10 Things That are a Waste of Your Time

 
​Too many moms are wasting their time doing totally unnecessary stuff with their fitness and nutrition. I know it's all with very good intention, so usually it's just a matter of "not knowing". Someone needs to tell them "You're wasting your time! Do this instead!" 
 
I've got your back. I'll be your professional sounding board, your voice of reason to tell you what does and doesn't work. 
 
Wouldn't you want to know if you were doing the wrong stuff? As a mom, I know your time is so precious as it is. Let's optimize your time and make the most of it.
 
 
Ten Time Wasters
Here are ten things you might be doing that are a waste of time:
 
1. Cardio Endless cardio does one good thing: helps your cardiovascular health. But when it comes to building muscle, burning fat, reducing pain and chronic issues, it falls flat.

If you have followed me for any length of time, you know that I'm not a huge fan of cardio. It's such a waste of time for most moms. But guess what? Spending 20 minutes strength training, especially if you move quickly, does improve all those other things AND helps your cardiovascular health. Don't believe me? Try this workout. (Or better yet, go here and train just like me for two weeks. I'll prove to you that you don't need cardio.)

2. Worrying & fretting in front of the mirror. Yes, this is obviously a waste of time, but we do it anyway. Pinching your fat, sucking in your tummy, turning this way and that...none of it helps change your body. It only changes your mindset into one that is discouraged and frustrated. You don't need that, momma. Get ready quickly in the morning and then step away from the mirror. Move on with your day and focus on good behaviors that will actually get you there.
 
3. Being concerned about the details. This will hold you back, big time. If you're worrying about this acai berry verses that one, or whether your dumbbell is the right shape, you will get stuck and miss the big picture. Let me say this: IT PROBABLY DOES NOT MATTER. Get your foundation in place (strength training 2-3 times per week and eating your PRO's with every meal), and then see if you should tweak things a little more. 
 
4. Buying into fancy nutrition trends. Oh good Lord. Don't even get me started. Eat some broccoli or an apple! Bake some chicken breast or have a hard boiled egg! Do not waste your precious money and time on supplements when the foundation of your diet could probably use some TLC. Sure, some of the claims look awfully enticing and impressive, but these can be a dark hole that puts you right back on the diet merry-go-round. Learn how to eat really well first. You'll probably realize that you don't need any of that stuff.
 
5. Workout classes (some of them). Some fitness classes are good, but they're few and far between. Most classes are following a big script that adheres to the brand of whoever created it. They might be fun, sure, but have you ever done a fitness class for two straight months and felt like a new person? They're pretty generic and keep with the trends of the day, asking "what feels fun and keeps people coming?" Instead workouts should always be asking "what actually works and makes a body better?" Not to mention that driving to a class and lugging the kids there and back, takes up more precious time.

Do a workout class if it's fun, but don't let it be the foundation of your training regimen.
 
6. Sit-ups, crunches, V-ups and other “ab” exercises that make you bend in the middle. Your core was made for so much more. In fact, doing a lot of ab exercises like this can wreak havoc on your spine. Your low back, in particular, was not designed to bend repeatedly in this way. A better way to train your core is to work on bracing…holding steady while the rest of your body moves. Planks and variations of these are your best bet for a strong core.

7. Counting & tracking calories. What a time suck. Are you really still looking up how many calories that banana contained? But are you sure it was a medium sized banana and not a large one? Calorie counting is so tedious, and extremely difficult to get it right. When it does work for someone, it’s usually because they were more conscious of what they were putting in their mouth. Or they simply chose foods that were lower in calories like vegetables. What if I told you to just eat vegetables and skip counting altogether? Whew, that’s so much better.

Click here to read more about calorie counting and nutrition labels.
 
8. Training problem spots. You cannot isolate a trouble spot. Your body is so integrated and far more complicated than this. If you have a squishy tummy, doing a million ab exercises is not going to get rid of fat in just that area. Sure, you might build up some abdominal strength, but when you lose fat, your genetics largely determine where it’s going to be pulled from.

You are completely wasting your time if you walk into the gym and pick exercises based on the spots you want to fix. Instead, focus on a total body strength training routine. Get it all strong. And then combine it with good, healthy eating to encourage your overall fat stores to decrease. That’s how it’s done.
 
9. Comparing yourself to others. Oh boy, this is a big one. Similar to fretting and worrying in front of the mirror, comparing your body to someone else’s will get you nowhere. It only brings discouragement and feelings of failure. You are on your own path. Your body is your own. There is not another body that functions and moves exactly how yours does. Get your mind to focus on how strong you can make YOUR body. Put blinders around your eyes so you can’t see what others are doing. Stop wasting time comparing.

​Read more about the comparison trap here. 
 
10. Waiting until the timing is perfect to get started. This is the definition of wasted time, isn’t it? If you’re waiting until you get a better home gym setup, until your wrist feels better, until your kids are in school...you’ll be waiting forever. There will never be a perfect time to start. You live in the real world, with real people and real circumstances. There is always going to be stuff. At some point, you need to just admit that you’re dragging your feet. Get in the game and just start.

What if you had started three months ago? You have no idea where you would be now if you had!
 
Momma, stop wasting your time. I know your time is precious and you certainly don’t want to be spending it on things that don’t matter or don’t work. Get honest with yourself and figure out where you could be making better use of your time.
 
It doesn’t take much to be really fit and healthy! Just be efficient and strategic so you can spend your time doing much more important stuff.

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There is never a better time to start than now, right? The best place to start is with the Strong Mommas Membership.

​This online fitness membership gets rid of any extra junk and gives you only what you need now to be truly strong and fit. Quick workouts that don't take much time. Incredibly simple nutrition guides and meal plans. Support and accountability that meets you right where you're at. 

Click here to find out more. 

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