The No-Excuse Workout

Hello. My name is Kendi and I’m an excuse abuser. Give me free time, a gym membership and sneakers and I will give you any excuse I can think of. I’ve trained for years at this, so I’m pretty fool proof when it comes to thinking up excuses for not wanting to go to the gym. Hunger is one of those excuses. Time and schedule are the other two. I’m too busy I tell myself, I can’t find the time. I mean hey, I’m busy, you’re busy, we are all busy people. And I think that’s just fine; it’s just when ‘busy’ is a negative thing or an excuse it becomes a problem. And since this was one of my wellness goals, taking 30 minutes a day to be active, this means that my excuses are just a roadblock to my priorities. I can find at least 30 minutes somewhere in my day to get in a quick but effective workout. 
So I did some Pinterest plowing a few weeks ago and found a few workouts that I like to mash together into one thirty minute session. I’m a sucker for habits as I’ve said before and if my brain can become accustomed to this routine (and a solid playlist), then it becomes a part of my priorities. That’s right, brain trickery. It works. 
Here is my no-excuses, 30 minutes workout that you can use anywhere. I do this in my driveway because again I’m high maintenance and excuse prone, but this can be done anywhere there is room. All you need is you, some sneakers, possibly a yoga mat and a kettle bell at whatever weight you’re comfortable with. See? No excuses. 
(PS: You also need a phone. I set a timer on my phone for 10 minutes so I don’t forget to move on to the next circuit.) 

1. Start with stretches and yoga poses. 

10 minutes: I like to warm up a little with a few light stretches and then move right into 6-8 sun salutations routines. These yoga poses and moves always get my blood flowing and ready for the next step in the circuit. Plus it’s a great stretch for everyday. Be sure to hold each pose for 5-10 seconds before moving on to the next (or longer, you pro you!) (Sometimes if I’m feeling overzealous about my day, I’ll start off with 5 sun salutations in my bedroom in the mornings. It’s a nice start to the day.)
From Pinterest: Sun Salutation Yoga Poses, repeat 6-8 times

2. Quick Kettle Bell Circuit. 

10 minutes: I’ll be honest I picked up some kettle bells on sale at Target like two years ago after watching Bob on the Biggest Loser talk about them. But this year I’m actually putting them to use and I have to say I really like them. The exercises are fairly fool-proof and they go by fast. (Two must-haves for me.) I’m swinging 10 lb kettle bell above but you can do whatever you feel most comfortable with. (I use a 15 lb one when I do the squat exercise in the workout I’ve linked below.) 
I use the linked workout and repeat it until my 10 minutes are up. The arm swings circuit is my favorite, I feel like I’m getting all the aggression I didn’t know I had out. 
From Pinterest: Kettle Bell Workout
3. Lunges and sprints!

Did you see how I put an exclamation point behind lunges and sprints above? That was to pump you for this circuit. I know it’s working, isn’t it? Since we have a shared driveway, I’ve got a lot of room to sprint and lunge. I’m going back to my junior high basketball days when we would sprint half court and back, then full court and back and that was one. This is what I do until I get until to 5. Then I finish out my time with full court lunges. 
I’ll go back to the mat and finish stretching a little bit more and that’s it! I’m done. Easiest workout ever.

Of course my favorite part of any work out are the clothes and shoes. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that new gear and looking cute while doing it wasn’t a perk. You can take the girl out of the shop, but you can’t take the shop out of the girl.

What are your quick workouts? Feel free to share your wisdom below!

This post was sponsored by Old Navy. Check out Old Navy’s latest fashion lineup in store or online at oldnavy.com.

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36 Responses

  8. I love working out but I don't always love going to the gym. So I think the most important thing is finding something you like to do. Maybe a Zumba class that is more dancing and doesn't feel like a work out. Most gyms have Barre classes which are toning but not as sweaty. Spinning can be fun in the instructor has great music. Or just speed walking with a great playlist. Setting small goals (like a 20 minute walk) also really helps. I would tell myself, I am just going to do this for 20 minutes and if I hate it then I give myself permission to quit after 20 minutes. Usually I would end up going at least 30. I work out at Equinox which has AWESOME locker room facilities with Khiels products, full time cleaning staff, blowdryers, lotion, Q-tips, etc. It's pleasant to shower and get ready there. Makes a huge difference for me and although its not cheap it allows me to work out more than I would at a more grungey gym. The way you make excuses to NOT work out, I make excuses to NOT meditate or do yoga. So we all have that excuse maker inside of us 🙂

    Reply

  9. Oh- one more thing. I got a FitBit which has been great. At first, it was just interesting to see how much activity I had or calories I burned on the days when I went to the gym. But after a month or two of wearing it, it began to change my behavior. Now on days that I don't work out, i will go for a brisk 10-20 minute walk at night after dinner just to get my steps in. I may not be burning 200 calories or anything but it beats planting by butt on the coach and snacking.

    Reply

  10. Such cute workout gear. 🙂

    I usually enjoy cardio a bit more than strength training, but I know how important it is to do both! Kettle bells seem a little less intimidating, so maybe I'll give them a try!

    Always, Anita

    Reply

  11. Agreed…I'm a big workout excuse abuser. I loathe gyms. I just don't like people looking at me working out. I'm red, sweaty, and make really ugly "this is really heavy" faces and would rather be in solitude when this occurs. These are great tips.

    http://www.kristajacobs.blogspot.com

    Reply

  12. If I absolutely cannot drag myself to the gym or out for a run, I'll do an app workout at home. Nike Training Club is a free app with dozens of workouts you can download and do with very little equipment. You can target different body parts or do workouts to "get lean", "get toned" or "get strong" and there are videos to show you each move! My other go-to is the My Yoga Studio app. Same kind of idea but it's all yoga. There are premade workouts and there are also individual poses so you can customize your own. I am also a big fan of doing stuff that doesn't feel like exercise – a hike with the dog or skating or playing tennis!

    Reply

  14. Seems like a pretty fool-proof workout! Thanks so much for sharing. I've been trying to find easy ways to incorporate exercise into my daily routine. I'm tired of the gym, there's too much to choose from and I end up going home.

    So far, I've committed to going for a quick run every time my puppy needs to go for a walk. We're both enjoying it

    http://www.littleblackshell.com

    Reply

  17. Jillian Michaels is my guru. I love her 30 min. workouts. I HATE working out, but like you I say "I can do 30 min." I finish her workouts feeling better (psychically- physically, I'm exhauted!).

    Reply

  19. I cannot say enough good stuff about Robin Long from thebalancedlifeonline.com. She has a lot of great free 10-minute Pilates routines that really work on her Youtube channel. I do one every morning before I start my day and have honestly noticed a huge difference in my body! Love her! All you need is an Internet connection and a mat!

    Reply

  24. Oh, please be careful in how you are striking the ground when sprinting! Heel first will lead to injury. If you have a local running store (fleet feet), the staff can help you with proper form. You want to strike mid-foot. They're also great in assessing the right shoe fit for what exercise you're doing. I run with a natural inward roll and found a shoe that compensates well.

    Reply

  28. The best workout is the one you will actually do. And, this is a good one.

    pinkandnavystripes.com

    Reply

  32. Good for you! Movement is so important. Kettlebells are great–after doing KB swings with those for a while you'll probably be able to work up quite a lot in weight! I use a 35lb one but it's getting too easy! Yay gainz 😉

    Reply

  33. Ha I knew you weren't just writing a post on fitness. You just said you barely do any exercise, and now you're pretending to be a lifestyle guru.

    Reply

  36. So, I pretty much hate working out but I've put on quite a bit of weight over the past year and would like to stop that so I decided to finally stop making excuses and work out. This only actually happened once I started Sean T's work out called T-25. They are 25 minute work outs with a 5 min cool down. I sweat so much and you only need a yoga mat for the first 5 weeks and then some weights for the second 5 week section. Sean T is cheesy but pretty motivating, however as he tells me I can do it I usually just curse at him to make myself feel better. I think it's a bit pricey to buy but if you are into the illegal downloading you can do that as well. My boyfriend and I do it together and we both hate and love it. I still hate working out, but I definitely like how my body is looking. Definitely give it a look!

    Reply

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