The Fun House Cleaning Workout

We all have to do it - those house cleaning days sneak up on us far faster than the 'I get to sleep in' days and we find ourselves grinding the scum off of the shower yet again.

Isn't there a way to make doing the chores more fun? Haven't we dragged that vacuum through the house of aggravated silence long enough? I got tired of doing the housework in a zombie-like state, always grumbling in my head about all of the things that I had to accomplish that day.

I always got it done - but it was excruciating! I thought to myself that it certainly didn't have to be torturous to accomplish something I'm going to have to do for the rest of my life anyway. I developed a theory;

I seemed to clean the house whenever I was in a bad mood. Something would happen in my day that I would allow to set me off and I became miserable. Years ago I would get mad and go to bed and sleep it off (I was an adult, but this seems to apply to me when I was a child as well and they call them 'naps').

Later, instead of getting angry and needing a nap, I would find myself with ridiculous amounts of energy. I discovered that I could tear through my house and clean the whole damn thing and I felt terrific afterwards! Whenever I was ticked off, I cleaned my house - very well.

Later still, I wasn't angry any more. Things didn't get to me the way they used to. I had held a giant garage sale in my life and discarded all of the broken, negative things in it. I filled up on love, support, positive relationships and found myself growing up and moving forward. We all do - or we all should - and not because it is something 'everyone does' - but because it feels great.

So instead of fuelling my house cleaning with anger (which means I develop a habit of always being in a crappy mood when it comes time to clean the house), I came up with a 'House Cleaning Workout' that any of us scouring that sink can do.

It is so simple!

HOUSE CLEANING WORKOUT FOR ANYONE CLEANING THE HOUSE

Step 1: Find your favorite music. It MUST be upbeat and not depressing. It's time to vamp it up!

Step 2: Start cleaning your house. you decide where, when, how.....and why I guess. The only rule is that ONE PART OF YOU IS ALWAYS MOVING.

Note: This could mean your shoulders are moving while you wipe down the counter tops or your derriere is shakin' while you're scrubbing the porcelain place you put it. SOMETHING is moving. Arms, legs, feet - you might want to throw in a little head and neck combination for additional giggles!

Step 3: When you hear that heart pumping, make-ya-wanna-sing-it-loud chorus - YOU SING IT LOUD!

Step 4: While conducting Step #3, be sure that when that chorus hits you are moving your body too!

Step 5: Forget if anyone can hear you. If you'd prefer not to be on YouTube, ensure they can't see you.

Step 6: Be aware of how great you feel after you clean your house......if you manage to get it done. ;)

Step 7: Repeat often.

A 10 Minute Ab Workout to Get a Six Pack

I'm always looking for new ways to inspire me to move my body.

 

No doubt, I have a few favorites, but mixing things up takes creativity - so as always, I head online to figure out what to try next. I have sought out most of my motivation from YouTube videos (and one day I'll have a channel too so stay tuned!) - and I 'test out' different routines and areas to focus on.

I found this one today - a 10 minute ab workout to create a six pack.

 

I thought I'd give it a whirl and I did!

After finishing it, I realized that I had invested only 10 minutes, but I felt a huge difference in the way I felt. I went at my own pace and kept up as best as I could.

 

I'll be trying this one again tomorrow!

 

Give it a shot and see what you think - moving is the important part, and if this is extremely tough for you, start slow - but start and in no time you'll feel incredible too. XHIT DAILY (the YouTube channel) also offers a 5 minute ab workout among many others.

 

If this workout is a breeze for you - move along to a different video in her series. There are many!

 

Don't you just love choices?

 

 

 

Feel great - and rock your day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What If We Just Did It?

There used to be some shoe company advertising on television - way back when I watched television 'programming.' Said shoe company always had a catchy slogan about 'doing it'. I won't mention the exact slogan or the shoe company (I know I don't have to) - but I could use a new pair of runners....so who knows. Perhaps the universe company will grant me the new shoes. Stay tuned - we'll see.

Either way.....

The slogan really caught me. I loved it. I can't say I ever used it and consciously thought about it but I'm certain it was a stored 'item' that I drew from when I needed to. It was (and still is) meant for consumers to purchase mass quantities of their products, but for me it was more of a kick in the brain. It all starts in the mind, after all. I needed something - a spark. That slogan was a little part of it all.

My biggest 'brick wall' - something I had to get past instead of allowing me to sit down and stop - was myself. My mind. I could think of a bazilliion different ways to get out of something I didn't feel like doing in a moment.

So the question I have that stems from this company slogan is this; What would happen if we attempted to disconnect the wire on the brain that allows the excuses through and we just went ahead and started something we knew (or previously thought) we wanted anyway? Why do we have to dredge up all of those past feelings of yuck - the ones that make us want to crawl under a blanket and chalk the day up to a 'maybe tomorrow?

The fact is - we don't. We are 'dredging up' these things as mechanisms. We learned how to do this and we can learn how to stop. Twenty one times makes a habit....and these habits we form are undone within the same number of repeats. Getting someone to believe it before seeing it is much more task intensive.

I tried a 'me experiment' once. I really didn't want to workout. I had avoided it for almost a week and although my body knew we should get moving, I had less and less energy the more I thought about it. The experiment? Force myself.

What? Force myself? Y'mean....'make me?' I still didn't want to.

I can sit here and think constantly about the things I'm not liking when it comes to my wellness, or I can get up and start moving. I was walking by the DVD player the next day when my brain screamed at me to throw in a DVD workout and get moving. Without thinking, I did - and 50 minutes later I felt incredible and energized!

After the workout, I questioned this whole process - analyzed it. What was the difference this time? Why was it so easy to get started that day? If you go back and re-read the first couple of words in that sentence.....'Without thinking....' is the key you are looking for.

I was just going ahead and getting it done! Before I knew it, I was finished and felt really proud of my accomplishment for that day. Small steps to start off doesn't mean we take one step and then feel good and stop when we should have taken another 6 steps. Keep moving.

Once we find that spark that tells us we are passionate about something (like feeling good and being well) there is still the issue of old habits and reworking thought. It will happen. Be patient and kind with yourself.

Keep moving.

We Have Zero Excuses

I find inspiration in the strangest of places - like everywhere - so when I find something that gives me an 'AHA moment' I want to be sure I take note and remember to implement it as motivation in my own life.

My latest motivation; Ernestine Shepard.

Ernestine Shepherd is in better shape than most people, decades her junior. Up at 3 a.m. every morning, she spends her days running, lifting weights and working out. She also works as a certified personal trainer at her gym.

Feeling better than she  did at 40, ”Bodybuilding champion Ernestine Shepherd shows us that ”being out of shape” as we age truly is merely an option — NOT a mandate! 

She is a role model not just for senior women everywhere, but for every one of us.

Ernestine Shepard is a Grandmother.....and 75 years old.

What's my excuse again?