Working It Out

I'd love to say that getting back in shape was all about eating from the earth and not from chemicals & animals.  That I just sit around all day reading a book or watching a movie.


Truth is that with an active daughter & dog that's not realistic.  

I'm too cute to cause any kind of trouble.

But let's just pause for a second and imagine a world where I could stop and sit for, say, five minutes, and not have a puppy who needed to go out / in / fresh water / a belly rub.  ....or a little girl who can't seem to find her cup that I JUST gave her not 5 seconds earlier  (seriously, it's like there's a black hole in her palm where she's holding something and then "poof", it's gone).  ....or a little girl who's yelling to me, "Mommy, stay there.  Don't come in here."  (Like that isn't a giant red flag with sirens and strobe lights!!). 


Anyway, I rarely remain sitting.  So while I don't exercise regularly, I also never considered my life style to be completely sedentary.


Having said all that, I do have some favorite 'real' work outs that I though I'd share.

Step Aerobics.  My friend's sister leads a step aerobics class so once every most many weeks we load our 2 girls up and head out for a good sweat.  The girls get some play time and we get in a good work out.  It's great because neither of us wants to be the one to cancel on the other and once you're in the group setting you don't want to be the first to quit.  It really pushes me farther than I'd go on my own and shows me how much I really can do!  And when Carrie's not in one of her More-Walking-Lunges moods it's a blast!!

Crunch - Super SlimDown: Pilates Yoga Blend.  This is by far my FAVORITE video work out.  It's 40 minutes and while I don't really feel it raises my heart rate I do feel every movement.  It flows perfectly and when finished I just feel good all over.

10 Minute Solution - Fitness Ball Workout.  This one is great when I want a work out but I'm home with my daughter.  10 minutes here, 10 minutes there, That I can manage.  Plus, I can usually get out her little hoppy/bouncy ball and she'll "work out" right there with me...for a bit anyway.  

On-Demand Exercise TV.  We get free On-Demand exercises through our cable company.  Through that I can get in a 20 minute cardio work out, or a 10 minute ab, or some yoga, or even try something new like Karioke or Belly Dancing.  It's a blast and keeps workouts from becoming stale.  

So even when I'm busy, if I can find time for a quick work out, I feel loads better.  And lets face it, Elle Woods had a point when she said "Exercise gives you Endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't. "