Do you know how often I go to the gym?

Maybe once a week.

Do you know why I don’t go to the gym?

TIME.

It’s hard to find time to workout. My days are packed, as I’m guessing yours are. I exercise every day and make it happen because it is such a high priority for me and necessary to keep me feeling good, but my time limit is usually 30 minutes.

That means 30 minutes to finish my workout, change clothes and be ready for the next activity.

If I had to actually drive to the gym or sign up for a fitness studio class, then park, walk in, sign in, pick a machine, make small talk with the person next to me, walk out, drive home, shower and change clothes, my entire schedule would be screwed up for the day.

That’s at least an hour of precious time, if not more. I would have to sacrifice appointments, work, making dinner, running errands, spending time with my daughter, seeing friends or one of the other million things I have to do every day.

While I wish time was a luxury like that in my life, it just isn’t anymore.

But I’m not willing to sacrifice exercise, either! While there are definitely days I could use that extra 30 minutes for laundry or blog posts, I am not willing to give up my daily workout. There are too many mental and physical benefits associated with exercise for me to drop it.

Not to mention it keeps me sane.

I used to be one of the people who spent an hour and fifteen minutes driving to the gym, cruising on the elliptical while reading a magazine, and then driving home. I would hang around and talk to people I knew and take my time.

Then I became a mom and my life turned upside down in the best way possible.

Maybe you aren’t a parent, but you probably have that one moment where life became “real”. Your time was no longer your own and you needed to make the most of every minute.

Maybe it was getting a promotion or taking a new job. Maybe it was moving in with your parents to become their caretaker or moving to a new city.

We all have those moments of realizing that, if we want to make something happen, we need to work a little for it.

When I had my daughter, the leisurely trips to the gym were no longer an option. I had maybe 30 minutes to workout total, including shower time. I couldn’t leave the house while she napped, so I had to find things I could do on the back porch or in the living room before she woke up.

Basically, I improvised.

I did things that felt good each day. I used some small weights and used my Pilates and PT knowledge to create safe programs. I looked online for various ideas and started putting together a program that worked for me in the time I had.

You want to know what happened?

I got into the best shape of my life!

By actually working out for less time, I was forced to work out more effectively. I didn’t waste a single second of those 30 minutes. I moved and jumped and stretched and flexed.

Eventually, this became my preferred way of working out. We settled into a routine where I could have spent a little more time going to classes or the gym, but I would rather head to my garage, put on my own music and roll out my mat.

That was four years ago, and the only thing that has changed is my workouts have become more refined and my plan more specific.

I truly believe that exercise has the power to change our lives. When we feel strong and confident in our bodies, we are able to feel stronger and more confident mentally. I use exercise for stress relief, meditation, injury prevention, healing, strengthening and so much more.

Yes exercise will help with weight loss and get you ready for summer clothes, but the ultimate motivator is how you feel about yourself when you are finished.

I would love to share my favorite workouts with you and show you what I do every day to stay healthy and motivated! I’m leading our next 30 Day Pilates Plus Bootcamp starting May 1. If you are interested in hearing more or getting the first chance at saving your spot. sign up for my Bootcamp email list here! You’ll simply be told before anyone else when the program is available for purchase.

Remember, you don’t need an hour of extra time every day to be healthy and feel great. You only need 30 minutes, some motivation, a mat and a little dose of encouragement!

Remember to sign up here to be told when our next 30 Day Pilates Plus Bootcamp launches!