workout

5 simple exercises for time poor people

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Is it just me or is life getting busier and more hectic?  If you feel the pressure of time constraints or having to fit so much into your day that the first thing to suffer is your own health & fitness, then keep reading, this article is for you!  As the world around us seems to speed up I feel as if we are at the point of being busy for the sake of being busy. When we catch up with friends and they ask “how are you?” we subconsciously answer “I’m so busy” instead of putting any thought into our actual answer. We are becoming overwhelmed with our crazy busy, time poor lifestyle that we barely make any time for ourselves and the things that are really important to us…. And there should be nothing more important to us than our health! Without it we have nothing. For someone whose entire business revolves around being passionate about helping people prioritise their own health and fitness, it is no surprise that I am a big believer in putting yourself first when it comes to your health, fitness and physical & mental wellness. You know the drill on the aircraft “place your own oxygen mask on first before trying to help others” – if you are no good, then you are no good to anyone else!

The good news is that we can work on our health and fitness without overcomplicating it or spending hours and hours doing so or needing a full gym set up. Keep it simple! As a busy mum of 2 and a business owner, I often have to fit in a fast paced workout at home in any spare time I can grab (often with kids next to me joining in). At first you might need to make the time and change your normal routine a little to fit it in but if you are prioritising your health and fitness then this is something you need to be doing! If President Obama can fit in a workout every single day, then so can we. I mean, how busy are you??

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So, you’ve managed to find some precious time to yourself and are ready to get started…. I have compiled a list of 5 fantastic exercises that you can do at home. They will provide you with a full body workout and can be done in as little as 10 minutes. If you have longer, that’s great, repeat them again. I recommend doing 20-30 seconds on each exercise with a 10 second rest in between and trying to complete as many rounds as you can in the time you have.

  • Pushups
  • Squats
  • Plank
  • Tricep Dips
  • Burpees

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It really is that simple! Give it a go, what have you got to lose? It will get your heart rate up, it will work your major muscle groups, you will sweat and you will definitely feel amazing afterwards!

The only workout you regret, is the one you didn’t do! So, make the time for yourself and remember how important your health is to you!

For other simple, at home workouts and health information, come and join in the FitM.U.M community here or get the whole family involved and visit us at FitM.U.M & IronDAD here.

Kel xx

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Local Fitness Destinations Adelaide – Part 1

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Fitness Enthusiast? Outdoor exerciser? Looking for great workout locations to mix up your routine? In the Adelaide area? This series of upcoming blog posts is for you and this is the first of my ‘local fitness destinations’ around Adelaide, South Australia. Hopefully it will help you find a new fitness spot to add to your workout adventures.  I also love hearing from others, so if you have a great location that you enjoy training at… please let me know at fitmumsa@gmail.com and I would be more than happy to feature it.

I am dedicating part 1 to the Seacliff Ramps and Stairs. Seacliff is a picturesque beachside suburb (16.8km from the Adelaide CBD, approximately 27 min drive) and the ramps and stairs are located just off the main Esplanade at the Seacliff Yacht Club. This is already quite a popular cardio workout destination so it can get quite busy at popular times. It will certainly get the heart pumping and the calories burning! There is a set of ramps and a set of separate stairs which are both great for either walkers or runners. They are an achievable length (not too long but definitely long enough to get a great workout when you do multiple repetitions). If you are a serious exerciser and like competition you might like to time yourself each time you do it and try to beat your times. Alternatively, it’s a great workout to do with a group of friends. There are benches and seats at the top of the ramps which are great for a little rest between rounds or you can use them for added exercise and do a set of dips, bench pushups, step ups in between your ramp sets!!).

This location ticks many boxes:

  • Easy to find
  • Plenty of parking
  • Suitable for all fitness levels (just vary how hard you go or do more or less laps and try to improve each time)
  • Family friendly (you can even push the pram up the ramps in the not so busy times if you dare – this will really get you working)
  • It is an all round, cardio and strength workout so it is great if you are time poor and only have a short amount of time to fit in a workout
  • Enjoy the great outdoors and fresh air

This is one location I love training at and have done FitM.U.M group sessions here before. Please subscribe to my newsletter here to find out about any upcoming group workout events!

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Go and hit the trails! Enjoy xx

 

Express Workouts for Women on the Go!

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After a lot of hard work, I am very excited to be releasing my first EXPRESS WORKOUT EBOOK!
Available as either a FREE SAMPLE or the complete workout program with 10 minute, 15 minute and 20 minute express workouts that can be done anywhere with no equipment necessary. There are also a selection of yummy healthy recipes.
Following the H.I.I.T. method of prolonged calorie burning, the program is designed for busy women that can’t make it to the gym or do a full workout in one go. With complete exercise routines for 10 min/15 min and 20 min time frames, you can easily fit one or a few sessions into your day.
You can purchase your full version Here
At only $9.99, it downloads as a simple PDF so you can follow the workout anywhere. So convenient, you should never have to miss a workout.
It contains:
  • 4 x 10 minute workouts
  • 4 x 15 minute workouts
  • 4 x 20 minute workouts
  • Simple Healthy and Delicious Recipes
  • Full Glossary with picture demonstrations of all exercises

I know how busy women are, we are always juggling 100 things and it is usually ourselves that get put last. Well now you can have access to amazing HIIT workouts so you can always make time for yourself to work on your health and fitness.

I hope you love my express workouts E-book as much as I do.

Enjoy xx

 

Final wrap up of Cassie’s 8 week program – Determination, strength and long term changes

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This is, sadly, the last blog post to wrap up the final session and results of Cassie’s journey, our 8 week Summer Body Program winner . Cassie not only completed the 8 weeks, she totally smashed it and always did whatever was asked of her and more. Over the 8 weeks Cassie learnt a lot about fitness, nutrition and lifestyle but she mainly learnt about her personal strength and how much she is capable of achieving. She freely and openly admits that when she found out she won, she actually wasn’t sure if she wanted to even start. Cassie has battled with anxiety and depression and she has realised how important it is to listen to your body and your mind and how important mental health and wellbeing is, as well as physical fitness.

cassie week 8 exercise

During the 8 weeks, I gave Cassie a new program every Sunday night for the following week. These were hard programs and she even said once that she actually thought I was trying to kill her. The reason for this is so she would see progression each week and learn to push herself out of her comfort zone to complete all of the workouts. She only had 1 scheduled rest day each week and she had a double session on a Monday (morning and afternoon). We also worked on her nutrition and I went through a 3 day food diary with her to analyse what she was eating and drinking in a typical day. We discussed her diet and made a few changes including increasing how much she was eating for breakfast and the importance of healthy snacks during the day. I actually told Cassie she could increase the amount she was eating during the day. We also minimised the amount of added sugar (mainly to tea and coffee). These were simple changes that she could make and it fit in with her busy lifestyle (she is a working mum of 4 young children). Cassie’s entire family were so supportive of her new lifestyle changes and her husband and kids were encouraging her during her exercise and also enjoying the new food they were eating.

I met with Cassie 3 times during the program for training sessions. We  discussed how she was finding the exercise sessions, whether she was on track with her healthy eating and most importantly how she was feeling, physically and mentally. The most important lesson to come from our 8 week training program is that in a short timeframe such as 8 weeks, it is not only about weight loss and numbers on the scales. Cassie is the perfect example of how much balance exercise and fitness can bring to your life. She felt stronger and more positive after working out and even on the days she might have not been feeling great she still pushed herself to do her workouts and she always felt better afterwards. When you do something that makes you feel better mentally, it carries over into all areas of your life and Cassie also felt like a better wife and mother. The mental benefits are huge. What an awesome role model for her children! Our children are always watching what we are doing.

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Another awesome example of Cassie really pushing herself out of her comfort zone and proving once again how strong she is and how far she has come, was when she joined our FitM.U.M Mount Lofty Walking Group one weekend. For those that aren’t aware, Mount Lofty is a steep and fairly long hike up a mountain in Adelaide… it is definitely tough! I was so pleased that Cassie came and she never once gave up even when her mind might have been telling her to stop or when panic may have set in. Her husband came with her to support her and she overcome a massive mental barrier that day and should be very proud of her efforts.

Towards the end of our program Cassie and I had a very honest discussion about the medication she is on for her anxiety and that it makes weight loss very difficult but that it was important that she remain on it to feel her best and not impact on her life. This program was about a complete change of lifestyle and it simply can not be all about one area only. To be successful and make any form of long term changes , it needed to be manageable and maintainable and that is exactly what we did. Cassie lost 2kg and at least 1-2cms from her waist, hips, arms and legs. But best of all she feels so much better and is managing her anxiety and depression and she has shown herself how much strength she has and that she can do anything!

Enough from me, let’s hear from Cassie now that she has finished the program….

Well my 8 week challenge has come to an end. I have learnt so much from Kelly and also about myself over the past 8 weeks.

At the beginning I wasn’t sure if I would make it to the end. I was at a pretty low point mentally and not sure if I was up for the challenge. BUT I did it!

I feel so proud to say I have done almost every workout Kelly has given me.

However, I haven’t lost much weight, only 2kg. And this has been so hard to come to terms with, when I’ve been working my butt off. I haven’t lost any weight due to my depression and anxiety medication and I probably won’t lose much while I’m still on it.

But I have gained so much physically and definitely mentally. I have pushed myself out of my comfort zone too many times to count. I never thought I was this strong, not just physically (don’t get me wrong I did 100 push-ups today when I couldn’t even do one in the beginning), mentally I am so much stronger now than when I began. My depression has decreased and I have the motivation and determination to continue pushing myself.

Just because my 8 week challenge is finished, I’m not finished with exercising. I’ve changed my lifestyle now and Yes I still have my low days but the benefits of the new lifestyle are definitely worth the effort.

Thanks for following my journey and all of the support you have all given me along the way. Xx

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Cassie was such a deserving winner and I am so grateful that I met her and could help her to incorporate exercise and diet changes into her life. She is an amazingly strong woman and a fantastic wife and mother. Never underestimate yourself Cass, you are a champion who should be very proud of what you achieved over the 8 weeks and how much you have changed! I am proud of you and feel as if I made a friend in the process! Keep up the great work FitMumma!!  xx

FitM.U.M 8 Week Summer Body Transformation Check-In

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The lucky winner of our FitM.U.M 8 Week Summer Body Transformation, Cassie is just about to start week 4 and will be half way through this 8 week program. However, knowing Cassie and the amazing changes she has made and the way she has embraced the exercise and nutrition changes, this will just be the start of a whole new lifestyle for her. I am so impressed with her motivation and determination to work hard no matter what. She is a  wife and a busy mum of 4 and works part time while trying to juggle everything else that a busy life entails. She has previously suffered anxiety and depression and I am so glad that she entered this competition and made the commitment to do something for herself and start her journey towards a healthier, happier and more active life (for her and her family!!). What a fantastic role model for her children!

As well as seeing Cassie’s physical strength improve and fitness increase, one of the best things as a Trainer is to actually to witness her confidence and self belief grow. She is changing her life and becoming a much stronger and happier person because of it. The workouts I have given her have been HARD but she has done every single one of them with no excuses!

Cassie enjoying a strength workout

Cassie enjoying a strength workout

Let’s hear from Cassie about her first three weeks of her program:

Wow! What an amazing three weeks it’s been. Kelly has given me a workout plan every week consisting of body weight exercises, weights and cardio. She also provided me with some awesome food advice.

I was totally shocked when I read my first workout plan. I thought there was no way I was going to do it. I had six days of workouts with one rest day and Monday consisted of two workouts!
But I did it! I completed the whole week and I felt amazing.
During week two Kelly came to do a PT session. I was really nervous, but didn’t need to be, she made me feel completely comfortable and didn’t mind helping me to correct my technique and to pick her brain.
It’s now week three and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the whole process.
Next week I go for my massage I won as part of the competition, can’t wait.
Thanks for reading.
P.S. Thank You everyone for your support and kind words of encouragement, I was in tears reading all of your messages x
Cassie.
I hope this story may help, inspire or motivate someone else who has their own challenges and may be starting their health and fitness journey (or thinking about starting). Set yourself goals and do it for yourself! Today is your day to get started.
Head over and join our wonderful FitM.U.M community on Facebook to stay motivated with other likeminded people!
xx

A FitMUM’s busy week… if you can’t find the time, make the time!

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It’s no secret that there is a lot to fit into a week, especially for mummies. I am lucky enough to currently be on maternity leave (bubs is now 4 months old) but some weeks I still struggle to fit everything in to a week. It’s crazy! This week was quite a busy one for us so I thought I would use it as an example and elaborate on how I make time (even if it’s only a small amount of time) for myself and to make sure I fit some form of exercise in every day.

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Like a lot of you, it was back to school for my eldest daughter this week after a busy and fun filled holidays and it was immunisations for my youngest. Irondad is in training for a short course duathlon on Sunday which he has set a pretty high expectations and goals for himself (EDITED post race to say that he smashed it by the way but that’s a different story!). We’ve had plenty of appointments, visits and of course all the household jobs that don’t do themselves as much as we’d like them too. So at the beginning of the week I knew I would have to work hard to fit in my exercise and not use any of that as an excuse to let it slide. It is easy to say “stuff it, I’ll just skip it today” but that can lead to the next day and the next day and before you know it you’ve changed your habits again. That is self-sabotage, try hard not to head down that path. Keep your motivation high and remind yourself of your goals. I am constantly reassessing my short term and long term goals to help me stay focussed and always have something to work towards. I do this in life and in fitness and I find that it really helps me stay motivated, accountable and achieve things.

My week from Sunday to Sunday included 7 runs (1 treadmill interval training run and 6 road runs) ranging from 4km – 7.5km, 3 x HIIT sessions, 1 Gym session and stretching and foam rolling (my old muscles can get a bit sore after running and foam rolling is perfect for easing those knots in your muscles).

Even on the days where I think it is going to be hard to fit it in, I find opportunity when I can and try my best to make it happen. Two good examples of this which I had to do this week were:

* Thursday my little one had her immunistations late in the afternoon and I hadn’t had a chance to do anything beforehand. That night we were having dinner at my parent’s house (they have a treadmill) and I didn’t want to be too far away from bubs, so going out for a run was out of the question as was the gym. I planned to get to my Parent’s house a bit early, got baby to sleep and did a 40 min interval session on their treadmill. It was actually a great sessions because it broke up my running week and provided intervals and heart rate training that I wouldn’t otherwise get on a road run. I was sweating hard, burnt mega calories and it gave my dodgy knee a bit of a rest from the road * all boxes ticked*.

* Friday I had a full on day so once Irondad got home we decided to do our weekly food shopping as we knew we had a busy weekend and wouldn’t get it done. Never one to miss an opportunity, once we had loaded everything into the car, including the children, off they went home with Dad and I ran home from the Supermarket. It is only 4.5km to our house but at least I fit it in, otherwise it just wasn’t going to happen. Do you know, the bonus of this is that by the time I got home all the shopping was put away too. I also did a quick 10 minute HIIT session out the back when I got home to finish the session off. I am usually dressed in my workout gear, you never know when you can improvise and squeeze in a quick run when you are out and about.

As you can see it is not rocket science and if I can fit these little exercise sessions in, hopefully you can too. Sometimes you just need to think outside the box and use 20 minutes when you can grab it. The shorter the timeframe, the harder you should push yourself! It all counts. I am just an average mum like everyone else, who’s time is in demand but all I do is make sure I plan and prioritise so that I don’t miss out! I am so thankful I have such a supportive family too.

If you have to go somewhere as a family on the weekend make sure you wear your workout gear (or at least have it with you in the car along with a hat and suncream and earphones if you like to run with music – be prepared and you can’t go wrong) and get dropped off on the way home and run there. Make sure you pick a distance you know you can comfortably run and increase it each time. I’ve actually lost count of the number of times I have done this. Sometimes the family even pace me in the car and drive along side me for part of the run. My 7 year old loves yelling out the window to encourage me.

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If you can’t find the time, make the time!

I have done previous posts about the importance of planning and having a goal, read here https://fitmumblog.com/2014/09/29/good-choices-planning-a-goal-results/ it’s the only way to get things done. So, even a busy week can be just as productive, it’s what you do with your time that counts. The choice is YOURS.

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H.I.I.T Sweat Session

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Try this awesome High Intensity Interval Training (H.I.I.T) session. Give your maximum effort and get maximum results. You will feel amazing afterwards and you will burn more fat doing this type of workout and continue to burn calories long after you’ve finished! Now that’s a bonus!

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Perform each exercise for 45 seconds with 15 seconds rest between exercises. Enjoy this full body …session. It will take 10 minutes so if you are feeling brave and want more of a workout… do it twice!

H.I.I.T Sweat Session
Push Ups (knees or toes)
Burpees
Jumping Jacks
Mountain Climbers
Plyo Lunges (alternating lunge jumps)
Tricep Dips (use a chair)
Ab Brace (plank)
Squat Jumps
Step Ups or Skipping (if you have a rope)
High Knee Sprint

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