit popsicle for dessert, or I’ll have a couple bites of my friends pasta at dinner, but I always order the fish and vegetables for my own meal. I’m never thinking “Oh I wish I could just have the pasta,” because my body feels (and looks) better when I eat vegetables and lean meats. To me it’s not a diet- it’s a lifestyle.
The same goes with working out. I don’t think “If I work out Monday through Thursday and suffer through it, then I have Fri Sat and Sun off yay!” No, that’s not how a successful healthy lifestyle works. I know that I feel better if I get up and stretch, do a short run and exercise in the morning, so I WANT to do it. Health and exercise isn’t about discipline and reward. It should be a constant, because you want to, and you feel better when you do it. If I truly don’t have the time that day, no big deal. There’s always tomorrow. But if we all really think about it, most days we do have an extra 30 minutes. It’s just up to you.

What I wear: The top is by Redvanly, a cool new athletic wear line that I’m loving! And it’s for the boys too (they carry mens and womens. Check it out here!) The fabric is so soft and it also has a water resistant factor which is great. Gotta stay dry! Very comfy and easy to move around in- which is so important in athletic wear. For workout pants I prefer long and tight, shorts can ride up too much for my taste, and flared dance pants can get in the way. Running shoes I always go for a really lightweight pair.

I’m traveling a lot so I don’t have time to go to the gym, lift weights, and use fancy machines all the time. But if you don’t have access to those things, truthfully you don’t need them. All you need is 30 or 40 minutes of free time a day and a good attitude.
Pep talk over now onto the workout.

Stretching is SO important. I stretch my whole body thoroughly before and after any exercise. I don’t want to build muscle, I just want to stay fit and toned. Stretching, of course helps to minimize injuries and soreness, but also helps your muscles to not bulk up.

Running. Cardio is a must. You need to get your heart pumping and burn calories to lose weight. Even if you’re not trying to lose weight, cardio makes your heart strong. We all need that. Literally and figuratively ;)

My daily workout is a mix of running and the exercises above. All which can be done pretty much anywhere. I run for 10 minutes (on the street, track, treadmill- wherever), at intervals every minute, going from jog to run to sprint three times and then the final minute is a walk down. I need to change every minute because I’m not a distance runner. I need something to look forward to, and I need it to happen fast. When I know I have to change the speed it keeps my mind focused and excited.

Then I switch to the exercises. One minute for each. A total of 10 minutes. (Excuse me for not knowing the actual names of these, it’s just what I call them.) These exercises mainly target the areas I’m personally most concerned about- waist and butt! And planks work your whole core.
1. Glut lifts (1 minute each side- 2 minutes total)
2. Butt Ups (1 minute)
3. Leg lifts- both legs (2 minutes total)
4. Jacknives (1 minute)
5. Crunches or “Bicycle” (1 minute)
6. Plank (1 minute- do not stop)
7. Side plank- one on each side (2 minutes total)

Then back to 10 minutes of running. And if I have the time I do a second rep of excercises. So 40 minutes total unless I’m in a rush, then 30. Really not a lot of time out of your day, but you’ll see major changes believe me!

Changes don’t happen overnight, but give a new healthy lifestyle a try and I guarantee you will look and feel better day by day.