I’m just like you. Really “busy.” Although I now take issue with that statement because too many women, myself previously included, wear the “I’m too busy” excuse like it’s a Badge of Honor. {But I digress.} I’m a Mom of 5 (all c-sections), I have a husband, run a business, and always have a lot of places to be {often at the same time} and a lot of things on my “to-do” list. Included on that list right now, is my husband wanting a new dog. {Guess whose job it will be to train it?!}
Anyway… all that said, I believe at the VERY TOP of every woman’s to-do list, should be making HERSELF a priority. How to do this when you’re being pulled in all directions? One of my secrets… I find ways to make my fitness routine more efficient. I need the best results in the least amount of time. {Sounds good to you too, right?}
Enter my newest workout routine… 20 minutes with a STEP.
I know, I know… you’re envisioning old school step aerobics and you’re also thinking 20 minutes?!? How can I get serious results in only 20 minutes?!? First, let me just tell you in case you don’t know me… I’m not a fitness pro. I’m a regular 44 year old mom on a journey to be healthy, fit, and have more energy! I’ve personally never been motivated by seeing “fitness professionals” in my social media feeds, {no offense, I totally RESPECT them!), but I’ve never been INSPIRED by anyone who hasn’t been where I’ve been. Who hasn’t ever struggled with their weight. Who hasn’t ever yo-yo’d. Who doesn’t know what it’s like to have 4.6 billion emotional eating triggers. {I’m only slightly exaggerating with the billion.}
So, what’s that mean for YOU? It means everything I share comes from my personal real-life experiences. I NEVER had success in my own journey until I was 41 years old and had someone LIKE ME holding me accountable. So that’s my goal. To be the REAL person who shares REAL experiences with you. I want to be your bestie. {For real, just message me and let’s be friends.} It’s my ambition to inspire just ONE person LIKE ME every single day, to start their health journey. That is what fills my heart.
Now let’s get down to business. My new 20 minute fat-scorching, calorie-burning, lean muscle-building STEP workouts. I need you to push aside everything you THINK you know. My step is now a source of inspiration to RISE UP to the daily challenges we all face physically, emotionally & mentally. Sounds like some inspirational words just thrown together to get a RISE out of you. {See what I did there?} But it’s not. Hear me out.
I was invited to participate in a test group for a brand new 6 week at-home STEP exercise program. But I did my homework first. Because like you, I thought… step?? Really?? And like I said, I’m “busy” {bleh!}, so I’m all about getting the best results in the least amount of time.
Here’s what I learned… 6 reasons BUSY moms NEED to be working out with a STEP:
1. When most people think of STEP AEROBICS, they immediately think it’s just another cardio workout. NOPE. Not with the creative exercises in this program I followed! A step workout can be incredible for strength training & building lean muscle. {That’s sexy, ladies!} And NOT just LOWER body… upper body too! So after the perfectly designed step workout, no need for any additional weight training workouts. Genius.
2. Now let’s chat BALANCE. In my personal journey, I’ve learned balance isn’t just important in the whole work-life kinda way, but it’s also important PHYSICALLY. Without physical balance, strength is lost which decreases mobility and increases the risk for injury. A STEP workout forces our body to use multiple muscle groups for balance, so it improves not only muscle tone, but also increases muscle endurance & strength and helps our flexibility! Cool.
3. Can a STEP workout carve your ABS, you ask? Oh yes. How? Well for one, to help stabilize your body, you’re utilizing your core muscles. Perfect. Secondly, I’ve learned that pretty much any traditional ab exercise that can be done on the floor, can be intensified on a step, with even greater fat-scorching results. In addition, the step gives us a greater range of motion allowing us to target our abs from multiple angles. Can you say “6-pack here I come”? BAM!
4. Yikes. By the young age of 50, there’s a stat out there that says 1 out of 5 women ALREADY has osteoporosis. So how can we help ourselves boost bone strength in an effort to reduce our chances of developing this disease? High-impact STEP training workouts offer significant advantages when it comes to preserving bone density. There is even research that suggests STEP workouts may be more effective for boosting bone density than jogging or running! {Good news for me, I’m not a fan of running anyway!} The research states that one reason may be because stepping involves multiple changes in direction, which stimulates greater bone growth than movements in a single direction. Boosted bone strength and I don’t have to leave my house? I’ll take it!
5. MOOD ENHANCING abilities? I don’t know about you, but I’m ALWAYS in the mood for being in a good mood. The Mayo Clinic reports that aerobic exercise not only improves your mood, but it also reduces depression and anxiety while easing tension and promoting relaxation. As a total body aerobic AND strength training workout, your step helps take your body UP a notch {I did it again} and floods your system with mood-boosting chemicals… an all-natural way to feel good without pills. And you know when you’re in a happy state of mind, that positively affects all areas of your life. Spread that happiness around!
6. Personalize your workout for YOU. Your step doesn’t take up much space and you can easily crush your workout at home. {Huge time saver.} Your step workout can be low impact or high impact based on your level of effort & intensity, the exercises can be modified based on your fitness level, and to burn more calories, you can step up and down faster as well as increase the height of your step. Full personalization. Brilliant.
So what’s all this mean for busy moms? In a nutshell, 20 minutes of total body strength training cardio to achieve balance, improve mood, shed fat, carve abs, and boost bone density… all personalized to YOUR fitness level to give you the best results in the least amount of time.
A transformation starts with belief and conquering your mindset. And I know it’s hard to find time to workout everyday. It’s also hard to eat right. It’s hard to stay motivated all the time. And it’s hard being a busy mom.
But you wanna know what’s HARDER?
Being uncomfortable in your clothes. Being tired from lack of proper nutrition. And saying NO to activities/events/playtime with your kids because you lack the energy to keep up.
THAT’S hard. It’s ALL hard. So busy moms, choose your hard. Make your-SELF a priority in your own life and watch how the world around you changes for the better. This 6 week program was a mind-blowing game-changer for me. I hope you take to heart these 6 reasons to workout with a STEP that I shared with you. I’m about to start my second round and every time I STEP UP, I know I’ll continue to push through the upper limits of what I thought I could achieve. This is EMPOWERING. Empowered women empower women. You got this mama. I’m rooting for you!
References:
Bone. 2008 Sep;43(3):521-31.
Int J Sports Med. 2011 Feb;32(2):100-8.
Mayo Clinic: Exercise: 7 Benefits of Physical Activity
Medscape Family Medicine. “Exercise Program Improves Osteoporosis”
Sports Med. 2009;39(6):439-68.
Osteoporos Int. 2009 Feb;20(2):335-40.