My Pinterest Inspired Fitness Plan

I adore Pinterest. I really do. I gather so much inspiration from it, and I can get lost for hours. It's kind of ridiculous. But it's worth it. I have found several delicious recipes, fun little crafty projects, and now, a fitness routine.

I will start this out with a backstory on my relationship with working out. I'm sure you can't wait.

I was a super active child, starting gymnastics at about four (not my thing) and then moving very quickly on to dance. I started with ballet, tap and jazz at the age of five, and by eight or so I was doing clogging, hip-hop, pointe (a bit), and modern as well. I loved it, and it came easily for me. By junior high my mother was driving me back and forth (an hour each way) to class several nights a week, and I was competing or performing almost every weekend. Around the same time I started cheerleading at my school. I can't even imagine the incredible shape I was in and I didn't even know it....

Anyhow, I soon burned out on dance and quit altogether when I was 14 (biggest mistake of my life, but that's for another day). I kept up with cheerleading through my junior year of high school, mainly for the social aspect of things. So until the age of 18 I was pretty much working out every day and not even realizing it.

I went to college in the fall of 2003, and took a couple of dance classes for fun. This was also the first time I ever really "worked out". I would go to the campus gym with my friends and do the stationary bike or treadmill. And hate every minute. So I stopped. And never really did much after that at all. And somehow miraculously hovered around 105-110 pounds for the next several years. If I could go back in time I would punch myself because it's just so annoying how much I took it for granted.

Needless to say, I hit 24 and everything changed. My metabolism decided it had had enough abuse and bailed. I gained about 10 pounds overnight it seemed like. This is also the same time I started dating Arsen, and he would cook pasta dinners for me almost every night, so there may be some tie there as well. So for the very first time in my life, I needed to work out.

That was almost four years ago, and I have yet to find something that works for me. I really enjoy jogging, and Zumba is fun. I love dancing, but haven't found any classes nearby. My issue is that I don't know how to stick with anything. Which is totally my fault. So I've been looking for inspiration everywhere. I need a routine that isn't boring, that is easy to follow, and that I can get done in about 30-45 minutes, because there is no way I have more time than that to commit to exercise on a daily basis.

Enter Pinterest.

I love how super simple both of these plans are to stick to, but neither is enough to make me feel like I'm getting a great work out. So I've decided to do them together. I've been doing the Daily Workout Plan for a couple of weeks now, and I swear I'm already toning up.

Via Pinterest

But with my body type, I need cardio to really do any good. I'm short (5'2") and curvy, and I build muscle super duper easy. So in order to not look like a body builder, I have to do some cardio to shed some inches. I'm planning on trying the Couch to 5K thing. I've heard people mention it, and it seems like an easy plan to stick with. I started Monday in the hideous 95 degree Texas heat. I guess that's something there's no getting around.

Via Pinterest

So we'll see how it goes. I think it will be much easier with "a plan". I've been doing pretty well for the last month or so since I started The Challenge thing with my mom and best friend Rachel, but I think this will (hopefully) kick things into high gear. I could get crazy and do progress posts along the way....but I don't feel like I've got it in me to be one of those "fitness bloggers". We shall see :)

If anyone out there has any tips for sticking with a fitness plan, any healthy eating suggestions, etc., please fill me in. This is an area that I am by no means an expert, so all advice is much appreciated!