Why Spend Hours at the Gym?

Some of you may think a blog about home decor and fitness don't go together, but I believe part of making your house into a home is having a healthy home. Part of that healthy home is regular exercise and good nutrition. Many of you have full time jobs, kids to raise, homes to maintain, and numerous other commitments that fill your time. When do you have time to work out? I hope to show you some quick and efficient work outs which will take you less then an hour to complete (most will actually be 45 minutes or less).

My thoughts on fitness: You don't have to spend hours at the gym, but the time you spend working out needs to be worth while. As I've gotten older, my commitments have grown and the time I am able to spend working out has decreased. I like to do circuit-training workouts combining cardio and weights (or body resistance) to optimize my results in a short amount of time.

Here is our first workout:

Warm-up: Run 800 meters (or one mile if you are already in great shape!) 

Complete four rounds of this circuit for time:
Walking lunges for 100 yards
30 Box Jumps
20 Wall Balls
10 hand-stand Push ups or V-push ups (if hand-stand push ups are too difficult)
Cool down: Walk 400 meters

Walking Lunges for 100 yards

30 Box Jumps

20 Wall Balls

(Since I do not have a wall in my house that I am okay with throwing a weighted ball against, I just threw the ball in the air. If I did this work out at the gym I would find a wall to use)

10 Hand-Stand Push-ups

OR

10 V-push-ups

Repeat this circuit 4 times; as fast as possible.

My hubby and I completed this in less then 30 minutes today. This workout can be done by anybody. It is hard, but if you are not in great shape, you can increase your break times between circuits to safely catch your breath.

If you are putting the effort in to working out, you need to replenish your body within 30 minutes of your workout. This allows you to get the full benefit of all your hard work and sweat.
Strawberry-Banana Post-Workout Smoothie:

1/2 cup yogurt

1 heaping scoop vanilla protein powder

2 bananas

7-8 whole frozen strawberries

1/2 cup milk

Blend!

I just throw everything into a blender so these are approximate amounts. (you really can't mess this up.)

This will make enough for 2 people: