Workout Anytime | Ultimate No Excuses Fitness Plan

Now-a-days, finding the time in the day to get a workout in can sometimes feel impossible! There truly are just not enough hours in the day. I find myself coming up with so many excuses to stray from my fitness plan! I feel like when I was younger it was just easier to keep on track with my workouts and diet. I could workout anytime!  Of course, I was also a dancer for most of my life so I never really had to concentrate on it much. But as I grew older (and my metabolism slowed down) I had to start working on it. I always had jobs that involved me to be walking 8 hours a day which helped but I also had to get the gym for strength training before work to maintain my fitness level.

Then our daughter was born…

I had to freeze my gym membership because she couldn’t go to the daycare area until she was able to walk (which luckily she did at 9 months). However, with a full-time physical job and a baby I hardly ever made it to the gym! So I had to change my diet to stay in shape, but I lost a lot of muscle mass!

And then I became a stay at home mom and I’m not on my feet and physical all day anymore. I do have a good gym routine down now (except for when COVID shut down the gym) but we are in the process of adopting again and when she is born NEXT WEEK I will be back to no gym…

So I HAD to devise a workout anytime, no excuses, fitness plan to maintain my health and fitness level. As a former Athletic Trainer, I was able to use my knowledge in combination with advice from others in my former field to create a workout plan that would fulfill my fitness goals yet not impact my busy days as a mom of a toddler and newborn! So I came up with this 3-Step Action Plan that is so easy to incorporate into ANY schedule!

#1 Stay Hydrated! This is the most important part of your No Excuses Fitness Plan

Did you know that drinking water helps boost your metabolism? Not only that, but it helps to cleanse your body of waste and acts as an appetite suppressant. Also, it helps your body stop retaining water so that you can drop those extra pounds of water weight!

Do you know how much water you are supposed to drink per day?

This answer can vary depending on how much physical exercise you are getting, how much you sweat, etc… However, the rule of thumb for water consumption is that you should be drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water each day. For example, if you weight 160lb then you should drink 80oz of water a day (160/2=80). And this meaning WATER! Coffee, lemonade, soda, etc… DO NOT COUNT.

If you’re like me, this is a bit difficult. Water by itself it just not that interesting! I have tried everything to keep up this daily intake (different shaped ice, various cups, etc…) and nothing has worked! But then I found Buzio water bottles. This is mine (Please ignore the bites out of the mouthpiece. My daughter likes to drink out of it too and chews on it):

When I was looking for a water bottle, the description of this one was what first intrigued me. It says that it keeps cold things cold for 48 hours and hot things hot for 24 hours. Of course I thought that had to be a bit overexaggerated! But then I bought it. I would put hot water for tea in it for the morning and it would still be scalding hot by mid-afternoon so I have NO doubt that it would still be hot for a whole 24 hours. And it keeps cold things cold for at least 48 hours. I can fit a whole tray of 12 ice cubes in it with water and there will still be ice in it two days later. It is insane!

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But now that I have been trying to count my ounces, I just fill it up with cold water without ice. And because it is a 40oz bottle, I only have to fill it up 2x a day to make sure that I am getting enough water.

BONUS: It comes with two different tops to choose from. I use the top with the spout and I the straw attachment inside. I just drink more when I am drinking out of a straw. But you can do whatever works best for you!

#2 Do Enough Cardio with your No Excuses Fitness Plan

Now that I don’t have a physical job where I am walking around all the time it’s hard for me to make sure I am getting my cardio in each day. I try to keep moving but sometimes, especially if the weather is gloomy, it’s hard for me to stay motivated! I need someone (or something) to keep me accountable!

Years ago, when smart watches first became popular, I refused to get one. I am not a super “trendy” person and I don’t need the latest and greatest of everything. I just want what works. However, after becoming a stay at home mom and a little less active, these watches started appealing to me more. Yet, I didn’t think I needed all the bells and whistles. I just wanted to be able to track how much I was walking.

The CDC recommends that adults walk between 7,000 to 8,000 steps a day to stay healthy. Setting a goal of 10,000 steps a day is recommended for weight loss in people that normally average within the CDC’s recommendations.

So I ordered a fitness tracker:

It did everything that I needed it to do and it was less than $30. It let me set a step count goal and counted my steps, tracked my heartrate and monitored my sleep (getting enough sleep, which is hard with kids, is so important for your health as well). It also hooked to Bluetooth and would alert me if I had a call/message which was nice. However, I couldn’t read the message or answer the call/message from the watch.

For a while that wasn’t important to me, but then, as my daughter is getting older, she wants my phone all the time when we are on walks to watch Cocomelon. And now the little bugger knows how to ignore calls before the phone even rings! So I really wanted a watch that could do all the same things but that I could also answer messages and calls. So I went to my carrier and looked at the watches there and the cheapest one was $440 for the watch alone! Then they tack on a $10/month service charge!

I refused.

I asked the salesman and found that the only reason for the monthly plan was so that you didn’t need to have your phone close by to hook to Bluetooth as it would be it’s own device. I never go anywhere without my actual phone so a plan would just be a waste of money for me.

That’s when I found the Galaxy Smartwatch (as I am an Android user) on Amazon. The description said that it would do everything I wanted it to do and MORE. It was obviously more expensive than the fitness tracker, but it was nowhere near the cost of the watch I saw at the store! This is the one I bought:

I LOVE this watch. It is so classy and does so much. It is really like my personal trainer as it alerts me when I have been sedentary for too long and it suggests activities for me to do! I’ve been good so far today! Already reached my 10,000 step target!

At first I wasn’t sure how I would like the messaging and talking on it. However, I found that I have the option to just write my replies with my finger so I don’t have to struggle trying to type on tiny buttons! Also, when my husband calls and I am on a walk with my daughter, he can’t even tell that I am talking through my watch with my hand on the stroller!

It’s also nice to know that if I do ever plan to be without my phone more often I have the option to add the monthly plan to it.

Apple people don’t worry, I didn’t forget about you, I think that this one is the most comparable:

If you are still having trouble getting in cardio/steps because you are a mom (and kids are demanding) make sure you check out my post 8 Activities for Kids of Highly Efficient Moms. There are a few ideas in it that will help you reach your goals!

#3 Work in Some Strength Training to your No Excuses Fitness Plan

The watch does a great job at suggesting activities if you aren’t moving a lot but I challenge myself to never let it have to do that! So I came up with a list of things that I have added to my everyday routine to fit in a little strength training. You can do these things ANYWHERE and workout anytime! You don’t have to make time to go to the gym or worry about getting sweaty and showering. Instead, if you can get into a habit of sprinkling them into your daily routine, you are set!

Did you know it takes 30 days to form a habit?

So don’t expect these all to just become second nature right away (you may also want to set a daily reminder on your watch) but just keep at it until it becomes your norm! This is what I do:

No Excuses Strength Training Additives:

#1 Car Crunches

I just lean my seat back a LITTLE bit more than usual, like I’m talking an inch or two. And, while driving, flex your abs and crunch the bottom of your ribs towards the top of your hip bone. It’s not a huge movement, but trust me, you will be feeling it!

Pro Tip: You can also mix it up and do lateral crunches at red lights (crunching down to your left side and then to your right)!

#2 Toilet Squats

Adding 3 squats before using and 3 squats after using the toilet can do wonders for your legs, back and bum!

If you think about it, on average, people use the restroom between 6 to 8 times a day. If you are getting enough fluids (as you will if you are keeping up on the daily hydration recommendation) then this average goes up to 10x/day. That’s 60 squats! And you probably won’t even break a sweat!

#3 Hand Washing Calf Raises

It is recommended that you wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. That is quite a bit of time that you can also be doing something else. I add in 20 calf raises.

You may look a little funny if people see you doing it but just imagine your legs in heels after doing 200 calf raises a day! And that’s only counting for the times that you wash your hands after using the restroom!

#4 Water Bottle Phone Calls

40oz of water that fits in the Buzio water bottle weighs 1.3lb. While you are on the phone at work there is plenty of time to add in some arms! You can do whatever you want with the water bottle. Just slip your thumb through the loop to hold onto it and then you can do:

• Bicep Curls
• Triceps Extentions
• Lateral Raises
• Etc… You can get creative!

What exercises will you try to incorporate in your workout anytime, no excuses, fitness plan? Let me know in the comments!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_tqh-US-2U