Rain, Rain Go Away!

Nothing is more frustrating than planning a nice workout outside...and then the clouds roll in. Grrrrr. If you don't have a gym membership and a nice, equipped place to go workout - what's next?? My advice: DVDs and using your own home as your workout arena! DVDs are fantastic for people who hardly have any time to get ready, drive to the gym, workout, drive home, and take a shower all for a heart-pumping workout multiple days a week! DVDs are available everywhere, easy to download, and contain workouts from 10 to 90 minutes in whatever you're looking for - pilates, yoga, strength training, aerobics, etc. Another great tool available to us is Wii Fit! You can buy exercise routines for the Wii that are 3D and functional, so its as if you're training with a real live trainer in your room! Bob and Jillian kick butt on "The Biggest Loser" and now can in your own house too! Home for the day? Don't think that those chairs in your house are just there to sit on! Grab a chair and stand behind it. While holding onto the top of the chair with extended arms and elbows slightly bent, extend one leg behind you so its parallel to the floor and at the height of your hip. Rotate both hips to the floor and keep them in line with each other (in other words, don't "tilt" to one side). Hold your belly in tight to your back as if you're wearing a corset. From here, slowly lower and lift your leg down to the floor and back up to hip height, extending and reaching the leg as far behind you as you can. Squeeze the leg when it reaches the buttocks area and hold before lowering again. Don't let the leg rise above your hips when you lift it, otherwise your back will arch and you won't be using your core anymore and just create back pain. Repeat this for 15 reps on each leg for 3 sets times. (You can also do this by holding onto a table, kitchen counter, desk, or bed!) Another great exercise is bridging - which works your butt, legs, core, and back muscles. Lay on your back on a carpeted area, with a mat or towel underneath you. Bend your knees and walk your feet out in front of you a few steps forward from your butt. Slowly (starting from your pubic bone or "private area"), lift your hips up to the ceiling until you are diagonally in a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Hold there for 30 seconds and squeeze every muscle in your body. Try not to arch your back by keeping your hips a little tucked under (aka: pulling your belly button into your back and shifting your public bone closer to your stomach). Starting from your chest, begin to peel down back onto the mat until your back to the starting position. Repeat and bridge 5 more times. You can add intensity by alternating leg lifts. When in the bridge, stay even and lifted with the hips and raise one leg into the air. Keep this raised leg straight above the adjacent hip and point the toes. Hold for 30 seconds. Switch legs. Repeat twice. Lastly, and my personal favorite: PLANKS. Planks are one of the best things you can do for your body. They strengthen every muscle, work every area, and are just all around fantastic for toning. If you have NO TIME WHATSOEVER then do these throughout the day to spark your heart rate and tighten up your body. To get into position - you can be on your hands or on your elbows, both work - place your arms underneath your shoulders (wrists or elbows line up directly under shoulders) and have your legs straight behind you so you're up on your toes. Pull your belly in tight. It should resemble a "push-up" position. Make sure you are not arching your lower back by tucking your hips further under towards your belly. Open your shoulders so they spread wide along your upper back. Keep your neck in line with your spine by looking towards the front of your mat or slightly down. Now, squeeze EVERY MUSCLE you can possibly think of. Hold for 30 seconds. Rest in childs pose (aka: resting your torso on top of your legs and reach arms forward) for 20 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times for 30-45 seconds each. Work up to holding 1 minute sets. These can also be done on each side for side planks (see profile pic). Whatever you do for your workout, don't give excuses!! That's just lame and honestly (even if people say they want to), NO ONE wants to hear it. You are your own person, if you don't workout and take care of yourself for you, then that's your issue and you need to realize that something has to change in YOU before your body will. No extra money or personal trainer needed if you can't afford it. This is all about using the things that are around you. Go ahead, lay on your couch and eat bon-bons, but don't complain that your butt is sagging and your arms jiggle when you dance.