Planking with Eden | July Self Portrait

Getting exercise has been a higher priority for me the last couple of months. In the summer time I freeze my gym membership so I can do more exercise outdoors when it’s nice! I am the farthest thing from a gym rat, so the quicker and more effective, the better.  I just want to take care of the body God gave me! And with our modern day tendency to sit for everything work AND relaxation related,  it just feels good to move.

Our family doctor recently recommended a workout that he said he especially loves to give to busy, working moms. It’s called the 7 Minute Workout. (You can easily google it or find free apps for it on your phone) It’s a high intensity series of exercises using only your body weight.  It’s hard to talk yourself out of a workout that only takes 7 minutes!!!! And by the time you’re finished with one circuit, you feel like you’ve really accomplished something. Your heart rate is definitely elevated and you’ve just broken a sweat. Studies show it has many of the same benefits as longer, lower intensity workouts and for me it’s been a great supplement to daily walking/running.  If you’re feeling ambitious, you could even stack the 7 min. circuits on top of each other and go for 14 or even 21 minutes.

Eden, my 3 year old, has taken a special liking to my 7 minute workouts. When I open the app on my phone and get it going, she runs to the living room to join me. Her versions of each exercise are super entertaining. To make it fun, we’ve adopted various games about some of the exercises. High Knees Running in Place? Well, that’s when we run from the monsters.

Eden has been especially frustrated with planking, though. She can’t figure it out. Either she does more of a downward dog yoga pose or her belly is dropping and she’s up on her wrists… it’s just a mess.

Whatever the case, we have a lot of fun. When we’re done, I lie on the floor gasping for air trying to collect my wits while she cheerfully hops away to her next activity. No sweat on her end.  I comfort myself with the fact that my plank probably had much better form.

Oh, and P.S. I cut my hair! Chin length is feeling very fresh and breezy this summer!

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This is the continuation of my monthly self portrait series.
See other posts from the series here!