I love that feeling when I complete a long, tough workout. Like finishing a running speed session, or pushing through a plyometric HIIT workout. There’s that “high” of hard work. Effort spent, fitness gained.
However, I know as well as anyone that sometimes there just isn’t time to get in a 60 minute, sweat your heart out, give it all you got type of workout. Family needs us, responsibility calls, we stay at work late or go in early, and sometimes we are just plain exhausted.
The fact is we shouldn’t be doing crazy body busting workouts like that everyday anyway. Let me just say BURN OUT…and PLATEAU. Just like our body craves variety in the food we feed it, it’s the same with exercise. Our body craves a variety of workouts, and when we mix things up in our fitness routine our body responds which means, it keeps burning fat and building muscle. When we are doing the same killer 60 minute treadmill run 6 days a week our body adjusts, it gets comfortable and no matter how hard we try we hit a plateau with our muscle building and fat burning which in turn = frustration.
Even on the busiest of days, I can convince myself to workout for at least 15 minutes. And every time when I finish I’m glad I choose to workout. I feel good, have more energy, and my day is more productive.
With that in mind, I created a fun 15 minute circuit for next time you are tempted to skip your workout. It targets the lower body and abdominals, and will leave you feeling accomplished. So, convince yourself to move for 15 minutes; you won’t regret it!
Sweat-fest for sure.
On a more food related note, it’s no secret that I’m a sucker for fall food.
So…I thought it would be fun to do a Fall Recipe Round up, in case you needed some inspiration! 🙂
I went to all my favorite blogs and browsed the fall recipes, and picked these ones out as favorites!
Raw, Salted Caramel Apple Dip – My New Roots
Poblano Cornbread Stuffing – Love & Lemons
Roasted Winter Squash Salad – 101 Cookbooks
Cinnamon Bun Granola – Oh She Glows
Smoky Maple Lentil Salad – KathEats
Hearty Apple Loaf – Sprouted Kitchen
Spicy Black Bean Chicken Enchiladas w/ Pumpkin Cream – Ambitious Kitchen
Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins – The Vanilla Bean Blog
Sweet Potato & Spinach Frittata – EdiblePerspective
And a few of my own:
Pumpkin Spice Coconut Protein Muffins
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Coffeecake
Yummy fall bounty.
Your turn:
How do you convince yourself to workout when you “don’t feel like it?”
I remind myself of how I know that I will feel when I’m done. And the promise of a shorter workout always gets me to the gym.
Which one of these tempting fall dishes are you going to make?
I’m loving the sound of both the Poblano Stuffing, and Smoky Lentil Salad…yummo!
Cheers to a great rest of your week!
Liesl
Fitness in the Kitchen 
