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We all know that you look forward to working out more if you have cute workout gear! It just makes you feel better and of course, look better. Recently, a friend of mine released her new workout gear collection in collaboration with Ethika. That friend I speak of is none other than Karen Civil. Karen is dominating everything she is touching and is an amazing person to top it off. Talk about goals!! Karen is a social media and digital media marketing strategist, author, influencer, media maven and much more.
She sent me some of her pieces and I was so proud of her. The packaging is all that, the material is great and the color is poppin’. Who wouldn’t want to work out in this? Below are some pics of myself wearing the sports bra and the pants. The collection includes shorts and 3/4 pants.
Click here to shop Karen’s new collection with Ethika
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At the end of the post, I have shared 6 simple fitness tips for the busy mom by Esther, from WellnessMomLife 😉
6 Simple Fitness Tips for Busy Moms:
1. Determine your motivation for fitness.
What are your goals? Lose weight, feel better, participate in a race? Establish the reason you want to get fit or stay fit, so that you can be reminded of that when you don’t feel like exercising.
Bonus tip: Write this reason down somewhere that you will see it on a daily basis! Perhaps the bathroom mirror or near your computer – any place that you know you will be looking at regularly.
2. Find something that works for you!
There are literally hundreds of different types of exercise out there. You can do running, yoga, pilates, zumba, weight lifting, dance, bicycling, swimming, etc. Find something you ENJOY!
Some people need the accountability of a class where you are attending weekly and others are expecting you to be there. Some people like going to the gym. Some people would rather workout at home, or outdoors. You’ve got to find something that works for you. My experience has included a mixture of working out at home using free online videos, DVDs, running outdoors, gym, zumba class and yoga.
3. Mix it up!
If you want to see results, you need to mix up your fitness routine. Your body will become accustomed if you are always doing the same workouts. For example, if you go for a 2 mile walk every day, but never do anything else, you will probably see that you will plateau. So it’s very important to challenge your body in different ways on a regular basis.
I do a different workout every time I exercise. So there is never repetition. But even if you have one thing you really enjoy doing, try to mix it up at least once per week. If you enjoy walking, then take at least one day and do weight training.
4. Don’t be afraid of weights.
Weight training has soooo many health benefits, and it is especially important as we get older. You don’t have to go crazy and go to the gym and use all kinds of machines. There are plenty of things you can do with simple tools such as dumbbells or a kettlebell. Building muscle will help you burn more calories in the long run.
Bonus tip: be sure to use caution with weight training. Hiring a personal trainer, or at the very least, having a gym instructor walk you through how the machines work, is highly recommended. Or, if you work out at home, you can access lots of tutorial videos on YouTube for weight lifting – one of my favorite channels is Fitness Blender.
5. Make time for it!
Some people don’t work out because they think it has to take a large chunk of their day. However, this is not true! Depending on what you do, you can workout for as short at 12 minutes or as long as an hour. Remember, SOMETHING is better than nothing.
In order for this to work, you have to plan it into your day. Many people find that getting up early in the morning, before the kids are up, and getting the workout in is the most effective method. Others find the afternoon nap time to work, or later in the evening. It doesn’t really matter when you do it – just find what works for you. But you must put on your calendar, make it a priority, and it is much more likely to happen.
6. Team up with others.
To have the most fun and the most success, find a workout buddy or accountability partner. Some of us are motivated enough to do this on our own. But most of us need some incentive to keep going when it gets hard, so that’s where a partner can help you. There are many options, including exercising with a friend, attending a weekly class, joining a facebook group to hold you accountable, or hiring a personal trainer. Figure out what you need and do it!
Photos taken by @thugnanny_
Get it Mel!! This body! What baby ?????