Super Shape Up Tip: Add Five Minutes.

We are three months from bathing suit weather.  Three months is a great time frame when trying to create a better body because we physically see the positive results of incorporating multiple, health-focused changes into our daily routine.

So often women wait until one month or less before making their big push to get beach body ready. Then when they don’t see the results in time for warmer weather they tend to just give up or opt for drastic, high-drama measures (like juice fasts or diet pills) that don’t work.  I think part of the reasoning behind this is our instant gratification mindset along with every health magazine touting cover stories like “Get Bikini Ready in Just 10 Days.”

So this blog series will be A Tip a Day about tiny tweaks you can make to your diet,  exercise routine and attitude to see pleasant, on-going results.

Where am I coming from? I’ve devoted my life to creating a lifestyle based around wearable motivation for women (Count Me Healthy Bracelets). The greatest way to meet your health goals is by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable goals and tracking the bite-sized goals on a consistent basis. I strongly believed this when I designed my bracelets years ago, and now 55 bracelet styles and 500 retailers later, I continue to live this. I am a mother and full-time business owner who struggles with no time (sound familiar) and these tips are ones that I have incorporated into my life with results. I will not offer a tip that I have not tried and had success with. I am bringing in the experts too. You will get tips from a Nutritionist, Certified Wellness Coach, Trainer and Self-Development Author, because weight-loss is not just physical, it is mental and emotional.  Finally, I believe that the changes suggested in this blog series should not be painful. They may be uncomfortable for a while, but if you focus on them daily, they will become habit. And healthy habits equal balance and happiness. If you know of a friend that would like to read my  Tip a Day Series, share this post or sign-up for my emails at www.chelseacharles.com

Tip 1# Add Five Minutes

I currently run 3.5 miles on the treadmill and lace a series of high intensity interval training (HIIT) with free weights throughout my run. This keeps my heart-rate up, burns 30% more calories than steady-state training and prevents boredom. Every Spring, I add 5-10 minutes of cardio to my sessions. This equals another .5-1 mile and also adds 1 more HIIT set to my gym time. I try to work out 5 times a week so this really adds up (an extra 5 miles and 5 HIIT sets)!

Join us for three months worth of healthy tips to get beach ready!

I’m not saying you need to log 4 miles a day, but whatever you do, shake up your routine by going hard for an extra 5-10 minutes.  You will see results!  – CC