Kids can certainly be exhausting, but there are ways to use them to your workout advantage. Spangler says she reminds her mom clients of a few things: 1. Regular exercise can boost your immune system, which is helpful when you're surrounded by germy kids. 2. Parents can set a great example for their kids by living an active life (most overweight and obese children have parents in the same situation). 3. You can exercise with your kids, which helps keep them active, keeps you in shape, and is a fantastic bonding experience.
So instead of plopping the kids in front of a DVD while you run on the treadmill (or, OK, take a nap), put your iPod on and have a living room dance party or head outside and play. Vokshoor says just seeing nature can be an easy motivator to get moving, and doing activities that made you happy as a kid can help too.
You know her. That annoying friend or co-worker with boundless energy, who's got three kids and a demanding job and still has time for early morning yoga classes and evening runs (and of course she's got the body to show for it, too). What's her workout secret?
It's actually not that complicated. She just knows how to motivate herself to exercise -- and uses a few of these expert tips to make working out less of a chore and more of an activity to actually look forward to.
If the idea of "looking forward to exercise" sounds alien to you, check out what our expert personal trainers and sports psychologists share here. Getting in shape doesn't have to be boring, a time suck, or even painful -- it's all a matter of being in the right frame of mind and keeping yourself motivated.
To help you get off the couch and onto the treadmill, here are 13 excuses that just aren't going to fly anymore. We'll tell you how the super-fit overcome these obstacles, and how you can too. With the right motivation, exercise really can be -- wait for it -- fun. Don't believe us? Read on. We guarantee you'll be packing your gym bag before you know it.
