Gotta show up, to show off!

Time-One of the most important factors when it comes to your workouts. 
  • Do I have enough time to get in my workout? 
  • How long does it take to get to the gym? 
  • Do I have enough time for a workout and cardio? 
  • I only have 30 minutes, is this enough time to do what I need to do?
We all have the time in our day, in order to achieve we must have the motivation behind the task that needs to be done.  In the words of one of my clients, Martha Weaver, “We will only make time for what we feel is necessary or important to us”.  
If you find yourself strapped for time, I have a few suggestions that might make a bit of a difference when it comes to fitting in your time at the gym.

Combine Exercises

Multiple body parts such as this “Lunge/Bicep” movement can really cut down time, if you workout in a circuit style, in 30 minutes you can easily fit over an hours worth of exercises.

Don’t take extended rest breaks

Over a minute rest and your heart rate begins to reduce to the point of where you are lifting for power, strength, which is a whole different blog all together! If you have only 30 minutes to workout, why are you wasting 2-3 minutes in between resting? 
The gym is not social hour

Quit talking to your buddies, the front desk, or on your cell phone! Just get in there and work, your friends will understand that you are on a time crunch and will let you be, but even if that pesky person comes around trying to derail you, just throw in your headphones until they take the hint….hopefully…
Circuit training

Circuit training is a great way to keep motivated, keep burning the calories, keep working continuously and a way to add multiple body parts into the workout while under the pressure of the clock.  
Come prepared

Be in your gym ready to work at whatever it is your are trying to accomplish, don’t play on your phone or music device to find what you are wanting to listen to, be ready to train! Don’t take your time getting changed, or better, have your gym clothes on! Be mentally prepared to get the best workout you can for the time that you are there.
1 Body part

Try this out next time you are in a rush, even at 3 sets you’ll be feeling the exercise.
Pec Deck x 15
Chest Press x 15
Incline Dumbbell Fly x 10
Incline Dumbbell Press x 10
Push Up x 10 (3 second pause at the bottom of the exercise)
Interval Training with Plyometrics 

This is one of my favorite ways to do cardio, I am not one who generally likes to be doing an extended duration on a treadmill, so I try to add in what I can to make it more interesting as well as get the most out of the workout.
Example: Treadmill
After warm up
1.5 minute walk on incline
30 seconds sprint
1.5 minute walk on incline
30 squat jumps

1.5 minute walk on incline
30 seconds sprint
1.5 minute walk on incline
30 medicine ball throw downs
Repeat for as long as you have time.
Home exercises

There are so many ways to bring the gym straight to your house! All of these programs that Beach Body has to offer (P90X, Insanity), TRX, Home videos or even YouTube has wonderful home exercises that you can do easily IN YOUR OWN HOME.  I always suggest the TRX for people who are travelling, home, or who want an easy structure to keep themselves in shape.  The TRX hooks up to a doorway easily and is also easily transported.  
So there we go, just some ways in order to get the full effect out of your workouts while on a restriction of time, remember if there is a will to workout and a will to improve, you will make the time, you will prioritize, you will exclude things out of your life in order to include a better healthier life.  
You have to SHOW UP to the gym, to SHOW OFF that body!

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Change

change

  

verb
to transform or convert (usually followed by into  )

The biggest part of my program is to promote change, with each outward improvement comes internal change.  Change can be a huge factor or a minor, depends on what your goals are, with change there comes with a certain amount of responsibility.  With each increased goal comes with a certain amount of restriction, a common conversation that I have with clients who want a to achieve a certain goal is, expect to change your mentality if you want to change your life.

Change your lifestyle

New to the program? Move from a sedentary lifestyle to a more active one, start with just 15 minutes, 3 times per week to create a routine and habit, with 24 hours in a day everyone has the ability and time in order to do so.  Are you a fast food eater? Start creating the same meals on your own, start separating the bad parts out and filter in the better.  Do you take on too much?  Find ways to simplify your life, plan an agenda, write down your needs and wants, utilize lists, ask for help.  Stressed? Find ways to relax, find creative ideas to release more serotonin.  

Change your eating habits

Are your goals to lose weight? Body fat? Are you eating to gain muscle? Eating for health and wellness? Sport specific? Out of all of these different goals the one common factor is nutrition.  If you are not eating right to the specific needs that you are putting your body through, you will fall behind.  Work on improvement, 

Change your perception


One perception is the perception of cardio, and that is that you have to be on a treadmill for an hour, its boring, its exhausting and its the only way to burn body fat.  I often get asked “what is the best form of cardio?” to which my response is, anything that raises your heart rate for an extended period of time! The second question is “how long should I be doing cardio?” to which I reply, 15-30 minutes.  Sounds strange, easy, accomplish-able….here is some things to look out for, don’t set yourself up for failure, set up for success! If you can do 15 minutes, strive for 25-30, if you can do 30 minutes, strive for a more intense 30 minutes! If an hour is boring, switch things up! Do half your time on a treadmill, half your time on a bike, add some plyometrics into the session, have some fun with it! 

Change your education

READ! I can not stress how important it is to read up on what your trainer is telling you, ask questions on why the nutrition is fundamental for the body desired or functionality, ask questions about supplements, ask questions about what exercises do what for which body part, learn each name of the exercise, read books, magazines, look online in chats and forums to further educate yourself on what your body is doing! 

Do not rely on what you ‘think’ you know, prove it by study!  It might just surprise you.

Change your mindset

“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!”-Audrey Hepburn.  This says it all! Instead of saying you “can’t” change it to you CAN! Don’t fear the weights, don’t fear the feeling of passing out, don’t fear the pain of going through it! Embrace it! With each rep, with each step, with each small accomplishment you are on the road to becoming someone you never thought you would.  I have never approached a client with a mentality of they can not go through my sessions, I have only pushed them to where they never thought they would be or do what they never thought they could do.  It all takes time, separate your mind from perfection to improvement and make all those steps daily to accomplish it.

Change your physique

Look at yourself and find what you want to change, it could be anything, mid-section, arms, legs, bigger, smaller, whatever your goal is to change, go out there and do it! Do not be one of those people who give up, who convinced themselves of genetics, lifestyle, age, limitations of certain ailments or any reason why you CAN’T do it, take the advice of a trainer, this blog and learn nutrition, be dedicated to change, put forth all the effort you have and give it 100% every single day!


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