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Jen A. Miller Consulting

Tag: workout

  • An Outdoor Cardio Circuit You Can Do Absolutely Anywhere

    An Outdoor Cardio Circuit You Can Do Absolutely Anywhere

    Never Miss a Sweat Sesh with this Customizable Cardio Circuit Routine

    Your Do Anywhere Cardio Circuit

    I’m the kind of person that must fit a workout into my day. There’s something about the rush of endorphins and the cleanse of a good sweat that my body has come to crave. On days that I can’t convince myself to crank out a bout of exercise, I  always pay for it later on. My appetite is off, I can’t fall asleep well at night, and overall I just feel a bit off.

    While my preference is to hit up a class, this option isn’t always available, particularly while traveling. This summer, on a trip home, I found myself in this situation. I wanted to get my workout in but didn’t have access to a gym. I’d attended enough workout classes and done enough at-home workout videos to have picked up a thing or two about stringing together my own sweat sesh. The result was the creation a cardio circuit routine that has since become my go-to workout anytime I can’t get to the gym or simply want a break from it.

    The beautiful thing about circuit training is that you can shorten or extend the length of your workout to suit the time you have available. I recommend starting with 2 rounds of cardio circuit and 1 round of the ab/upper body circuit with 1 minute dedicated to each exercise. However, if you’re short on time feel free to cut out a circuit or to shorten the amount of time spent on each activity. Likewise, if you have a bit more time and you’re up for the challenge go through the circuit an extra time.

    Besides being able to customize this routine to fit into your schedule, another thing I love about this workout is that you can do it pretty much anywhere. No equipment is needed other than a good pair of gym shoes. The cardio bit is based on time not distance so you can reverse direction as many times as needed to fit each workout into the space you have.  The ab/upper body section is intentionally plank-centric as these moves don’t require you to have a soft surface to sit on. If you’ve got access to the outdoors then you should be good to go.

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  • How to Pick the Perfect Running Shoes

    How to Pick the Perfect Running Shoes

    4 Things to Consider When Shopping for Your Next Pair of Sneaks

    Favorite Running Shoes Fall 2014

    I started running when I was thirteen. In those days, a long run maxed out somewhere in the neighborhood of two miles. Literally, somewhere in the neighborhood. When I started high school I joined the cross country team under the counsel of my mom who had warned me that getting involved would be the only way to make friends. My long-runs crept up for two mile sprints to eight mile hauls. Come college I stepped up my game from 5K races to full marathons. It was in the training for 26.2 miles of pavement pounding that I truly felt I could consider myself an expert in the sport.

    As someone who had now been running for over a decade (when did I get so old?), I know that the my shoes can make or break a run. Unlike a new pair of pumps, this is not the time to choose your shoes based on aesthetics. If you truly want to have a great running experience you need to follow the advice you’ve probably heard your mother dish out– look for comfort over all else. 

    Here, to help you pick out the perfect pair, I’m sharing 4 things you should consider when shopping for your next set of running shoes. And just for fun, I’m throwing in a round up of the latest batch of running shoes to hit the shelves because, lets be honest, good advice is easier to follow when served up in style.

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  • Surprise! Those Home Workout DVDs Do Work (ft. P90)

    Surprise! Those Home Workout DVDs Do Work (ft. P90)

    An Experiment in Fitness and Nutrition with P90P90

    Ermahgawd I’m a before and after photo. (Pause for a moment of disbelief).

    When I moved to LA the most valuable thing I packed was an open mind.  I told myself I’d be up for whatever experiences were thrown my way. Auditioning for a reality TV show– check! Dancing in the desert at a musical festival– check! Eating raw food and green juice– check, check! Testing out a new home workout program….hold up. Let’s say I didn’t see that one coming.

    While there were many things I anticipated getting the chance to do, becoming a before and after “model” was not one.  Yet, when the opportunity presented itself, I dove in and stayed true to my commitment to embrace the unexpected. This leads us to the aforementioned picture. A side-by-side comparison of my flawed imperfect normal self put on display next to a ‘New and Improved!’ version.

    Normally sharing these photos would fall outside of the sphere of things I’m willing to do.  Appearing on reality TV fully clothed is one thing. Sharing half-naked pictures of myself a whole other and exponentially frightening endeavor (IMOP). Particularly frightening when one of those photos makes me look like I’ve smoked a pipe of opium and eaten a wedding cake while hibernating in a remote arctic cave. It’s not exactly the selfie I want on display for all the world to see.

    One of the things The Single Diaries has taught me, however, is not to let fear get in the way of opportunity. When these photos were shared with me, I knew there was an opportunity to share the story behind them with you. So what exactly is that story? How did I end up as infomercial material and what does it have to do with you? Let’s start from the beginning.

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  • The Single Diaries Guide to Online Workout Videos

    Four free fitness channels to follow on those busy days

    If you want something done, give it to a busy person. When I left my full-time job, I thought I would have all the time in the world to do everything I wanted to do: read books, soak up some sun, and work out twice a day. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Class times often just didn’t fit into my funemployment schedule. However, I realized that doing 15 minutes of focused activity is enough on days when you just want to move your body. There is a ton out there, so here is your starter kit to free videos that are good enough to add into your weekly routine.

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  • Barre to Brunch, Happy Baby to Happy Hour

    Barre to Brunch, Happy Baby to Happy Hour

    Colleen Viana shows us how to go from Work Out to Work It with 4 easily adaptable outfits

    barre_to_brunch
    One of the biggest dilemmas is whether to work out or to hang out with friends. The answer is: you can do both… with a little creativity. With all the on-the-go beauty products out there to help freshen you up in minutes (dry shampoo, baby wipes, blotting papers), you can go from studio to hotspot-ready quickly. Throw your touch-up products in your gym bag, find inspiration in these fun outfits, and you’re good to go.

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