Category Archives: Motivation

5 Ways Moms Can Fit In A Workout

1. Workout before the kids wake up

As if we aren’t already sleep deprived! But believe me, setting up a new routine to get a workout done first thing in the morning will work wonders for the rest of your day. You will be knocking it out first thing in the morning, eliminating any further procrastination on getting ANY workout done at all.  Once you have your workout completed, you won’t have to worry about it for the rest of the day! Your will be charged with energy, pride and ready to conquer your day!

2. Workout at home!

Why waste time going to the gym? You know you don’t have time to get ready to go to the gym, drive to the gym, wait for others to get off the gym equipment, drive back home, etc.

I used to be a “gym rat” (a frequent gym go-er) and after entering motherhood there was no way that I could possibly fit that back into my lifestyle, especially while nursing. So I turned to workout DVDs. I never had much faith in workout DVDs before, so I went for something intense just to make sure I’m spending money on something that works (Insanity). Now, I’m convinced. Workout DVDs are lifesavers and are now my preferred method to working out (as a mom of 3 kids). Sure, it may not seem as motivating as going to the gym would be, but the key to this is to find a workout buddy, group or coach online that is familiar with the program that you are doing. Commit to reporting online or by text daily. Being able to talk to others that you can relate to or that have had success with the program can be really motivating. Even just looking at transformation photos and articles on a regular basis can help push you to keep going with your workouts.

Overall, utilizing workout DVDs can save you so much time and frustration. Once you find the opportunity to workout, perhaps during an unexpected nap time, just head straight to your TV and pop in a workout DVD. You don’t even have to bother getting on your workout clothes. WHO CARES! Workout in your pajamas, dress, underwear! You won’t be in public, so wear what you would normally wear around the house and sneak in a quick workout without the hassle of getting ready.

3. Let the kids join you

If the kids won’t let you have any “me-time”, let them join you! It can be a fun, learning experience for them. As a parent, you are setting a good example for them. They will be more likely to adopt a healthier lifestyle if they see that it is a part of your routine.

I know, you probably think this is a crazy suggestion. But I’ve done this with all 3 of my kids! They’ve all been distractions, cheerleaders, workout buddies and coaches.

As toddlers, they would usually climb on top of me, crawl through my legs, etc. Rather than classifying them as a distraction, I took it on as an added workout challenge for my benefit. So if they climbed on top of me, that was added weights/resistance. If they climbed through my legs or ran around me in circles, I just had to be more focused in my movements and modify the moves to the space they provided me. Sometimes my kids would serve water to me when they thought I needed it or high-five me when they knew I did a tough exercise. They would surprise me sometimes too by copying the workout moves and ask me if I think they were doing a good job.

When my kids were babies, they watched me in their bouncer, swing, carseat, walker, jumparoo and while they were drinking a bottle. If I had the music from my workout program playing loud, they would usually fall asleep right away. If they cried and giving them a bottle wouldn’t work, I would pick them up and workout with them in my arms (while modifying the moves, of course). The movements would sometimes make them fall asleep too and so I would eventually be able to continue the rest of my workout as normal afterwards. If not, oh well… I tried. That’s better than not trying at all 🙂  The first few times may be difficult, but after some time they will get used to the routine and know that everyone and everything is okay.

4.  Have a dance party!

Who doesn’t love a dance party!? Turn up the music and have some fun with the kids! Get creative. Do some silly moves. Pick them up and spin around. Do the hokey pokey. Jump around. Not only will you be sweating after a few minutes, but you’ll create an awesome bond, create happy moments they’ll remember and earn your “cool mom” points!

5. Set up a moms workout group

Many moms get together for playdates, so why not get together for workout dates? Pitch in for a neighborhood sitter to watch the kids while you all have a workout party at home! I’ve seen many moms workout to DVDs at home together. Either take turns bringing out those DVDs that are just collecting dust or try out the latest workouts that others seem to be talking about.

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February Amazon Gift Cards Giveaway!

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My Fitness Confession

I’ll admit…

I’ve been SLACKING in the fitness arena. I know I may come off as a super-fitnessMake time for yourself - You are important freak, but in all honesty I am human too! Life does get busy, juggling a full time job (plus overtime), 3 kids, marriage, cooking, cleaning, laundry, and also helping others through my fitness business. I’ve always been the type to put others first, so my kids, my husband and helping others reach their fitness goals has been my priority these days. So, setting aside the excuses, my health has to be a priority in order for everything else to run smoothly in my life. I need to have optimal energy in order to function in a way that I can get everything done without feeling sluggish, right? So I NEED to schedule back that 1 hour workout every day and set it in stone.

So here’s my fitness plan:

1) Rather than just hosting challenges, I will be an active participant in them. This will give me accountability and make me stay on-point.

2) Tell my accountability partner and spouse what my fitness goals are. This includes immediate and long term.

3) Schedule my workouts. Working out in the morning has always been the most effective time for me to take get it done. I wake up super-early as it is, but if it’s going to fit somewhere in my day it has to be done before work and before the kids get up. No excuses. Free time will never come upon my doorstep, I have to FIND the time.

So here it is: I will be doing Les Mills Combat starting tomorrow, December 18, 2013. I will follow the calendar until Saturday, January 5th. On January 6, I will start TurboFire with the challenge group that I am hosting. Care to join me?

4) My workouts will be written in my daily planner and scheduled in WOWY.

5) Set up the alarms on my phone: The first one will be set for an hour before I have to get ready for work. The second one will be set for 45 minutes before I need to get ready for work. If the first alarm doesn’t work (which I KNOW I will come across those kinds of days), then I MUST get up for the second one. If I don’t, then I most likely will not be on time for work since I will not have a “get ready for work” alarm set.

6) I will start a personal log of my workouts and meals. So on top of posting my activity in my challenge groups, I will have a log either on my phone or in my daily planner of what I ate, what I worked out to, whether I had my Shakeology and how much water I drank for the day.

Hmmm… did I miss anything? If you have any tips or ideas for me, please share. I’m up for suggestions. And again, if you’d like to join me when I start a fresh new round of TurboFire on January 6, message me and let’s do this!

John F. Kennedy Quotes

In honor of John F. Kennedy’s passing, 50 years ago today, I pulled up several quotes that I found to be inspirational. Many of these are good thoughts which we can definitely apply to our journey towards success and in our every day lives.

Which JFK quote below will you or have  you applied to your life?

John F. Kennedy Quote

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”
-John F. Kennedy

“My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
-John F. Kennedy

“Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.”
-John F. Kennedy

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
-John F. Kennedy

“Things do not happen. Things are made to happen.”
-John F. Kennedy

“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.”
-John F. Kennedy

“Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.”
-John F. Kennedy

“There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction.”
-John F. Kennedy

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”
-John F. Kennedy

“A child miseducated is a child lost.”
-John F. Kennedy

“Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly.”
-John F. Kennedy

“Our growing softness, our increasing lack of physical fitness, is a menace to our security.”
-John F. Kennedy

“We must use time as a tool, not as a couch.”
-John F. Kennedy

Do you have a favorite JFK quote that I haven’t mentioned above? Leave a comment below.

Congrats 5-Day Fire Starter Challengers!

Congratulations to the following November 11-15, 2013 participants of the 5-Day Fire Starter Challenge for sticking to the provided meal plan, staying accountable and for hanging in there for ALL 5 DAYS! I hope you all continue to adopt healthier eating habits beyond this challenge! Mama is proud of you all! 🙂

Araceli CovarrubiasAraceli Covarrubias - Fire Starter Challenge Graduate

Jasmin FlaminiaJasmin Flaminia  - Fire Starter Challenge Graduate

Katherine Torres-Hertz
Katherine Torres-Hertz  - Fire Starter Challenge Graduate

Nancy Gallegos
Nancy Gallegos  - Fire Starter Challenge Graduate

Sean Reed
Sean Reed - Fire Starter Challenge Graduate

Veronica Pulido
Veronica Pulido - Fire Starter Challenge Graduate

Shaun T Quotes from the Insanity Program

Some of the stuff that Shaun T. says is hilarious and some totally get me back into the game when I’m working out to Insanity. Here are a few of Shaun T.’s quotes. Please feel free to share some of your favorite Shaun T. quotes in the comments area below. 🙂 Shaun T Insanity Quotes

“Don’t compromise form for safety.”

“LETS GO!”

“Ready? Jack it out! We start to jack a little faster! Jack it out!”

“That sh*! is bananas yo!”

“Shaun T is starting to sweat”

“Insanity is not sexist!”

“30 second water break.. drink your water.. you only get 30 seconds people this isn’t a coffee break!”

“This is as far as I can lift my leg because I got big quads.”

“And I’m smilin’ cuz I love it!”

“I’m so tired I don’t know the name of my moves.

“You can Frickin DO IT!!!!!!!!!!”

“And I’m smilin cause I love it!”

“Sccooooooooooo “let’s gooooooooo”

“We good y’all?”

“It’s not cardio it’s control.”

“I’m talking spit!”

“I’m so tired I don’t know the name of my moves.”

“Shaun T is starting to sweat.”

“Your muscles are nice and warm right now so you can stretch real goood.”

“Grab a Shaun T.”

“You never wore a sports bra before this, have you Rachel?”

“Dig deeper!”

“Look people. I’m just a tool to get you where you need to go. If you don’t want to go there, that’s on you. But I’m going to do my best to help you get where you want to be. Okay. So when you get mad and I hear you say ‘I love you but I hate you’. Let’s take the hate out. Love me and love yourself because you can dig, and you can go.”

Did I miss any Shaun T quotes? Add your favorite quotes below

Operation Bikini Challenge

Operation Bikini Fitness Challenge
BIKINI SEASON is just around the corner! It’s time to hustle, ladies! Let’s get into tip top shape by making those fat cells cry and by focusing on clean eating. With the right program, nutrition and support, it is absolutely possible! You’ll have me and the other ladies as accountability partners, so you’ll have everything you need to be successful!

Message me at tgiFrida@gmail.com for more info or APPLY for the group now:

Insanity Workout Accountability with 54 Days Left Until Summer

Insanity Cardio Power & Resistance Workout Accountability It was a Saturday morning (yesterday) and I encountered a rare moment of “No Excuses”. As a mom of 3, this is very rare. Usually I have at least my 1 year old clinging on to me all day, the other two kids wanting me to read books or do some kind of craft and of course quality time with my husband too. Well, I realized I had this “No Excuses” moment after 30 minutes of my youngest sleeping, my husband glued to the Bulls game and my other two kids too busy playing to even realize I was in the room. Why did it take me so long to realize I had this perfect moment to fit in a workout? I could’ve been halfway through a workout if I had realized it the first minute. I guess I’m just used to putting it off for later in the evening or early in the morning to avoid any interruptions.

Now with 54 days left until summer, I’m on a mission. I want to lose a bit more weight and get toned up as I have always promised myself I would by summer of 2013. Last year I was still wearing a one piece and a tankini to the beach… but I seriously have this goal of getting into a one-piece this time. And it’s not like I’m trying to impress anyone, but it’s more about the satisfaction of actually meeting my goals and getting into the shape I promised myself to be in this summer. And you know what??? With 54 days left, it’s NOT too late 🙂 If I managed to workout with full commitment to the Insanity calendar and lose 6 dress sizes before one round was even completed before, then I have no excuses in terms of meeting my goals again this time. So there it is… I’ve just broadcasted my goal and I need you to help me stay accountable to that. 🙂

Anyway, back to my Insanity workout yesterday, it was absolutely a good burn! I haven’t done Insanity Cardio Power & Resistance in so long, I completely forgot how much sweat drips off of me when I do it… and even within just 10 minutes of doing the workout! And of course, with my other son still awake, he came in to the living room to keep me company. It’s a joy to have him around while working out because while I’m focused in the workout with a serious or struggling face, his presence makes me smile. And believe it or not, smiling while working out makes the exercise feel so much easier!

While Insanity is a tough workout, I wouldn’t say that was the most difficult part of getting it done at all. Yesterday, my hair piece was constantly falling off AND so were my yoga pants! With Insanity, there are a lot of jumps during the workout and trying to tie the top of my pants or fold them over just wasn’t working at all. BUT I wasn’t frustrated about that, it’s a good problem to have, right? I’ll welcome any sign of progress and just go shopping for a few new pants and shorts for working out.

Are you working out to Insanity too?? Let me know, I’d love to hear how it’s going for you!

Getting Fit Tip:
If you don’t have a workout scheduled into your day, utilize the first moment that you get to getting that workout done! But certainly, don’t go to bed until it’s done 🙂

If you don’t have the Insanity workout program yet, get it here:

Be Active. Get Sweaty. Feel Great. Repeat.

Be Active. Get Sweaty. Quote

I’ll admit, I dread the idea of working out sometimes. I always have to remind myself the benefits of working out, why I’m doing it and how great I feel afterwards. When I say I feel great afterwards, I mean great! With my heart rate up, I’m energize and motivated to take on a very productive day. It’s like I’m wide awake, my brain is fully functioning, focused, and I can definitely take on much more work at the office and at home if I had already exercised for the day. I’d say this is the reason why I prefer to workout in the mornings.

Don’t you feel great too after a workout?

Today’s getting fit tip:
Be active. Get sweaty. Feel great. Repeat.

How to Get Back Into Working Out After You’ve Slacked Off For a While

Okay, so you’ve started a workout program or routine and you were doing so well with it for a few days and weeks. Then all of a sudden something came up, causing you to skip a day of working out and then that became two days, three days, then weeks, and maybe even months. And you know what??? THAT’S OKAY! It’s is human nature for us to fall off and lose motivation after a hiccup in our routine.

So now what? What are you going to do about it? It does no good to sit there and feel sorry for yourself. You let something get in the way of your routine and you let it continue to stop you. You’ve made little to no progress since. Take it as a lesson learned. If you truly want to get back into shape and live a healthier lifestyle, you’ve got to put a stop to the excuses and JUST DO IT. There’s a reason why you started in the first place. So get back in tune with that driving force… that force that gave you that deep desire to get back into shape. Whether it be for better health conditions, weight loss, more energy a more confident you or that hot beach body… it doesn’t matter… just do it. Make it something that you can finally cross of your to-do list for once and the consistent sacrifice that you make to just get it done will reap rewards for you later on.

While you’re getting started again with your workout routine, figure out which motivating factor was missing the last time you were on a roll with your exercises. Are you so busy that you just didn’t have time for it anymore? Were you lacking the energy to get these exercises done? I often find that the number one thing that most people are missing out of their equation is the support. Exercise + Nutrition + Support = Success! Getting that support could simply mean finding a workout buddy or a workout group that will keep you motivated.

Believe in yourself and all that you are.
Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.

If you’re not sure where to turn for that support, I’m available as a free coach if you need one-on-one accountability. Just comment below or contact me at tgifrida@gmail.com. If you think you would do better in a group setting, I also have a few online workout support groups and fitness challenge groups on Facebook. Also, you may want to consider joining an online fitness community such as Team Beachbody. Team Beachbody allows you to connect with millions of others who are also working out and the site has a ton of fitness and healthy eating resources. Check it out! But certainly, if you’re not sure where to start, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Good luck and don’t you ever, ever give up on yourself! =)