The 30 Minute Workout Theory (Part 1)

For the past couple of weeks Erin and I have been testing out a little theory that we have aptly dubbed the "30 Minute Workout Theory."  It goes a little something like this:

1. Workout first thing in the morning for 30 minutes.
2. Live your life.

It all started because Erin didn't want to get off the couch. "I was cranky and miserable and sitting on my couch and I had like four papers to write.  I was angry and overwhelmed with stress because I had so much work to do and I hadn't made it to the gym all week which made me even angrier and turned me into a lump with no motivation.  So I called you."  After a good, productive bitch session, we determined that the problem was that Erin needs to workout to feel happy.  However, going to the gym after work, had become this huge burden.  She would spend all day lamenting the fact that after an already packed work day, she would have to venture out into the cold, dark (often wet) night, hunt for parking, workout for an hour, hunt for parking again, make dinner and then start 2 hours of homework.  Because working out had become such a chore, she was skipping it altogether.

Erin: "I wish I could just workout in the morning."
Me: "Why don't you??"
Erin: "Ugh.  I would have to get up at like 5."
Me:  "Well, what if you only worked out for 30 minutes and just did a video at home rather than going to the gym?"
Erin: "You know how I feel about working out at home.  Besides 30 minutes isn't going to be enough."

30 minutes is plenty.  Weight loss (or weight maintenance) is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. However, smart food choices are the direct result of feeling good about yourself.  If you are feeling depressed and don't want to get off of your couch, you are way more likely to inhale a bag of chips while you are there.  By waking up and banging out a solid 30 minutes, Erin would be done working out before she knew she had started.  She could begin her day with a firm dent in her to do list, as well as a sense of victory and accomplishment. 

So how did our little experiment pan out????  "It changed my life," Erin said.  "By working out in the morning, I freed up all this brain space that used to be occupied by me worrying about how I still had to workout.  Also, just changing my routine and trying something different made me feel happier." 

-♥ J :)

Up next: The 30 Minute Workout Theory (Part 2)... My favorite 30 minute workout dvds.