Let the fun begin!

School is starting soon! For a homeschooling mom like myself, that means.... "AAAAA!!!" Haha. Just kidding. But it does mean things are going to get even busier over here. As my kids are a top priority, my daily posts are going to have to drop to 'whenever I can' posts. Hopefully I've given you enough to work with and some ideas and you can put the label section in the side bar to good use.

Feel free to follow by email ------>>> so you can see new posts as they come. Per suggestions, I will try to find some more beginner ideas as well as some more nutrition ideas.

Here are some of my favorites that you could also try out!

Fitness Blenders 5 Day Workout for Busy People - I love these. They're each about 30 minutes and they're great for all levels. Daniel and Kelly are good at helping beginners modify. (Don't let the one funky move in the first one stop you from doing the rest.)

30 Days of Yoga with Adriene - Also fabulous. Good for all levels!

30 Day Yoga Challenge with Erin Motz - These are great too. I can't help that yoga's my favorite. I really think everyone should add it to your routine, whether running is your thing or walking or tennis or football or jazzersize. Yoga is for everyone!

You can also check out Blogilates - A blog about Pilates. My friend recently introduced me to it and I can't wait to check it out.

One more thing I want to encourage - Habit. Habit. Habit. I'm reading an excellent book, The Power of Full Engagement. In it the authors encourage developing positive rituals as a way to make positive changes. If adding exercise to your daily routine is something you are working towards, think of what rituals you will base your routine around. For Example: every day when you wake up; every Mon, Wed, Fri, & Sat; walking on Mon, Wed,  Fri & Strength on Tues/Thurs; right when the kids go to school; with kids; with husband; with friends. It might not even be very much to start. Whatever you decide, forget whether you want to do it! If you don't have a routine in place already, you probably won't want to do it. Make yourself do it when you say you will. (If you have little kids, then just do the best you can and don't stress when you have to cut your time in half because of a crying baby, the important thing is you started.) Eventually it will be a habit. You will feel funny without it, kind of like if you forget to brush your teeth. Also, don't compare yourself to anybody else!!!! You're not like anybody else. Just do what feels good to your body. Push yourself to work past your own comfort zone to build more capacity, but don't worry about anyone else. You've got this.

Laura :)

Your yoga for today

And more poses every beginner should learn. These are two of my favorites. :)

Feedback Please

Hello all!

If you have visited this blog a few times I would love some feedback. Is there anything you especially love that you would like to see more of? Is there anything you haven't seen that you would like to see more of? I would love any kind thoughts and/or constructive criticism you may have. Thank you!

-Laura

3-2-1

Today my friends and I used Jillian Michael's 3-2-1 strategy (from 30 Day Shred). That's 3 minutes strength training, 2 minutes cardio, one minute core.

Here's the breakdown.
(Most smart phone interval timers can be made to follow this time structure.)

3
45 sec - superman
45 sec - push ups
45 sec - superman
45 sec - push ups
2
30 sec - butt kicks
30 sec - elbow to knee
30 sec - butt kicks
30 sec - elbow to knee
1
1 min hip rolls

quick water break if needed

3
45 sec - lateral squat with fly
45 sec - static lunge with bicep curls
45 sec - lateral squat with fly
45 sec - static lunge with bicep curls
2
30 sec - star jump
30 sec - twist (like the dance move, jump your feet to the left, then the right)
30 sec - star jump
30 sec - twist
1
30 sec - bicycle (slow)
30 sec - bicycle (fast)

quick water break if needed

3
45 sec - plank with row and leg lift
45 sec - bridge (pulse your hips up and down)
45 sec - plank with row and leg lift
45 sec - bridge (pulse your hips up and down)
2
30 sec - butt kicks
30 sec - elbow to knee
30 sec - star jump
30 sec - twist
1
30 sec - boat pose (pulse your arms)
30 sec - boat pose (hold still)

Whew! You're done! Unless you want to do that core routine I posted last week.... or maybe a short yoga routine?

-Laura :)

For the days when there's just not enough time

Today has not gone as planned. By the time I was ready to work out there wasn't enough time!  That's why I found this sweet little video. Beginners will probably need to modify some of these moves. Gotta love Tony Horton!

P.S. I found Tony's youtube channel today! (Not sure why I never looked before.) I haven't had time to look around much, but I'm pretty excited. I like the short video that popped up when I first went to the site... great thoughts about making exercise work for you. Check it out here.

Nutrition on My Mind

I have been asked by a few people about nutrition. As I mentioned before, although exercise is amazing-important-needed, nutrition is the key that opens the door to better health. When we start putting better fuel in our body, that's when the magic happens.

The problem is most of us haven't grown up eating healthy whole foods and figuring out how can be frustrating (to say the least).

Remember... one step at a time! Any change you make should be one you're willing to make a lifestyle, but you don't have to figure it out all at once. When trying to figure out what is the good info in the deluge of info out there, listen to people you trust and people who are living a healthy lifestyle themselves and whose purpose is not self-serving, but to help others.

One great option I've found is green smoothies. This is a great and simple way to start putting the right stuff in your body. In fact you can increase your nutrition by 700% compared to the average American diet! I am a Green Smoothie Girl instructor, you can find more info and see what Green Smoothie Girl has to offer HERE .

And check out some of my friends who I consider my nutrition mentors HERE and HERE and HERE.

Now I was going to do a whole schpeel on sugar, but I think I'll save it for another day... Something to look forward too. ;)

Have a happy and productive week!
-Laura

Easy Starter Smoothie
1 Cup water or almond milk
Handful or two of spinach
1 Cup blueberries
1/2 Banana
1 Tbsp Ground Flax Seed
1 Scoop Protein Powder (I didn't add this ingredient until I found GSG protein powder, there aren't many others out there that I enjoy.)

If you just really need to sweeten it up try a small amount of orange juice (or I've heard Stevia or raw honey, though I've never tried them in a smoothie).

Yoga for Advanced & Yoga for Beginners

Yoga for my very advanced friends...

So, the first half I spent trying the different poses, but by the end my kids and I were just laughing at the thought of even attempting what she was doing. Ha! We had a good time, but even though I laugh, I can say there are poses I laughed at when I first started practicing, that now I can do. In fact, I just achieved headstand!! The great thing about yoga (and any exercise), you just start where you are and push yourself a little more every time. You can do great things this way!  You've heard it said I'm sure, when it gets hard and you keep going, that's when you get stronger. True. True. And what I love the most is this is a great analogy for life! Everything I practice when I exercise I can take out and practice in life. Now go achieve something wonderful! ;)

But before you go, let me leave something for my beginning friends...

Breathing is key in yoga. This is best video I could find that explains it. (She starts actually teaching it around minute two.) She said something about it being called a Darth Vader breath which she doesn't like, but I do. It makes it easier to understand. Anyway, take from it what you will.

Here are some other basic poses, every beginner should understand.

I better stop there or I could go on forever. I'll post some more goodies another time. For now, you can work on these. :)

-Laura