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[...] See the rest here: Procrastination and Fitness — How to Beat “I’ll Do it Tomorrow…” [...]

I started thinking beyond the ‘shallow’ reasons for working out, like loosing weight. Once I began thinking of how I could really improve my health and literally track the changes through increased running speed and times, increased energy and all around higher productivity for all my goals, it is a no brainer! I get up every morning at 5am to train my MIND and I can’t believe how quickly I am seeing the results on my body! Thank you for being the catalyst!

I am myself sometimes a big procrastinatior.
In my opinion, there is only one thing that works the best- you need to convince yourself first that what you need to do is the most important thing at the moment. Once you realize that ,the productivity goes through the roof.
Another idea is to keep yourself busy all the time by making a plan for the day and forcefully sticking to it.After completion reward yourself with 2-3 hours of guilt-free-doing-nothing.
It is hard in the beginning, but it is the same as doing daily workouts: the more you do it, the easier it gets.

As a nursing student I’ve had to work at hospitals and take care of sick people. A lot of these people are sick as a result of an unhealthy life style and some are not. As I’m being exposed more and more to the medical field, I realize more and more everyday how important it is to take care of yourself. I’m so lucky to be able to things with my body that some people so desperatly wish they could do. I wake up each morning and I try to think about how blessed I am to have a heart that beats well, lungs that efficiently take in precious oxygen and two legs and two arms that have full range of motion. We’re given only one body in life; we should take care of it now before it’s too late.

My best strategies are looking at the Victorias Secret Models then comparing myself to them which makes me stay motivated until i get to my goal!

I have never truely been in shape, even when I was a police officer from age 21-24, my parents helped me develop an unsafe mindset about my body and health, being in 3rd grade and being afraid of being “fat,” never wearing a bathing suit, always wearing sweaters even int he 100 degree heat. I understand the effect people have on our lives. That continued until I was…..about 20 years old. At 21, I worked out to get into some shape, still ate terrible and worked out weekly to get into the academy for about a year. I had not motivation, I just had to do it to get in. Then I stopped working out,from age 22 until 25. I got suspended from work in July 2009, I was 25 yrs old, 5’6, 203 pounds. I was 160 pounds when I as in the academy. I started to loose weight, a few pounds a month, not eating, being stressed about possibly being fired. I thought about not eatting exceot for about once a day and for a few months ill loose weight….again, going back to what my parents taught me. Then I saw this woman working out, yes Mrs Zuzanna, and I just watched at first. I felt that I wanted to do the workouts, but I wasnt going to do it yet. I began to educate myself on FITNESS and DIET, which sadly, most people are not taught or care to even do. This has helped me greatly, i am eatting cleaner, started in Feb 2010 and now I am ready to being working out, started last friday. Procrastination is not prioritizing what is important, tv and magazines tell us other things are important, and sadly people listen to bad advice, hear-say and rumors more than being proactive with their own fitness, diet and lives. Prioritize yourself, I finally did. I got sick of allowing outsides influences, factors to control my life, I knew to be finally content you must live your life to the best of your ability. We are all going to die one day, we never think about it, but we will. Live your life not “wishing” you had taken better care of yourself. Excuses, ignorance and absolute laziness are what kill us.

Mindset and changing our behavior is the key, hard hard hard work! The working out is easy after you change your behavior and mindset. When did something easy feel so good and self fulfilling?

Some of the best ways I keep myself exersizing are:

Scheduling an exersize time
Setting aside a specific place to exercize
Reminding myself how good I feel when I am done

Scheduling a time is a huge help for me. The clock chimes X hour and I say, well, time to do my workout! Once I am in this habit I rarely skip a workout. Only when unexpected events (staying out in town late, feeling sick, working extra) keep me from my schedule do I notice a slow or stop in my exercize routine.

Setting aside a specific place also helps me. I used to just exercise wherever I could find. Now I have a specific spot in a guest room where I do my workouts every time. Walking by this room each day reminds me of my workout, I can’t be in the house and not notice the equipment or the photos of fit people on the wall. It is my motivation room.

Reminding yourself of how incredible it feels when you are finished with your workout can be a great way to get yourself pumped to keep going. Some days I can hear the timer go off for my scheduled workout, I can stand in my motivation room surrounded by fit inspiration, and I still feel too down or too pooped to start up my routine. Just imagining yesterday and how great it felt to have finished a workout is a good boost. Remember how warm your muscles felt, and how easy your breath came. Remember the energy in your step the rest of the day and remember the general good feeling of it all! (Who doesn’t love endorphins!)

I have to admit there are still days where I can do all 3 of these and STILL convince myself to skip my workout. Discipline is a big problem for me still, but I know what to work on and only I can change that =)

I have never been a morning person and I have been known to wait to wake up at the last possibly second to start my day. This changed, however, when I got hooked on your site a couple weeks ago. The very first workout I saw was the 550 rep workout (still one of my favorites!) and at the beginning you talk about how beneficial it is to do your workouts early in the morning. I didn’t really know how this would work for me but I gave it a shot and it has worked wonders! One of the biggest reasons that I put off working out was because after class all morning and work all afternoon was that it was just such a PAIN to leave work, go to the gym, change my clothes, take an hour to workout, come home, shower, and THEN get to my homework. I also didn’t like the idea of getting up in the morning to go to the gym and then having to come back home to shower and then back to class. Now I wake up an hour earlier (it’s really easy now that I’ve gotten used to it) and I can have my workout done without leaving my apartment and I don’t lose any time out of my day.

So, my secret to put off procrastination is you! I can’t make excuses for only twenty minutes and it just makes me feel so much better throughout the day to know that I’ve already accomplished something good for myself. It’s also a great motivator to eat well when I start my day off on the right foot.

first off, i need to tell you guys that you are amazing and have changed my life like crazy. Before i found this site, i would have good weeks, and bad weeks fitness wise. Sometimes i would get on a role of not missing my workouts and controlling how much food i ate, but on the other hand, i would get stuck in ruts and continuously make bad choices, skip my workouts and really binge eat. I used to have a really big problem with food. It wasn’t even junk food, just regular even healthy food. i would just keep going back for more. I would eat so much around dinner time that i was too full to do my workout, and munching on walnuts and raisins while watching TV was so much more compelling than going down into my freezing basement to lift weights and workout. Don’t get me wrong, I always maintained about the same weight, 130 lbs., but i think the weeks i would lose a little weight, my body would try to gain it back the next. Our bodies have a survival mechanism that wants us to stay at our set point weight. It is very hard to beat your subconcious, especially when you don’t know its at work.

Anyway, so about a month ago, i found your site. I was a little skeptical at first and these body weight workouts looked so easy on the computer. I didn’t think it was possible to get in the kind of shape Zuzana was just by doing these. But boy, was i proved wrong. The more i followed the site, the more and more i got to know you guys. The first workout i did really kicked my butt and as i felt myself getting stronger as the days progressed, i realized how effective this type of exercise was. This was about a month ago, around the new year. I read your article about the power of metrics, and bought myself a journal. Its crazy because in that article, it says something about the magic number being 5, and after you go that many days its harder to stop than it is to workout. So i recorded all my workouts and times, and even what i ate in the journal. I really pushed myself to get those 5 workouts in a row in each day, i told myself over and over that this was going to be the hardest part.

And amazingly, it worked. I believe the journal is what keeps me on track, and of course, these amazing workouts that you share with us each day. The next thing i had to attack was my eating habits. I read a lot of your articles on diet and realized i had to slow down and enjoy my food. Before i was shoving as much food in my face as possible and enjoying it that way. I started writing after i binged, i wrote everything. How it started, what emotions led to this, and how i felt after. i realized that it was such a primitive, empty desire. I gained more and more control as i realized just how compulsive eating was making me feel about myself.

Today, I am so much better. I am eating small portions and the key for me is putting everything i am going to eat on a plate and setting the table before i put any in my mouth. before i begin, I take a second and am thankful for the food i have. I remember i am eating to benefit my body, and i will enjoy this small portion more than i could the huge amounts i was eating before. I kno i will feel good about my choices in the long run and it is all worth it.

Thank you so much for these daily workouts, i don’t know where i would be without you. I see my body changing, my muscles are so much more defined and my abs are looking more like yours every day =D You are such a motivation

i excercise even on days i dont want to because i tell myself how good im going to feel afterwards

well I remember that I used to be a BIG procrastinator, but idk I mightve had an epiphany when one day I realized that if I do what I was meant to do that day than I would just be happier tht I accomplished something. Because if you look at it as ‘wow, if I wasn’t worrying about what I needed to do it wouldve already been done!’, then you just push urself to do it. I think that I had the biggest problem with cleaning my house, but then when you sit around all day than when you’re about to go to bed you are just ashamed that you were lazy. So even if ur not in the mood to do anything, just start off slow and get moving around the house for awhile, and then after an hour or so just remind urself what ur goal was for the day, and then go do it! Once it’s finished you will feel more relaxed, less stress that you don’t have a burden hanging over your head, and enjoy the rest of your day. Hope this helps all of you put-off-the-work’ers, because it really helped me. And don’t forget to stay positive! Because negative thoughts just are just promoting you to continue being a slacker! :)

d.

Hey Fredrick/Zuzana

First I love this site…
Now on procrastination, There are two types of people, ones that go TOWARDS a goal and ones that go AWAY from pain/discomfort
I think procrastinators (me) tend to be the latter. how can I (we) get to the “Towards” mindset?
Oscar

I am 33. I have been a massage therapist for over eight years. I’ve worked out since I was 15. There are two things in my life that slow me down when it comes to my work outs:
1. Work (My job is physical and when I have 6 massages in a day, all I want to do is stretch) If I workout before work, I feel that I used all my energy on my workout and I’m fatigued or sore when I give massages.
2. Injuries. 2 yrs ago I fell hard on my back side when I slipped on black ice on my drive way. I have recovered but I have good days/weeks & bad days/weeks. This injury effects my workouts. Some days I can do Zuzana’s workouts and feel great afterward and other days I feel my old injury acting up. Sometimes its bad enough that I can only work out once a week. My diet is good so I keep the weight off but I love working out so it frustrates me.
When I was younger, I recovered quicker from my workouts and never really felt aches & pains. That is no longer the case. I have to listen to my body, stretch, get enough sleep, eat right and trigger point my muscles on a daily basis just to feel good. I feel very high maintenance but I’d rather be high maintenance and feel good than do nothing at all and fall apart! ha ha
Thanks for listening! :)

I fight procrastination by keeping a list of low intensity exercises and stretches as a back up to my regular workouts. On days when I am tired, overtrained or short on time, I can pick from this list and get a short workout in. It’s very easy when I have the list already made up, so there is no thinking about; what should I do, what equipment do I need. I just grab the list and get the job done. I usually feel better 5 minutes into it and end up getting a great workout anyway. At the very least, it’s motivating to know I did something to maintain my fitness that day and I reward myself for staying in track!

Hi guys,

I’m currently in between jobs and have much more time on my hands, alas working out on a daily basis. Their is obviously a point where I do get tired and procastinate putting off the workouts but I certainly don’t do it for the “should”, i say to myself, you are doing this for you, and thats that. I never really followed a routine until I found this site and you guys really gave me some true insight on the many topics here. Anyways, do it for yourself, Zuzana says this many times :) Dream about your physical appearance, make it happen!

Honestly the reason why i try to beat procrastination, this is going to be in your broad sense probably, but i suffer from rheumatoid arthritis and if i do not workout and if i cheat my body out of the proper nutrition i am down for at least 3-6wks. I do it because I do not like pain!!

Hiii it’s me again Zuzana. Remember the one who said you remind me of Heidi Klum. Ok I’ve been dieting for about two months now maybe alittle less and here is my routine. For the beginning maybe one week I would eat a grilled chicken breast for like lunch and dinner with veggies or lettuce leaves. After one week I started using whole wheat pita and lean turkey burger a day on 1 whole wheat pita. I worked out acouple of times on the bike but not too much. In the morning I’d have like 17 almonds alot of the time one apple also and just water. Then later I’d have 1 turkey burger on whole wheat a day chicken breast. Then after that on the seventh of this very month i weighed 188.4 pounds. Now I checked and yesterday it said 184.3 then today I looked and it said 183.8 I can’t explain this. I hope this is not Low Carb Atkins because I’ve been eating whole wheat and for two weeks did half a whole wheat pita a day with half turkey burger. Maybe it was because for two weeks in the morning I’d take one plastic spoon of honey and fill a plastic cup with mineral water sometimes with lime juice. What is going on???? I’m worried! I don’t think it’s the scale. And I had a “cheat” week because I had exams. Please tell me! You guys motivate me with my diet. Zuzana you inspire me when you workout because I know if you can do it so can I. My biggest motivation was I want a new body. I’m 20 years old and I feel like I don’t want to wait till I’m 30 to have this gift of a nice body. I feel like being fit and healthy is one of the best things I could do in my age. I don’t wanna wait till I’m in my 30′s or 40′s and not experience what I want to experience you know!

Hi Fred & Zuzana :)

It’s almost as if I knew this article was coming to BodyRock tv! I have been trying to beat my “I’ll do it tomorrow” excuses for working out for a really long time now! I have not worked out all week because I’ve had busy days and I keep slacking off due to the fatigue I’ve been experiencing. I try to think of how badly I want the body of my dreams, and I know it is possible. My diet has been pretty decent, I gave into my once-every-few-months treat of ice cream tonight, but now I feel like crap.
Any personal tips on staying motivated? Zuzana, you are truly my hero! Looking at aaaaaaall those videos, you oughta be very proud of yourself for what you’ve created. I wish I could have such motivation. I’ve gotten as far as I have because of your inspiration (which is a miracle) now, I’d really love & appreciate it if I could get some tips on how to just beat this small doubt in the back of my mind! Please help!

Thank you so much if you could,
Little Bri.

Hello,

How i stay motivated. I have an after workout journal.
I write how i feel, what i’m thinking and what i think i can do better.

This is what i wrote yesterday:

***February 23,10 wow that kicked ass…sooooooooooo hard but I’m very proud
I did it. I feel good sore but good. Keep on moving my ass everyday and it’s bound to pay off.

An announcer for the olympics said that one of the speed skaters just didn’t have enough heart.
WELL IM ALL HEART LETS DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
40 MINUTES
650 CALS
180 HRT

I also keep track of days that i skip a work out or eat a on of junk food. I always write how i feel.

sick, tired.. guilty for not doing it. wishing i would have just done it. I feel like the weight is creeping right back.

So i use these journals and weekly photos to help me stay motivated. I have photos of weeks that i ddint workout and what a motivation to see yourself getting more out of shape. creepy it normally just sneaks up on you. not if your taking pictures.

so thats how i do it. day in and day out. i work 10 hour days and get up at 5am to go to work and i still manage to fit in at least 40min of excercise 6 days a week.

I guess the journal helps me remember that if i skip the workout ill feel like poop but if i can just make it through the first 10 min i feel great!

thanks
love your site…i watch your videos for motivation as well. one hard day i was going to skip it, watched your video and you actually told us not to skip it…so i did it;) thanks for that

Being a perfectionist about fitness. That’s me!! I spend more time reading about exercise than actually exercising! My goals are to become lean by making my lifestyle very active. I just began running and doing Zuzanna’s exercises a few months ago. So I find myself reading about stretching, specific exercises for running, fat loss,etc. I have to stop myself and say, ok this information is helpful but I have to put it into action before it will do any good. I think the best thing to do is to stop thinking about it and just get up and start moving. Also it helps to think about how good I feel after I exercise.

I find that having a really good inspiration (like this site!) is the best way to beat procrastination. Just reminding myself that other people can find the time makes it easier. Have to keep an eye on the prize, just taking 30 minutes to work out is so rewarding and brings you so much closer to your goals.

Hey Guys,

Procrastination is something I struggle with often. Working full-time and trying to finish grad school keeps me pretty busy. I often feel guilty because when I do have some free time, I feel torn between working out and working on class work. Sometimes it gets so bad I waste hours debating this issue in my head. Should I work out now or later after my work is done? It gets ridiculous and I end up doing nothing but making myself frustrated. I’ve also spent over half my life in the gym, so it does get old and trying to find creative ways to keep me motivated gets difficult.

These are some of the strategies that have helped keep me motivated so I don’t want to procrastinate.

Routines are a must. Working out in the morning helps to set the day right. If I’ve accomplished that, then the rest of the day seems to go much easier and I have no worries. I remind myself of that often.

Set goals for myself like running a half-marathon where there is a definite period of time I have to train. This means no messing around and skipping workouts if I want to accomplish it. Since my races are usually in another state, I also use the trip as reward for the hard work.

I took up a new sport, soccer which I love, in the last year. I had never played before, but always wanted to. I joined an adult league and have games weekly. It’s amazing how quickly time goes by. Since it’s a team sport, I’m not just committed to myself but to others as well.

Even when I don’t feel like working out, I’ll still make myself do something. Sometimes the act of doing something, even if it’s half-assed, is enough to get me in the mood. I have often found some of my best workouts come during those times when I didn’t want to do anything.

Good music that makes you want to move is a must.

Of course, Zuzana’s workouts are creative, incredibly intense, and short. They require more energy and mental concentration than anything else I do. I love the challenge.

Hope these are insightful. Thanks for allowing me to share.

Sheila

One of the best strategies I’ve found is to picture myself this summer with no improvement in the way my body looks or in my strength. I’ve talked to friends and family about the new types of workouts I’ve been doing for the past few months (all from bodyrock) and how GREAT they are but if I see no more improvement by the time summer comes I’m not going to be too happy with myself.

I think of this same thing when I’m tempted to crave sweets and junk food. Is this really the fuel I want in my body for my next workout? Is it going to help me improve or hurt my improvement? This seems really obvious but it’s sometimes doesn’t come to mind.

Every night I plan when I’m going to workout and what workout I’ll be doing then I set aside everything i need- gymboss timer, ipod, jumprope, sneakers, clothes and then the next day it’s much harder to make excuses.

By the way my 3o day challenge is going pretty good! I’ve also had some bad cravings but I’ve fought them off by drinking tea with a tiny bit of honey :) yum

Hey!
Great topic!!
I often download new music and put it on a ‘workout playlist’ to keep me motivated. I love to listen to music and I get to listen to it when I workout, so I look forward to working out so that I can listen to the music. I also go out and buy new things like clothes to work out in. That way I have a reason to be excited to workout. I like to wear pretty clothes and if I dedicate a certain outfit for working out, then I am more motivated to workout so that I can wear it. And last but not least, I keep a calendar and an agenda and I fill it with the workouts that I accomplish, and I pasted photos that inspire me on it. I look at this calendar daily, and the only empty spaces are days that I did not workout, it makes me want to workout and put some writing or sticker on the day so that at the end of the month I can see that I worked out more than I took days off and I can be proud of that. =)

Sorry for the long message, Haha I get motivated easily I suppose XD

–Megan K

Just like I plan appointments, meetings, and get togethers with friends I plan work out/me time. It’s a lot easier to miss a work out if you aren’t actually making time for it in your day.
We tend to put everything else as a priority in life but rarely do we put our own health first. Remembering the feeling of how great I feel after a nice work out and relaxing stretch helps get me off my booty.

-Ashley

I remember reading somewhere that it takes 21 repetitions of an action to make it a habit–so when restarting my exercise routine, i thought about that–committing to 21 days…then, i wrote down every day on a calendar and watched the X marks adding up–then–at the end of the 21 days i rewarded myself in a non-food way for my hard work–at that point–i told myself–i LOVE ME–and now i have this HABIT and i have to do this–its NOT a question–its a habit–and i talked myself into REALLY believing that i had this exercise habit–which is the same as breathing…I have a set number of days i do strength training–but i know that if i do some form of movement or intervals on the other days–i can slide the strength training if i need to–this gives me a tiny bit of wiggle room–and i have also changed my definition of what a WORK OUT is to include fun things like dancing with my kids, walking the dog–riding bikes with the family–i still include intervals in these activities and make sure my heart rate gets up there–and i also stretch and warm up–nine times out of ten–if i start something fun like dancing with my kids–once i get into the swing of it–i find myself doing one of zuzanas workouts as well! Best of luck everyone getting off your butts!!!

I have an hour lunch break 5 days a week. Instead of sitting around the lunch room I head to the empty racquetball court down hall and take on one of Zuzanna’s fitness challenges. My employment offers me use of the facility and the hour break is scheduled so why not take advantage of the “free” time. I have been following this routine since December 7, 2009 and only missed a few workouts and the proof is logged in my fitness journal.
This new lifestyle is who I am, fitness any where, any day, any time; it’s just me, my hot pink gymboss, and my speed rope.
Why do I workout? Exercising makes me uncomfortable and just enough to remind me that I am alive.

Hi,
I’ve been working out EVERY day:) for 3 weeks and 2 days now and I’m usually the type “I do it tomorrow” and I had never a workout before what kept me doing it everyday. So when I think about “should I or maybe tomorrow?” I think about my motivation and reasons why I’m doing this and thats enough for me to slip im my workout dress and just do it:) its also the short time of the workouts and the feeling what I have after working out. Sometimes I’m proud, sometimes I’m just relieved…

Agree-its really easy to ‘put it off until tomorrow’….but the Nike ad has the very best motivational slogan: “JUST DO IT!”. You make your own barriers in your head, can come with a million excuses, put it off-but I find, if you don’t think about it, make it a prerequisite of your day, like breakfast, like having a shower and putting your makeup on (also a chore~!) you will not make excuses.

The other thing that Zuzanna has mentioned that I find works for me is to treat yourself on your goals. After a run, I love to jump in the ocean for a swim-it soothes the muscles, cools and relaxes. No beach until after a run! But there are so many ways to ‘treat’ yourself which is an important part of staying motivated: it may be your favourite smoothie you make yourself for breakfast after your morning workout, or, like Zuzanna, a piece of jewelery after a month long goal has been reached. This is what keeps me motivated, besides being happy to look in the mirror, seeing results and feeling great and healthy!

I find it best to start with short term, small goals. Such as: I am going to go to the gym every day this week and use a work out machine (or two) for 20 to 30 minutes.

Then, once I start attaining my goal, I realize how much better I feel when I work out and it helps motivate me to continue. Any time I fall out of schedule, I like to do this.

I use to not go cause I felt like crap then I would just feel worse for not going. I had every excuse not to go…when i was first starting out. I didn’t want to workout before work, or it would wear me out for my shift, and then after work i was too tired, or not enough time etc. So I just told myself one magical day, to Go! no matter what the excuse is. If after a week, I still couldn’t hack it, then I could quit. A couple weeks into my enforcement, I realized I no longer had that voice in my head making up those silly excuses. I had to go, cause I craved the Good feeling working out gave me. 2 years later and 80lbs lighter, I have to enforce the ‘days off’ from working out! LOL!

One “strategy” I apply to almost every aspect of my life that I tend to procrastinate is the idea of “Do it just for today”

Sometimes when we make a 30 day plan or a decision to do something it might get overwhelming. Like the no-sugar/no-junkfood challenge. For the past year(maybe more) I used to eat a small piece of chocolate every day after launch. I didn’t think it mattered because I was eating healthy the rest of the day and I was working out regularly. Also 2-3 times a month I would order junk food at night. So when I started last week with Zuzana’s challenge, the 30 days looked so long, so I focused on the first day. So I said to myself “Ok could you not eat sugar and junk food just for today?” – I answered yes, because anyone can do it just for today. And the next day I asked the same question. The 3rd day I didn’t have to – I just didn’t ate sugar or junk food. Some time in the next 30 days I might have an urge to eat a chocolate, so I’ll ask myself again the same thing.

Before all this though, I knew WHY I wanted to take on this challenge. Without the why I don’t think I would make it.

Another thing is that I announced it to all the people around me. “Hey, I took on a challenge not to eat sugar for the next 30 days. So I won’t be eating anything sweet.” This is what I did and continue to do with exercise. I tell everyone that I am working out daily. That alone makes me wanna workout because I am a man of my word ;-)

And finally the best award is not the health or fitness benefits from all this. For me its the self-confidence and the pride that I get by accomplishing one more goal – and then one more – and then one more.

Theodore from Greece
PS: Sorry for the long reply

Good Morning-here it’s early and I just got up!
So my best strategy on keeping up doing my sports was to get a trainer by myself!So there was no reason anymore for procrastination cause I had to go.OK there was some times when you really would prefer to stay at home on the couch instead off treating your and others bodies but 90 off 100 % I am really lucky afterwards that I did sport,even before it I didn’t feel like it.Ok while I do a class I can not train myself but I do a little bit also but the most important thing is that I want to stay in shape cause I stand in front of a lot of people and I want to be in good shape then! :-)

One of the main reasons why I work out is because it is the only thing that makes me feel “great”. I’ll elaborate…..I have been struggling with panic attacks and the associated anxiety for the past half a year. I have tried therapy, and numerous medications. However the most effective thing for combatting this anxiety is exercise! If exercising can take away my horrible anxiety, think of what adaquate exercise could do for somebody that does not have issues with anxiety! I bet that if I was exercising more frequently I wouldn’t have had that initial panic attack that led me here in the first place….

Great topic! I’m just recovering from pneumonia and tummy flu (YEAH!) and am finding it really difficult to get back into gear again. You two (and your dogs) are almost too entertaining, meaning I can sit and watch your videos and read the blog then go to bed or catch up on Facebook or something that is NOT working out! I teach a dance class 3 days a week, so I am moving, but I definitely want to take it next level. There are so many excuses, however 20-30 minutes out of my day is nothing. I think writing my workout time into my schedule would be helpful as would committing to a set time of day. Eliminate the “but”‘s and just do it!
Laura

I have a plan for a week, that I stick. I made it really small – everyday workout for 15min. – it is easy to say to myself – just 15min. you can do it… Then, when I start – it is always half an hour or 45min. – at the end… That is how I bypass my resistence or laizyness…

When I have a lot of different things to do,I usually make a schedule for the day, so that I can be sure I can totally focus on that one thing, for say, 3 hours. Right now Im writing my thesis + I have 3 exams and a schedule is the best. I usually then adapt my work-outs to my breaks. Knowing that I have the discipline to work out every day gives me strength to do the rest I need to do!

Yesterday I didnt work out because I realised it too late and after I’d eaten a big meal. This is the first time in 3 weeks I “cheat” :/ I think I need to eat on tiny plates from now on.. And today I’ll work out twice instead..

What helped me in beating procrastination is switching from gym to home training.

Plus there’s what I called the “click factor”. I clicked, I don’t know why, but I switched from “not working out is an option” to “not working out is NOT an option”. In the last few months I even feel I’m kind of addicted to working out which I don’t like either :)

Cheers
Pikmin

Hey Frederick and Zuzana.
Why do I not hesitate woking out every day? Cause, If I miss my workout, that day is ruined for me. I have a feeling that I am one lazy and fat ass who do not deserve anything. I am just trying to be a better person. And that exercisie effort is minimal I can do…and even If I remind myself how damn lucky I am to be healthy, to even be able to move and go through all that exercises. I am so lucky! And to get that feeling afterwards, as a reward. And great body as a side effect.
Also, it helps so much with all kind of depressions. When there is dark outside, winter…nothing better than mood lift with exercising! I feel alive again. To be able to breathe air and enjoy every moment of it. It is just priceless.

To use our bodies is a privileges not everyone have…we should be grateful for that, it is the best joy of our phisical lives! (and helps also mentally, of course.)

Thank you guys, you are awsome, keep it up,

best,

Tina

I loved this article and I’m looking forward to seeing future related articles. I usually keep up with my fitness plan by doing it first thing when I get home from school. Because grade 11 is an important year for high school for getting into college, I didn’t have time to join school sports teams since they consume so much of my time. But with the help of Zuzana’s short workouts that are divided into sections, it really helps and motivates me. Another factor is when you guys take the time to record a few videos of the whole workout. That way, I have more determination and motivation to do a workout, knowing that someone is right beside me, doing the same thing.

I am a firm believer of “just do it”. I wake up, get a tall glass of water and get down to business (read exercising). That way, I do not have an excuse later in the day when I am feeling too tired to fire up the intensity.

When summer is coming up, I tend to do two of Zuzana’s workouts per day for a period of 4 weeks. I get really cut and the fun thing is once you take a short break, you allow the body to rest and you end up looking even better ;-)

Right now I am just an observer. For some reason this cold has got me big time. I has been ages since I was this run down.Stuffed up nose, throat,sore body and crazy headache. The joys of being a human.

So I am not exercising at all (the pounding headache wouldn’t let me anyway) and am watching with increasing jealousy as everybody does the new workouts and posts their results.

Why do you Exercise?
Well on this question i will say first-to be healthy,to have a nice body,to look more yonger,to quit of the stress.That´s enough for me:)

What’s finally worked for me:

1) I took the advice on metrics you gave a while back and that’s really helped me. Once I made the blog I was committed in my head because it would have been impossible to ignore if I hadn’t started – and kept – working out. It keeps me accountable to myself.

2) It doesn’t work for me to follow a “program” because if you don’t have enough time one day, or you just completely miss a day, the whole thing is blown in my head and the subsequent workouts aren’t as important because I’m already technically off the program. Instead, I know I will work out daily, and that can mean Zuzana’s workout, spin class, running, swimming, weight training, or any other variety of physical activity. I don’t even have designated rest days because it works better for me to listen to my body. I don’t force myself to have an off day because sometimes that just throws me off pace – and sometimes I might need two in a week because I’m that beat or busy. Flexibility along with the accountability makes it work.

3) I don’t know if there is a tip that will help solve this because I don’t really even know how it clicked in my head, but – I’ve always “known” that every little bit counts and that what you do consistently is what matters – but somehow that always equated to exactly the opposite of what I should be doing. “Since it’s the habit that matters, I can work out tomorrow; today’s not a big deal by itself.” I finally got it right in my head that EVERY day, including today, matters. If I don’t find time today to push myself, then I won’t tomorrow or the next day either. I don’t know how that happened, or how to encourage other people to make it happen for themselves, but it made all the difference in my perspective and attitude and actual habits.

4) Visualize. Some days I don’t feel like working out. This website has helped me simply because of all the pictures of Zuzana. :) I can trick myself into thinking that just because I look more fit than the majority of people I see every day, I’m doing pretty good. But when I see Zuzana and I look at myself in the mirror and see that HUGE difference in body composition, I know what I have to work for, and it motivates me to get that workout in. –and I do realize that this specific example might be the exact opposite for some people – discouraging rather than motivating because of how far they might have to go, but it works REALLY well for me.

Attitude is what is necessary to go with any workout program, or results will not follow. How exactly to get that attitude, I don’t know – but all of the above combined is what helped me. Accountability, flexibility, mentality, visualization.

Great comment!

Hi Zuzana and Frederick,

My procrastination name is menstruation.

When I have the menstruation I can’t workout correctly those 5 days. I feel weak, lazy and starving. I’m able to eat all my kitchen food storage in one minute. I don’t know if it’s a psychological or physiological reason.

But it’s so hard for me to keep the workout and diet routine.

Those days I try to be relaxed about doing sport. I don’t want to feel guilty about not doing sport for several days and doing less sport after the menstruation time.

Then, I do just 5 o 6 minute of sport by day, and I like to think that my muscle’s memories will maintain the strength and quality that I get before. So, I begin again step by step every single month like a novice.

But I have to say that for me it’s the best way to do sport. I feel terrible pain that days and I’m not able to do anything. I feel that I win the battle to the menstruation because I’m now stronger and I never stop completely like I used to do long time ago. Also I maintain my size even if I eat a little more those ugly days.

Thanks guys! Sorry for my English.

Good Day Zuzana and Frederick -
I think about all the negative comments that have been or are made to me and think to myself I am going to workout my frustration – that motivates me.
I know that it sounds weird but I take that negative thing and turn it around and make it a positive for me.
It is one way I get through procrastination.
Jolie

When I found this website I was really amazed with how great you look! :) I watched alot of your exercises and found that so many of them only takes like 20-30 minutes to do. With your warm up routine and some stretching after, it all takes about an hour.
So! When the kids have been put to bed I now (since 10:th of january) find it really rewarding to chose between all of these great workouts that you have made and breaking some really nice sweat.
This is my new choise in life. Instead of sitting on my ass for an hour eating icecream and just getting fatter! My body has responded reeeeeeeally well to the workouts and it is so much fun to just keep on working out! :) My first goal is to look really hot when we go to Cannes in september! My second goal is to be in my best shape ever when I turn 40 in a few years. :) I think that I am going to make it too! :)
So thank U a million for doing such great work with this website and the inspiration you give to so many people worldwide!

I decided to make a gift to myself for my 30th Bday and this was to start eating breakfast [huge difference in my lifestyle] and working out as often as i feel like [it is almost on a daily basis but sounds better when stated this way!]. The feeling you get after a great workout cannot be explained with words…

Absolutely “click factor.” If someone could figure out how to make it click for everyone they would be a very rich motivational speaker.

I’m a terrible procrastinator. I’ve only been working out seriously for a couple of years and I’ve learned quite a bit on how my lazy brain works. If I even give myself one day off then the lazy thoughts start getting louder “I can to it later”, “I don’t really feel like it”, or “I’ll workout even harder tomorrow”, etc.

So for me, the best way to combat those negative thoughts is through routine. I workout every morning without fail. If for some reason I don’t have enough time, or not feeling like doing a big long workout, I have a backup workout ready that only takes 10-15 minutes so that I can at least say I did ‘something’.

It’s been working great for me ever since.

People always ask me why I run? Why I work out period? My answer is simple. BECAUSE I CAN…..

I spend my days with patients who cannot run. I still can, so I will.

I spend my days with patients who should excercise to improve their health. It does not have to be olympic quality just consistent, consistent, consistent.

So why? Because I can…

Plan Plan Plan! I make sure that I schedule the workouts into my day as I would a meeting or doctor’s appointment. I haven’t missed a workout in SO long and actually look forward to the time I have put aside. I prefer to work out in the morning (ie 5:30am) and find that it gives me so much energy throughout the day and keeps my head clear of clutter.
This morning was a great Zuzana workout- thank you!

Cheers,
Jenn

I have been going through exactly the same thing for the last 3 years and exercise makes such a huge difference. It gets rid of the excess adrenaline that you get with the attacks. I have recently been working too hard and allowed my regime to slip totally and noticed the anxiety is now daily. Too much sugar also brings it on! This site is givng me the motivation and inspiration to get off my ass and get back to it, even if its just 10 minutes a day.

I read an article about Barack Obama in Men’s Health a few months ago, which stated that he makes time to workout every day. The article said: “The next time you think you’re too busy to train, tell yourself ‘I’m busier than the President of the United States’”.

I totally agree with everything Kathryn said ;-) Same here!

I’ve been led to daily workouts for by many factors: my parents taught us not to “be lazy”, friends, promises (to myself and others), goals, my dogs (they give me “that look” when I don’t get them out for a run), stress, you name it.

There are patterns to it, however. I have always exercised first thing in the morning. That keeps me from being distracted by the infinite reasons not to. The earlier the better (before the protesting brain is awake). I watch for sunrise (my breakfast table faces east) and try to finish before it rises and blinds me, so first light is my warning to get moving. The sun has not failed me yet ;)

I used to plan what I would do, but now I leave it to chance and how my body (not my brain) feels once I get going. Running is easiest because I just go out the door and start. Yoga means I have to work around somebody else’s schedule (recipe for eventual failure), so now I throw in my own stretch and mini yoga routine before bed (no excuses there, and it keeps me from porking out at dinner). Surfing is absolutely the best because the ocean dictates the experience from sunbathing on a board to near death experiences and it is all FUN and challenging. I love bodyrock because, once again, I don’t have to plan anything. I like to be surprised by the experience so it always feels “new”. That’s what I look forward to.

What has worked the most consistently for me over the years is a solo activity that requires minimal/no equipment and fast, high returns in health/fitness. That has been my approach for 35 years (I am 52 now). It has worked for both very successful competing and routine fitness. Zuzana captures that approach…and IT WORKS!!!

And, once it’s all over I have earned my
(cold) shower and am refreshed, relaxed, clear minded, and feel great to enjoy whatever the day brings me!
And now the sun is starting to make light over the mountains so it’s time to make a move!

I have always envied those who could just roll out of bed and into their workouts, but never been able to do that. Maybe some day!

So things I tell myself to get it done:

I remind myself that I’m healthy and young and that my body was meant to MOVE not just sit 8 hours at the office then go home and sit on the couch. I remind myself I am fortunate enough to be able to move my body as there are others who may be too sick to do so.

Working out to me is showing you are grateful for the body you were given. It’s strong and its abilities are amazing.

If I can spend 8 hours a day, 5 days a week working for my financial well being, the least I can do is devote 30 minutes to an hour each day to my health and physical well being. There are plenty of days I don’t feel like going to work but I still go. I know I just need to get it done and I think of working out the same way. Once I’m finished with my workout I will feel better about myself and feel a little happier. Although I must admit, I enjoy working out way more than I do going to work. :)

“JUst Do It”

I’ll give you an example. You wouldn’t go to work in the morning if you haven’t brushed your teeth or you wouldn’t start eating if you haven’t washed your dirty hands. It’s called a habit, something we do on a daily basis in order to keep a basic hygienic routine.

I like to feel fresh as I like to feel healthy and alert. The only way to make myself feel that way is though the holistic approach- mind, body and soul. Be positive, eat well, move and believe in yourself.

I’m not perfect, each day I work hard to remind myself and to create healthy habits that help me walk down my own path to happiness and success. As cheesy as it may sound, the more you do something, the more likely it becomes habitual (the scientific evidence for that is that practicing strengthens certain neural pathways in the brain, hence the habit forming behaviour).

I don’t find time to exercise, I MAKE time to exercise.

Oh procrastination. It is human nature, everyone does it. funny enough it all depends on the individual.

I used to listen to people who thought I was crazy for working out and going to yoga, walking everywhere, carrying big heavy bags of groceries 10 blocks and up 4 flights of stairs almost every other day.

what keeps me going is this bizarre fear of being unhealthy and incapable of taking care of myself. I also find that if I don’t exercise, I get depressed, I also think that if I didn’t have the discipline to workout at least every other day I would probably be very miserable, overweight and more than likely would have some awful habit like heavy drinking or smoking.

That is what keeps me motivated and sharp.

Remembering

You have to find a purpose for exercise in your life. I think lots of folks put off exercising because the results are not immediate. Society is so rushed and everything is done in an instant, that in general, it is so easy to forget that getting out of shape did not happen overnight, therefore getting in shape will not happen overnight. When starting any exercise program or a change in your life, you MUST have a plan. If there is a plan in place, then there is an approach to the change. Exercising falls into the category of changing. What the general population does not get is that ANY visible signs of physical fitness on a male or female body took a huge commitment in time, energy, and sacrifice. If physical fitness is part of who you are, then making the right choice to eat clean, spent some of your free time exercising, drinking plenty of water, or whatever the choice may be, is so worth it.

My suggestion to anyone who wants to start working out is this, get a trainer in the beginning so you have a plan. If you are able to workout on your own and be diligent enough to stay focused with someone like Zuzana, then great. However some folks need that accountability of a live in-person trainer. So why not take some time for yourself and invest in your present and future health.

Hi Zuzana and Frederick!
I love your website: such a brilliant idea–making exercise easier and more tangible for the general population. Anyways, I am graduating this semester with a degree in Kinesiology and we learn about physical activity goal-setting and maintenance in my exercise and health psychology classes, so maybe I can pass on some interesting information that you can use in your articles. There are 5 stages involved in behavior modification:

1. pre-contemplation: this is before you consider engaging in the bahavior or making it a habit
2. contemplation: you begin to make the decision to engage in the behavior regularly
3. preparation: you do the research, find resources necessary to accomplish the task, make a plan on execution
4. action: actually engaging in the behavior. The action stage can last a long time…this stage is until the behavior turns into a habit.
5. maintenance: this occurs after 3-6 months of engaging in the behavior on a regular basis.

They say that to be able to call physical activity a habit you must engage in it for 6 months. 50% of people who begin an exercise plan drop out within the first 3 months, so in order to gauge whether or not you have made a habit of it or not, you need to make it past that 3 month mark and push through to 6 months. After 6 months, it’s ingrained into your daily routine. This is just what I remember from various classes taught by exercise physiologists, psychologists, and other kinesiologists.

Another important piece of information: the #1 factor contributing to people engaging in behaviors is FUN!! Here’s an example below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lXh2n0aPyw

Whether that means making physical activity a social event, more challenging, sport-related, or any other activity that you enjoy…that enjoyment is the most telling determinant as to whether or not you’ll continue to engage in that activity.

Because seeing physical results doesn’t occur as quickly for some as others, it’s easy to give up a routine when you don’t see results (ex. it takes me a minimum of 2 months of engaging in a new activity to notice a substantial change in my body). So because so many people are motivated by appearance, they forget the other IMMEDIATE effects of exercise that create future motivation to workout: psychological benefits (ex. stress and anxiety-reduction, mood enhancement, self-esteem improvement.), enjoyment, task accomplishment, etc.

To sum it up: focus on the immediate benefits to stay motivated (not the appearance) and keep in mind it takes 6 months for it to become a behavior. I really hope that this information is useful! Keep doing what you’re doing :-)

Sorry I forgot to mention in the comment above—

I’m a group fitness instructor. I teach a Latin cardio dance class (similar to Zumba, but I make up my own material). I’ve noticed that the more I make the class about enjoying your time exercising, the more it feels like a party, the more people come back. I’ve seen so many people begin coming to group exercise classes and drop out quickly because they don’t see results right away. That’s why the dance classes are so appealing to many people…If you make it a learning experience that is social and fun, more people stay with the class.

The moment you start making excuses for skipping todays workout, change into your sport clothes and just start the warm up without really thinking about your goal for today and soon enough your shoes start jumping and you find yourself scrolling in your training log and thinking which one could I do today?

I agree!

I get so much more done post workout than I do when I fail to workout or put off working out. There is something mental for me and physical that is tied to working out, the rush afterwards, the oxygen intake..all that follows a great workout. I feel so much more confident, rejuvinated, and a more positive outlook on life when I finish my daily workouts. If I make up my excuses and I put them off then I sort of apply that same attitude to the rest of my day. I am amazed at the difference in my appearance when I workout , it just feels like the bloodflow and the intensity of activity makes me better looking and sexier too. I make sure my workout clothes are laying out the night before and I make sure that my alarm is set. Those two things keep me on a scedule and the rest of my day is mine to live with a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment. My enhanced mood allows for a better day most of the time. As long as I don’t do too intense of a workout and burn out…Great topic!

It’s amazing the overall quality level of the comments in this blog, they all add up to the discussion, making it richer and growingly interesting. Brains is at work here, not just sweaty bodies :).

Thanks so much Z&F and everybody for sharing your thoughts, hints&tips.

Kathryn, I quote you: accountability, flexibility, mentality, visualization, thanks for having put it so simple yet so clear, this works for me too.

Pikmin

Not a bad topic but procrastination is actually what we are suppose to be doing. our bodies are meant to store energy. we are carnivores and therefore we use energy only when we need it. so working out goes against this. throw in athletics, vanity, and longevity and there is the bend in spoon. If you eat right and never workout would you still be healthy? Yes, your body will take care of itself. But, thats not the case anymore, as we have foods that will indulge you to the extreme, and a normal plate of food is now big enough for two. So whats the answer? The small meals and small workouts is a good one. Ive personal trained for 12 years now and I make people realize that little things add up to big things. The formula I use for “Ill do it tomorrow” is like
this.
1. I look at tomorrow and realize there is nothing different between today and tomorrow. And if there is, then I know there is always time for some stretching which helps in my workouts.
2. I right down how much time im at work, eating, driving, etc, and see if I really have time in my day. The answer is always yes. 30 minutes is there somewhere.
3. If I am really busy then i look at the time that i usually watch tv and back it up until i have worked out to my satisfaction. save my dvr’d shows for an off day.
4. The big one. I have my clothes in the car and i dont go home until i have worked out as planned. whether it be driving to a park and jogging, or driving to the gym. sure some people are busy and that time might be valuable, but i just remember a year from today I will be upset with myself because I kept making excuses, and now im out of shape, or overweight, etc.

Does it always work? Ofcourse not, but if you keep trying you will have more victories then losses, and thats what its all about, I think.

One of my best motivational tools is to visualize myself pushing through a grueling workout and feeling the sweat drip down my face…nothing makes me feel badass like that does!
Also i have a special workout playlist on my ipod and whenever i listen to it i get PUMPED. Like it would be hard for me to listen to certain songs and NOT want to workout!

I make sure I work out first thing in the morning…before work… yes that means waking up early – i get up at 4am everyday so there are no excuses to skip later in the day =D and like Z says, to do it in the morning energizes you for the rest of the day

“Why do I workout? Exercising makes me uncomfortable and just enough to remind me that I am alive.”

That is probably the BEST thing ive heard in a long time!

[...] View post: Procrastination and Fitness — How to Beat “I'll Do it Tomorrow … [...]

I write all my workouts out in my planner ahead of time, also w/your workouts i know its just 20-30 minutes (sometimes 15) of my day. I think planning ahead is key.

Hey, Im totally new to following your workouts. Ive been watching for a while now. But Ive started with your Round Booty Workout and I would like to know how this works. Am I supposed to stick to the same workout routine for some time or do a different one each day you add one on???? Please HELP!! Im not sure what works.

Love your body. Youre so dedicated!! Much power to you.

Hey, Im totally new to following your workouts. Ive been watching for a while now. But Ive started with your Round Booty Workout and I would like to know how this works. Am I supposed to stick to the same workout routine for some time or do a different one each day you add one on???? Please HELP!! Im not sure what works.

Do you do a different workout everyday.

Love your body. Youre so dedicated!! Much power to you.

I wake at 3:45am in Canada to workout. By waking up so early I have to excuse not to workout. I started waking up this early when I realized that I’ll look for any excuse not to workout during the day(too tired after work,can’t do it during my lunch time because I’ll be too sweaty.)

When I keep this schedule my exercise routine is regular, but once I deviate then I’m in trouble and its usually takes me forever to get back to the routine. The down side to waking up at 3:45am is I’ve to be in bed by 8pm 5 days a week. Some would say this is a boring existence and they may be right. This worked for me for 1 year and I was in great physical and mental shape. Got F…up last summer and it has taken me 5 months to get back on the routine again.

I’m in my second week of doing the Rock your body workout(I think I’ve been calling it work your body in my previous post). Its an hour past my bed time. I blame Frederick and Zuzana for having sure great web. And I will get up at 3:45am tomorrow.

Best Wishes

How fantastic Nigel!! Haha. That should give us all motivation! I think the key is PRIORITISATION. You will only do the things you make a priority. Why is it that SOME things you do every day without question, e.g. eating, paying bills, going to work, relaxing after work, etc? Surely these things are not all equally important. The thing is to make exercise one of the ESSENTIALS- like sleeping or eating. I have energy/rhythm problems (no idea why)- I experience a slump in energy from about 11am to 5pm every day- such a slump that I could easily have a siesta daily. My energy comes at night, so that’s when I exercise. Like many have mentioned- listening to your body is paramount. But then the brain chatter interferes, and, if you’re like me, perfectionism and the urge to push yourself to your limit. I apologise this post is a little all over the place..
But I wanted to ask- does anyone here have a FEAR of somehow NOT being able to work out, for some reason? (like ill health, losing a limb, getting into a situation where exercise is impossible)? These scenarios are extreme, but they bother me a lot..

My main motivation for working out and zapping the procrastination bug is not only for myself but for all the young children in my family. I have a young son and neices and I want to show our next generation that it doesn’t have to be a chore to be active….it’s a lifestyle choice and it can be fun!
I can remember at a young age going to the gym with my Mother, mainly wondering what all the contraptions were she used. But I also remember my Mother running and jumping with us when not many other parents could! It’s so important to be a healthy role model and show anyone around you being active is a part of breathing in our wonderful time here on earth :) Make the most of it…be the best “you” you can be. And take as many people as you can on this journey!

hello. im living in sweden i think you have the best exersice in the world i cant not live without this i, have my on aerobicclass and i have our exercise. you are best. love lotta

Nigel Gordijk – That should be the question that everyone who thinks they’re too busy to work out asks themselves! “Am I busier than Barack Obama?”. Brilliant!

The other thing I always use is music. Whether it’s energetic dance music or an album I love, I sometimes get to the end of the routine without realising how hard I’ve pushed myself.

Why do I exercise? I’m tire of looking the way my body looks and I want a change. I make excuses for why I don’t do and there is no excuse. When I was younger I was real skinny so I exercised to get bigger, it didn’t happen. Fast forward a few decades and now I’m fat and older and I’m exercising to be smaller, I’m still waiting for that body I’ve never had. On the way I’ve made excuses for why I don’t and I’m not doing it anymore.

I find that every task is easier if I am well prepared for it, so before I go to bed every night I lay out my workout clothes, sneakers, leave my computer on the table open in the bodyrock.tv page and have positive, happy thoughts about the workout reminding myself how it benefits my health and overall well being…and last but not least how hot everybody tells me I am looking!!! So when I wake up in the morning my brain is expecting my workout and my body will always thank me!!!

The best reasons for me to get motivated are the following:

It really helps my mood and turns me from a slumped,withdrawn, apathetic individual to an energetic, uplifted, invigorated one. Basically it usually makes me feel less stressed,more ‘grounded’ (especially strength-training exercise), more confident and makes me feel happier and more capable. It also translates into all other facets of my life.i get more ‘pro-active’ in general.

This may sound weird but exercise makes me feel ‘clean’ inside. LOL. Seriously. Even if i’ve eaten badly i feel like all my insides have been oxygenated and ‘cleaned’. My food tastes nicer and my senses have all been renewed. Then a shower on top of this…Gosh its such a brand new feeling. Its almost like a holiday for my body.

Sometimes i negatively motivate myself by remembering for example if i was feeling uncomfortable in my jeans because of a ‘muffin-top’ or if i was feeling like ‘thunder-thighs’ or i remember my little ‘pooch’..or if i had any other sense of discomfort when i was wearing some clothes. I love to work things out if at all possible rather than admit defeat.
But i love to exercise best when i just really want to exercise like recently i went to a beautiful beach here in Ireland and i just wanted to walk and walk (& run) along the shore-line, looking at the waves and breathing in the sea air.
Actually seeing how Zuzanna exercises out-side & beside such beautiful scenic areas has really inspired me. I’ve never thought to do this and i cant’ wait to get started to exercise in this way.

i love to exercise and dance and go wild to some music sometimes too. It gets some ‘craziness’ out of my system some-how…which can only be a good thing :P LOL.

i struggle with depression, but because of my daily workouts, i am able to cope without using medication. when i am feeling down and i don’t want to work out, i turn to this website for inspiration. i can always find a great routine here, and once i see the great pictures, i can’t wait to try it.

Hi Frederik and Zuzana,
i love your website! you are inspirational! Zuzana I have the same stats as you but you are in WAY better shape – just goes to show that consistency is the key huh!

I have a question though – are these workouts your ONLY workouts? ie. when you post for example the 20 minute cardio routines, is that the only routine you will do in that day? And is your weightlifting workouts all listed on this site? Not to be over-familiar but I pretty much want to follow what you do!

THANKS!

ps if anyone else knows the answer apart from Frederik and Zuzana, could you help me out?

I have suffered from depression for some time and one huge help with fighting it is exercise!! Your workouts fit so well into my crazy life and i have been doing them for about a month. Soooo happy that i found you guys!! I feel great when i do these workouts and that is what keeps me going. I know if i stop i’ll feel gross again. Really love how you make the workouts with simple things, a mat, the interval timer, skipping rope… it makes it doable for anyone!! We don’t have to buy exspenive equipment. Thanks to you both!!

Hi Janine, the workouts that we publish that day or the only ones that we do. We don’t spend any extra time off camera doing other workouts (thank god). What we don’t show each time is the warm up and the post workout stretching – but you can find both of these routines on the site.

Hi – best advice is to keep changing it up. Follow the daily posts – we eventually go back and re-visit the older routines. Make sure that you keep a journal of your times and reps so that you can try to beat your personal best the next time.

I know – it was a great comment eh?

Hi – thanks for the great comment – the video made us smile :)

I am a 23 year old at my heaviest weight. Granted I am not obese, nor do I have health problems, but I am unhappy with my body. Being an athlete my whole life, including playing collegiate softball, I have always had a reason to workout. The college life, and lifestyle grabbed a hold of me. I enjoyed beer, and the fun that came with drinking it with my friends. After we all graduated one year ago, my friends were moved back to where they came from, I was offered a Job in our College town and was left lonely and fat. The reality of going to my career everyday, putting in 50 hrs a week, leave me so tired mentally and physically at the end of the day. My mantra is “I’ll start on Monday”. The eating is not too hard for me, I enjoy healthy food, although I love bad food too, I just have found it very difficult to get myself in the gym or off my couch. Instead I look at my computer and watch Zuzana’s workouts, buy “Shape”, “Fitness” and “Woman’s Health” magazines, telling myself I will do those workouts. My boyfriend constantly tells me I NEED to workout. I have the body type that can have great muscle definition and I WANT to workout but at the end of the day I make excuses. Plus I feel like when I do go to the gym, the “regulars” look at me and judge me on why I haven’t been there, or that I cannot lift as much or run as long. I think to myself to get up in the morning and do it, and I am so tired I shut off the alarm. I feel worthless and a failure….

Thus, Today I am going to do one of Zuzana’s workouts… You all so motivational. I wish I was as mentally strong and accountable as you guys. Apathy is such a horrible trait to have, and I have it. With your encouragement, and tips, maybe I’ll triumph over this black hole I’ve found myself in.

Sorry for such a long, and unhelpful comment. However putting this out there kind of feels good. I tend to bottle things up and keep a smile on my face. Thanks for listening, and I’m going to turn this slump into triumph. Hopefully.

Sincerely,
Carrie

the song from the biggest loser show (what have u done today to make you feel pround?)answer:Zuzana s work out yeaaaaaa! lol :) common Zuzana and Fred VS Gilian an BOB on a fitness challenge.who s betting?

Talking about procrastination, I found this site because of it! I find that I start to procrastinate about working out when I am bored with my work out routine. That’s why I love this site! There are so many different kinds of workouts, I don’t have to leave my house through these cold Canadian winter nights, and I can dream that one day I’ll look like Zuzana! Switching up your routine each day can really help; you might even look forward to it! I’ll go to the gym and do weights one day, run the next, do a Bodyrock work out, and so on!

As a mother of three children ages 5, 2, and 6 months, I have felt like the last couple of years were one long pregnancy. I stopped working out completely, after being very active through college and a good part of my twenties. “Bouncing back” has felt like an insurmountable goal.

I have the “perfectionist” mentality/approach to working out, which means I have this idea in my head that I should be working out in the gym 5x/wk for at least an hour and incorporate cardio, weights, and stretching. But I’m a full time mom with a full time job and I don’t have the time I used to in the days before motherhood and career. So instead of “perfection”, I opted for nothing. This has resulted in me being 25 lbs heavier, with back problems, mobility problems, sleep problems, and I’m only 31!

Zuzana’s short workouts motivate me immensely. I can get it done in the morning before the first diaper change, or when I dash home at midday for lunch (which has actually become the workout time instead of eating time). I’ve even done a quick interval set in the kitchen while waiting for the kid’s dinner to be done.

My approach to doing Zuzana’s workouts and not procrastinating is telling myself to do just ONE workout video “for now”. If I get through one video, that’s enough to get me to do another. And another. I never “intend” to do all the videos in the series at first. It’s a silly mental game, but it has worked for me.

I would say that 50% of the time, I’ve been unable to do Zuzana’s workout in one sitting. But I DO make sure the the entire workout gets done in spurts throughout the day. It is not as effective, but since the new year (when I started), it has still made a big difference. I’ve lost at least a combined 5 inches off my waist, hips, and thighs. I don’t beat myself up anymore, because I’m still doing SOMETHING, which was better than before.

Part of the reason I can let go of the perfectionism is knowing that HIIT using my body weight, even done 5 minutes here, 5 minutes there, throughout the day every day, is going to benefit my body way more than doing a treadmill for 40 minutes 3x/wk. Thanks Zuzana!

As a fellow pro-procrastinator, I was filled with empathy reading this. I’m sure you must know in your heart of hearts that we ALL feel exactly this way sometimes. It’s easy to think that people are judging you in the gym (I’ve always found it to be a horribly intimidating atmosphere, hence why I work out at home. Zuzana’s workouts are the best for that reason), and it can really put you off of the whole idea. But trust me, I used to work in a gym and no one there is really looking at anyone else, they’re all to busy worrying about exactly the same things you’re worrying about.

I have never been athletic and am basically like a limp noodle, and I get super sore for days just doing half of one of these workouts. Pretty discouraging. I’m great at saying, “well, my legs are still aching… I’ll work out tomorrow when they feel better”. Of course it’s tempting to get down on myself for this reason when I read comments of people who are stronger and faster that me. But with all the energy I would put into worry, I could just do the damn workout! So I get on with my day and do what I can, and when I really think about it I am proud of myself because I’m way stronger than I was when I decided to start exercising a few months ago… so I guess my advice is to turf the fitness magazines because we can measure ourselves against others until we give up completely, or we can focus on ourselves and be happy and proud of what we are realistically capable of: self improvement! Anyway, I don’t know if this helps at all, but at least you know you’re not alone. There are plenty of fallible human beings out there. It’s not the worst thing to be. Keep your head up!

Hi Carrie!

I wanted to say that YOU CAN DO THIS!

Tell yourself that you’re doing this for yourself.

You know you have to change so push what others have to say away and BELIEVE that you can BECOME THE WOMAN YOU’RE MEANT TO BE.

I hit that lowest point before. Knowing how I felt and looked…I knew I needed to change. It’s going to be hard. You’ll have to push past your fears, excuses, bad feelings and go for it EVERY DAY.

I believe you can do it. There’s a lot of people here on that journey as well.

I hope you get to read this!

I agree!. For me, it does not matters how tired I am after a day at work… if I remember how great I feel after a good workout, makes me go and start doing it. It’s like taking away all my daily stress and bad tireness to get a good relaxing feeling. Thanks to this website and I am in a better control of my workout routines and I feel guided and inspired by Zuzana. THANKS!

This series of posts couldn’t come at a better time! I’ve been doing your workouts for about 6 weeks now but I have had some trouble getting myself out of bed in the mornings so that I still have time to workout before my daughter wakes up. I absolutely focus on what I SHOULD be doing with my workouts instead of why I’m doing it.

Why do I workout? So I can be hotter than I was when I was in college. I’m already the same size but I want everything to be toned and sexy for swimsuit season. Then maybe I’ll finally let my husband get me one of the Wicked Weasel bikinis he’s always wanted to buy for me.

After my daughter was born (she’s 15 months old), I knew it was time to get my act together. I need all the energy I can get to keep up with her. And as she gets bigger and heavier, I need my strength to keep playing with her and carrying her around when I need to. Plus my arms are already lopsided because I always carry her on one side lol.

After only 6 weeks weeks, I have seen results. Actually after just 2 I could tell my body was firmer and more trim. That is motivation in itself…but my brain often forgets that when the alarm is going off and all I seem to hear is “sleeeeeeep.” ;-)

I think one of the keys to avoiding procrastination is just telling yourself that getting it over with now will free up your time and your mind for more important things. When you keep putting things off, they continue to loom over your head until you get them done. And that dark, looming feeling does nothing to encourage you to get other tasks done either. Think positive about life and everything you do, visualize your success and know that every day that you exercise you are one step closer to your goal.

I’m with you, my gymboss timer and my jump rope are two of the best investments I have made since joining your website!

I love you guys!

Dee

Aussie Aussie Aussie, Skippity Skippity Skippity

:D

The “click factor” has totally worked for me.

Over the years I’ve been involved in team sports, the gym etc. I came to realise I never enjoyed being at the gym, it really was a chore. But I did enjoy exercising for fun! Once I discovered BodyRock.tv my perception of body building (?!) changed. I have always been active but lately it has become hard work, I wanted it to become “fun” again. And thanks to Zuzana and Frederick, it has become fun!

Dee

Aussie Aussie Aussie, Dance Baby Dance!!!!

You can do it! I’m 24, and fairly recently came down from my heaviest weight. It just finally clicked for me and somehow working out became a joy every day instead of a chore. I would maybe try doing an activity where you have like a coach or trainer (I started with spin classes, which have an instructor) to push you until you can get better at pushing yourself. A gym seems like a lot of money per month, and I only consider mine worth it because it’s what jump-started me and has helped me keep going when I don’t feel like working out some days – but if it DOES work for you, then it’s irreplaceable. After a few workouts that I felt proud of, instead of “going through the motions,” I really started to look forward to going to the gym and get that good feeling again. But I’ll admit, I’m not just an accountable, mentally tough person to begin with – I needed that push of an instructor to get the ball rolling. It’s tough to get momentum on your own! But you can do it :)

btw, not an unhelpful post – I went through the same thing you’re going through and I’m sure other people are there or have been there. The only unhelpful posts are mean ones trying to bring people down. Venting or looking for help is what blogs / message boards are for!

What helps me stay motivated?

Big Goals
I want to live long and healthy
I want a body like Zuzana
Revenge
Being comfortable in my own skin

Daily motivators

Every day I work out I feel better, more alive, I get more done. My Mother, whom survived cancer twice, told me “Live every day like it is your last.” She meant to “live every day the best you can and you will have fewer regrets in the end”. I want my last day to be a day I have worked out because on those days my life is fuller, I feel happier.

Arnold Schwarzenegger on working out. “Working out is like oxygen, food and water, something your body needs every day!” or something very close to that during a TV interview.

I like to eat sweets.

Something I heard somewhere. “I have never heard anyone complain after a workout how awful they feel!”

From the movie Legally Blonde “People who workout are happy people, not the type of people who could murder someone” or something to that effect.

In a pinch a swimsuit magazine will get me motivated because it help me focus on where I’d like to be.

If I have really rough day I force myself to do a set of something with heavy weights and then stop. With in an hour, if not right away, I get a spurt of energy from nowhere and I can get into my workout.

I am in my forties, quit smoking after 20 years, and for the past 10 year have been trying to make up for my horrible health errors. Thank-you Zuzana and Fred for devoting so much of your time to other people for free, you are Angels.

Oops Legally blonde should have said Could not murder

hu there, i was wondering if you happen to now any trainers (for women) in my area? I’m in NJ USA. not sure where you might be.
I am 5’4” and i weigh 124. I want to get the tone back i have lost within the last year. i have pilates videos and a lot of other videos. I need a motivator. a partner to work out wiht. I work long days but if i have some one with me i am motivated to be better than them. (i guess i am competitive) I had once a body like yours. not so toned in the arms but I had the legs and butt. I used to live on a mountain and it was 2 mkiles i walked up and down it each day. gives you great buns, especially if you force yourself to go faster and harder each time.

Let me know if you know any female trainers, or trainers for women in this area.
Thanks so much! and great work!

I managed to keep training from teens to forty then stopped. That excuse was only good for a couple of years [weird virus put my body totally out of whack] but I found I lost the will be in the ‘training zone’ after that. Would like to get my arse into gear but can’t get motivated…have lost that passion, but I hope yours is re-kindled. I watch Zuzana on occassion and feel she’s genuine in her desire to motivate people…who knows perhaps I’ll connect with that message soon! Very best wishes, Dan

This One is To Carrie above,

Im a 23 year girl and im the biggest i have ever been at too, over the past 7 months traveling and not exercising took its toll and i felt like poo!, but then, i found Zuzana and got my spark back, i still have a long way to go to get were i want with my body, but i already feel happy and i get such buzz at the end of each workout i do. One way i over came this procrastination was telling my self, that “im only cheating my self, just do it” I found that watching Amazingly fi and strong people on you tube before i went to bed mad me really excited in the morning for my work out, i also take ten minutes before i go to sleep each night to picture my self the way i want to be and tell my self i can do anything i put my mind on. A friend told me that alot of exercise is mind over matter. Its not what you are that holds you back but what you think you are not. i love that quote, dont know who its by but makes me happy. And the fact that spring is popping little flowers up makes me happy to. GOOD LUCK and you can DO IT!!

So, I’m used to working out 4-5 times a week. Over the past week I have had a bad cold. I have not had the energy to work out nor have I physically been able to. What do you recommend to eat while I’m sick? How do I get back into working out after I feel better, etc?

OR, do you just think I should concentrate on getting better and worry about getting back into my diet and exercise regimen once the cold is gone?

Procrastination used to be my biggest problem. I used to procrastinate with everything from work, to getting to a place on time and to exercising. I do work well under pressure but procrastinating makes everything more difficult then it already is. What I do to help myself to stop procrastinating and wasting time when I have a list of things to do is to focus on people that I look up to. Or people that influence me like Obama or Apollo Ohno lol. I think about how these people didn’t waste time and are where they are at now because of hard work and dedication. One thing Apollo said that I think about everyday and is- when you go to sleep at night, ask yourself- did you do everything you could have today? Asking myself this question helps me get off my butt and do what I need to do, including exercising. It also helps me put more effort into my workouts.

Hi Frederik and Zuzana,
First I want to say thank you for all of the wonderful advice and workout videos. I found your site this weekend and am addicted! There are so many posts that I’ve wanted to comment on, but this one is perfect for me. I have always had a hard time keeping up with a healthy regimen. I am naturally thin, so I was never motivated to get up and workout or eat healthy. I’ve recently decided that I was ready to change my life. I’ve been learning about the horrible things that I’ve been using to fuel my body, and my strength/stamina can be improved. Here’s what I’ve done so far to stop the procrastination… 1) I put my workout clothes and shoes right next to my bed before I go to sleep. Once I wake up I see my clothes in front of me, so there’s no trying to avoid my workout. 2) I continually focus on my goals, some of them are gaining strength and pushing my body to see what it’s capable of doing. Zuzana’s videos are a huge help. Seeing her strength is my biggest inspiration. 3) I wear cute workout clothes. Some people think it’s pointless “dress up” when you’re just going to sweat, but I find looking my best helps me perform my best…and I look forward to wearing a cute outfit. 4) This one is a little silly, but I thank my body after each workout. Thinking about the workout I just finished makes me eager to see what I can accomplish next. Thank you both again!

Guys ahhh Im 28 years old and Im heavy Im an obese..Ive been sick for teh past 5 days with a terrible cold made me not eat too much and I jsut needed some inspiration to get out of this coz I seen Im depressed…for being away from home..coz Iam overweight..for this for that ahhhh I feel now so insired wanan do this for health..need to get my life on the right and exciting way…need some cheering plz..will let you know my progress!! Zuzy thanx for making workout an easy way for hapiness!!

Hello Zuzanna and Fredrick,

I have been so inspired to get in shape because of this site and Zuzannas videos. I am an overweight male, and was wondering if you had any videos, exercise routines, for starters. Because I love Zuzannas workouts, but they are too difficult for me. A lot of the things she does, there are no way I can possibly do them. I would love to set up a goal in my life to be able to do them, but how workouts can I do, to get started? Thank you.

LOOOOL XD !!

Back on topic :

I’m 24 and still in College so everyday is different in term of schedule, i don’t have mornings or nights.

My solution is : I DON’T THINK too much. I used to be a perfectionist, in a way we all are that’s why it’s hard to begin something… That’s why I decided to workout whenever I feel it.

For instance, last night I slept at 5 a.m, woke up at 1 p.m today, i did some stuff on my computer then at around 4 p.m I decided to work out and then take a shower. Two days ago, i did a mini workout in the middle of the night etc…

My main motivation ?? I make music (up-tempo, electro, dance techno …) so I listen to my work while i’m working out :)

I’ve been procrastinating for years now…all I have to show for it is gaining back the 57lbs I lost after a bad divorce. My daughter is about to go to college and i’m only 36 yrs old. I want a healthy life! These exercises look like something I can do to help me get back to a healthy weight :) I don’t know why it’s so hard to “get back on track” for more than a few days, I love the feeling after working out…plus I work from home, and have a full gym in my basement, so I have NO excuse to be this heavy!!! I’ll be checking in again, your all great :D I love you Zuzana! Your so full of positive energy!

You gave me a great idea! I’m going to print out some pictures of people that inspire me and put them up around my work space and work out area! Maybe that will remind me of what i’m doing it for :D Good luck to you!

i also want that ”click” :((

Tess,
Thank you for your encouraging message! Yes I have a ways to go too. Spring is right around the corner, and for the first summer in a few I want to be able to show off my body, instead of wear cloths that cover up my “problem area’s”. It’s such a good feeling to know you look good, and I REALLY want to have that back. Day by day is how I’m going to have to look at it. Maybe you can be my encouraging partner lol. I’ll just tell myself, if Tess can do it, I can do it. Well good luck to you too. A comment someone once said to me about dieting I thought was funny, yet true, was, “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”. Anyhow. Thanks for your message, it brought a smile to my face. Take Care.

Carrie

wow… this was not unhelpful, it is very touching how honest you are with yourself– what I see in your response- not knowing you, is a person who totally has the will to do what she knows she has to do in order to get what she wants, but maybe just hasn’t found the ‘personal reason why’ to do it yet. Maybe you feel like you are in a black hole because you seem to get really down on the failure of ‘not doing’. You clearly know what you need to do- so now, it seems to me you are one step away from getting to the point of internalizing your motivation- which is figuring out a really strong reason to do it- like, to look good for a trip you are going on- or to show your boyfriend that you can do it- or so that you can feel really great about yourself…whatever motivates toward progress…
I felt similarily- because I knew what I wanted, but I wasn’t really taking the action I knew I needed to in order to acheive the goal, and then I found this site, and it has helped me to visualize how I want to look (thanks to zuzana:)) and that taking the steps toward that everyday (by doing her workouts)- it took a few weeks, but I have made noticeable progress and now, I am motivated by my progress- I am seeing the definition and I am getting stronger and more able to do the workouts with greater speed and endurance- and this has really spurred me- now, I wake up early (the energy from being healthier has helped me want to wake up), I make some coffee, I drink my coffee watching the exercise routine of the day, and when I am done, I feel empowered to get to give and it my all, then I reward myself with a tasty fruit and protein smoothie. This routine has really made my days great- I feel great throughout the day!

I think, in the past, I have found general attitudes to fitness and exercise make me procrastinate. The seemingly widely accepted belief that in order to be fit and healthy, you need to put in an hour or so at the gym, made me not want to bother at all.

Finding bodyrock.tv has helped me bring it all back into perspective. You can do effective, short workouts as every bit of activity counts towards your general fitness level. And you can keep it interesting with variety, in fact workouts are more effective if you don’t do exactly the same exercises everyday.

I think that also looking at the whole picture helps to motivate me too. Originally I might have wanted to workout so that I look better. But now that I am working out, I feel better. And in order to maintain this feeling, I am looking at my diet to try and improve there, which will have a corresponding effect on my future workouts and my general health. This in turn keeps me feeling positive and excited about working out.

This is horrible. Im sorry but im amazed by how many people admit they procrastinate and they do not find it a bit disturbing. Whats wrong with you people? :) I thought the point of this whole posting was to share some great ideas, not to confess that you are spineless and has zero self-control?

Zuzana all i can say is bravo! I’m from Ukraine and now i am living in the states and you inspire me! The local food came as a bit of a shock for me. So i had to get back on track and really watch what i put in my mouth and WORK OUT. I completely understand that sometimes people dont feel like working out, or eating right …. everybody goes through it, but come on “i work out when i feel like it??” really? Man, thats why everybody is getting freaking obese!! they never feel like it!

Zuzana back to you. I have to confess here something. Each time i do not feel like working out or eat right i just watch one of your videos and i totally forget about “dont feel like it part”, Your abs are absolutely gorgeous. Just cant find a better word, so i believe you probably dont think about what you feel like and what not and just do stuff that needs to be done! You Rock!

Ok now back to the peaceful advising. I think its very important to know exactly what you are doing when you are in the gym. Because when you are just wondering around trying to figure out what would be a good idea to do, you end up spending alot of time and not getting much done. So do your research. There is plenty of information on how and what to do. Just pick what you like and really ENJOY it. Well, some things needs to be done whether you like it or not (especially when you are loosing weight), when maintaining that the fun part :)

Another thing that might work for some people is workout in the morning. I know this is probably not for everybody, but just give it a try, It will save you a lot of time later in the day and will give you some extra energy. Me and my boyfriend used to do it all the time. But he said it was not really working out for him as he couldn’t do very heavy stuff in the morning so we switched for the evenings. Mornings are fine with me but like having him around to make sure i keep the form right.

And reading some inspirational and motivational literature works quite well too. Like for me watching the videos or reading articles on this website :)

Yay, Go Zuzana!

personal trainers usually do business in local gyms… might try a gym

Hey there, I’m not associated with the site, but I know the answer to your question :) If you look at the top navigation bar, there is a link “Workout Archives.” Click that, and at the very bottom of the list of workouts, you will see “Workout Routine for Absolute Beginners” and there are 6 videos. I haven’t watched the routines yet, but I saw the link the other day browsing around on the site. Good luck! Stay motivated! :)

I left this big long reply… and then accidentally closed my browser before I posted it… SO FRUSTRATING!!

But basically, I wanted to say that I appreciate your post and you are very positive when you say it and I see your point about the little “procrastination party” that started happening. :)

I also wanted to say that I remember how hard it was to finally get in the right state of mind when I REALLY WANTED to work out, and I finally started pushing myself to go even if I didn’t feel like it at that moment, or started making time when before I would’ve said “I’m too busy” — and I just feel that this process people go through, of recognizing why we do things like procrastinate, and venting, and sharing and getting encouragement from other people – it’s all a huge part in finally getting to that “mental click” where someone finally says to themselves “NOW is the time to be serious about my fitness and my health, NOW is the time, NO excuses”

When I read so many comments on this site, I see so many people saying things that seem like Zuzana’s website has helped them achieve exactly that – the “mental click” people need to jump-start themselves.

So I feel like those of us who have overcome the procrastination and whatever obstacles we may have for being fit, can share tips and encouragement (and get encouragement to STAY on the straight and narrow :) And there are those of us who haven’t gotten there just yet, but they can SEE where they need to be, and they’re SO close to getting it really started… and they can vent and get help and support here. Because it really does feel like a community here – those who can help, help.. and those who need help, ask.

It’s really a great thing that Zuzana and Frederick have made here. I hope it continues to grow. Thanks a lot guys.

The first time I wrote it sounded better… :/ but I hope you get what I’m saying :)

HI ZUZANA,
I’VE BEEN LOOKING AT YOUR WEBSITE FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS AND I LOVE IT!!! BUT UNTIL NOW IS WHEN I CAME ACROSS THIS TOPIC OF “PROCRASTINATION”(MY MOST HORRIBLE HABIT). I’M ALWAYS SAYING, “TOMORROW MORNING I’LL WAKE UP AT 7AM AND GO FOR A RUN” I PLAN MY ENTIRE DAY AND ONLY DO HALF OF WHAT I SAID I WAS GOING TO DO.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS TOPIC. YOU HAVE THE MOST AMAZING BODY AND YOU TRULY INSPIRE ME!

I BOUGHT MY “GYMBOSS” AND GOT IT IN THE MAIL. PROMISE THAT I WILL START TOMORROW! HAHAHA AFTER READING THIS PAGE, FOR SURE I WILL START.

QUESTION: I SEE YOU DRINKING YOUR COFFEE BEFORE YOUR WORKOUT. WHAT DO YOU PUT IN IT? DO YOU PUT SUGAR? I USE BROWN SUGAR, IS THAT OK???????

CARRIE, I CAN COMPLETELY IDENTIFY WITH YOU ON YOUR STRUGGLES.
I’M A 28 YEAR OLD STUDENT WHO HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ACTIVE RUNNER, BUT AT THE SAME TIME HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY WEIGHT. I WAS AT A POINT WHERE I RAN A HALF A MARATHON. I USED TO WEIGH 134 AND A SIZE 7. NOW I’M A SIZE 12 AND WEIGH A DISGUSTING 183LBS (THE HEAVIEST THAT I’VE EVER BEEN!)
I KEEP TELLING MY SELF THAT I WILL GET UP IN THE MORNING AND I ALSO SET MY ALARM CLOCK, BUT JUST LIKE YOU, I TURN AROUND AND TURN RIGHT OFF.

I TRULY ENJOY WATCHING ZUZANA’S VIDEOS, BUT DON’T EVEN TRY TO DO THEM. I GET EXHAUSTED AND FEEL THINNER JUST BY WATCHING HER, HHAHAHAAA

WE SHOULD DO LIKE A TEAM CHALLENGE. WE SHOULD GET OUR BUTT’S OFF THE BED IN THE MORNING OR OUR BUTT’S OFF THE COUCH AT NIGHT AND WORK OUT. LIKE WE SAY WE’RE GOING TO.

WE CAN DO THIS, IT’S ALL IN OUR HEADS!

I’m in college, so its finding the balance and time to maintain working out. Eating healthy isn’t so hard its just basic self control.

Working out is a whole other ball game.

I know the best time of day to work out is morning, but is it okay to work out at night as well?

What are some tips you have for college students?

Could you do a video response to this comment, please!!

thanks!! have a great day!!

You just got to make the workouts top priority like everything else. The mentality is to workout because you want to and not because you have to…and the rest it simple. See what you are made of.

Hey! hows it going? i am 17 years old, and trying to get into shape. i started my diet and excersize thingy a few days ago and i have been working out for a little over an hour each day and watching what i eat. its my goal to keep going untill i reach 115 lbs, i am currently at 128 lbs (im short so the weight really packs on quickly and really shows) and i would like to thank you for posting stuff because you encouraged me to really get at it! also if anyone could answer this question: how long should it take for me to loose 13 pounds in a healthy way?

xoxoxo, Amy ^^

Great question – Here’s how I get workouts done.

This works on most days, but not every day. I don’t do killer workouts on a regular basis, yet every day I follow along with a workout at least doing whatever I can enjoy.

I found that if I started exercising early before I really woke up completely, just make a cup of tea, and pushed a bit through the workout, but not totally drive for exertion, took it steady, methodically, not to failure, I got a good workout done and enjoyed it, almost like dancing.

What works best for me?

Have my workout clothes to put on first thing (or even sleep in my sweats), wake up with time to do a workout first, no need to be alert at first, perhaps brush my teeth and get tea, then start my workout patiently with myself, the Zuzana “start me up” video works great, slowly or calmly at first because that’s what it takes to get started early in the morning,

Even when slightly sleepy, and start a warmup/workout first thing right when I wake up. When I do that, no apologies for startin out slow, I am enjoying working out HOORAY !

Then I find that I am half way through a workout or run as I am getting aware of the day, more conscious and focusing in the joy of just plain moving without feeling of any pressure, or competition, just exercising for the plain fun of it. If Zuzana’s leading with what to do, I hardly have to think, just follow along and do what she leads.

No, I don’t push myself to total exhaustion, however I am becoming more fit and getting the great attitude from a methodical fun short relaxed happy morning workout. It lasts all day, plus my appetite is less, and I’m positive it helps me sleep well at night.

When I push harder during the second half of my workout (once I really wake up), it’s about the right amount of effort for me. I suspect I will do more as I get into better shape.

This workout method (mornings, take it steady and easy till I am more awake and conscious, and relax and have fun and enjoy) may not get me awesome muscles for a competition, however I love it, it is short, makes my whole day right, and it is making a good difference for me in my fitness. My times are goin down, reps are goin up, and I was half asleep for the first half of it, so it’s not like a full workout somehow.

What I do is push myself more or less and find what I like in the workout as slow or fast or light as I need to enjoy it more and sometimes, even if it’s more like easy jogging than heavy lifting, it’s still a good workout for me. I get to choose how to have fun, and I look forward to it.

Then I have another cup of tea, stretch, and when there’s time, read a helpful book for a few minutes (set my timer so I dont get too engrossed in reading).

I don’t feel as sad with myself when I don’t have as much energy as usual; other people go through this too. What helps me is to work out more gently on those days (perhaps like active rest?) and stretch , and no matter what, work out every day or at least do “start me up” and whatever exercise routine seems best for the day (might do fewer reps if I feel it’s too much), and then “stretch routine”, no matter how I feel. Sometimes I have music, often Tina Turner or Mozart on low volume so I can think and count.

Thanks so much for your example Zuzana and Frederick, and thank you team, for discussing how you approach working out. I have learned a lot.

M

!!!word of the day!!!

-PROCRASTINATION-

-actually, that will be the word of the day tomorrow!!

(throws up a peace sign to the computer screen)

Hey! I’m on the same quest – only I’m just now to 10 days. Still going strong :) Good luck to you, we’ll have amazing bodies if we keep it up :)

Good comment. I don’t ever even think about that, but… simply being ABLE to work out, at ANY level, is a gift. Something to be thankful for, not something to dread.

The one thing I decided to do a while back instead of having it in my head that I was going to do a long workout, is just to do 50 jumping jacks. That’s it. After doing those 50 jumping jacks I figured well I’ve already started, I might as well continue. 30 lbs of weight loss later, all I do is start with 50 jumping jacks and see where I go that day. I told a friend about this but his goals were different than mine so he now starts with 50 crunches. He says once you’re already on the floor you figure you should keep going :) sounds simple and it is.

Hi! This is my first time commenting here. I found your website recently when I moved from Scandinavia to Canada and it has helped me a lot with my workouts! Thanks for all the inspiration you have given me! I noticed that for me procrastinating about excercise usually means that my mind is doing the same thing with other stuff. For example, I could spend 3 hours thinking I should wash the dishes instead of just doing it in five minutes.My mind was full of shoulds and woulds… Until I realised that my mind has potential for so much more; why waste it by dwelling in negative thoughts when I can just do the things and feel a sense of accomplishment. Especially when it comes to my workouts and yoga practise, I decided to try to eliminate all “I should”-thinking by setting myself a rule: If I find myself thinking I should workout, I just start moving and warming up. After a week I realised that also other things like cleaning the house were actually getting done. The key really is to do. Not to think about it.
Our minds are used to being so active all the time, and often resist calming. The mind wants to be in charge, give us this mindless talk and when we are working out it just can’t do it (not as effectively at least!). Our minds want our bodies to lay on the bed, thinking, dreaming and planning… Also a really good way to beat procrastination is to do yoga and meditation and try to calm the mind. That moves us to a direction where we start to see how action is always more fruitful and rewarding than inaction. If we can spend 15 minutes thinking about something, we surely can spend 15min doing it.

Hallo T :D !!!

I just read your message on here and I think it’s great how nicely you wrote your message. It’s funny you said that about people at the gym worrying about the exact same thing…(if someone else is looking at them). Is that really so?! That is one of my biggest problems when going. I don’t have my own car at the moment, so getting out of my house and walking to the gym (its about 10 min. away walking distance) is often very hard. I ALWAYS feel like everyone is staring at me. And then when I get to the gym, I feel that everyone is looking at me because I don’t work out as much as everyone else, and because I don’t have my own car. It’s soo annoying! I know that I need to get past it, but its still bothering me quite a lot.
Sorry for the rambling…but since you worked at the gym before, maybe you can understand me a little bit.
If you could write something back to this post, I’d appreciate it very much!!!

PS.: I don’t think you are a limp poodle! You wouldn’t have written to Carrie so nicely if you were one ;-) hehe.

With kind regards,

‘Nina

Hi all!
I just treat my everyday workout as fun, not as something that I just have to do. I try to find some inspirations (like your website and Zuzana’s 6-pack :)) and motivate myself, focusing at the same on the goals that I want to achieve. I know that when I feel comfortable with my body, I can feel comfortable with everything else. I have my ups and down and sometimes it’s hard to get up from my comfy sofa ;) but when I think about how I would feel after going to the gym I know that after all this is what would make me happy and feel that I achieved something during this day :) Beating the laziness is what makes me feel good about myself, because even tho I am a lazy person I still can fight it!
1 thing more! Are you guys planning to do another series of what Zuzana is eating during the day? I’m just curious :) You did it some time ago, so I’m just wondering if something has changed in her eating habits/some tips etc. :)
Best wishes to you guys!! I love your website! :D

I posted this comment last week and since then I have decided to do Zuzana’s ‘Absolute Beginners’ workout when my injury is acting up. I loved the workout! It totally got my heart rate up and felt great! When my injury is acting up, I AM a beginner! But its a blow to my ego that I can go from doing Zuzan’s current workouts to having to do the beginners workout but I have to listen to my body! Sometimes venting helps me look at my situation in a different way and helps me solve my own problem.
Oh ya- and I just ordered the ‘body Press’. Can’t wait to get it! You guys are the best! :)

I do find the key to getting off my butt to workout is taking a picture of what I looked like 10 years ago & telling myself “there’s no reason I can’t look like that now.” I work infront of a pc for 9 hours a day and it gets pretty boring sometimes. I’ve found that if I knock out “atleast” 100 push ups per hour I can combat being tired & getting fat & lazy. Love your site & tips. you’re a true inspiration to us all. Keep up the awesome work!

Hello Zuzana,
Few hours ago I found your videos on youtube and it inspired me! I would love to start now with body training but I still have one question. Some workouts burn fat from breasts (so I was tould) and I would love to keep my cup C but also to loose a lot weight. Is it posible? Watching at your good proportion body gives me hopes…

Hi Dimera,

You can’t expect to lose weight and keep your breasts the way they are right now. I have good proportions because I went for breast augmentation few years ago. I was flat like a surfboard before that.

Destinaery, I do the same thing. I have pictures of people that inspire me in my room when I’m working out. This helps a lot. Good luck!

Hi Zuzana, I thought your breasts were your real size. I’m flat like a surfboard and I can’t get breast augmentation because I don’t have the money or the courage to have surgery done. Anyways, your body is amazing!

hello Zuzana and Frederick!
I have been watching your vid from youtube for a while now.
I am having trouble with my weight losing, I try to go to the Gym and do atleast an hour of class 5 to 6 days a week and I control with my eating, last year(nov,08 to march,09) I’ve losted some weight by using this method (from 102kg to 75kg)…but because of bad eating habbits and lack of exercises(sorry =,=,I could only blame myselves with free pizza dinner on tuesday and cheap drinks on tuesday and friday nites at uni) I’ve gained back to 85kg(weighted myselves this morning and its 85kg =,=”)
ive losted 5kg(from 90kg) on my chrismas break and now my numbers are no longer going down and I just like to know if I should continue exercising(even through I feel healthier and more strength in my body) or because I was borned as fat so no matter what I do I will always be that fat(i am a 168cm Asian female and with the weight that Ive got now, I am like a moving jelly)should I do different kind of exercises?something like jogging in the morning?ive hear that its very good…I am just very disappointed with the numbers(well, my friends said I am not getting smaller either) and I am just very lost right now with what I could do at this stage…
thanks for your help

It’s simple, you have got to find your own motivation to do physical fitness. It may be a picture of you from years past, it may be that you’re bordering a health problem or you already have health problems, you may love how you feel after your workouts… it’s endless. But the thing is, what works for one person may not work for another.

The most important thing for all of us however, is to make physical fitness a habit. If you make it a habit, you start to miss it and when you start to slack off your body and your mind will let you know that you’re being a slug.

Love you web-site. Has given me many ideas to incorporate into my routines. Thank you
deb (Baltimore- Maryland)

Breasts are fatty tissue.
When you burn fat as fuel you lose it from all over your body including breasts. This should explain why many[most?] very lean fitness women have implants.
As a trainer, I am mystified at how this confusion maintains itself… possibly it’s something lots of women don’t want to hear so they block it out?

[...] more, let’s start things off with a comment from a previous article: “Since it’s the habit that matters, I can work out tomorrow; today’s not a big deal by [...]

Success is a journey, not a destination.

I say, forget about the number. Your goal is to live health and be more pround of yourself. You’re what you eat and what you do. Will you stop or change your life style after reaching that 13 lb loss? I nope not.

If you eat healthy and keep on excercising, you will definitely and eventually look better and better. How long does it take? Simple answer, as long as it takes!

I don’t have alot of time to go to a gym and work out but what I have learned through these great videos is that that’s not a good excuse for not exercising. I can do things at work and home between task. And I may not have the same equipment available to me, with a little creativity I can use the things around me in a similar way.

Procrastination is the story of my life!

Im still in search of effective ways of ridding procrastination in my daily routine. My goal is really to develop a healthy lifestyle, and being from and living in the Caribbean where food and drink and lounging on the beach is a common past time, it can be hard to get yourself active when everybody else is just lounging…

One thing i try to do which doesnt always work is..i tell myself

“you never regret exercising, but you always regret not exercising…so do a little something!”

Having the thought of future regret kind of gets me to start doing something, and starting is the hardest thing for me to do.. and once i get started its not so bad..

Zuzana, I posted this comment in one of your videos, but think it really belongs here:)

I found your videos in youtube and I think they are phenomenal visually and technically. I decided to check out your site and well, I feel inspired, as many other do,to go workout and get in shape. But start is never easy. I am 6′2″ and I weight currently around 226 pounds. Never been really fit, but the belly is growing too much. My wife is not really happy, or particularly excited about it :P what daily routine ( i.e walking, swiming, etc), and burning work out would you recommend to get started and lose that belly and those love handles?
I need all the help I can get.I’d really appreciate it.
I found a bunch of articles( like this one) and videos about how to beat procastination and how to work out better. Now, that’s a start:D Many Thanks!!

I took a photo of myself and set it as my background on my computer. I get on it every day to do homework so I figured that would be a good place for it to be. So now when I start up the computer I see myself and automatically say in my head “Oh my god I HAVE to get this weight off and get my muscle back!” I then feel like working out is a must. When I log off, I see it again and I am influenced to eat the right things.

Since I see that picture of myself every day, it motivates me every day.

Great Videos, and Great Tips!! 10x

I am from Malta too :)

This is my case. I’m 17 and i’m trying to exercise everyday but I always keep in mind “This is gonna be the last day, I”LL DO IT TOMORROW”. And I never did. I’m starting this week and I DETERMINE that I have to work that out! I’m not overweight but I want to be healthy. And everytime after I exercise, even only 15-20minutes, sweating makes me feel a lot better and energetic !

wait, I’m lean, and I want to work out to make my breast look bigger, but I dont want to be bulky, so is that possible?

Ada, don’t get discouraged. You know what stops you from having good results. Change things up in your diet. Continue with Zus exercises and you should be able to see results soon. It is a life style change. Not a quick fix though. Don’t expect to look like zu in 3 months! BUt in the end it is about the best body we all can reach. You can do it! DOn’t give up! You said it yourself that you “feel healthier and more strength in my body”. Let that drive you and not some numbers on a scale! Just be patient with yourself and your body, treat it nice and healthy, it will thank you! You GO GIRL!

I think you have hit the nail on the head – I go to a personal trainer twice a week and work out with friends once a week (which I find no problem doing) but then to motivate myself to workout on my own isn’t so easy. Its because I dont plan a specific time to do it. I always say “if I have enough energy” or “I’ll see if there is time later” or something! I will plan another 2 workouts into my week and see how I go. Thanks for your comment!

I will be 43 on Friday and I have found several things in “all of my years” to motivate me:
1. Faith in God’s ability to keep me in the good fight.
2. Pictures of really fit people!
3. ATTITUDE

I have used my own pix from the past to motivate me, but when I found BodyRock.tv I realized that Zuzana is picture perfect and that is very motivating for me. Don’t get me wrong, I do not wanna be Zuzana, (that role is taken!) I just mean that she strives to be the best Zuzana she can be, which has motivated me to be the best Shawnie I can be.

I have FINALLY come to realize that there will not be another one like me…ever, so I will do what it takes to be the best…the best “me” that is! I am a custom creation, one that should be fine tuned and handled with care! I am workin’ on it! I really enjoy working out and taking special care of “The Princess”!

I believe the Promise from GOD in Romans 8:26-28 “Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” Every detail of my life (because I do love GOD) is going to work for my good! Even when the dark clouds are forming around me and a storm is eminent, I look for the silver lining to those dark gray clouds, because the promise is EVERY DETAIL IS WORKED INTO SOMETHING GOOD!

I have battled depression over the years, and through it all miraculously I have not lost the battle. I know that my issues are hereditary and I could have easily thrown in the towel so many times, but I have a contender greater than myself fighting for me, and even when it seemed like a TKO, HE got me off the mat and ready for another round!

I think attitude is absolutely everything! If you think you can…you will! And by the way…I KNOW I can do all things…’cause that’s is another promise…found in Philippians 4:13.

Have faith in the fact that each one of us is created as a masterpiece, and remember “If you rest, you’ll rust!”
Blessings,
Shawnie

I’m determined to look just like you!! You’re my daily inspiration and motivation, seriously :) Thank you, Zuzana!

Hi Zuzana!

I am not one of you more vocal viewers, but I do follow your workouts and your posts regularly. I really appreciate how focused you seem to be on all of the true components of fitness, you know, the mental and emotional side as well as physical. It is nice to see another fitness professional who seems to really care about your viewers/ clients and recognizes that you hold such a powerful position on influencing others.

Thanks for taking your position so responsible and with care. You rock:)

Hi! I am sooo inspired by you. I just came across your utube video and am now on your site. One question… do you do one 20 minute workout a day or more than one, or mix a workout with running, etc? Or is that it? I have never bben so inspired!

Hi Nancy B – just the workout that is posted – nothing else (thank God).

Hi there, i really love to exercise but since i’ve moved to a new house i haven’t exercised att all, and the reason why it’s because i dont have enough space. not exercising it’s driving me crazy!!!! Coul you give me some tips on how i can exercise on a small place and without that much suplies?

Thank you! I love your website!!!

Great idea! I think thats an awesome way to get motivated. Once your heart starts pumping from a little bit of working out you instantly feel energized and ready to keep going.

I can sooooo take something from this comment… so thanks so much for posting it!! I was doing these workouts for a couple weeks, which really caused my knees and lower back to hurt immensely. So I stopped altogether to allow them to heal. Now that they are feeling better I’m having a hard time to get started again… even tho I liked that I could say “I did that!” after each workout… and the definition I was starting to see. It’s like my brain refuses to engage the body… maybe I’m afraid of hurting it again.

So this time I’m going to get started again (tonight!) and take it more slowly (without apology, thanks for the suggestion!), and keep at it until my body is ready for more intensity. You are completely right, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing now… eventually I will get better and stronger.

Thanks again!!
Sandra

well i find the only time i can make myself workout is as soon as i pull myself out of bed and as soon as i walk in the door from work or it turns into tomorow.

the morning thing is prob cause i eat foods that make me feel bloated and lazy.. so the food you eat helps alot.
but bacon and eggs are soo good lol :D

and the home from work the second i sit down i wont want to get up again, so do it right away then a nice shower.

Thanks for those bible verses. :) I was looking for something from God to keep me going. I could never really see how exercise and diet connected to God and used it as an excuse. But I now recognize these things as important for attitude. I am recently starting out a new plan to get my mind and heart spiritually and mentally fit by pushing my physical boundaries through exercise and diet. I know I am happiest and strongest when I am mentally, physically and especially spiritually fit. :)

Thanks for this unexpected bit of inspiration.

God Bless

I used to wake up “early” in the morning (7 am. I really don’t like to wake up early) to go out and do some jogging. Every single morning, I wanted to stay in bed, warm an confortable. But I knew that wasn’t gonna make me happy, at least, not like the excercise. I also knew that, as soon as I take off my blanket, the work was done. It works for me… I know that I will make what I need to make (when it comes to excercise) if I’m all dressed and ready to go. Even if I’m tired, be up is enough motivation…
And now that I’m starting to work out, I guess it will be enough to put on my shoes and my workout cloths… XD
=D

Another good thing from scripture to remember is that our body is the Lord’s temple – let’s keep it in good order! :)

Hi Congratulation for your web it is helping a lot of people including my self…I have a question and some ideas on what you can add to your nice web questions 1) Do you have an specific routine for each day of the week or you just do wath you want to do that day? Why don’t you make a video with some explenations about how and what kind of foods people should eat or drink before and after workout with portions or amounts (that will help) Why don’t you make a routine example on what can be a routine using the videos for a month …. Thank you keep the good work……

I can’t remember where I read it, but here’s a tip that’s worked a lot for me: don’t even think about the whole working out part; put on your workout clothes and shoes, tie back your hair, whatever you need to do to get ready to push. Tell yourself, if you have to, that you don’t have you work out – you can just take the workout wear off, and go back to doing what you were doing before. By the time you’re all dressed and ready it’ll feel ridiculous to take the damn stuff off before getting some exercise done. And before you know it, the workout will be over! So there you have it – like Freddy said, I guess: take it one step at a time.

Try not to focus on the Weight factor it’s about the body fat. You can weight 150 ibs and only be 5’6″, but if your body fat is low then your weight should not matter. I hit a scale at the beginning and the end of my work out, but I measure my body fat every 30 days.

P.S by work out I mean my 90 day challenge. I started at 28% body fat I am now 23% and I am 5’10″. My goal is 18%.

Hi guys, I just came across your site last night, it’s great! I love the dedication, tips and work out plans. I’m a 33 year old, stay at home mama with 3 young children that will all be going to school this come september. I’m dedicated to get back into shape and by seeing your videos, I would love to follow them. I’m 5 feet 5 inches weighing around 116 lbs. I would like to be in the best shape I can possibly be. I would like to know with wich video to start up with.

Merci, sophie

heyy i was wondering if you can make a video about how to avoid cramps when working out/running?

DO NOT STOP EXERCISING! Please, everybody goes through a plateau every once in a while. Giving up at the first sign of struggle is not gonna get you anywhere in your life. I’ve been there myself, and I did feel like not working out anymore and giving up on healthy eating too. It’s been especially hard this time (this like the 4th time I go on a diet in my life, so I can relate to you). But I just think that there’s no turning back for me. It’s either keep trying to get in shape or be fat and unfit for the rest of my life.
Just make a change in your routine. Keep track of how many calories you’re eating. Find a food tracker on the internet and enter there everything you eat in the day. Find out how many calories you have to eat to lose weight. There are some really accurate formulas online.
Besides, take this as a learning experience. You’re discovering what works and what doesn’t work for your body. Make the necesary modifications and then go back stronger.
I hope you don’t lose your motivation and keep going.

Hi, for the amazing post. You’ve helped me a lot.

My totally best trick to make me exercise is:

I found the *ideal time* during the day for me: very early in the morning (6 to 7 am), before I breakfast and shower to leave the house to work.

Benefits:
- I don’t have time to really think in the morning, nor to postpone anything – I just do it.
- I’ll have my breakfirst only right after my workout – it’s like a reward, I enjoy it double when my body feels already so alive
- I leave my house totally fit and awake
- The whole day trough I feel proud to having done my fitness workout already

I have to leave for work at 8, but had I to leave at 7, I would even to my workout from 5 to 6 am because it’s just the right thing for me.
I’m doing this since about 3 month and I’m fitter and stronger than ever …

If you are an early moring person – go for it!

hi, how are you? I’m from Venezuela, I found this page and I’m very excited because I started today.. i’m very lazy with exercise but one of my goals this new year is to exercise my body.., and I think that this is the best way to do it, I don’t like gyms… so I’ll be following you! thanks for share all your tips and good advices… see you. Dani

The reason why I keep exercising and doing what I’m doing is because it seriously is like a drug for me, I get this high after every workout, it’s better than smoking a cigarette or marijuana (i’ve completely cut that stuff out of my life). Not only that, I noticed a big difference in my studies (yes, I’m a student), I’m able to retain an enormous amount of information and that didn’t happen before when I was big (freshman 15, yikes!) and stuffing my face with junk food. I just remember who I was then and that is a BIG motivation for me.

All we have to work out of in these days of our flesh is our body. It gets us from A to B, speaks, smiles, hugs, and lends a hand. Personal communication always contains body language. Speech that is written lacks all the finese that comes from extending syllables, changing the accent on a syllable for emphasis, facial and postural configurations that are eminating from the real person. So there is a language in between the words and it is robust. If we master our body as well as bring it into the best condition possible, then it is like the difference between a cell phone speaker and a Bose 500 watt system.

In great condition, our spirits work better and there is more room for the sunshine that God wants to be in us. We face troubled people at times. A body in good condition automatically telegraphs that “here is a survivable person”. Some with good bodies are troubled but they still are seen as more survivable and looked to for help, advice, or just a little bit better day than it would otherwise have been.

Couple the light of our Lord in us with a body well taken care of and we are immediately more able to comfort the bruised in spirit, lift up the downtrodden, sooth the borken hearted, and inspire some small thing in a tormented person to grow a bit.

I have lost the powerful well built body I used to have because of trauma in my life. Without having enough inner strenght to recover my body, I have no real worth to others that suffer: I’m robbing them of the kindness that the Lord placed in me. There is an order to death: first soulish/socia,l then the body>>brain, then the spirit. Something basic about Zuzana caught my attention: not so many words, the results are there, and videos are doable even in my delapidated condition. I have started to recover that which was lost: not just a body, but in fixing it I will come face to face with the rest. When I had a well built body before I was powerful to make people happy. Now to get it back!

I find writing things down to be my biggest motivator. I use my iCal and just write in anything active I do. Seeing six days in a row where I did nothing but walk to work makes me really guilty because I’m not doing anything to achieve what I truly want for myself. I look at the bodyrocker profiles and read fitness blogs to gain motivation and know that the results I want are possible if I really work hard, those people didn’t say “I’ll do it tomorrow”. Also, I buy myself something special each week that I have have 5 days where I was active for over half hour. It’s nice to not have to feel guilty about buying a LUSH bathbomb, or a pair of Victoria Secret undies, or a martini because you truly earned it by being good to yourself. Also, if there is something you want that’s a bit out of your normal price range you are really motivated to earn it by sticking to your workouts, if it’s something big stick to them for a month! This routine of writing things down, reading blogs for motivation and rewarding yourself works really well for changing your diet as well.

I just found your website last week and it is the best one I have come across and I absolutely love the workouts compared to all the other ones I have seen. After seeing all these videos, last week I decided to do the very oldest workouts to the newest workouts. A new one everyday so I will have several months of new workouts so my body does not get used to what I am doing. Although I am finding it so hard to get up and do it even though it’s right there :/ So I am reading your articles and this one makes a lot of sense. I do start something new to only look at myself and get discouraged then give up. I have tried finding people to work out with but they flake on me only making it worse. My new years resolution last year was to get in shape and now it’s already close to the new year.. Cross fingers I find my motivation and keep it! All I want to be is lean and toned. To be confident no matter what I wear or when I go swimming with friends. Zuzana, you are the inspiration I need! It is great to see someone so fit and happy do these workouts because you know it works! I just need to get started!

Hi there! I have a whole load of excuses – none of which are relative, you need to make a decision and break down your very large goal into smaller ones, taking it step by step and feeling good with every small goal set – one day you’ll wake up and realize you’ve achieved what you initially set out for – weeks ago! I have one small question though – please advise. I would like to lose flab and tone up as well as eat healthier – I want to look better but also FEEL better. I however – have smallish breasts and am afraid that once I start exercising they may lose their shape and not look as beautiful. Are there specific excises that can counteract or build muscle in this area – as well as to firm my chest up. I also need to lose a fair amount of flab on my arms – what are the  best exercises for this specific area?