Total Body 10-Minute Workouts

Hello out there!  I’m super excited to have a free moment and finally make a new blog post!  It’s been awhile – I hope all of you had a terrific holiday, New Years and a great start to 2015 thus far.  Like most people, one of my goals in the new year is to be healthier.  So far, I’ve been trying to make better food choices, cut back on sugar and alcohol, and be more active.

One struggle I’ve had in the past is trying to fit a workout into a busy schedule.  I’m sure many of you can relate with that!  I started seeing a lot of articles with research showing it’s not necessarily the length of time, but the intensity of a workout that’s beneficial.  That’s when I started to hunt for high intensity, 10-minute workouts.  While I try to exercise a little longer than that (when I have the time), if I can at least get in a 10-minute workout, I feel much better at the end of the day.

I’ve been waiting to make this post until I felt like I found the perfect videos to share with you all.  I’m so happy the day is finally here!  So, without further ado…

Victoria's Secret Model 10-Minute Workout

This is the very first video I found, and it’s still my favorite!  I love that it’s a full body workout, and how high the intensity level is.

When I first started, I couldn’t even finish the routine all the way through without pausing several times!  I can do the whole workout now, but I’m still out of breath by the end of it.

10-Minute Tush-Toning Pilates WorkoutThis butt workout is killer!  My legs burn and shake throughout, and I’m still working on being able to do the whole routine without pausing!

I like how many different parts of the butt and thigh area are targeted.  I especially love the moves that focus on the hip flexors!  For just 10-minutes out of my day, I really feel like my butt and inner thighs are getting an awesome workout!  

Barre3 Arms and Leg WorkoutNot only does this video work out your arms and legs, but you’ll also get your heart rate up and a full body workout!

This video is great for adding some strength training into your routine.  I have to put my weights down from time-to-time, but it’s fun to know I have something to work up to!  I love the barre3 techniques used in this workout.  There’s a focus on keeping your spine upright, and evening out your lower body by working your glutes more than your quads.

Tone Abs Without Crunches in 5 MinutesI have yet to find a 10-minute, high intensity ab workout that doesn’t hurt my back.  If anyone has a favorite ab workout, please share in the comments section below!

Although this video is only 5 minutes, you can definitely tell how each move is working to define your abs.  I really love how this routine is standing and crunchless, and it’s short enough to add at the end of any workout.  Once you get the hang of all the moves, you could also do more reps to make the workout last longer!

You’ll notice that all of these videos are from Popsugar Fitness.  Out of all the videos I’ve tried, I always go back to Popsugar.  I’ve found that their instructors are the most personable and very encouraging.  They’re also really great about explaining proper form, and what areas each move is targeting.  And while each video has a specific target area, they all work out your entire body, so you really feel like you’re getting a great workout in only 10 minutes!

These 10-minute workouts have helped me sneak exercise into my busy schedule, and I hope they will help you as well!  They are great on their own, but also fun to combine when you have the extra time.  I hope you all continue to have a wonderful year and achieve your goals, whatever they may be!

Lil Bit More Self Esteem

This is the Part 2 of my post Lil Bit More Skills.  This was a little hard to write, as it’s very personal and delves into to some not-so-great feelings.  But I felt it was important to share, since I know many of us feel similar things at some point in life.  Often simply being able to relate to someone going through the same thing can instantly make you feel a little bit better, and I hope this post has the power to do so.

3.  Get Back to Me

It sounds a bit cliche, but after living in Los Angeles for 4 1/2 years, I feel like I’ve lost myself and a huge chunk of my self esteem.  I’ve known what I’ve wanted to do since I was 13 years old (be an actor), not only did I know, but I passionately pursued this career with an unwavering determination.  Which, lucky for me, proved to be fruitful and continued to be so throughout college.  Without thinking I was the best and had no room for improvement, I still had confidence and believed in my abilities.  Without thinking I was gorgeous, I knew I was attractive.  I did not feel inadequate.

I’m not sure when it happened exactly, but LA changed all of that.  It was not only the lack of performing, but the complete lack of auditions that made me question my abilities and my choices.  It was not fitting into a particular beauty mold that suddenly had me criticizing everything about myself.  I had never felt bad about myself when I saw celebrities in movies or magazines, but when you are completely immersed into so much of that superficial nonsense, it’s hard not to feel bad about yourself.  It’s hard not to lose yourself.

Well, there’s only so much of that you can take, and I needed a break from it.  I happily moved to Portland for that break, and I plan to use this transitional time for new beginnings.  While I’m working on the self improvement and skills mentioned in Part 1 of this post, I will also be working on health, beauty, and fitness.  For extra confidence boosts, I will be trying out various makeup and hair tutorials, diy treatments, fitness plans, and basically anything I find on the oh-so-addictive Pinterest.  They may be wrought with trial and error in the beginning, but hopefully you’ll stick around to see me master new techniques!