Getting Creative

Hi friends!

How are ya doing today?!

Things have been kindaahhh busy around here, and it's been a little tougher than usual to squeeze in workouts.

So, when the going gets tough, the tough get going creative! :)

Yesterday, my after-work to-do list was filling up fast, and I almost nixed the workout.

I gazed longingly back in my memory to the six four large pieces of pizza I dominated this weekend, and snapped myself out of it by getting "creative."

I needed to get to the grocery store last night, since I was too tired to get in my usual Sunday trip, but I also really wanted to go for a run.  Then, I had a moment of brilliance: why not run to the grocery store?!

I laced up my running shoes, downloaded my latest playlist to my iPhone (which I needed on hand to call my personal chauffeurs, aka my boyyyfriend & furry face), stuffed my credit card, rewards card, and shopping list down my sports bra...

Yep! I'm a weirdo! ;)

And, headed off to kill two birds with one stone.

I mapped a 3.5(ish) mile loop to the grocery store, knocked it out of the way, and got to shopping.  I was pretty darn pleased with my little idea, other than the part where my shopping list was suddenly tattooed on tatas (sweaty betty).

Last night's adventure got me thinking about other creative ways to squeeze in a sweat sesh when you're too busy to conquer you "normal" routine.

1) Skip the car/train/bus & walk to work/school/wherever you're going! While it worked out for me last night, it's not always possible to squeeze in a run @ the busiest of times.  Sometimes you have to carry things (like 40 pounds of Bar exam prep books) and sometimes you can't show up sweaty to wherever you're going.

Maybe your commute can turn into a little power-walk that will serve as your workout for the day.  When we move, we will be exactly 1.2 miles from the train, so I plan to walk there and back on nice days as my workout! Any little bit helps.

2) Make good use of your lunch break: While I'm sure it's not a possibility for everyone, if you can, try squeezing in a workout during your lunch break!

Why not give up your usual 60 minutes of facebook/blog/whatever surfing while you chow down to get out and move your legs a little, then eat your lunch while crankin out some more work?!

If getting to the gym & showering afterwards isn't possible over your lunch break, you might consider going for a walk or fitting in a lower-intensity exercise class.

A great idea I found over on Newtrition was to skip the "cool down" part of the class and use your walk back to work as the "cool down." This idea makes squeezing in a lunchtime barre class a possibility for me on occasion!


3) Try a new "happy hour": Instead of meeting your friends for drinks after work, ask them to go try a fun workout class, like spin or zumba.

Maybe you can entice them away from the bar food with froyo afterwards, or you could even make plans to go back to your place or theirs to make a delicious healthy(ish) dinner!


4) Quality over quantity: This is one thing I have learned recently is that sometimes, when it comes to working out, quality > quantity.

There are times when an hour long sweat sesh is just not possible, and I wonder if I should skip the gym all together. Lately, when I don't have time for the full shebang, I shorten my workout, and just up the intensity.

Try a 30 minute run instead of your usual 45, and go at a heart pumping pace, or, if you're on a treadmill, try playing with the incline.  You could try the intense interval incline workout I recently tackled, or just increase your normal jogging pace outside. Quick "bursts" of energy help you burn calories faster, so you can pack some punch into your pint-sized workout.

If you prefer workout DVDs, I just heard of this series called My Trainer Fitness.  The whole set is only $12, and you get 6 home workouts that burn 100 calories in only 20 minutes.  The series requires very little workout equipment, and shows you how to use household items as substitutes.  If you want some more burn, there's a bonus 12 minutes at the end of each workout (think quick cardio bursts) that will get off an additional 100 calories! Pretty saaawwweet idea if you ask me! ;)


5) As always, do what you can, and don't beat yourself up.  Some days, a workout is just not in the cards, and the only sweat you're generating is from the stress of your cray-zee day.  Try not to add more stress to the day by beating yourself up if you can't get to the gym.  Remember, there's always tomorrow, and your body remembers.

This morning, I got creative again, and did a hodge podge of exercise dvds, including a thigh/bootay workout, that incorporated some moves I recognized from barre:

With getting that out of the way in the morning, I was come straight home to hang out with this little nugget...

I think she's enjoying her vacation! :)

**Something to talk about: What creative ideas do you have for squeezing in a workout during busy times?

Have a great night & I'll see ya all back here tomorrow!

xoxo

Jess