Ten Minutes to Total Fitness

Ten Minutes to Total Fitness

There are so many reasons to start your day with exercise we could fill up pages of information on the topic. Unfortunately, most people are overwhelmed and stressed and let days or even weeks go by without fitting in a workout. It is a sad picture of the American lifestyle. We are too busy to stay healthy to enjoy all of the perks we are working for. The lack of regular exercise leaves you feeling weak, fatigued and increases your health risks, not to mention the unwanted pounds that start creeping on.

Don’t let that stop you. Here are some simple solutions that will help you to fit fitness into your life. I know, at first an hour a day may seem too overwhelming. The reality may be that you don’t have that much time to spare. Let’s think about it a little differently. Simple little starts will pay off consistently over time. You can still stay in shape by doing the bare minimum. If you squeeze in a 10-minute workout every single morning, you’ll accrue the equivalent of more than three 20-minute workouts per week. And fitting in that extra 10-minutes of activity every day for a year will not only boost your health, but can lead to a 5-pound weight loss.

Kick-start your day with upper and lower body exercises.

Circuit Training is a great way to get started with little cost or expense. Your body, some good shoes and ten minutes are all you need to get started. We know that muscle burns more calories than fat, so make your ten minutes a day count by building fat burning muscle. Push ups are a great exercise for your chest back and arms. Squats and lunges are wonderful exercises that incorporate all of the muscles in your legs. Throw in some crunches to work your abdominal muscles and you have just given your self an entire body workout in 10 minutes.
• Perform one set of 20 repetitions for each muscle group, taking about one minute for each move and avoid pausing between exercises. Do this workout every day. Push ups and lunges are great ways to get started with out any extra weights or gym membership. The work both upper and lower muscle groups.
• On days when you have slightly more time, do two or three sets of the moves. Or get your heart rate up by marching or jogging in place for 30 seconds to 1 minute in between exercises.
• Modify this workout to match your fitness level. Adapt them as needed to make them easier or more challenging.
Before you know it, you will be craving the activity and gradually increase your time. Most of all let this article encourages you to get started right now. Take ten minutes and take control of your life and your fitness.

Amber Bishop is the co-founder of www.smartmoms-smartbusiness.com and www.smartmoms.freeforums.com ;online resources for work at home moms. She is also the owner of www.homeschool-diva.com She stays home and home schools her three children while building a successful home based business.

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Do You Know You Are Out of Shape?

Yesterday evening, I decided to tackle the job of cleaning out a line of shrubs that have been overrun with a crazy vine. I was clipping and pulling and was so proud of my work. I have more to do today and I realize how sore my legs and shoulders are! I am not a good exerciser, although I was doing yoga 3 times a week until I got this cold/cough. I have been sick for 3 weeks and not keeping up with my yoga. It was the little bit that I did. Then I found out my good cholesterol was low- probably because I do not exercise.

How come when we know it is good for us, we still do not do it? I am making an early resolution to get moving (like Oprah's old slogan) and get fit. Not buff and hot, I will settle for losing 10 pounds and being able to garden!

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TV Encouraging Exercising!

I do let my kids watch TV, but the are limited to what they watch, more than when they watch. When it is 100 degrees outside, I do feel we can stay inside and do some t.v. time.

One of my favorite channels is Noggin. No commercials, preschool on t.v., etc. And the shows are really educational, or at least without violence. They even have music in between shows and show "field trips" and cooking demonstrations. It is really a great channel from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. Our favorites of course are Diego and Dora, The Wonder Pets, and Oobi.

Diego and Dora are also on Nick Jr. I don't like that channel as much because there are commercials for toys and things which give my children too much to ask for!

What I find funny is that for the summer, they encourage exercise! It started a few years ago with Lazy Town, a show about kids that only play video games and watch t.v. During the commercials they would encourage some moving around. I just heard it again today on Nick when we were watching Dora- "get up and run in place." I just find it funny because they really don't want children to leave, but they are getting them to move while they stay! If the children actually did go play, who would watch the shows!?

But exercise is important, even if it is for a few minutes between shows. What if adults did a few minutes each commercial break? We would probably lose a few pounds a year!

Yoga Booty Ballet

For two mornings in a row, I have gotten up and exercised! I have used my DVD, Yoga Booty Ballet and did the fat burning and the hip hop abs. It is so much fun! If you are a former dancer this is definitely for you! If you have no dancing experience, it is for you too! It is too much fun... you don't even feel like you are exercising!

I do have to say, I bought it a few months ago (for much higher than you can get it for on the link to Amazon), and I only did it twice. But after writing an article on metabolism and how great exercise (and water) are good for your metabolism, I can only think of drinking water and doing exercise to burn those last 10 pounds I want to lose. More on the metabolism article later- and another great book on losing weight... soon to come!