Welcome back to my two part series on achieving that sexy body you thought you couldn’t have. Now, that you know what type of workout you might be interested in trying, let’s get a few basics down before you get started.

First of all, there are four very important things to remember whether you’re in your first week of working out or whether you are in your third year of regular exercise.

You’ll want to commit the following to memory before attempting a workout regimen.

• Finding time - There will be days that you may not find time at all to workout. Yeah, that’s not what you were expecting, right? Well, as a mom and wife, this is just reality. However, make sure that you don’t use this as an excuse. If you have 10 minutes you can workout, and there are not many days that you can’t find at least 10 minutes. Ten minutes is better than nothing at all.
• Make it a habit - Like many other things in life, exercise has to become a habit if you are going to succeed at it long term. I find that, although I like to workout anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour five days a week, some days I can only manage 10 or 15 minutes. Instead of reasoning that I don’t have enough time to do my norm, I do what I can to stay in the habit. Then I get back to normal the next day.
• Take a break - I don’t workout on weekends for two reasons, one is that it gives my body a physical break to recover from a week of exercise. The other reason is simply that it gives me something to look forward to, a break just because I want a break. There will also occasionally be times when you are very sore and your muscles are extremely fatigued, especially if you try a new workout that you’re not use to and you overdo it. When this happens don’t try to force yourself, take a day off and start back the next day. Just don’t make the breaks your habit.
• Each day is new - Don’t give up just because you let yourself get lazy for a few days. Remember that yesterday is in the past, there is nothing you can do about it today. But today is a new day and you can start over today. It is really easy to let vacations, holidays, sick kids, or our own sicknesses draw us away from our workout routines, and many times this is necessary and it’s okay. The problem is getting back to it after those few days have past. I find that just reminding myself when I get out of bed that today is a new day helps me keep going.

Once you get yourself motivated, how do you stay that way?

So, there you are all excited about your new exercise program and you feel like you are ready to take on the aerobic world–for about two days. Then it happens. The excitement fades and your workout that was suppose to be fun is, well, kicking your butt.

Now you need more motivation, here’s how I get mine:

• Get exercise attire - I mean get real exercise clothes, not just a t-shirt and a pair of old shorts. When I put on my workout clothes, I feel that part of a professional exerciser (well almost). Since, I usually workout in the morning, I try to put these on right after I get up. If I’ve taken the time to put them on, I know I’ll feel extra guilty if I don’t follow through.
• Be accountable to someone - Get an exercise partner, even if you can’t exercise together, you can support one another. At the very least ask a friend to check up on you. If you know someone is going to be asking you if you worked out today, you will probably do it.
• Keep variety in your routine - Don’t try to do the exact same workout every day. Getting on the treadmill or stationary bike for 30 minutes every day is going to eventually drive you nuts. I like to switch my workouts out often so that I don’t get bored doing the same thing all the time. Boredom will strip you of your motivation probably faster than anything else. So, if you start to get bored make a change.
• Don’t over do it - When you first begin working out, start out easy. Even if you have to do a simple ten minute workout for two weeks, never go to the point of exhaustion, dizziness, or pain. Gradually increase your intensity over time.

Although, this has been a lot of information to share with you, I feel that these are the most important elements of my exercise routine. These are the things that have helped keep me exercising for the past few years, including nine months of pregnancy.

That being said, I hope that I have in some way inspired you and motivated you to get up, get moving, and get sexy.

If you maintain a regular workout routine, what ways have you found to keep yourself motivated?

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Posted on April 15th, 2009 in Health and Fitness | 7 Comments

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First of all, the Hollywood or magazine model body is NOT the definition of a sexy body. A sexy body is one in which you do the best that you can with what God gave you. Of course, that will mean that you may have to work a little, or a lot, to get there. The good news though is that you can do it!

Now, that we’ve got that out of the way, I have a few questions for you regarding your workout status.

• Are you unsure about how to incorporate exercise into your regular routine?
• Do you need a little guidance and motivation to get started working out?
• Are you having trouble finding time, or think that you don’t have the time to get fit?

If you answered yes to these questions, I can help.

Telling you straight, it’s never easy to begin a workout program, whether you are just starting out or whether you are getting back into exercise after being out for awhile. You probably already know that though.

However, I’ve been committed to my workout program for several years now, so I’d like to let you in on the steps I took to get started and some tips on how I stay motivated.

Let’s begin with the basics - what is the point of exercising anyway?

Determining the reason for your desire to begin any exercise program is the first place to start. This will help you decide which type of workout will suit you best. There are many reasons why it is important that we all participate in some form of exercise regularly. Here are just a few:

1. Weight loss - Of course, usually the first thing that comes to mind with women when they think of exercise is losing weight. This is probably the major reason most women start working out.
2. Strength - Particularly when working with light weights and other strength building equipment, you can really get toned and build strong muscles. Now, I don’t mean you will end up looking like a body builder. Although, it’s possible if that is what you want.
3. Energy - This never really made much since to me until I started working out on a regular basis, but you really will have more energy if you exercise. I find that I am much more lazy and tired on days that I don’t workout than on the days that I do. Keep in mind that this may not be the case when you initially begin your workout regimen.
4. Health - Exercise helps you build strong bones and joints, reduces stress, and helps keep blood pressure down. It also helps you sleep better, as well as many other benefits to your body.
5. Self-Image - When you know that you are doing something good for yourself, it just makes you feel better about yourself. In addition, as you work hard toward your weight loss and/or toning goals, you will begin to look better and feel better physically.

How do you know where to start?

First of all, you need to determine what type of exercise will best fit into your lifestyle. Since there are so many options available anyone can find something they can do and enjoy.

Think about what you like to do. Then, think about how these things can fit into your life right now.

For me, I find that working out with videos works best for my lifestyle.

What are some advantages to workout videos?

Videos are not dependent upon the weather, and you can workout without worrying about finding someone to keep the kids or trying to take the kids with you.

In addition, many exercise videos are available to choose from, at all workout levels, from beginner to advanced. Whether you are all about plain simple aerobics, dance, yoga, kickboxing or weight training, there is a video out there for you.

A great place to preview exercise videos is at Collage Video. This website provides a short clip of all their videos, which gives you a good idea of whether you might like a particular workout or not. I use this feature regularly and find it extremely helpful.

However, you do not have to purchase the videos from there. I find it cheaper to go through Amazon.com, which usually always has whichever video I am interested in purchasing.

If you don’t go for the at-home workouts, what other options do you have?

Other great workout possibilities include, biking, walking, swimming, working out at the gym, playing sports, or even just running around outside with your kids. It is also a good idea to mix it all up sometimes. Regardless of which activity, or activities, you choose, the key is to be consistent.

Tomorrow, in Get Up, Get Moving, and Get Sexy, Part 2, we’ll be exploring the easiest ways to get started and stay motivated in your exercise routine. Whether you are already in great shape or just getting started, these tips will help you get YOUR sexiest body ever.

If you workout regularly what type of activity do you find fits into your lifestyle best? If not, do you have any ideas of what progam might work best for you?

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Posted on April 14th, 2009 in Health and Fitness | 9 Comments

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Admittedly, we are a little partial to this story because my son’s name is David. Still it is a treat to read. David has an excuse for every bit of mischief he gets himself into. Sometimes his excuse is he forgot, it wasn’t his fault, or he couldn’t help it.

What makes it so funny is how obvious it is that David is guilty. As a mom, it is really easy to relate to this story, because we hear a lot of these same excuses regularly.

Shannon captures the reality of being young children. They are full of energy and full of excuses when that energy gets them into trouble.

Because of its great illustrations, David Gets in Trouble is perfect for showing young children just how easy it is for parents to see beyond their excuses. It is also good for helping kids to understand that excuses are just excuses, and that they should take responsibility for their actions.

Tiny Tidbits: Other books in this series are No, David!, David Goes to School, Oh, David!, Oops!, and David Smells: A Diaper David Book. The original book, No, David!, was actually based on a story Shannon wrote as a little boy. He only modified it to make it more appealing. (Resource: Reading Rockets)

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3. Sophie’s Heart by Lori Wick Sophie's Heart is a touching story about the life of a young lady who leaves her only living relative, her...

Posted on April 13th, 2009 in Book Reviews | 3 Comments

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