No More Excuses! 6 Ways to Workout at the Park.

Ladies, swimsuit season is well behind us- and I don’t know about you but this time of the year I begin to get… well, a bit lazy. I mean, going to the gym gets replaced with pumpkin pie and candy corn. What can’t a little over-sized sweater and a scarf not hide, right?

WRONG!

I’ve got to STOP thinking like that because my whole summer’s hard work has pretty much disappeared within the past two weeks! I’ve got to get back on track or next summer it will be a lot harder to get into shape…no more excuses!  That is why I am introducing you to my friend, Emily Fonnesbeck, to help me (and any of you who do the same). Emily is a stay at home mom freelance writer. She graduated with a B.S. in Kinesiology but has to force herself to exercise just like everyone else. She loves reading, cooking, and is always up for shenanigans of the DIY crafting sort.

Take it away Emily

Hello ladies! Fall brings cool, dark mornings that practically beg you to stay warm and snuggled in your bed. Getting up and putting on your sports bra is probably the last thing you want to do on a fall day, but it’s a perfect time to enjoy those last snippets of good weather. Pull out the stroller (Click here to see my favorites), get on your bike, or simply take a brisk walk to your nearest park. Once you get there, the park bench looks oh so inviting doesn’t it? Sure! It’s the perfect platform to get some strength training in while your kids play. Here are a few playground exercises that will get you slim and svelte and keep the pumpkin pie and egg-nog from showing.

1. Step-ups. Use a park bench or the steps going up to a slide to step up and down with alternate legs. This will tone your lower body, and if you quicken your pace you’ll get a nice cardio burn as well. As you progress in this exercise, you can bring your knee to your chest as you step up for a higher intensity workout.

3. Dips. Again, find a low bench or step. Sit with your hands gripping the edge at your sides and legs extended in front of you. Slowly lower yourself off the bench and bend your arm at the elbow, keeping it as close to your body as possible. Take your body as low as you can and then bring yourself back up to the bench. You can do one at a time with rests in between, or a few in a row, depending on how much intensity you’d like.

4. Incline push-ups. Push-ups are a great way to strengthen arms, chest, back, shoulders, and even your abs. Find something you can use to push off of, and once again, this will probably be a bench or step. Put your arms slightly wider than your shoulders and lower yourself down, then slowly push yourself back up. Be sure to keep your back and abs tight to prevent injury.

5. Calf raises. Find a step and place the balls of both feet on the edge of the step. Bring your heels down as far as you can, then push up, bring your heel upward, flexing your calf muscles. Doing this exercise on a step is extra helpful for you to get that full range of motion and bring better results faster.

Strength training is a good addition to any exercise program, helping you tone your muscles as well as burn fat. Start slow, doing two sets of ten repetitions, working up to more sets and reps, around three to five sets of 20. Feel the burn and go a little beyond, but be smart about your body and don’t injure yourself.

Get up and keep moving and –bonus- you’ll show your kids how to be active, which is always a good thing. So bench-sitters beware, you have no more excuses!

Thanks Emily! I loved how my son wanted to join me-and who knew monkey bars were such a good workout! They are a lot harder than I remember!  I am starting today! Who will you join me?

See what other goals I have set for myself at weedstowishes.com

xo

For even more tips on how to stay on track, check out Caleys ideas here:

It’s always a good idea to subscribe to a great health magazine to keep you motivated. Try Best Health Magazine for one of our favorites. And if you are looking for a fabulous nutritional supplement, try ensure!