What's in Your Fit Kit??

My mother used to tell me that I need to be prepared at all times, no matter what the situation. For example, she would say "Nikky, you should always wear clean underwear...just in case. You never know what could happen". Now, it's not as if I walked around in dirty undies but I guess the preparation was just in case I was knocked unconscious and the EMT workers had to strip me naked, they could say "Wow, those are a pristine pair of panties"...who knows. She had some strange moments. This concept of always being prepared should apply to all aspects of our lives. Being healthy is no exception.

Ask yourself, "What's in my fit kit?" or better yet, "Am I adequately prepared to maintain my healthy lifestyle at all times?". You wouldn't go to the store without any money to make a purchase, you wouldn't jump in the deep end of the pool if you didn't know how to swim, and you wouldn't let a doctor perform surgery on you if she didn't have the required knowledge. Therefore, YOU should be armed with the appropriate knowledge and tools necessary to begin living a healthy life or to help you to continue on a path of nutritional bliss. This post will provide you with some tools that you can keep in your fit kit.

Fitness apps are all the rage now. You can download the apps to your phone or MP3 device. Some fitness apps will track your food intake, miles ran or biked, or even walk you through a workout routine. Pretty neat, huh? Here's a breakdown of some apps that have been recommended to me.

My Tracks

This application is for your Android phone. It allows you to track your distance, speed, time, mileage, and even elevation. You can use this app while you run, bike, or hike.

Jeff Calloway's Ultimate 5k

If you are an avid runner then you are probably familiar with Jeff Calloway. His app is great for someone who is training for a race or who simply would like to become a better runner. It has an interval timer for speed or hill drills, a 7-week training program for 5k preparation, and music. An added bonus is that it works on a treadmill or outside. The only downside is that it is only available for Apple devices (ipod, ipad, etc.).

MapMyRide

This website has created a mobile app (iMapMy) that allows you to track the distance, pace, speed, calories burned, elevation, and duration of your workouts. This is another app that works with a variety of workout choices. Running, biking, walking, and hiking are all exercises that you can track. However, some devices such as the Blackberry, are limited to only the running and biking apps. One of the cool things about this app is that you can upload the recorded data from your workout onto the MapMyRide website and keep a log of all your workouts. This is great to monitor your improvement from workout to workout. What's even better is that this app can be downloaded to some of the most popular smartphones. The app is free to download on the Blackberry phone. Apple charges a fee to download the app on the Iphone.

Fit Sync

This app is available for Blackberry, Iphone, and Android users. It provides strength training exercises that you can download and use at your will. After you have completed the routines you can upload your workout to an account on fitsync.com, which allows you to compare your data to previous workouts. It's a great way to monitor progress. The online account is free if you aren't using it in conjunction with your phone, however an annual subscription is required if you want to include the phone app.

Exercise TV

Most cable companies offer the Exercise TV channel. Now, you can access workouts via an app by the same name. The Exercise TV app provides FREE daily workouts, between 10-45 minutes in length. Workouts include but aren't limited to strength training, cardio, abs. bootcamp, and yoga. Android and Iphone users can enjoy the benefits of this app.

Jillian Michaels Fitness Motivation

Most people know Jillian Michaels from her balls to the wall approach on The Biggest Loser. She too has joined the app world attaching her name to several fitness apps. This Fitness Motivation app provides video workouts, allows an individual to track the distance ran, calories burned, and weight lost. The GPS and motion features track your workout in real time, which allows you monitor your workout's intensity. You may need to step it up!!

Jillian Michaels Slimdown Trainer

Because I love Jillian Michaels so much...here's another one. This app gives you daily fitness, diet, and motivational tips, recipes, a variety of exercise routines, along with some heartfelt advice. This app as well as the one above can be downloaded free of charge for most Apple devices.

Calorie/Food Tracking Apps

There are a plethora of calorie/food tracking apps available on many smartphones. I won't even begin to list them. However, the benefit of having an app such as this is that you can be aware of what you are putting in your body and make conscious decisions regarding what you eat. To eat or not to eat, that is the question. It allows you to be an active participant in your healthy lifestyle. Some of the apps allow you to scan, or type in an item's name and you can view all the nutritional information about that product. Do an internet search or simply go to the app store on your phone to view your many choices.

If fitness apps aren't your thing, there are plenty of other options for you. When I really decided to take control of my health and physical fitness I purchased a book titled "Calories are King". I am not a huge fan of calorie counting. A person cannot look at calories in isolation, he/she must consider all other nutritional components in addition to the calories. Do you remember my previous post that mentioned those infamous 100 calorie snacks?? Despite the name of this book I purchased it and it was one of my best buys. It not only listed calories, but fat, carbs, protein, etc. for every food imaginable. The book also includes a restaurant guide for some of the more popular restaurants. This was great because I didn't have to feel overwhelmed when I went out to eat. I even gifted one to my mother, I highly doubt that she has taken it off the shelf to use, but it's the thought that counts, right???

Another great tool to have is a food journal. Now, when I recommend starting a food journal to some people, they rebut with "Who has time to write in that thing after every meal, snack, whatever?". It's actually not as time consuming as a person may think and it's beneficial. My food journal helped me keep track of how many calories I was consuming, make deliberate choices regarding what I put in my body, and it made me think twice about over snacking because I knew I would have to write it in that little white book. I didn't want to cringe at what I read. Check out this article, which outlines some of the benefits of journaling.

If you're struggling with workout ideas, you can keep a little binder with workouts that you have found online or inside magazines. I have a binder full of workouts that I go to when I am absolutely out of ideas. You can mix and match the routines and modify them anyway you see fit. My fave magazine to get ideas from is Muscle and Fitness Hers. There is a male version of this same magazine. Occasionally, I will find decent workouts in Women's Health. Bodyrock.tv is also a great source, challenging, but great material.

Attack your fitness from all angles. If you need that extra push download a personal trainer app, if you need to keep track of your goals or food intake write it down. Whatever your needs are there is probably something out there that you can include in your fit kit. If you refuse to make failure an option by always being prepared you will achieve your health/fitness goals in no time.

Peace!

Smart Snacking

Eating well is paramount when it comes to leading a healthy life. Eating well means feeding your body the proper nutrients in the correct amounts and at the right times. Paying close attention to nutritional labels is a great start. If you need a review of how to read the label, check out my previous post Dissecting Nutrition Labels and Packaging. If you read the labels accurately, choosing a smart snack is easy.

One question that people often ask me is what types of food do I snack on. I enjoy food and I don't like to deprive myself of things that I like. My inner foodie would have it no other way. Therefore, I try to choose or make a healthier alternative to my fave foods. Here are some items that my husband and I like to munch on as well as some ways to choose healthy options.

My ultimate snack is fruit. I love fruit because it gives me the sweet taste without the added sugar. Bananas, berries, grapes, cantaloupe, apples, and oranges are my go to fruits. Many of these fruits have a low Glycemic Index (GI) level. The Glycemic Index ranks carbs based on it's effect on our blood glucose levels. Foods with low GI levels allow glucose to slowly be released into your bloodstream, which promotes healthy energy levels. A low GI level would be 55 or lower. You can find a list of GI levels here.

Many of these fruits also have multiple nutritional purposes. Bananas are a great pre-workout snack and are a great source of potassium. Berries are great antioxidants. Grapes are just friggin' delicious and apples are a fabulous source of fiber. Always remember that moderation is key even when it comes to fruit. So don't go crazy and start slamming down boat loads of fruit.

Another sweet treat for me is the sweet potato. No, I'm not talking about the twiced baked sweet potato, with the brown sugar and cream cheese so stop salivating (hahaha). Although, that is quite delicious. I eat these either steamed or as baked fries. Sweet potatoes are inexpensive and have excellent health benefits. The beta-carotene in the potato is an antioxidant which changes to vitamin A. The vitamin A contributes to healthy skin. Think about that Halle Berry glow. Plus, the beta-carotene eliminates free radicals from the body, thus, helping to reduce wrinkles. Adding a little cinnamon will enhance the flavor of the sweet potato. If you want them french fry style, you can slice them thinly, sprinkle with a little salt (optional), then rub with a little olive oil. You can spread them out on a baking sheet, place in the oven at 350 degrees, and let them cook for about 20 minutes or until they are crisp enough for you. DELICIOUS!!!

Another fam fave is Garden of Eatin' chips. When I want a salty fix I opt for these tortilla chips over Tostitos brand. They are certified organic, many of the options are low in trans fat and saturated fat (bad fats), and there are soooo many options (inner foodie on the prowl). These are tasty with or without salsa!! Explore your options here. Yummm!!

Veggies are always a good snacking option. I am not going to lie and say that I am a veggie snacker because I am not. I think I would rather listen to Elizabeth Hasselbeck talk than eat raw veggies...wait...that might be an over exaggeration. The cold, crunch, bland taste of the veggies just isn't appealing to me. However, I understand the benefits of snacking on them. Veggies are a great source of the nutrients you need like vitamins. Some are also a good source of fiber. Fiber will make you feel full between meals. I primarily eat my veggies with meals. Raw veggies however contain high levels of nutrients because they haven't been cooked out. Celery with peanut butter, carrots, snap peas, cut peppers, broccoli are all great options if this is something that you would like to try. Me, not so much.

Almonds...mmmmm...another favorite. I love almonds because of the taste, texture, and nutritional benefits. They are (at least for me) a good source of fiber, a decent source of protein, and you only need about 28 almonds to make a great snack. You can pair almonds with a fruit or a protein shake. Speaking of which, protein shakes are also a great snack option.

If you like those 100 calorie snack options, my suggestion is to be mindful. The fact that those Oreos and Twinkies come in 100 calorie options doesn't make them any better for you. You still need to pay attention to the nutritional labels. A healthy food is always going to be a healthy food. Packaging it in a smaller quantity doesn't magically change an unhealthy food (i.e. ding dongs) into a healthy option...abracadabra...not really. 100 calorie packs like almonds or whole wheat crackers may be a better choice because you get the portion control with the nutritional benefits.

Some other things I love are peanut butter with a whole weat slice or 1/2 of a whole wheat bagel, boiled eggs, low-fat cheese, Greek yogurt (I will post more about this one later) and popcorn. The calorie amount for your snacks really depends on your dietary and fitness needs. I choose snacks that will keep me full and keep my energy levels balanced. With the intense workouts that I do this is important. Also, I eat my snacks in MODERATION. Even healthy foods in excess can set you back in your goals to lose weight or just improve your overall health.

If you have difficulty with portion control...perhaps because you have hands the size of Big Foot's hands (men) or even after you've given birth you're still eating for two (that was me), try portioning out your food into ziplock bags. Read the product label to figure out how much of that food equals 1 serving and store it in a ziplock bag to prevent overeating. Instead of eating from the bag, get 1 serving and put it in a small bowl or on a small dish. Don't eat at the kitchen counter; it's just too tempting to grab more than you need. It helps to prepare your snacks in advance so that you don't risk making an unhealthy choice or eating too much.

Choosing a healthy snack isn't complicated. Most people know what healthy foods are so make the choice to put down the cookies and pick up an apple. Step outside of the box when it comes to your snacks. If you like to eat something that wouldn't necessarily be considered a snack, like a sandwich for example, cut the portion down and eat it anyway. As long as it's healthy, you're good to go. Who's judging?? Not me! In addition a good review of the nutritional label should set you straight. Here's to healthy snacking...yummm!!!!

PEACE!

Quickie: Lost in the 'Hood

What a crazy week this has been!!! I got two tickets, was in one accident, and bought a new car all within a one week span. However, the most memorable moment was getting lost during my six mile run in my own neighborhood. What was that you asked?? How does one get lost in her own neighborhood? Well, when you have absolutely no sense of direction and overly rely on technology it's actually quite easy. So here's how the story goes.

My wonderful husband purchased a Garmin 405 Forerunner as my gift for Mother's Day. If you don't know what this little doohickey does, allow me to explain. It is a GPS enabled watch that can be used to track your mileage when you are out biking, walking, or running. I use it for my outside runs. This particular watch has many bells and whistles. It stores your runs, allows the user to customize workouts, has an interval timer for speed work, and permits one to set his/her pace and race against a virtual partner. Oh, and it can be used as a heart rate monitor. This is just a brief overview of what this watch can do. It's fabulous!!

On this particular day, I charged up my little gadget, laced up my running shoes, gathered my liquid refreshment and walked out the door. But wait...I locked my house keys in the house with my cell phone. At this moment, I should have known that this run wasn't a good idea. It was one of those moments where I realized that my key was inside but continued to close the door anyway...it was like an out of body experience. I was in the Matrix. I ran to my neighbor, who was pulling out of her driveway, and asked to use her cellphone to call my husband. It took him about 20 minutes to get home and let me in. At this point, I was still determined to run.

After chatting with the hubby for a few, I hopped in the car and drove to my starting point. This particular trail was relatively new to me. I ran part of it the week prior with a gym buddy. We did about 4.5 miles but because it was supposed to be a six mile run I had to add some distance so I put in a turn. Now, this is where my Garmin 405 Forerunner comes into play. I figured, since the watch was going track my mileage that I would just turn around at the halfway point (3 miles). This is something I've done before, so no big deal, right??

The first few miles or so of the run were great. I ran a straight path, made a right turn down a street, reached my halfway point, turned around, and made a left turn to continue on that straight path. Well, that last left I made wasn't the left that I was supposed to make. I have no idea how it all went wrong, but it did. This was the first day of Richmond's triple digit temperature days. While it wasn't quite triple digits yet, it was starting to get hot as hell. Okay, back to the run...I tend to zone out when I run outside, so I didn't realize I made a wrong turn until I reached a fork in the road. I stopped and had a quizzical look on my face. Where the hell was I? I started to panic slightly because I just ran approximately 1/2 mile down a street and I had no idea where I was. I decided to turn around and run the 1/2 mile back to the point where I made the turn. At that point my shirt was dripping with sweat and I am extremely thirsty. On the way back I passed a woman watering her grass and was tempted to ask for a sip from her hose. I didn't think she would take it too well so I kept it moving.

When I reached the starting point I realized that I turned too early. If I ran down one more block I wouldn't have added an extra mile to my already long run nor would I have been so damn dehydrated. While, I will continue to run outside I will definitely pay more attention to my surroundings. Lesson learned!!

Peace!!

Supplements...Should You or Shouldn't You??

A supplement, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is something that completes or makes an addition to something else. There are supplements for almost anything. Ladies, if you want longer hair, stronger fingernails, bigger boobs there are millions of products offered that can help you with that. Oh, and let's not forget the fellas...if you desire a larger, uh, let's just say "member", there are even supplements to help you out with that too. Come on, we've all seen the commercials and heard those radio advertisements. However, for the purpose of this blog we are going to focus on supplements, specifically dietary supplements, that are intended to positively impact your health and fitness goals by adding a little something extra.

In the health and fitness world there are supplements that assist in boosting metabolism, losing weight, building muscle mass, etc. As I researched these supplements I learned that some have multiple purposes. Here, I will give you some insight into some of the supplements and what their functions are.

Burn, Baby, Burn
In this first section we will discuss supplements intended to burn fat. People are always trying to find that magic pill that will eliminate that extra belly fat. Well, these aren't magic pills but they may help.
Green Tea Extract: The powerful ingredient in this supplement is the polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate...say that 10 times fast. We'll just call it EGCG. The EGCG works with the body to increase fat burning and metabolic rate. This supplement is also reported to enhance muscle recovery as well as assist with joint recovery. You can purchase this from your local health food store, vitamin shop, even places like Walgreen's. For this supplement to be effective, it's recommended that people take 300-500mg three times daily, before each meal.
Fish Oil: This supplement as a fat burner is new to me. However, some studies show that in addition to the many benefits that fish oil provides, it works to activate fat burning and turn off the genes that increase fat storage. Now, if that isn't another reason to get some Omega-3s in your life, I don't know what is. Dosage recommendations can be found on the back label of the product.

Caffeine: Yes, you read correctly...caffeine. No, I'm not talking about the mocha cocoa choco latte that you get from Starbucks or wherever. Actually, the most effective form of caffeine would be in tablet form. This is because the other ingredients in coffee may inhibit some the effects of the caffeine. Caffeine increases the amount of fat that is released from your fat cells. Once again refer to the package label for dosage recommendations. Increase the fat burning ability of this supplement by taking a dosage 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to your workout.
CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid): This is something brand new to me. This supplement works to prevent fat storage, use existing fat as energy, and increase lean muscle mass. You can also find this at GNC or Vitamin Shoppe. It is recommended that you take 2 grams of CLA three times daily with meals.

Muscle Mania

If your goal is to build lean muscle then these supplements may be just what the doctor ordered.

• Protein: Protein can be found in many foods that we eat. Chicken, turkey, and beef are choices that are high in protein. However, protein also comes in supplemental forms. Whey protein is a good supplemental choice if you desire to build lean muscle. Whey delivers aminos to your muscle tissue quickly and contains peptides, which increase the blood flow to the muscles. You can purchase protein powder almost anywhere. My husband and I purchase ours from the grocery store. It also comes in many flavors, which can be mixed with water or you can make a shake. It's best to consume your protein when you wake up, thirty minutes prior to your workout and within 30 minutes after your workout.


• Creatine: Creatine occurs naturally in the body. It is produced by the liver, kidneys, and pancreas. This is apparently one of the top supplements for building lean muscle. It works by delivering more energy to the muscle, which in turn means more power for that muscle. More power equates to more reps of an exercise. More reps assists with muscle growth. Simple enough. Creatine comes in many forms. The dosage will depend on what form of Creatine you take.


• BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids): These are the essential aminos leucine, isoleucene, and valine. These play an important role in protein synthesis, which is the process that builds muscles. A gym buddy of mine uses BCAAs as a recovery method. It feeds nutrients to your muscles post-workout. She mixes the powder form with a sports drink. This is also a supplement that comes in multiple forms. It is recommended that you take this pre and post workout.

The Energizer Bunny

Is something slowing you down?? In many cases, nutrient deficiencies are responsible for lack of energy. Deficiencies in B12, iron, and/or magnesium may be the culprits.

• B Vitamins: Studies show that B Vitamins work to boost energy levels. A B12 supplement may reduce fatigue. There are also supplemental forms of iron and magnesium that you can purchase.


• Multi-vitamin: Multi-vitamins are good because they fill in the gaps for many nutrients that your body may be deficient in. As mentioned above, nutrient deficiencies can lead to low energy levels.


• Some of the supplements mentioned in the other areas have claims of increasing energy levels. Green tea extract, creatine, caffeine, and BCAAs are some.

Recovery...whewww

Recovery is very important after an intense workout or any kind of workout. You have a short window, approximately 30 minutes, after a workout to refuel. The glycogen that your body stores is depleted after your workout, therefore you need to replace it to allow adequate recovery. Glycogen is important because the body uses it as energy during your workouts. Ideally, one should intake 1/2 - 3/4 of a gram of healthy carbs per pound of body weight within that 30 minute window. Within that timeframe carbs turn into glycogen up to three times faster than other times, which is energy that can help you perform better for later workouts.
Carbs can't do the job alone so here are some other items you can add to your post workout recovery routine.

• BCAAs: As mentioned above BCAAs feed necessary nutrients to your muscles post-workout.
  


• Protein Shake/Smoothie: The whey protein will increase blood flow to your muscles, which will allow the muscles to receive more oxygen and nutrients. You can add in fruits that are high in antioxidants, like berries, which will aid in eliminating the free radicals in your body.


• Fish Oil: You can take this for its anti-inflammatory properties, not necessarily right after your workout but in general.

It is always wise to consult with your physician prior to introducing something new into your diet. I am not a doctor nor am I an expert on supplements. I'm just the SkinnyFatGymRat who knows a little something, something. Therefore, if any of these options sound good to you, conduct further research so you will be aware of any side effects to know if it's right for YOU. My husband and I have tried a few of these supplements and a few we keep in rotation. I also know fitness buffs who swear by some of the supplements mentioned. However, what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for everyone. Also, this is only an abbreviated list of the many supplemental options that are available on the market and just using the supplement without proper diet and exercise may not yield desirable results. So, before you run out to the store conduct your own research and remember exercise and proper nutrition are always paramount!!

Peace!

A Visual for Nutritional Labels

Use the above visual as a reference when "Dissecting Nutrition Labels and Packaging" http://http//mahoganystrengthspeaks.blogspot.com/2011/07/disecting-nutrition-labels-and.html

Dissecting Nutrition Labels and Packaging

Once you have made the decision to begin living a healthy lifestyle, you have to start educating yourself. You should start with something simple...the nutrition label. Losing weight, maintaining weight, whatever your goal is relies heavily on what you eat. A person can exercise all they want but unless they change their diet they will continue to struggle with the same issues. It's like running around the hamster wheel...you're always stuck in the same spot.

The label is actually easier to decode than many people think. On most food items the label can be found on the back of the package. The first things to observe are serving size and servings per container. All the nutritional information i.e. calories, fat, cholesterol, etc. is calculated per single serving. Take a look at the label above. According to this label this food item has 25 servings and in each serving is 6 pieces. Therefore, if you counted the contents of the entire package, there would be 150 pieces inside. Pay attention to this so that if you go over the serving size, you know to adjust the calculations for the amount per serving.

The calories listed on the label refer to how many calories are in each serving. Pretty easy, right? The difficult part with understanding calories is the attractive wording that manufacturers put on food labels to make it more appealing to dieters and health conscious folks, like us. For instance, how many times have you seen "low-calorie", "reduced-calorie", or "calorie-free" on an item and purchased the item because of these labels? Let's look at exactly what those terms mean.

• Low-calorie means that the food item has to have a calorie count of 40 calories or less.
  



• Reduced-calorie means that the food item is required to have at least 25% less calories than the regular version of that same food item.



• Calorie-free doesn't necessarily mean that there are zero calories in an item. It only means that there are less than 5 calories per serving.

If you see these terms on an item that you want to purchase remember to flip over to the nutrition label to see if it's really that great of a buy, particularly with labels that read low-calorie and reduced-calorie.

The next section is the fat. Fat gets such a bad name, however it plays a positive role for the body. It builds nerve tissue and hormones and the body uses it as fuel, as well as serving many other functions. However, fat can become something to avoid when the fat isn't burned. It then becomes deposited into your body in fat cells. That's when we get our muffin tops and moobs...not a good look.

On the same line as the calories there are the calories from fat. These are the fat calories from all the fat in that item. When you are grocery shopping choose items that have a significant difference in the amount of calories and calories from fat. The top line that reads "total fat" includes the grams of fat found in all types fat: monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated. Avoid foods that are high in saturated fat. Manufacturers also label their packages with similar terms as calories: fat-free, low-fat, and reduced-fat.

• Fat-Free: Less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving




• Low-fat: Three grams of fat or less per serving
  



• Reduced-fat: At least 25% less fat per serving than the original version.

Cholesterol is next up on the list. Cholesterol contributes to higher blood cholesterol, putting a person at risk for heart disease. Cholesterol-free food items have less than 2 milligrams of cholesterol. Items marked with low-cholesterol on the packaging have 20 milligrams or less of cholesterol.

Now comes sodium also known as salt. Eating more than the recommended amount of sodium can lead to water retention and high blood pressure. That water retention could lead to higher numbers on the scale. A daily intake of 2,300 milligrams or less is what you should shoot for.

Total carbohydrates tells you the amount of ALL types of carbs found in a single serving. A key area to be mindful of under total carbs is the amount of sugar. Ideally, the less sugar the food item has the better. Dietary fiber is also listed in this section. Choose food items with at least 2.5 grams of dietary fiber per serving.

Lastly, we have protein. You can calculate how much protein your body needs by multiplying your weight by .37. Keep that number in mind when you're reading nutritional labels. Beef, chicken, and eggs are all great sources of protein.

As far as the Percent Daily Values, just know that these percentages are based on a 2,000 calorie diet and they indicate the percentages per single serving for each element (fat, protein, sodium, etc.) present in that particular food item. The goal is to eat 100% of each element.

Now that you are a little bit wiser, go to your local grocery store and shop in peace!! Peace.

In a Time Crunch?? Have You Ever Considered 30 Minute Workouts?

There are days when I just don't have 1 - 2 hours to give to my workouts. Now, I don't intentionally spend that much time working out but time just slips away from me. I find that I am at my most peaceful moments when I am working out. However, with family, work, and just life in general, time is of the essence.

We all know that I will NEVER stop working out because if I did, what would become of the SkinnyFatGymRat?!? *Gasp*Therefore, on days when my time is limited I am going to restrict myself to a 30 minute workout. Many health professionals recommend that the average adult should exercise a minimum of 30 minutes per day. On it's face, a 30 minute workout may not seem like enough. However, you get out of a workout what you put into it...with that said a 30 minute easy walk or a weak strength training session isn't going to cut it. You have to maximize your workout due to the limited time.

During my 30 minute workouts I like to combine cardio and full body strength training, typically circuit training.Each circuit is completed 3 times. A circuit is when several exercises are completed back to back with no or very little rest in between exercises. The intensity of my circuit is high and I perform moderate reps (12-15) of each exercise. Some exercises that are included in my 30 minute workouts are: jump rope, box jumps, push ups, bicep curls, rows, jumping jacks, step ups, and bicycle crunches. The trick for me is to keep a variety of exercises to choose from. It prevents the routines from getting boring. Write down the ones that work for you and put them in a book for future use.

If developing your own routines isn't something that you want to do, you can always just do a google search of 30 minute workouts. Why reinvent the wheel, right?? Here are a couple of links for effective 30 minute workouts.

• This site provides workouts for novice, intermediate, and advance levels of fitness: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/thirty_minute_workout.asp





• Read this site thoroughly it provides some good information about an effective 30 minute workout:http://http//www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/fitness-blitz-the-30-minute-workout

Also, some ketltebell workouts tend to be on the shorter side. See this previous post for some ideas regarding kettlebell routines http://http//mahoganystrengthspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/08/ketlebell-workouts-are-truth.html

Remember that you can always modify your workout to match your fitness level so don't be intimidated by exercises that seem too difficult or unfamiliar. If the exercise is unfamiliar "Google" it. My advice is to try to fit a workout in whenever you can because your body and your clothes will thank you for it. Peace!