Hi Everyone!
It’s workout time! This is a quick, 16-Minute workout that will get you sweating! I love these short, but intense workouts. It’s what I need to get in my exercise, while working on the blog from home and taking care of my son. That or a few more hours in the day.
I have been really struggling to get in my workouts lately, and it felt AMAZING to get in a great workout and sweat. My son was awake for the whole workout, but he just watched intently (with the occasional cheer thrown in for good measure).
I have also stayed on track with my meals, focusing on healthy proteins, veggies at every meal and getting in plenty of water. I am making Maverick’s baby food, so it’s a good reminder for me to meal prep for myself as well. When you are busy meal prep and easy access to healthy choices is imperative.
Let’s face it, if it was always easy to get in a workout and make healthy food choices, everyone would do it all the time. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it. Your health is worth it. After missing multiple workouts I realized how sluggish I was feeling. I was dragging, during my normal tasks, and feeling exhausted. Ironically, exercise gives you more energy. It sounds like it should be the opposite, but our bodies are designed to move. When we do things like exercise and eat well we are helping our bodies to function at their optimum level of health and fitness.
Keeping the baby warm on our walk.
It’s very hard for me to get in my cardio each day. I really miss running consistently. With the change to colder weather I worry about the baby outside. Sunday we had a warmer day, so I bundled Maverick up and took him for a walk outside. He enjoyed it and stayed warm, and it felt great to me to get moving.
As a new mom a lot of this is a learning process. It’s been one large life change after another & I put a lot of pressure on myself to get things done each day. As a work at home mom that means, blogging, setting up lighting/camera to film, filming, editing videos, social media posting, monitoring comments, deleting spam, replying to emails. As a stay at home mom that means taking care of my son, and managing the household. Being a mother (and a father too!) is a 24-hour per day job. It is the most wonderful thing I have ever experienced, but getting everything done is definitely a balancing act. Luckily Maverick is a very happy and well natured child. He watches me working out with interest, sleeps well at night, and doesn’t cry often.
Anyway, I hope that you enjoy today’s workout! Give yourself props for showing up and getting in your workout today. Sometimes just getting to that moment is an accomplishment in it’s self!
Have fun,
Melissa
PS You can find me on Social Media: @BenderFitness and on Facebook: @MelissaBenderFitness and Jesse is on Instagram: @BenderCrosby1
PPS If you want to help support BenderFitness so we can get a new camera & new equipment & make our site more sustainable your donation is greatly appreciated: https://www.patreon.com/BenderFitness
Set your interval timer for 12 Rounds of 30/60.
*30 Seconds Cardio of Choice between each exercise*
- Sumo Pushups
- Plie Jumps
- Rock the Boat Twist
- Frogger
- Leg Series-Right
- Leg Series-Left
- Surfer
- Side Plank Elbow Tap-Right
- Side Plank Elbow Tap-Left
- Heel Tap Squat Jump
- Pendulum Abs
- Donkey V-Kick
Repeat 1-3X
Maverick’s view of the workout.
Post workout!
Do not beat yourself up, everyday is anew day. Being a mom is hard, you are always second guessing yourself and the list of things never end. You are doing a fantastic job!!
Great workout. Love that it’s brief and tough but the movements are easy to master. I need to be protective of my lower back, so I needed to modify one.
I love your workouts! You are such an inspiration! I have three kids and it is impossible to get to the gym. But with your workouts I am able to workout from home and stay in shape. Thank you so much for making fitness fun and free. Keep up the good work!
I’m giving this a go tomorrow (Oz time). Looks great!! (Maverick noises are adorable :-*)
it is so hard! my son is 17 months and I have struggled with finding time. I still squeeze in short workouts 5x a week, but I can’t do the longer workouts I used to do with working full time and caring for him. It’s partly why my diet is that much more important for it to be healthy. But something is better than nothing!
You are correct life is a balancing act for sure. I appreciate your honesty with trying to find a grove into your new routine. We often put a lot of pressure on ourselves to do everything! I know I do. It’s good to remember we all are doing our best and no one is perfect. Thanks for keeping me motivated, active and healthy
I love the last pic of your son Maverick, looking at you with adoration. You are such a positive role model for him, Jessie as well. We love your free workouts and appreciate your time and effort, so Thank you Melissa.
Oh Melissa I feel the same way. Thanks for posting that and know you are NOT alone. Kudos to you for staying on track with the food. We have to celebrate little wins right! I’m having such a terrible time not only with the workouts but getting out in the sunshine and esp with the food- at night. 4 1/2 months old and this child is STILL getting up every 1 1/2-2 hours a night so with the sleep deprivation I just eat eat eat and….. aghhhhhhh I have to tell myself when I’m having a meltdown about not getting in my workouts, my meal preps and so on that this wont last forever do the best you can and forgive yourself when your best is just getting up and taking care of the baby!
Keep it coming as you can, you know we all appreciate all your knowledge!
Lisa
You are truly an inspiration and I love your workouts. Thank you for all that you do….you time and efforts are truly appreciated and is so nice to have someone “real” to work out to.
Ohh, yes I know me too…
Great workout!
Haven’t exercised since Friday, and definitely needed your reminder that our bodies are made to MOVE, and that even a short workout is better than nothing. Besides giving me more energy, it also brightens my outlook tremendously (so needed right now) and also deepens my SLEEP. So thanks, dear heart. Sorry you’re missing your running—that sucks! They make a safe warming insert for dog beds. Maybe that would work in a stroller. (If this sounds too crazy no need to post this comment, Melissa! I’m just brainstorming here!) 🙂
I did three rounds with jump rope. Feel great. What a sweat. I am loving the pile jumps lately! I’m feeling more muscle tone in that tricky inner thigh area. I also love the heel tap squat jump very fun move.
I had to nurse my 2 month old between the 1st and 2nd round , lossing my high heart rate. But I was lucky that she sat through the last two round in her little chair merrily. It is tricky to get it all in.
Love the workouts, Melissa! Your son is adorable. I have 2 teens but I remember those days well, enjoy!
I do your workouts at 5am. Monday through Thursday workouts are usually 20 minutes or less because I work. I love the variety between 10 – hour long routines.
Thank you for keeping me fit! My husband thanks you also….
Jacki
You are fabulous! Great workout! Thank you!
Melissa you are doing a fantastic job! I’m impressed with all you are doing while going through so many big life changes.
With each season of life my workouts have looked different, they have to or we’ll make ourselves crazy.
This goes against all you stand for but with my first child I had a gym membership and she went to the childcare while I worked out and we both loved it. When the second and third came along I had to quit the gym membership but I was able to find new creative ways to fit in a workout at least 3 times a week and I was happy with that, it’s better than nothing. Now my kids are all in school full time and I can workout everyday which I love.
Sometimes we have to lower our standards for a season and keep in mind it’s temporary, it goes by quick and our kids are worth it.
It’s a dance of figuring out what works but you’ve got this!
Would love to see a “Tabata” retangle shaped box/section to click on for lower and upper body.
Thanks for this workout, loved it! Your blog about your struggles inspired me to just get moving and get in my workout for the day. As a busy mom I would like to helpfully suggest getting your cardio in before Maverick wakes up, even just 15 minutes will boost your energy and mood. Jump rope is intense like running and you don’t have to leave your warm house. Make time for you! You can always do another workout later in day as well.
Absolutely loved this workout. Especially the donkey v kicks!
You are so genuine and so real Melissa. You nailed it 100 percent with all that you said, it’s not easy when your a mom to always get in those workouts, i did the same thing as you with your beautiful son and having him right there with you when you workout. I’ve always trained at home and even now that my son is 4, he sits playing with his toys while I do one of your workouts. You are right, when the eating is off or we don’t do some moving, we feel sluggish; however I think you are doing amazing and looking amazing as a new mom and Maverick is beyond cute!! What a blessing, thank u for bringing us such fantastic workouts.
Fantastic workout (as always!). Thanks so much!!!
Oh My God! some best workouts with fat burning cardio are given below:-
Sumo Pushups
Plie Jumps
Rock the Boat Twist
Frogger
Leg Series-Right
Leg Series-Left
Surfer
Side Plank Elbow Tap-Right
Side Plank Elbow Tap-Left
Heel Tap Squat Jump
Pendulum Abs
Donkey V-Kick
great workout! thank you!