Now before you get all worked up into a tizzy saying how I’m pulling the rug out from under your feet and you knew it was too good to be true that a workout that short can get you results—hello CrossFit—let me just tell you that I’m very proud of all those who have taken matters into their own hands and have actually done their own 15 minute routines. (Like my sister who said she didn’t think it would amount to much but since she only had 15 minutes at the gym one day, she thought, why the hell not. It worked out so well she did it again the next day, and yes, even the next day after that! Well lookie here, her little sister was right after all. She was sore in all the right places and she felt great! Yeah me!)
However, despite smug feeling, I reeeeally need to add a little sumthin’ sumthin’ to those 15 minutes. I’m sorry, but I must. Don’t hate… I promise it’s a good sumthin’ sumthin’, not like a plank crossover to mountain climbers sumthin’. (Although…)
Anyway, so my little addition to my 15 minutes of exercising is to add to it—wait for it—a little, tiny, attainable fitness goal. It’s the perfect companion to your small workout. (See, that’s not so bad, stop your whining. It’s like adding a little puppy to go along with your little handbag.) Goals are great! They come in all shapes and sizes and the great thing is, your goal can be whatever the hell you want it to be! You can even create a little award for yourself once you’ve achieved that goal. (Let’s keep cookies, cakes and pastries out of that category though please.)
A short-term goals is what will get you to that big pie-in-the-sky long-term goal. Without those little stepping-stones, those little nuggets of accomplishment, those little inspiring fortune cookie goals, you’re not going anywhere. You can’t just jump over everything in order to get to the big one. You have to follow along, just like everyone else and enjoy the ride; enjoy the small victories and don’t be afraid to fail, because in every failure there is a lesson to be learned. (I read that in a fortune cookie once.)
What would a great short-term goal be for you? How about adding 5 seconds onto your plank hold. Or better yet, doubling the amount of squats you can do in one set. Give yourself 4 weeks for your short-term goal and write it down. (WRITE IT DOWN PLEASE! Don’t have me come back here next week and regurgitate all that I have said on how writing down goals is of utmost importance. You need to see it, visualize it, mutter it and shout it out! It really does help.)
I also suggest that you try using a pre-workout eaa supplement so you have the energy to move. So go ahead and give yourself a specific, timely, achievable, measurable and realistic goal… AND WRITE IT DOWN.
(There, that wasn’t so bad. Now, back to those plank crossovers to mountain climbers—just saying 🙂 )
