Exercise

For me, getting in the required 20 minutes of exercise every day was daunting.  I was already going to my gym 2-3 times a week, but having to exercise daily was much more difficult.



The main reason for this is that I live in the Frigid North, where, for most of the year, going for a 20 minute walk is tantamount to Shackleton's epic journey to Antarctica. 

Thankfully, I am able to have a gym membership, but even with that, it can be hard to get there.  (I am a stay-at-home mom of four kids, and packing up four kids with hats and boots and coats in the dead of Winter is . . . well, just click on the link above for explanation.) 

So, what to do?

Here are a couple of options if walking/running isn't going to work for you or if you want to change up your routine:

1. Youtube videos.  Seriously.  You can find anything on Youtube.  Pilates, Zumba, Crossfit, you name it.  Best yet, most of those types of workouts (Pilates especially) require no special equipment.  (Special disclaimer: I am by no means fit or in any physical condition to give specialized exercise advice. As with anything exercise related, be smart, and don't do anything stupid.)
2. Pinterest.  Again, just do a search, and you'll find tons of great exercise routines that require little or no equipment.  Depending on your familiarity with the exercise lingo, you might have to do a websearch to figure out what a "burpee" is (my hand is raised and waving), but most exercise directions (ex. "1 minute of jumping jacks") is pretty self-explanatory.
3. Tabata or HIIT.  This is "High Intensity Interval Training", and can really torch a lot of calories, especially over a 20 minute period.  Be sure to include plenty of stretching and cool-down time with this though.  As the name says, it can be intense.
4. Workout magazines or e-magazines.  I don't personally subscribe to any special magazines like "Shape" or "Fitness", but my gym does, and I have to admit, I tend to work out harder after perusing a magazine with pictures of amazingly fit people doing things I can only dream about.  Plus, these magazines usually have lots of great exercise routines or stretching exercises included in each issue, along with good recipes.

What do you do for your daily exercise routine?