The Case for Doing Nothing

just relax

We hear it all the time: every moment is precious.

We know that we only have so much time…

And that no single second should be wasted.

So we pack our days with meaningful activities and take advantage of every opportunity that comes our way.

Because we only have one life to live, right? And a meaningful life equals a full life.

No more down time

We listen to self help audio books while we’re doing the dishes.

We do push ups while we’re watching TV with our family.

And we catch up on emails while we’re watching our kid play softball.

Heck, I’m even doing it right now—writing this post while I walk my dog.

We multitask. And we’re good at it. Constantly trying to suck every morsel out of life.

But is this really how we were meant to live?

Are we meant to be human productivity machines—essentially robots?

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15 Awesome Reasons to Add Jumping to Your Regular Workout Routine

jump like you mean it

If you haven’t already noticed, we jump a lot during the 12 minute workouts. Like, a lot.

Burpees, squat jumps and tuck jumps show up in almost every workout we do here on the site.

And yes, these exercises are tough. They’ll make you breathe heavy and pour sweat, and might make you hate me just a little bit (or maybe a lot) after each workout.

But I don’t include so much jumping in the workouts because I want to torture you.

We jump so much because jumping isreally, really good for you.

In fact, it’s one of the best things you can do to get in awesome shape and keep yourself healthy for life.

And the best thing about it? Anyone can do it.

Yes, that means you.

Why you should love to jump

It doesn’t matter if you’re young, or old, overweight or in awesome shape, a seasoned athlete or a complete newbie exerciser—jumping is one of the best exercises out there.

Here’s why you should embrace jumping as part of your regular workout routine:

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7 Surprising Ways Exercise Can Make You Happier

 

Like any good mother, my mom knows me well.

Any time we talk and she can sense I’m feeling less than my normal happy self, she’ll ask the same exact thing: “Have you exercised today, Krista?”

The question used to annoy me.

“I don’t feel like exercising today, Mom,” I’d whine.

But sooner or later, I started realizing that no matter how bad of mood I was in, if I fit in some exercise, whether it was a tough workout or even just a walk outside—I felt loads better.

Every single time.

Of course: mothers always know best.

Exercise and happiness: it’s not just a myth

When you work out and stay active on a regular basis, you may have noticed that you feel less stressed out, less anxious, and generally happier.

And that’s not just a coincidence.

Because studies suggest that there is a direct link between exercise and happiness—for a number of reasons.

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Free eBook: HIIT on the Go Travel Workouts You Can Do Anywhere

HIIT on the go

I don’t know about you…

But I used to find it nearly impossible to stay in shape when I traveled.

I’d bring my workout gear with good intentions of actually using it, but it would inevitably never actually make it out of the bottom of my suitcase.

And while the 12 Minute Athlete workouts are perfect for traveling, sometimes you just don’t have access to any workout equipment—or even an internet connection to check out the newest workout on the site.

That’s why I created HIIT on the Go: 10 Quick and Insanely Effective Workouts You Can Do Anywhere.

Because traveling doesn’t have to mean getting out of shape.

Work out anywhere, anytime

HIIT on the Go is a resource filled with incredibly effective, insanely awesome workouts that you can do while traveling—whether all you have is a crappy cramped gym, a nearby park, or even just a tiny hotel room.

Get HIIT on the Go (40 pages), and you’ll get:

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How a 10-Year-Old Boy Who Can't Walk Can Inspire You to Work Out

braxton

“Your sister is in the hospital,” the principal told me, a look of concern on her face.

I remember the day clearly, even now. I was sixteen years old and a sophomore in high school when I got pulled out of class because of my older sister, who was then 27 weeks pregnant with twin boys.

“The babies have to come out. And the doctor isn’t sure if they’ll live.”

Rushing to the hospital, the rest is a blur. Just a few minutes before, my mind had been on Spanish class and the latest teenage boy I had a crush on.

Suddenly, everything had changed: all I cared about was whether my sister, and her not-yet-born baby boys, would survive.

I remember the looks on my sister and brother-in-law’s faces over those next few days. Pure white with more than a hint of ghost. It was not an easy time for our family.

Seven weeks too early, the boys were born, weighing just over two pounds each. But that didn’t relieve anyone’s fears. They were hooked up to a ventilator for what seemed like weeks because their tiny, premie lungs didn’t have the capacity to breathe like normal babies did.

Still, the doctors didn’t know if they were going to make it.

That next year was tough for all of us. I was too scared to hold the boys (soon named Wyatt and Braxton) for fear I’d break them. And since they could have stopped breathing at any moment, they couldn’t be left alone in a room by themselves—even for a moment, for fear they wouldn’t be alive when you returned.

But they kept on fighting for their lives. And eventually, the boys convinced everyone that they were here in this world to stay.

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Why Sitting is Killing You—And What You Can Do to Stop it

standing desk

Be honest… how much do you sit during the day?

6 hours? 10 hours? More?

You’re not alone.

Because whether it’s due to a desk job, a long commute, or just hours of TV watching or video game playing a day, the typical American sits for 8 to 10 hours a day.

But while it may be normal to sit that much… it sure isn’t healthy.

In fact, here’s the ugly truth: sitting all day is not only bad for your health—it can also kill you.

Sit less, live longer

As a nation, we have a sitting epidemic.

We sit all day at work.

We sit all day in the car, driving to and from work and running errands (with no actual running involved).

We sit during our entertainment. Movies, television, video games, watching (but not playing) sports, you name it.

But we have to stop. If we do, it can add years (literally) onto our lives

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Why Your Exercise and Weight Loss New Year's Resolutions Are Doomed to Fail

Every year, on New Year’s Eve, millions of people around the world make a list of New Year’s resolutions… commitments they make to better themselves in the year ahead.

Topping the list of the most common resolutions?

Exercise and weight loss.

In fact, nearly 50% of Americans make a New Year’s resolution to lose weight and get in shape in the upcoming year.

And 2013 will be no different.

After all, if you’re like the rest of us, in the last couple of weeks you’ve consumed gobs of Christmas cookies, candy canes, and holiday drinks.

You’re probably feeling that roll around your middle (you know, where you’d abs should be) more than ever right now.

And you’re finally ready to do something about it.

But it’s not that simple.

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What Fitness Really Is

Recently I was walking my dog to our usual park in Bernal Heights, a cute little hilly neighborhood in San Francisco.

We go there almost every day, and to get there, you have to go up a few pretty steep hills—and a long set of fairly long stairs.

On days when I’m sore from the previous day’s workout, or when the wind is blowing hard, I’ll admit that even I find the climb a bit daunting, but I’ve never once stopped to rest and always keep a steady fast pace.

This time, when Rocket and I made our way through the chilly fog up to Bernal hill, a noticeably overweight woman and her little terrier dog were blocking the stairway in the middle.

Bent over and panting from lack of breath, she noticed us approaching and her face turned red from embarrassment.

“We’re just taking our time,” she said between breaths. “Go ahead and pass us.”

We did, and when I looked back after we’d reached the top of the stairs, she was still standing there, a look of misery on her face.

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Rolling Away Your Injuries: How to Foam Roll Like a Pro

Want to improve your performance, flexibility, and reduce injuries?

Then it’s probably time you gave foam rolling a shot.

Because while it’s necessary to work out hard, it’s equally as important to make sure your body gets the recovery it needs. And stretching (including yoga!) just isn’t enough.

So whether you’re a hardcore athlete, or squeeze in a workout two or three times a week to keep the pounds off, a foam roll is a magical device that will make you wonder how you ever lived without one.

Read on for more on why foam rolling rocks:

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Why the 12 Minute Athlete Workouts are Perfect for Traveling

It’s happens to everyone…

You keep a perfect workout schedule when you’re at home, never missing a day. But then one day, you go on vacation or travel for work and bam—all your hard work falls apart.

Because while you might pack your workout clothes with good intention to use the hotel gym, they never actually make it out of the bottom of your suitcase.

And before you know it, you’ve stopped exercising at all, completely abandoning your usual health routine. You start eating all the local foods, drink a little more than usual, and rather than walking, splurge and get a cab (it is vacation after all).

Soon enough, your pants start fitting tighter, your energy levels drop, and your motivation goes way down—you’re back to square one. And worst of all, it’s not so easy to get back to being healthy when you get home.

But that’s where the 12 Minute Athlete workouts come in.

Here’s why they’re the best way to motivate yourself to work out when you’re traveling:

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