GUEST BLOGGER: Jessica Costello

During the holidays we all become crazy busy trying to cook, clean, and prepare for Christmas parties and socials, and despite our best attempts to keep a work-out schedule, trips to the gym often times takes the back-burner. 

Jessica from gymsource.com contacted me with helpful fitness information that she thought my readers would enjoy. I excitedly agreed to pass on her article...

Find 30 Minutes a Day, Find a New You.
By Jessica Costello

One of the hardest parts of working out is finding the time
to do it with all the chaos of everyday life. The world is moving at a fast
pace that makes it almost impossible to find a moment to do something that
benefits yourself and your health, and if you do, chances are you'll feel
guilty for not using that time to dust the bathroom or make cookies.  For
mothers this is a constant battle, but if you do take the time, you will not be
the only one to benefit from it.

Being a parent is a hard job as is, add a part-time or
full-time job and getting through the day without mishaps is nearly impossible.
Between taking care of their families, their households, and their careers it
seems like there’s never enough time for Mothers to truly take care of
themselves and this is especially true when it comes to exercising. However,
some studies have shown that finding only 30 minutes a day to workout may be
all that you really need to get a truly healthy benefit.

Researchers at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in
Baton Rouge, LA held a <a href=“http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/exercising-10-to-30-minutes-a-day-boosts-quality-of-life-for-overweight-obese-women_10027244.html”>
study with 430 women to see the effects on 30 minute workouts with women of the
average age of 57</a>. What the study showed is that the women who did
workout for at least 10 to 30 minutes a day had a better quality of life. In
fact, it boosted the quality of their life along with their general health,
vitality, and mental health compared to those who didn’t work out at all. This
shows that working out even for a small amount of time can be really
beneficial. But the question remains on what to do when working out and how to
eat while doing so.

Still having doubts? It’s about more than just getting the
body up and going and that is important to remember.   Considering that the goal
in working out in quick spurts everyday is cutting fat and cutting it fast,
it’s vital to put together a healthy eating regiment that will work with your
30 minute a day exercising routine. Eating food like lean meats (turkey is a
great one to consider) and fish while avoiding foods heavy in carbohydrates and
saturated fats can help burn calories quick and easy. That being said, it’s
also important to work out in the correct manner and focus on the important
areas of you body while doing so.

Fitness magazine presents <a href=“http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/lose-weight/total-body/workout-30-minutes-a-day/”>
a great routine for working out 30 minutes a day</a> that includes (but
isn’t limited to) steady paced cardio, strength training, and a cardio circuit
that helps work the whole body. The best thing about this plan is that for some
women who may not be confident enough to work out at a public gym it allows you
to stay home and work at home gyms and it’s various fitness equipment like an elliptical.

Having children, looking after them, feeding them, etc. is a
job in itself.   As a mom you deserve to take time for yourself each day after
putting everyone before you.  This will not only help you stay fit but get you
refreshed and ready to face the day!