“15 Minute Cardio Workout” Day 17

Good Evening everyone!

I hope you have had a great week so far!  I have been reading books and writing papers for school 😛 I can’t wait for spring break!  Today’s workout is simple, and unique in the sense that it’s completely customizable depending on the level of intensity you desire, and the equipment you have.  I’ll show you the workout exactly as Zuzana did it, and I’ll also show you how I did it differently to keep the intensity up without a jump-rope.  Have fun!

Day: 17

Mood: Anxious (major paper due tomorrow)

Energy: Moderate

Workout: 15 Minute Cardio Workout  <——-That is the link to the demonstration video

Equipment: Timer and Jump rope (optional) 

Zuzana’s Workout (with jump rope):

Double Jump (25)

Single Jump (25)

Jog (25)

High Knees (25)

This is one round.  Repeat as many rounds as you can in a 15 minute countdown.

Lauren’s Workout (without jump rope)

Single jump/Bunny Hop (25)

High Knees (25)

Jumping Jacks (25)

Scissors (25)

This is one round.  Repeat as many rounds as you can during a 15 minute countdown.

My Score: 12 Rounds

I modified parts of the workout to make sure that it stayed intense enough for me without the help of a jump rope.  Feel free to modify as you wish if you would like to make it more or less intense, just make sure you are doing a total of 100 skips/jacks/whatever per round to keep your heart rate up!

This workout was nice as fast 🙂  It was nice to have it done early so that I had most of the day ahead of me!  Good luck with this workout!  Make sure you record your results so you can compete with your friends and yourself!

Thanks for the workout Zuzka!

-Lauren ❤

” Workout–550 Killer Reps” Day 16

Hey everyone!

This was Tuesday’s workout, but once again I got behind because of the massive amount of homework I have!  Thank goodness spring break is just around the corner.  Fortunately I have managed to stay on track with my workouts, so that means you will get two posts today: one for Tuesday and one for today.  I decided not to work out on Monday because the “Drag Me to Hell” workout left my poor little arms so sore that I couldn’t even un-bend them 😦  I was calling it t-rex syndrome.  Haha 😀  Get ready for a tough workout today though!

Day: 16

Mood: Upbeat

Energy: Moderate

Workout: 550 Killer Reps  <——-that’s the link to the instructional video of the workout!

Equipment: Timer

The Workout:

Backward Lunge Kick-up (25 each leg)

Walkover Push ups (50)

Mountain Climber (50)

Sumo Squat Knee up (50)

One Leg Bridge Leg Lift (25 each leg)

Side to Side Leg Lift (50)

One Armed Side Push Up (25 each side)

Star Crunch (50)

Diagonal Touch Down (25 each side)

Side Plank Lifts (25 each side)

One Leg Wall Sit (25 each side)

Repeat this workout once through as quickly as you can with proper form.

My Time: 37 min and 16 sec

Hmmmm.  I seem to be having a problem with sluggish times lately.  I broke this workout down into two halves just like I did with the 500 rep workout.  I think I could have done better if I had just done all of the reps in one round (50 reps each exercise).  After reflecting on why my times have been slow, I figured it out: I take a short 30-90 sec break before each exercise to recover before the next one.  If there are 11 different exercises in this workout, and I took (on average) a minute long break in between each to gear up for the next one, that’s about 9 minutes I added to my time!  That’s a LOT of time!  Even if I just took just a little less time, I could shave 5 minutes off of that easily!  So my goal for myself is to push myself to keep going throughout the workout and not allow myself to rest so long in between exercises.  My times would be so much more competitive, and more importantly I would be getting more out of my workouts.  It took me 3 weeks to recognize this habit, but better late than never! 

It’s crunch time everybody!  This is the beginning of week 4, or the home stretch before the end of our first month!  That means that at the end of the week we will be taking pictures and measurements to mark our progress 🙂  As the start of a new week, it is also the beginning of Diet Challenge #3: Eliminate Soft Drinks From Your Diet.  They are poisonous to your body because of all of the sugar (40 grams in one can of Coca Cola) and additives they contain.  Random reports have shown that people have had very successful weight loss (up to 10 lbs) JUST from cutting sodas out of their diets.  If you have a sweet tooth and need a substitute, add fresh citrus juice to your water, or drink low sugar, low sodium flavored water. 

Good luck with your new workout and diet challenge!  Keep up your pace and I will do the same! 🙂

Thanks for the workout Zuzka!

-Lauren ❤

“Light Workout–Stretch and Tone” Day 15

Ok everybody

This is the last day of week 3!  Make it count 🙂  Fortunately today’s workout is a light one because this week was full of really brutal workouts.  Think about all the progress you made this week.  It’s a good feeling isn’t it?  Enjoy your workout today, and focus on stretching those sore muscles with each movement.  Don’t worry about your time–today’s workout is not a time challenge. 

Day: 15

Mood: Good

Energy: So tired 😦  and woke up with a headache

Workout: Stretch and Tone Workout  <—— that’s the link to the demonstration video

Equipment: none

The Workout

Side Bends (20)

Prayer Jump Squats (30)

Toe Touches (20)

Cross Crunches (30)

Cobra to Downward Dog (20)

Time: This workout will take you about 30 mins.  Again, don’t worry about timing yourself today.  You can if you want to, to prevent getting lazy 😉 but it’s purely optional.  I just watched the clock and noticed that it took me right around half an hour.

This workout is very refreshing.  It’s just what I needed to wake up for the day 🙂  I definitely could not have handled a really brutal one because my muscles are really sore and my body is exhausted.  Those are both signs that your body will give you when it’s ready for an active rest day.  Listen to it!

Congratulations on finishing our third week of training!  It feels so good to be on a regular fitness routine and know that I am doing something healthy for myself.  This is the first time I have every successfully worked out 5 days a week for this many weeks in a row!  The end of next week marks our first big milestone: an entire month of consistent training!  Next Saturday, I will take all my measurements again as well as take pictures so that you can see the progress I have made.  I encourage you to do the same for yourself!

Today also marks the last day of our 2nd diet challenge: Eat 2 servings of a fruit or vegetable (or both) with each meal.  Just because it’s the end of the week doesn’t mean it’s time to stop doing this!  Remember each of these weekly diet challenges are meant to be added to your routine gradually so as not to shock you, but to help you incorprate healthy habits into your lifestyle in a non-intimidating way.  I will have a new one for you on Monday, so get ready!

The workouts next week are really brutal, so rest up and get ready to sweat!

Thanks for the workout Zuzka!

-Lauren ❤

“Drag Me to Hell Workout” Day 14

Hello again everybody!

Is everyone else sore from the last 2 brutal workouts?  I definitely am.  I have already stressed the importance of taking at least 1 active rest day a week, but I haven’t mentioned what to do when your muscles are sore from a workout.  It is normal to be sore after an intense workout or even a moderate one, especially within the first month of a new fitness regimen.  Barring injury, you really shouldn’t avoid being active because your muscles are sore unless you’ve lifted heavy weights.  Continuing to stay active when you have muscle soreness is actually good for you because it keeps the blood flowing through those parts of the body, and prevents them from getting overly tight and cramped.  Stretch those puppies out!  However: be careful to moniter the condition of your body, and learn the difference between what an injury feels like and what a little bit of post-workout soreness feels like.  If your movement is significantly inhibited or you feel sharp pain in your joints, you likely have an injury.  Listen to your body, and never push through abnormal pain because if it’s not already an injury, it will likely become one.  When in doubt, ask a doctor 🙂 

Today’s workout is simple but brutal (again)!  I was totally dead when I finished this one, and aparently so was Zuzana because tomorrow’s workout fortunately only consists of light stretching and toning exercises–that will feel good on those poor sore muscles–and then it will be time for an active rest day!  Good luck with this monster!

Day: 14

Mood: Light-hearted

Energy: Moderate

Workout: Drag Me to Hell  <——–That is the link to the demonstration video and detailed explanations of the exercises.

Equipment: Pull Up Bar

The Workout

Prisoner Squats with Knee Up (20)

Pull-ups (5)

This is one round.  Do as many rounds as you can in a 15 minute countdown.

My Score: 9 rounds exactly

My arms and legs totally felt like jell-o after this workout.  It was funny, but I couldn’t really lift anything until after my cool-down and I had to wait to start blogging because I was shaking all over the keyboard.  Pull-ups help sculpt a beautiful back and create a nice shape to your torso, making your waist appear smaller.  Contrary to popular belief, they are not a “male only” exercise, and they will not make you bulky unless you’re taking special supplements or steroids.

Modifications and Alternative Exercises

• If you do not yet have the strength to lift your dead weight using just your arms during the pull-ups, give yourself a boost by keeping one foot on a chair.  Try to rely on your upper body to pull you up as much as you can, and only use your leg as a last resort.  Zuzana demonstrates this modification in the video, so be sure to follow the link and watch it!
• If you do not have a pull-up bar, you can exercise the same muscle group using the pike press: We did these in the Rock your Body Juice Workout.  “Stand with your feet wide apart and simply place your hands on the ground in front of you.  Your legs, back, and arms should be straight.  Bend your elbows and bring your head towards the ground.  Push back to the starting position.  This counts as one rep” (Bodyrock.tv).

Well I don’t know about you but I am looking forward to a nice, light workout tomorrow…at least that’s what Zuzana promised, but let’s face it–she’s a beast.  I hope you enjoyed this workout 🙂

It’s nice to be caught up with my blogging again!  If I get behind again in the future–and I probably will because school is only going to get more difficult–it’s not because I’ve forgotten about you, or that I’m skipping my workouts.  I will always catch up, and you are free to continue and work ahead of me by following this list <——That is the site I use to follow Zuzana’s workouts in order.  The oldest is at the bottom of the page and the most recent is at the top.  If you want to stay in sync with my posts, you can also repeat workouts you have already completed to beat your old scores!

Don’t forgot you’re supposed to be eating fruit and vegetable servings with every meal!  🙂  That is diet challenge #2.  There will be a new one on Monday.

Thanks for the workout Zuzana!

-Lauren ❤

“500 rep Workout” Day 13

Okay everyone…

This one is a doozy.  My calves were tight and sore after yesterday’s workout, and I prepared myself for a terrible time with this one… BUT I nailed it!  I pushed myself really hard and was proud of my time, and I know you will do the same!  This one totally wore me out and I was a bit tired for the rest of the day, but I know that my heart, lungs, and muscles were all happy afterwards.  After finishing a tougher, longer workout like this one, you feel so relieved and accomplished.  Nothing beats that feeling 🙂  Well I am running short on time before I have to go to work, so I will cut to the chase.

Day: 13

Mood: Happy

Energy: Low, but I was determined to kill this one

Workout: Brutal 500 rep workout <——that’s the link to the demonstration video

Equipment: Timer and 5lb dumbbell (optional)

The Workout

This workout is just one round of 10 different exercises, 50 reps each.  Complete just one round for time.  If you want to, you can split this workout into two rounds and do 2 x 250 reps.

Prisoner Squats (50)

Sit ups (50)

Backward/Forward Lunge (25 on each leg)

Push ups (50)

Reptile (50)

Turkish Get-ups (50)

Side V-crunch (25 on each side)

Split Push ups (50)

Jump Forward and two jumps back (50)

Reversed plank knee tucks (50)

This totally killed.  lol I was a sweaty mess on the floor when I was done, but it felt so good to have accomplished something so difficult.  On top of that–I’m making myself stronger!

As far as modifications go, you can do all of the push ups (or some), as well as the reptiles from your knees if you need to.  You can also take the 5 lb dumbbell out of the turkish get-ups (those were intense)!

My Time: 43 min and 9 sec

Be careful with your form during this workout.  Because it is long and has a lot of reps, you are likely to fatigue throughout some of the exercises, and during that time it is easy to sacrifice your form and injure yourself.  For that reason, I split the workout into two separate rounds of 250 reps by cutting everything in half.  That way I had more variety and fewer reps between each exercise.

Enjoy this workout!  Let me know how you did, and how much it killed you too! 🙂  There is one more post on the way, and then we will be caught up for today.  Obviously you will not be completing all three of these workouts in one day, so prepare for the next one by purchasing an inexpensive pull up bar.  You can find one at Dick’s Sporting Goods for under $20.00.  The pull up bar is obviously not a requirement, but I got one and I’m so glad I did because I know that I achieved maximum intensity in the next workout with it.  For those of you that do not have the equipment, I will provide alternative exercises.  I will be back with you shortly 🙂  Have a great day!

Thanks for the workout Zuzka!

-Lauren ❤

“Cardio Strength Workout” Day 12

Hey everybody!

Sorry I have been absent for so long.  I love to workout, I love to blog, and I am a busy college student, so when things get hectic, something inevitably gets put on the back burner.  Unfortunately blogging is usually the activity to take the hit.  I have been swamped with homework and reading this week.  Fortunately I still managed to get all my workouts in, so I will catch you with three separate posts today!  Please do these workouts at your own pace.  I have developed a schedule that works for me (even though it changes periodically, the method stays the same), and you should do the same.  Developing a fitness routine will make it easier to fit exercise into your busy daily schedule.  Today’s workout is toughie, but a great cardio workout…and trust me when I tell you: you will feel this in your legs for the next three days 😉  You’ll love the benefits you get from it once you recover though!

Day: 12

Mood: Motivated

Energy: High

Workout: Cardio/Strength Workout <——-here is the link 🙂

Equipment: Timer

The Workout

One Legged Pistol Squats (5 on each leg)

High knees with or without jump rope (300)

One armed Push Ups (5 on each arm)

High knees with or without pushups (300)

This is one round.  Do a total of 4 rounds to complete the workout, and time yourself.

My time: 24 min and 6 sec

Woohoo!  I am proud of my time and feel happy and energized after completing this workout, although I must say it is a HUGE relief to be done!  If you want to add to the intensity of this workout, you can do the high knees with a jump rope like Zuzana did.  I did not use a jump rope today as my technique is a bit lacking and I don’t have the room indoors to use it.  Good luck and let me know how you did!  Remember to eat those fruits and veggies!  That is our diet challenge for this week!

Thank you for the workout Zuzka!

-Lauren ❤

“Friday’s Intense Challenge” Day 11

Hey everybody!

I’m kind of off my regular schedule this week because of all of the craziness from last week.  I spent 11 hours on a research proposal and annotated bibliography and finished it by the deadline!  It’s important to celebrate those small victories in all areas of your life because there’s so much more to it than fitness!  Today’s workout was tough 🙂  A major butt burner for sure.  Have fun with it and remember to record your time.  Don’t dread timing yourself because you think you’re slow–use it as an opportunity to improve the next time you do the same workout!

Day: 11

Mood: Satisfied (had just finished that big project the night before!)

Energy: Tired

Workout: Friday’s Intense Challenge <——link for the workout video

Equipment: Timer

The Workout

Leg Elevated Lunges (25 on each leg)

Side Jump with One Leg Push Up (12)

Butt Lift-Toe Touch Exercise (25)

This is one round.  Complete a total of 4 to complete the workout.

My Time: 31 min and 31 sec

I had another slow time today, but last week was a beating.  Slow times can be discouraging sometimes, but just remember… you still did a kick-ass workout!  I will focus on increasing my instensity this week so that I can shave some time off of my results.  I did this workout before I fell off of the wagon and got back on, and my score was about 33 min.  So even though it was slow, I improved today 🙂  Good luck with this workout.  Let’s increase our intensity together and focus on getting the most out of our daily workouts!  You can probably beat my time (lol), so let me know how you did in the comments!

Today is the first day of our third week of training.  Woohoo!  We are halfway through the month and going strong.  That also means it’s the first day of a new diet challenge 🙂  This week we will be focusing on Diet Challenge #2: Eating a two servings of fruit/vegetable with every meal.  This can be harder than it seems because it is so easy to forget to add those veggies to boost your meal, but it can make all the difference in your health.  Let me be clear about a couple of things regarding this challenge because it can be really easy to manipulate it; by fruit I don’t mean canned fruit cocktail, sweetened apple sauce, or pie filling, and by vegetables I don’t mean cheesy mashed potatoes or green bean fries. 😉  Be good.  Haha.  Try to focus on adding more dark leafy greens to your diet and try to eat more vegetable servings than fruit servings.  Fruit is great for you but it contains a lot of natural sugar and vegetables don’t have as much, so if you can– reduce the amount of sugar in your diet . 🙂  Good luck with this new challenge!  I’ll be checking in with you throughout the week.

Thanks for the workout Zuzka!

-Lauren ❤

“15 Minute Extreme Workout” Day 10

Hello again!

I hope everyone is ready for a short but intense workout!  Everyone has an extra 15 minutes a day to devote to their fitness!  I love these 15 minute workouts because they don’t require a huge chunk of my day–I can work out and still have a life.  I am very passionate about fitness, and it is not difficult to motivate me to exercise (although I definitely have my days), but that doesn’t mean I want to spend the majority of my day working out!  There are tons of things that I enjoy more…  so in the spirit of swiftness, I will move on to the workout 🙂

Day: 10

Mood: Procrastinating

Energy: Moderate

Workout: 15 Minute Extreme Workout <——that’s the link to the workout!

Equipment: Timer

The Workout:

This workout is very similar in nature to the Day 3 Workout: 15 Minute  Challenge…just a little tougher!  Feel the heat!

Snowboarders (15)

V-Crunch (15)

This is one round.  Complete as many rounds as you can during a 15 minute count-down.

My Score: 12 Rounds (hmmm I thought I would do better than this, but my quads were not going to let me go any faster.  Also, this workout is a great cardio burn.  My heart was pounding out of my chest!)

Holy leg burn Batman!  I really thought that I would be faster than 12 rounds for this workout… I feel like I’ve done better, but my leg muscles were on fire, my heart was pounding, and I was sweating bullets.  That’s what really matters.  If your score is outstanding, congratulations!  If it’s not so great but you feel like you still pushed yourself really hard, pat yourself on the back and know that you still got a great workout.  After reflecting on it for a while, I broke the workout down into reps, and realized that I did 180 Snowboarders and 180 V-crunches… that’s really something! 🙂  That’s a lot more reps of any exercise than most people do in a gym or fitness class.  I’m proud of that.  And whether your score is 8 or 18, you should be proud too.

Today is the last day of week 2.  Congratulations on making it this far!  After 10 workouts you’re probably noticing an improvement in your strength and your energy during the day.  Staying active has also probably inspired you to eat healthier during the day so as not to spoil the good you did (I know it does for me).  Maybe it’s just your imagination, but your pants seem to fit a little looser 😉  Celebrate your progress, but remember to be careful not to make a judgement about your results this early in the game!  Two weeks of a fitness regimen is a little too soon to notice a difference in your appearance.  Keep up the good work!  It will pay off 🙂  I hope you’re drinking your 64oz of water a day.  If you’ve stuck to that in addition to the workouts, you’ve probably noticed additional positive changes in your skin, energy, endurance, and digestion.  This is the last day of this diet challenge, but don’t let it be the last day you drink 64 oz of  water in a day.  The purpose of the diet challenges are to gradually introduce healthy habits to your daily routine, rather than try to jump in head first and change everything.  Overwhelm usually results in failure.  Take each new weekly diet challenge and add it to the one before, so you can build up your health arsenal.  An ill-equipped warrior is an unsuccessful one, so don’t leave any of your weapons behind!  We will start with a new diet challenge tomorrow, so be prepared to make another positive change in your life.  I hope you enjoyed the workout!

Thanks for the workout Zuzka!

-Lauren ❤

“Rock it Workout” Day 9

Good morning everybody!

Sorry I’ve been missing for the past two days!  Thursday and Friday were absolutely crazy.  Thursday: School 10:00am to 12:45pm and Work 2:30pm-7:30pm.  Friday: Work 9:30am-9:30pm.  All of that after working from Tuesday straight through Friday!  My schedule isn’t unbearable by any means, but it can be hard to get motivated to squeeze workouts into a tight schedule when I’m already tired.  I bet you think I didn’t get a workout in over the last two days… but I did! 🙂  I was originally supposed to be working out Thursday, but I didn’t quite manage to pry myself from my bed early enough to fit a workout in before school.  I was very tired that day, and work seemed difficult and overwhelming.  On Friday morning I did manage to get out of bed in time to do a tough, energizing workout before my impending 12 hour shift at work (which was going to be quite busy as well).  Getting that activity in before work made all the difference.  By the time I got to work, I felt more awake than I usually do, energized, was in a GREAT mood, and the things that would have been stressful to me the day before, I was able to handle with ease.  This brings me to my pep-talk point for today: exercise is fantastic stress relief.  Working out before you start your day is like preparing your body for battle.  You’re making yourself tougher, stronger, increasing your energy and endurance, and practicing eu-stress, which is a positive form of stress that we intentionally put on our bodies and minds to improve ourselves.  As humans we are constantly learning and growing.  We have a thirst for knowledge.  Sometimes, studying seems like a drag, and can be very stressful, but it is contributing to the growth of our minds.  Sometimes working out sucks too, but it’s beneficial to our health and personal growth every day!  Do something positive for your health today.  Prep yourself for the battle of the day rather than get caught up in the drama.  That’s my plan for the day 🙂  Who’s with me?

**I will actually be posting twice today because I will be doing the day 10 workout shortly.  This is Friday’s workout.  Due to my busy schedule, I got a bit behind!

Day: 9

Mood: Resistant

Energy: Low

Workout: Rock it Workout <——that’s the link!  Hint Hint!

Equipment: Timer (ALERT: 5 workouts from now Zuzana will incorporate a pull-up bar!  That will be the workout for NEXT Thursday!  If you do not have one, I will provide a substitute exercise that does not require equipment, but I highly recommend that you get one between now and then to get max benefits from the workout!  I have one that fits right into my doorway that I bought from Dick’s Sporting Goods for $12.00!)

The Workout

One Jump Touch Down (10 on each leg)

One Arm Pushup–Modified (5 on each arm)

Mountain Climber Kick-ups (20)

Maltese Situps (20)

This is one round.  Complete a total of 4 to complete the workout.

My Time: 27 min and 40 sec

This workout was very energizing to me!  My mood and energy had changed so much by the end of the workout and I ended up having a great day!  I find that Zuzana’s workouts are so easy to incorporate into my busy life style because they are quick (so far all under 30 mins) and require little to no equipment, so I can do them almost anywhere.  For that reason, there is no reason for me to skip my workout.  On the occasion that I do, it is almost always because I conveniently didn’t make time, or made myself unavailable.  Get active just 30 mins a day and you will notice a huge difference!  I can’t wait until day 30 when we take progress pictures and measurements so that you can start to see the fruits of your labor.  Just remember that abs are made in the kitchen; meaning diet and body composition go hand in hand, so you can’t work out like a beast, eat like crap, and expect to look good.  That’s why in addition to workouts, I will be posting weekly diet challenges.  This week’s is: drinking 64oz of water a day.  Saturday is the last day of this week’s challenge, but don’t think for a second that you should stop drinking water when the week ends.  The purpose of the diet challenges is to slowly introduce healthy habits to our routine rather then trying to jump in head first and taking on too much at once.  Overwhelm almost always leads to failure.  Adopt a new healthy habit every week, and keep up with them as we progress.  Before you know it, everybody will be asking you what you do for exercise and what you eat because they’ll notice the improvement in your energy and physique.  Keep up the great work!  The next workout will be the last of week 2!  That will be a huge milestone 🙂  Enjoy your workout.

Thanks for the workout Zuzana

-Lauren ❤

“Rock Your Body Juice Workout” Day 8

Hey Everyone!

I hope you enjoyed your day of rest and ate your Wheaties because this workout is a killer!  It actually goes by really fast, so that part is nice, but I had to summon all of my warrior strength to complete this one!  The best part is: I felt amazing after completing it and so will you!

Day: 8

Mood: Determined

Energy: Groggy (did this one early in the morning)

Workout: Rock Your Body Juice <——-Workout Link

Equipment: Timer

The Workout

This workout is like a pyramid.  Complete the 7 exercises in order, and then reverse them until you get back to the first one!

Low Jacks (20)

Pike Presses (6)

Mountain Climbers (30)

Tricep Leg Lifts (10)

Superman Lifts (10)

Roll over

Toe Touches (20)

Leg Lifts (10)

~These are the 7 exercises.  Now reverse.  The leg lifts are the peak of the pyramid, so you only do these once per round.  Everything else will be done twice~

Toe Touches (20)

Roll over

Superman Lifts (10)

Tricep Leg Lifts (10)

Mountain Climbers (30)

Pike Presses (6)

Low Jacks (20)

**This (the entire pyramid) is one round (dun dun dun)!  Do a total of 4 pyramids to complete the workout.**

My time: 29 min and 46 sec

Whew!  I bet you’re glad that’s over.  I bet you felt the burn in all of your muscles and your heart pounding in your chest too.  You know what that means?  It means you’re getting stronger.  You’re challenging your body by pushing it beyond what you thought it could do, and it’s improving; getting faster and more agile.  Your heart muscle is becoming healthy and conditioned, and is pumping blood throughout your whole body and making you feel energized and alive.  That is what fitness is.  Working out is not always comfortable, and definitely not ever easy (it shouldn’t be), but it’s worth all of the effort!

Let me share a little secret about myself with you: Throughout my life, I have had difficulty finishing what I started.  I’ve quit playing every musical instrument I learned how to play, I no longer sing with a choir, I quit massage school before I got my license, I’ve changed my major a thousand times, and I have attempted college twice now (I had dropped out due to time constraints).  At the time, I saw each of those withdrawals as failures, and that was terrible for my self esteem.  I began to believe that I couldn’t follow through with anything, and that I would be stuck in one place forever because I was too afraid that I would end up disappointing someone, or myself.  I went through a period where I had completely stopped trying to improve myself because my fear had grown to such overwhelming proportions.

One day, I had an epiphany.  I realized that the only way to break out of the self-destructive loop I was in, was to take responsibility for my life again; to make things happen, not to let them happen to me.  I started with the smallest, most manageable piece of my life that I could to prevent overwhelm.  That piece was my health, or at least the things about it that I could control.  It was not an overnight transformation to say the least.  I started by getting my diet back in check.  Veganism works for some people, but it did not work for me.  My body was weak and malnourished, and it needed the nutrients that I was depriving it.  Next I quit smoking, which I had attempted about 20 times before without success.  Somehow, this time was different.  About half a year later, I decided I wanted to get my vitality back, and realized that the best way to do that was to start exercising.  I was instantly hooked 🙂  The desire to push myself and discover what my body was capable of–to look and feel my best, became overwhelming in a good way.  By achieving those things, one baby step at a time, I taught myself that I could stay committed to a long term project, and all together those tiny baby achievements make one big one.  Getting a grasp on my diet, health habits, and fitness gave me the confidence I needed to push myself in other areas, like work and school.  I am back in school and I feel that I know exactly what I want to do with it.  My point is: life isn’t always easy, and some of us need a little push to get things rolling.  Fitness training is a great way to practice that–it can teach us so much about commitment, discipline, and also the consequences that follow when you sacrifice the quality of your work, neglect your training, or even give up.  The good news is, it’s never too late to start again.

Improve the quality of your entire life by devoting just 30 minutes a day to your fitness 🙂  I hope you’re drinking your water… I know I am!

Thank you for the workout Zuzana!

-Lauren ❤