How to pick out a workout.

Great question Laura!

Well first off, I'm all about convenience. My life is busy and I'm guessing most of you are too. We made the leap last year and bought a fancy elliptical for the house. Most days I move it in front of the TV and just go. The TV is my distraction. I catch up on the shows I can't stay up late for like  The Daily Show and Parenthood.

Secondly, I'm a victim to today's ADD like attention span so doing exercises in a short amount of time is best for me. Plus some kind of structure or instruction.

On days I know I only have 20-30 min, I do as much as I can on the ellipticial and nothing else. Other days I can take advantage of a full hour or more. I downloaded these awesome apps on my phone and the husbands iPad. Simple. Easy.  I like to keep my heart rate going pretty high in fat burning mode and/or  end every workout with some cardio. Sometimes I will finish one of the apps then hop back on the elliptical or do the cardio app before moving on to another muscle set. These sets last 5-10 minutes (your choice) which is great if you are really limited on time.

If I can remember I try to rotate the ones I do and let sections of the body have a break, but frankly I know my abs need work so I focus on core training every time I workout. Here's some examples of what I do:

Workout 1	Workout 2	Workout 3	Workout 4
Elliptical (30-40 min)	Elliptical (20 min)	Elliptical (20 min)	Elliptical (30 min)
Abs (5-7.5 min)	Abs (5 min)	Abs (5 min)	Legs (5 min)
Cardio (10 min)	Legs (5 min)	Elliptical (20 min)	Butt (5 min)
	Arms (5 min)		Yoga (5 min)
	Cardio (5 min)		Elliptical (10-20 min)
	Yoga (10 min)
Total Time
45 - 57.5 min	50 min	45 min	50-60 min

Lastly, I'm hoping to get the Dailey Method DVD so I can get a full body workout that includes stretching. I tried the DVD out at a friends, and its worth the $30 +shipping fees if you are into that kind of workout. I mean, I love gyms. The big ones, the little ones and even the outrageously priced studio classes. But my budget just can't afford. Doing it in your home takes some creativity but can really pay off.