Try These 7 Exercise Tips

1) Always workout on Monday
Start your week out right, this is more mental than anything. Get week off to a great start!! Continue the trend throughout the week

2) Try to workout in the morning
I know this is easier said than done. I hear you...I am not a morning person, however, when I can drag myself out of bed and workout in the mornings I always feel i have a super productive day. It gets me up ready, awake and energized for the day

3) Never skip two workouts in a row
We all have a life and sometimes our workouts get skipped. It happens, but try not to miss two workouts in a row, this can affect your workout routine for the worse

4) Reward and acknowledge your results (no matter how small)
Make sure you are giving yourself "a pat on the back" as they say, even if you have achieved a small milestone like losing your first pound. It will put yourself in a positive mind set that will make you keep going because you can do this after all

5) Exercise several times a week
It's hard to be active every day but lets face facts, working out once a week isn't enough. Adults are encouraged to try to be active 5 days a week for at least 30min

6) Look for affordable workout 
You do not need to always be spending money when working out. Try something free like going for a run or riding your bike. Get others involved and play football or basketball with some friends.

7) Make exercising more enjoyable
It's proven that if you enjoy something you are more likely to stick with it. If you don't like running then don't run. Find a workout that you like to do. Whether it's going to the gym, buying a workout DVD and doing your workout at home, playing basketball, soccer, baseball, find something that you enjoy!

P90X Update Week 9

Just a couple pictures from my Saturday workout. I know its been a while since I've posted pictures but I always forget to set up the camera when I'm working out. Its not the easiest thing to remember because I'm usually trying to focus on the workouts.

Week 9 is complete!! Whoot whoot!!

Not a lot to update this week, I'm very excited that I'm almost done. I've really enjoyed doing P90X but I am also looking forward to trying out a new BeachBody workout.

The main thing I have found difficult about this program is the time commitment. The workouts are about 1 hour to 1.5 hours everyday for 90 days. It's a huge time commitment to take on...especially when it falls over Christmas.

I have definitely enjoyed the program and I'm loving the results. I will say that I wish I would have had more commitment to complete more workouts as I think I would have seen many more results.

I'm still seeing lots of toning and every week I'm finding that I am able to life more weights or do more reps than the previous week. Not to mention I feel stronger from week to week. Along with feeling stronger I also feel more energized! It's a definite bonus to doing the program.

If you have any questions about the program or my progress throughout the program I would be more than happy to answer them. Just leave your question in the comments below.

Check back next week for my week 10 update!!

P90X Update Week 7&8

Here is a brief overview of how my week 7&8 workouts went.

Did I complete all the workouts? No, I had to skip a couple as "life" got in the way

Did I increase my weight? Yes, some one the workouts I was able to double my weight from when I first started the program

Was I able to do all the moves? No, there are still a few exercise that I struggle with and either have to do a modified version or skip over

Have I lost weight? Since I've started the program I've lost about 5 pounds...not huge but I'm doing doing the program to lose any weight

Do I feel any different? No really, still a little fatigued after some workouts

Has my body gotten toner? Yes, in some places I've noticed a huge change

Will I continue the workout? Absolutely!! I only have a few more weeks to go!! Check back next Friday for another update

Do you have any questions about my progress? Leave your questions in the comments below and I am more than happy to answer any of them!!

P90X Update Week 6

Happy boxing day!!! I hope everyone had a great Christmas and hopefully everyone is having a relaxing boxing day.

Week 6 marks the half way point! This week I followed the same schedule at week 5. It's been difficult following all the workouts during Christmas as I've been very busy with family gatherings. I haven't noticed any changes this week. My weights that I've been lifting have stayed the same and my weight has also not changed.

Sorry there were no pictures this week, I haven't had a lot of spare time to set up the camera while working out. If you have any questions about the program please feel free to ask in the comments.

Thanks for joining me for fitness Friday. Check back next Friday for my week 7 update.

P90X Update Week 5

Another week of P90X has come and gone. It was a tough week and not necessary successful.

I'll start out by saying that the Christmas season is not a great time to workout. I have been so busy doing other things to get ready for the holidays. Out of the 7 days I was supposed to workout I think I did about 3...yikes!!! Not great. Trust me I've beaten myself up about it as this has been a huge disappointment. But hey what can I do?

This week there were some new workouts thrown into the mix that I haven't done yet. I really enjoyed mixing it up after doing the same workouts for almost a month. I did my best at trying to take some photos (credit goes to my trusty tripod). Sorry they aren't the best I'll try to take some more in week 6 that will hopefully turn out better.

This workout consisted of chest, shoulder and triceps. Lots of lifting weights and man were my arms sore the next day.


Of course P90X wouldn't be complete if I didn't do push ups every workout!

And doing some variations of push ups....they make you stronger so keep doing them...even though I don't like them.

I have noticed one thing this week, I have been able to lift heavier weights this week which means that I must be getting stronger!

When I first started P90X back in October I know that for this specific exercise above I was lifting two pounds less.

It's important to count the little victories from week to week. It's sometimes hard to notice changes when you are the one doing the workout and going through the experience. I've found that taking pictures and documenting the process I've been able to pick up on small changes that I've made throughout this journey. It's important to reward yourself for making these small accomplishments, I like to use it for fuel for me next week.

I will say that this program isn't easy to get through and I've already found myself getting discouraged. The main thing is doing beat yourself up too badly. If there is one move in the DVD that you struggle just do your best. Each move does get easier from week to week but when you are in the moment trying to struggle through it's defiantly more of a mind game than anything else.

Remember to stay stronger and keep going!! If you need any motivation or if you are struggling and need some support leave me a comment.

If you have any questions about the program or my progress so far that I haven't included please feel free to leave a comment.

Check back next week for my week 6 update!

P90X Update Week 4

I am back on track!!!

I complete week 4 of P90X, if you are curious on why there is such a delay between week 3 and week 4 please click here where I explain. So after taking two weeks off it was very difficult to get back into my routine. Thank goodness that week 4 is sort of a rest week.

Week 4 follows a different sequence than the first three weeks. It consists of yoga, stretching and a little bit of kenpo which is sort of like kickboxing. Kenpo was probably the most difficult day because it's a lot of cardio.

Even though I stopped doing P90X for two weeks I kept my diet very healthy. I continued with my healthy eating all through week 4 and I really do think it makes a difference. I am down two pounds since I started the program, I know it's not a lot but I really wasn't expecting to loose anything at all so I was really excited when I stepped on the scale and saw that.

Biggest tip for this week....keep going!!! I had to take two weeks off but I worked around and so can you. Make P90X work for you and fit into your schedule.

If you have any questions about the program or my progress that I didn't include please feel free to ask away!

P90X Update Week 3

Another week done!

Week three follows the same sequence as the first two weeks. It's starting to get easier to get into a routine of doing these workouts everyday.

I've noticed about a three pound weight loss...hurray!!! But I will say that I find I've really soar day to day which I wasn't in the past two weeks. However, I have started to increase the weight slightly which might play a role in that. I've also started to notice a change in my arms. For me that's huge and very exciting!! I've never been a fan of my arms and they've been a little flabby. My arms are starting to get more tight and defined....not huge but enough that I've been noticing.

My biggest tip for this week is plan ahead. Make sure you fit all your workouts in. Write down what time you plan on working out and do it!

No a lot of updates this week, if anyone has any questions about something I didn't include please feel free to ask.

Make sure you check back in next Friday for my week 4 update!

P90X Update Week 2

Phew! Not going to lie guys, this week was tough. I'm finding that P90X is becoming a huge time commitment and it's getting very difficult to fit all these workouts in everyday(of course the really cold weather and snow isn't helping much...and don't even get me started on the time change and how dark it is). Never the less another successful week completed!

 Week two follows the same sequence as week one. My initial reaction was to go crazy and start increasing weight. Lucky I took a step back and decided that probably wasn't a good plan. For week two I kept the weight similar to week one and focused on technique. There's no point in training your muscles to do the wrong moves. To get max results you need to lift the weights properly and then
increase the weights.

Also during the first few days of week two I had a slight cold. With that being said I didn't miss any workouts but I did play it smart. I took extra breaks when I felt I needed it and made sure I stayed hydrated.

So far I would say I can tell a big difference since I started the program but it's still very early. 

There is a meal plan that comes with the P90X package but I will be honest that I haven't been following it. However, I have been very conscience about what I've been eating and trying to make all my meals as healthy as possible. I've cut out also of junk and unnecessary snacking. I've increased my protein, fruits and vetchtable intake. I've also started to increase the amount of juicing I've been doing (this is the best way to get fit in a lot of fruits and vetchtables).

My biggest tip for you this week...starting a program is easy but sticking with it will take commitment. Stick with your program, don't worry about the fact that you haven't seen any results yet. Stay committed and your hard work will pay off!!!

Check back next week for another Fitness Friday blog post where I will updated you guys on my week 3 progress. 

If you have any questions please feel free to ask is the comments below and I will answer them as quickly as I can.

10 Workout Tips For Busy People

1) Make a schedule - plan ahead and note when you have time to fit in a quick workout

2) Utilize your lunch - make every minute count, take your lunch and head out for a  walk or head to the gym

3) Short works with maximum efficiency - even 20 min a day can count. Do short effective workouts, there are tons of DVD's to follow along at home. My favorite is Jillian Michaels, she has short workouts but she packs a lot into 20min and you can really feel it

4)Get your Z's - getting enough sleep and feeling well rested will help feel motivated to go workout

5)De-stress - use your workouts as a way to manage your stress levels

6)Set Goals - set weekly goals for how many times/how long you workout for. Try to better that goal every week, challenge yourself!!

7)Make it social - work out with others: coworkers, friends, family, workout group, ect

8)Be realistic - don't schedule too much every week. Be realistic with your goals, always set yourself up for success! Being successful during this process will help motivate you

9)Include your household - if you have kids, spouses, furry pets include them in your workout routine. Not only will you set a good example but you are promoting a healthy lifestyle for the household. Get everyone involved! It's fun for the whole family

10)Make your commute a workout - try biking or walking to the office if you live close enough, promote your coworkers to do the same

Motivation Tips For Working Out

1) Plan ahead - schedule time to workout, it will give you something to look forward to and you are more likely to follow through. If you are a morning person wake early before work, if you're night owl workout at night

2)Workout with a friend - friends can help you stay dedicated and will motivate you during the workout when you get fatigued. Push each other to attend every workout and help one another during

3) Keep a Journal - keeping notes will help you look back and track the progress you've made. Keep notes on what you did and how you feel during/after

4) Set a goal - setting a goal will give you help you something to strive towards. If you want to do a race or competition plan ahead and gear your workouts to achieve that goal

5) Make it fun! - make sure you mix up your routine and do something you enjoy, you are more likely to stick with something that you enjoy