Badass Fitness

Badass Fist Bumps and Face Palms

Some things are so awesome, they deserve a fist bump. Other things are so lame, maddening or disturbing, they deserve a fierce face palm to the forehead - as in, "Ugh, don't even." This is especially true when it comes to fitness and wellness - or the lack thereof.

Which brings us to the first in a regular installment: Badass First Bumps and Face Palms - shout-outs and call-outs for a variety of fitness current affairs, trends and developments. Yes, it is purely subjective. Yes, it is a little bit rant and a lot of praise. And no doubt, I am missing some deserving first bumps and face palms - so holler at me and let me know!

Until then, read on...

Badass Fist Bump to ... HBO, for its four-part documentary series "The Weight of the Nation." If you watch nothing else this year, watch this. If you struggle with your weight or love someone who does, watch this. If you care about children, watch this. If you think the rise in obesity in America isn't a big deal, watch this because it will show you how big a deal it is. Our children are growing so obese, they have early signs of heart disease and adult-onset diabetes. Morbid obesity in adults is rising, and not just among low-income Americans as has been the typical economic disparity. If nothing else, I guarantee once you see the enlarged, fat-encased and weak heart of a 500-lb man versus the healthy heart of a 26-year-old female who died of an unrelated cause, you will think twice every time you pause in front of a fast food menu.

Badass Face Palm to ... Chik-fil-A for "anti-foaming agent," MSG, "butter-flavored oil," and "natural mold inhibitor." According to its own website, the fast food chain long known as being a somewhat healthier option adds these Franken-gredients to popular items like the chicken sandwich, grilled chicken sandwich and waffle fries. Gross AND scary.

Badass Fist Bump to ...Chik-fil-A for at least being honest about the ingredients in its products. The nutrition information and ingredient list for each and every item on their menu is right there, for better or worse, on the website. So a Fist Bump for truthfulness.

Badass Fist Bump to ... the Florida Department of Agriculture and State Chef Justin Timineri for working to make family meals and school lunches more nutritious. From helping low-income families shop healthy to incorporating more fresh fruits and veggies into school meals, they are playing a part in the fight against childhood obesity. That's a government intervention I can support.

Badass Fist Bump to ... Cheesecake Factory for departing (slightly) from its calorie-bomb menu items to create the "Skinnylicious" menu of appetizers,salads, sandwiches and entrees - all of them between 400 and 600 calories and considerably healthier than the high-fat, feeds-a-family-of-four options elsewhere on the menu. I tried a few appetizers on a recent trip to Miami, and it was all delicious - nothing "diet" in the taste and flavor. The rest of the menu still gets a Face Palm for its gluttonous portions and ingredients, but this is a step in the right direction.

Badass Fist Bump to...Couch to 5K, Insanity, P90X and other fitness programs/regimens that make the masses move and reach new levels of health. Fitness can be intimidating - specifically, going from being a "couch potato" to walking into a gym full of buff bods or the idea of going from not being able to do one pushup, much less 10. These programs, by going in small steps or by allowing us to work out from our living room, take away the pressure of an audience while boosting confidence over time. Not to mention the fact that some of these are seriously challenging!

Badass Face Palm to ... Bern's Steakhouse in Tampa. Turns out, their storied story of serving organic vegetables grown on their farm is more myth than reality. And only when confronted by the Tampa Bay Times' awesome - and tenacious - food critic did management 'fess up. If it isn't organic and local, fine. Say so. But don't sell us a pricey meal and call it something it isn't. My face palm is delivered with oomph on this one. So disappointing...

Badass Fist Bump to...every one who is reading this right now. If you're here, you are seeking a better, more Badass you. And that's where the journey begins. Rock on with your Badass selves!

Coming next week: 5 healthy ways to hydrate that are less boring than water...and a Burger with Fries that won't wreck your healthy eating plans.

The 100 BLTs Workout - hold the mayo!

Some BLTS are better for us than others. Today's BLT not only will make you stronger, it's sooo calorie-free that, even after finishing 100 of 'em, you'll need to refuel after finishing! Just hold the mayo.

Here's the skinny: B is for Burpees. L is for lunging biceps curls. T is for triceps kickbacks or dips (or your choice of a combo of the two). 100 reps of each. A circuit challenge workout that incorporates cardio intervals (burpees) with strength moves for bi's, tri's and legs and glutes.

By dividing these into 5 sets, it is what I like to call a "digestible challenge." If you prefer, you can even do 10 sets of 10 reps per exercise. Whatever works for you, and gets you to the finish line. So let's get to it...

100 Badass BLTs Workout

The Warmup

30 seconds each:

• Pogo hops
• Jumping jacks
• Run in place, high knees
• Skaters
• Mountain climbers
• Plank hops

The workout

• 20 burpees
• 20 alternating lunges with side biceps curls (do 10 on the left leg, while doing side curls, and then 10 more lunging on the right leg
• 20 tricep dumbbell kickbacks or bench dips (or 10 of each)

Repeat four more times, for a total of 100 BLTs.

Simple? Yes. Easy? Not so much. Badass? 100 percent, yes.

Coming later this week: The first installment of Badass Fist Bumps and Face Palms Awards!

Nuggets (of wisdom) & recipes (of delish!) from THE chef of Florida

Chef Justin Timineri has the distinction of having the only job of its kind in the entire country. Sure, there are chefs galore all over – but he is the only official state chef in the nation, dubbed “Executive Chef and Culinary Ambassador” for the state of Florida.

In short, his job is to promote (around the country and overseas) the 200-plus food products that come from Florida. Timineri, in his post for the past seven years, has plenty to promote - a host of goodies ranging from shrimp and grouper to strawberries and tomatoes.

He also oversees department nutrition initiatives aimed at new mothers and their babies, as well as K-12 students. With his counsel, the Florida Department of Agriculture is revamping the state’s school lunch program to make it healthier and full of more fresh Florida foods. He says the best part of his job is visiting schools and helping little ones love food beyond chicken fingers and fast food fries.

As part of the in-house wellness program at Moore Consulting Group where I work, Chef Justin visited the office on Friday to pass along some of his “foodie wisdom,” and to cook for us (check out some of his recipes here). A few of his nuggets of wisdom, plus two amazing recipes:

Read labels: “The kinds of things they put in our food supply today are just kind of mind-boggling. When I go to the store, I am constantly reading labels.” He avoids white sugar, white flour, white rice and eats organic or local as much as possible.

Healthy doesn’t mean bland: “It’s not that we have to sacrifice taste or flavor. We just have to rethink it a little bit. There are better ways to get flavor in our food than with extra sodium or fat.” Try fresh herbs, a little olive oil instead of margarine or “reduced-fat” butters.

Shop often but shop smart: He goes to the store every few days, quick but strategic treks. “I make sure the ingredients can kind of cross over. It’s got to be enough to use for several different meals of different flavors.”

40 percent: That’s how much he recommends of your grocery bill be spent on fresh fruits and produce.

Fresh food first, recipe later: Instead of shopping to find the ingredients in a recipe, shop for whatever is the most fresh and then find a recipe for those ingredients. No recipe? Experiment! "Some people are afraid in the kitchen. It’s really about gaining confidence. Get a few really good dishes under your belt and go from there.”

Go-to summer appliance: His Cuisinart Steamer. He puts brown rice in the bottom, veggies on top and adds in fresh herbs, lemon juice, a little olive oil, etc. If you want protein, grill some chicken or seafood and serve! An easy, healthy meal and no slaving over a hot stove!

Chef Justin's Veggie Pancakes with Lemon Yogurt Sauce and Eggplant Tapenade

For pancakes:

3 medium Florida zucchini or squash, or combo, grated

1 cup carrots, matchstick cut

1 medium onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme, or 1 tsp dried

salt and pepper to taste

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 large eggs

1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

1/2 cup whole wheat flour or whole wheat bread crumbs

2 Tbsp olive oil

For sauce: Mix 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt with the juice of a lemon; add salt, pepper and more chopped thyme to taste. Place in refrigerator to keep cool.

For eggplant tapenade: Check out this recipe.

Directions: Wrap the zucchini/squash in paper towel and squeeze to remove extra moisture. Heat half the oil; add carrot and onion, sauteeing for 5 minutes. Add garlic and zucchini/squash and sautee until liquid is mostly evaporated. Transfer to bowl and cool. Mix in eggs, flour/bread crumbs, herbs and spices. Heat the remaining oil, drop batter into small pancakes shape and cook until golden, 5-7 minutes. Flip and cook another 4-5. To serve, add a dollop of the yogurt mixture and a few spoons of the tapenade on top.

Chef Justin's Fresh Berries with Spiced Ricotta and Orange Snap Cookie

1 cup skim milk ricotta cheese

1/4 cup orange blossom honey (any local honey will do)

1 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg

1/2 tsp cloves, ground

4 thin crispy spice cookies (the Moravian brand are great)

1 1/2 cups fresh berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, or a combo of)

Directions: Mix the ricotta with honey and spices. Spoon onto 4 dessert plates. Surround with fresh berries and place one cookie in the center of each ricotta 'cloud.' Voila! Easy, low fat and under 200 calories!

So when Chef Justin eats out, where does he go? He tells all here: :)

 

Five small eating changes that make a big difference

Small changes for big results. Moderation, not self-deprivation. Living instead of always 'dieting.' Success starts with baby steps - and not just actual steps that lead to your first 5k, but baby steps in how we approach food.

Extreme measures do not last. A friend recently boasted online about losing the equivalent of a pound a day. Not only unhealthy, but unsustainable. A student in my cycling class lamented recently that she had "only lost 12 pounds in 6 weeks." I gave her a big fist bump and explained that she is right on track for healthy, sustainable loss. Her eyes lit up. Baby steps.

So as you think about how food fits into your weight loss, weight maintenance, race performance or other fitness goals, consider these 5 small changes that can have a big impact:

1. When eating out, divide and conquer: Restaurant portions are usually oversized, or appallingly supersized. As soon as your entree comes, ask for a to-go box and put half of it in the box. Not only do you get an extra meal out of it, you save half the calories. And no, you won't be hungry. In fact, overeating constantly stretches out the stomach, so the best way to 'train' it back into shape is by ending the "let me stuff my face with this entire Cheesecake Factory meal" habit.

2. When eating in, flip flop your food math: Instead of a plate that is mostly meat/protein, a big spoonful of starch and a few veggies as an afterthought, reverse your food fractions. Keep protein lean and to 3 or 4 ounces. Then fill the plate with fresh veggies or a salad, and add in a little brown rice or a small sweet potato. I treat my plate like a theater stage -- veggies as the star lead role, protein as supporting actor, and starch as cameo actor.

3. Eat more (often): Every time you eat, your metabolism kicks up a notch to digest the food. By eating every 2 to 3 hours, it keeps your metabolism humming - and ensures you never get to that starving point of low blood sugar that leads to overeating or poor food choices. (Yes, the vending machine candy bar seems like a better choice when you feel hungry enough to eat your hand!)

4. Give yourself 15 to 20 minutes: That is, wait 15 to 20 minutes before giving in to a craving. Odds are, after that window is over, you've reconsidered whether you really ARE hungry - and if so, whether you want to satisfy it with a candy bar or an apple. And when you eat a meal, don't scarf it down in 10 minutes. It takes the body 15 to 20 minutes to register being full, so when we inhale food, we often take in much more than we actually need to feel full. be mindful when you eat. Take your time. Take a few bites, put the fork down, chill out, and resume. I do everything quickly, so I have to remind myself of this every meal. This "mindful eating," as it's called, is even a proven treatment for obese people trying to lose weight. Try it.

5. Write it down, look it up: Do you really pay attention to what you're putting into your mouth, and even if you are aware of what it is, do you know what's actually in it? For most of us, the answer to at least one of those questions is No. The first thing I ask a new client to do is write down what they eat and drink for 3 days. The food log helps me see patterns, areas for improvement, and why they have not until then seen the fitness results they want. Once we examine calories and other nutrients (or lack thereof) from the food log, their reaction is nearly universal: Wow, I had no idea. Which is precisely the problem.

Especially in a time when non-processed, non-Frankenfoods are the exception in our food choices, self-education is the key to being healthier. Use an App like Fooducate or My Fitness Pal -it will serve as both your food log and look-it-up tool. Surf your favorite food stops online, as many of them post actual nutrition and even ingredients. That chicken sandwich you always order? Well, maybe it contains MSG and a host of ingredients that sound like chemistry experiments. And that chicken burrito? Did you know it had so much fat and sodium? Be informed to eat better.

Coming up: Lessons (and a couple of recipes) from the only official state chef in America, and the first Badass Fist Bump and Palm Hand awards!

A Weekend Warrior Whip-Through-It Workout: #500Badass Reps in 15!

Our muscles don't know what day it is, what time it is, or how little time we have to work 'em. But we know it's Friday, and we know we should find the time to fit in some fitness. But Happy Hour calls, Saturdays fly by too fast, and Sundays are meant to be lazy, right?

Today's workout is all about maximum effort in minimum time. Use it to kick off your weekend strong, or keep it handy as a go-to quick session when you are traveling or just too busy to get to your favorite fitness class or weight room.

It's just 15 minutes long, but once you start you push all the way through to the finish, working through each circuit with just 15 seconds of rest in between exercises- a sort of variation on Tabata. By combining cardio and strength moves, as well as plyometric drills, you get an ample workout that ends up being a whopping 500 reps. Boom.

Oh, yeah! Bring on the weekend like a fitness supah-star!

Weekend Warrior Workout

Warmup:

• 25 pogos
• 25 jacks
• 25 skaters
• 25 mountain climbers

Circuit 1 (150 reps):

• 25 regular pushups
• 25 regular tricep dips
• 25 jump squats
• 25 regular pushups
• 25 regular tricep dips
• 25 jump squats

Circuit 2 (100 reps):

• 25 right-leg lunges
• 25 left-leg lunges
• 25 step-ups on a bench/step, right side
• 25 step-ups on a bench/step, left side

Circuit 3 (150 reps):

• 25 close-grip pushups (works triceps)
• 15 staggered right-side pushups
• 15 staggered left-side pushups
• 25 alternating jump lunges
• 10 frog pushups (works shoulders)
• 25 incline pushups
• 25 alternating jump lunges

Circuit 4 (100 reps):

25 walking lunges

25 sumo squats

25 walking lunges

25 sumo squats

Circuit 5 (500 more reps....just kidding! Go enjoy the weekend, Badasses. You have earned it:)

Coming next week: The first installment of Badass Fist Bumps and Face Palms - a purely subjective "way to go" and "that's lame-ass" list of recent fitness and health developments....

Must-Have Training Plan for that Summer Adventure

Some vacations require more planning than others - and not just when it comes to deciding which shoes and how many outfits to pack.

A former co-worker has, as she put it, "let my sister talk me into" hiking a mountain in Oregon this summer. To be exact: The sibling duo will be hiking up South Sister, Oregon's third-tallest mountain. One website's description of South Sister: "The extremely difficult trail to the summit of South Sister gains a staggering 4,900 feet of elevation in 5.5 miles."Ouch. Not exactly a stroll in the park.

She wrote to me last week, from Tampa Bay, asking for advice on how she can physically train for her summer adventure beyond putting the treadmill on its steepest incline and running like the wind. She also recently found a four story parking garage where she can walk the ramps - and the stairs.

So what else can a future mountain hiker do to get the muscles - and heart - ready for nearly 5,000 feet up and the same distance back down?

1. Tackle the stairs, with resistance: Hiking up a mountain doesn't happen while holding a dainty clutch purse. It requires lugging a backpack filled with supplies that will likely weigh 20-plus pounds. So find a local stadium, garage or even the stairwell in a downtown office building and do multiple sets of up-and-downs with a weight vest or packed backpack that matches the weight you'll be carrying up that mountain. This works with ramps, too. You will build leg strength, back strength and endurance. Recommendation: 1 to 2 workouts per week, beginning with 30 minutes and building up to one hour by a week or two before the trip.

2. Interval Cardio Training: Because there is less oxygen at higher altitudes, we feel more winded doing any sort of physical activity in those conditions. But increasing your aerobic capacity and endurance, and even pushing your upper limits with anaerobic bursts that leave you breathless, will help make the top of that trail more bearable. This particular South Sisters mountain in Oregon is just at the bottom range of what is considered "high altitude," but especially for someone used to flat Florida, the change could physically impact performance if a hiker isn't conditioned. Recommendation: Indoor spinning class incorporating endurance bouts as well as sprints into resistance - for building cardiovascular AND leg strength. Also, try a 30-minute treadmill sprint workout going one minute moderate incline, one minute very steep, walking fast or jogging. 1 to 2 of these workouts per week.

3. Lower Body Strength Training: Weight-bearing exercises (lunges and squats with dumbbells, quad extensions, leg presses, etc.) as well as strength training using your own body weight (walking lunges, wall sits, step-ups on a bench or step, etc.) will build muscles in your quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves to power you up that mountain trail. Recommendation: Once a week, try the workout below or one of the recent ones posted on the blog, here and here:

• 25 walking lunges, holding dumbbells of challenging resistance (or start without weights and build up)
• 25 squats with dumbbells
• 25 sumo squats with dumbbells
• 20 step-ups on a bench, right side and then repeat on the left (with dumbbells)
• 25 jump squats
• 1-minute wall sit
• Repeat the circuit above two more times

Coming this week: A few tricks for keeping your hydration in check...and a 15-minute, no-excuses, 500-reps (yes, you can!) workout!

Monday Motivation: Move faster, work harder with these tunes!

One of the best things I always get out of attending fitness conferences: music inspiration. Whether it's a daylong Schwinn certification like the one I did earlier this month at SCW Mania in Orlando or an hourlong IndoRow workshop, the instructors always share awesome music.

Music is meant to be shared, so here's a new playlist that combines some of theirs and some from my own iTunes library. I love this one for running, cycling, and bootcamp workouts! It also worked for a 10,000 meter IndoRow workout Sunday morning ;) The theme for this one: Work harder, and have fun doing it!

The "All Work, All Play" Mix

T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever), DJ Shocker: 5:52

You Can't Always Get What You Want (Soulwax Remix), The Rolling Stones: 6:07

Praise You, Fatboy Slim: 3:47

Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You), Kelly Clarkson: 3:41

Blackout, Breathe Carolina: 3:30

Get Nasty (Extended Club Mix), Chris Montana: 7:01

Crank it Up (with Akon), David Guetta: 3:12

Afrika Shox, Leftfield: 5:36

It's Not Right But It's OK (Thunderpuss Club Mix): 9:14 

Take Over Control, Extended (feat. Eva Simons ), Afrojack: 6:39

Stand Back (Tracy Takes You Home Mixshow), Stevie Nicks: 6:54

Coming up: 200 pushups in 10 minutes (yes, you can!)....

 

 

Eating Healthy: A Buyer's Guide from Florida's State Chef

It's one of the biggest health myths out there: "Eating healthy is so expensive."

We are really good at convincing ourselves of this as we wait in the fast food drive-through for a "value meal" - never mind the expensive health care ramifications down the road with diabetes, high cholesterol and other medications.

Moreover, the fact is eating healthy does NOT have to be more expensive at the cash register. (Just check out the graphic at left, courtesy Cindy Ruccolo Fitness)

Florida's own state chef (yes, we have one and are the only state with such an awesome post!) proved as much in a recent initiative aimed at helping low-income Florida families shop and eat healthier.

The challenge for state chef Justin Timineri was as follows:

• Spend no more than $140.
• Buy little to no processed foods.
• All grains must be whole wheat.
• Sugars and salt must be kept to a minimum.
• Follow the USDA nutritional guidelines for recommended servings per day.
• Have enough food for breakfast, lunch, a light snack and dinner for seven days.

He succeeded with flying colors, coming up with a meal plan that included 3 meals a day and snacks, with delicious items like "Cheddar Scramble with Home Fries and Fresh Fruit," Zucchini Cakes with Spiced Yogurt" and "Oven Roasted Chicken with Greek Style Green Beans."

Timineri, together with the Florida Department of Agriculture and under the leadership of state Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, is on a mission to make Floridians' nutrition better.

And why not, in a state rooted in the agriculture economy, where we are blessed with amazing fresh home-grown fruits and vegetables? Of all the government happenings right now, this is one I fully and completely endorse, applaud and am happy to share. With all due respect: Timineri and Commissioner Putnam are Badass. :)

Putnam and his team now are in charge of school nutrition, and are committed to addressing the growing problem of child obesity - one lunch tray at a time. Yes, it might seem small compared to issues like a budget deficit or crime rates, but here's the deal: Eating better, feeling and stay active DOES improve the quality of life for all of us here in the Sunshine State. And most important: Chef Justin's initiative proved that this quality can be accessible to all income levels. Amen and Hoo-rah!

Chef Justin will be here at Moore Consulting Group next week as part of the wellness program I coordinate to show us how to use fruit and vegetables for a sushi-licious meal. Stay tuned for some of his tasty ideas!

In the meantime, as you go shopping this weekend for next week's eats, I challenge you to print out Chef Justin's shopping list and menu and use it to guide you through the aisles (staying more on the perimeter, of course, where most of the "real" food is.)

Happy Shopping!

Coming next week: A training plan for a Summer Mountain Hike trip, and 200 pushups in 10 minutes!

 

ot express how important efforts like those of state chef Justin Timineri and the State lture

Guest Blog: How badly do you really want to succeed?

Note from the Badass CEO: Today's guest blog is a reality check - and what better time than after this past weekend of double-down alcohol holidays fueled by Kentucky Derby mint juleps and Cinco de Mayo margaritas? Read on as Guest Blogger Chris, aka #360to30-turned-#WhatsNext, challenges you to consider just how much you are willing to do to reach your goals - fitness and otherwise.

Guest Blog:

“Tell me what you don’t like about yourself.” 

Some of us might remember this quote as the tagline from a hit TV show a few years ago.  The show was about plastic surgery and focused on the lengths people will go to change who they are.  Participants ranged from the overweight and old, to the young and insecure.  The show focused on the monetary extent and the high risk that people go through because they didn’t like what they saw in the mirror. Often, they went to extremes.

Friends and students often come up to me and tell me they don’t like their legs/arms/gut, etc.  They lament that they have had trouble dropping those last few pounds around their stomach, or that they haven’t been able to get over that last little hump in their exercise routine. My reply to them always is this question: What are you willing to sacrifice?

In other words: Tell me what you don’t like about yourself, and then tell me what you are willing to do to change it. 

Perfect example: alcohol. Listen, I know this may sound funny coming from me, but here's a little secret: alcohol is bad for you. It is a toxin to the body. It’s not going to replenish what you need; it’s not going to give you that extra boost; and it sure as hell isn’t going to fuel you across that finish line. Also, alcohol calories and food calories ARE NOT the same.  I am always amazed when people think that they can skip lunch, or eat smaller meals than usual in order to “save up calories” for the night, only to wonder why they haven’t lost that last little layer. If alcohol is your crutch, I am speaking to you.

When people seem horrified at my suggestion to lay off alcohol for awhile, I wonder how much do they really want it?  How important is it to you that you will do what is necessary?  If you WANT to succeed, if you WANT to get to that goal, if you WANT to accomplish what doubters say you can’t, then you need to be willing to sacrifice.

This is true not just with alcohol or fitness.  This truth extends to any aspect of your life.  Put that effort toward better being a better humanitarian in your community, go out and find a charity that you can help.  Make a difference in politics by getting involved. Stop sitting on the couch complaining.  Don’t complain that your relationship is bad if you aren’t willing to take the time to fix it. 

Do, rather than complain.

“One who wants something, will find a way; One who doesn’t, will find an excuse.” - Confucius

Exorcise these 5 exercise and health excuses

He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else. -- Benjamin Franklin

Preach it, Ben! The founding father knew back then what remains true today: making excuses yields lots of whining and few victories.

This is true in all aspects of life - and fitness and health in particular. Let's be real honest here with each other: We have become, by and large (literally in some cases), a lazy society full of excuses for NOT moving and NOT eating well and NOT taking care of the bodies with which we have been blessed.

The result: we are, as a society, quite literally killing ourselves. Don't believe it? Look around next time you're at the mall or grocery store. Those obese children? They are getting diabetes and blood pressure decades before they should, and won't live as long as their parents in many cases. Those 40-somethings who need people movers to get around? They are driving up your health care bill and adding zilch to the nation's productivity. #notawesome.

So let me be blunt for this blog post and eliminate 5 of the most common excuses preventing us from being healthier. My challenge to you: if any of these excuses are in your head, kick them out. They are holding you back.

Five Exercise & Health Excuses, Exorcised

1. I don't have time to work out: Yes you do. Do you have 4 minutes? 10? Then you have time. Whether it's a Tabata drill or two in the morning, or even just pushups performed during the commercial breaks of your guilty pleasure, or the #50BadassReps completed while you do a conference call at work, you can find time. And if you're like most of us, you can easily shave 10 to 20 minutes off of TV watching and Facebook updating to fit in your fitness.

2. The kids keep me so busy/I feel guilty being away from the kids: So why not bring them into your fitness routine? One student does the Insanity DVDs at night with her 2-year-old. He loves it, and she gets in her workout. A playground is an ideal place to make your own little bootcamp while they climb the monkey bars - and chasing after them counts as sprints! Let them operate the Tabata timer app on your phone, and they won't complain that you aren't paying them any attention. Odds are, they'll turn all drill sergeant on you and insist: "One more!"

3. Cooking healthy every day is a hassle; fast food is just easier: Two hours, max, out of 168 hours a week. This is how long it takes to shop and then prep what you would need for a week of healthy lunches or even dinners. I do it every Sunday - hardboil a dozen eggs, grill 5 or 6 chicken breasts, make a healthy coleslaw or couscous salad, mix up low-fat tuna salad, etc. Not only does this save money in the long run, but you'll feel better and not have to stress or wonder where and how you'll find the better food choices. And the 30 minutes to hour you save driving around for lunch? You can bank it to leave earlier than normal and get thee to an after-work workout.

4. I'm so out of shape; why even bother?: Wow. Imagine applying that logic to life. I am so ignorant about arithmetic, why even bother? There are so many words I can't read, why even bother? I still have so many college credits to finish, why even bother? This excuse is borne out of fear, but do yourself a favor and summon up the brave within. It doesn't matter where your starting line starts. Once you take those first few steps, you WILL get better. Look at how far those Biggest Loser contestants have to go when they start out. The sheer pounds are daunting. But they do it, because it IS possible. And it does make them better.

5. I hate (insert exercise here): Let's be honest: Few things stink more than doing an exercise you hate. Some of us hate group classes. Others hate running solo. Maybe your favorite way of working out is with your office kickball league. Go with it. The best way to eliminate the "I don't like" excuse is to find the exercise you do like.Yoga, golf (without the golfcart crutch), volleyball, kickball, ballroom dancing, whatever. Find it and do it.

Coming up: From the Badass Bookshelf: Are we really Born to Run?...