Let’s be honest, working out is not something we all like to do all the time. Early in the morning, or after a long day at work, it’s easy to come up with a million excuses of why not to work out. Over the last three months I have really had to push myself to get some kind of workout in six days a week. Healthy eating only goes so far to shed the pounds. If you really want to speed up the process (and just feel better!) then getting physical everyday is what you need to do. If I didn’t find ways to keep pushing myself ,or actually enjoy what I was doing, there’s no way I could convince myself to get my butt out the door.

So, I have put together a list of my top five insights on working out. Hopefully they will strike a chord with you and help you to begin seeing a “workout” not as work, but as something you can fit into your life and enjoy.

#1: Find an activity that YOU like to do.
I think when a lot of people want to lose weight or just be in shape, they automatically think they need to start running. I don’t know what it is about running, but it seems like people think it’s the magic charm that will help them melt away the weight. Guess what? There are so many MORE ways to get in exercise without slogging through miles and wheezing away! If you don’t like running, jump on your bike and pedal away while you still enjoy the outdoors. Go on a walk with your family, or your dog, or your best girlfriend and chat away. Dive in the pool and swim around; you don’t even need to swim laps to get a good total body workout. Play softball, throw a Frisbee, or bump a volleyball with some friends on the weekend. The key is to find an activity that you enjoy and look forward to doing. And as an added bonus, you’ll burn those calories up, too.

#2: Mix it up.
Once you find your activity, don’t be monogamous to it. Have a little something else on the side: For instance, after being sidelined from running for so long due to my hip injury, I have really fallen in love with biking. Now, I like to bike one day and do a light run the next. I also like to throw some weight lifting in once or twice a week (I aim for two days a week, but…that doesn’t always happen). I also signed up for a boot camp class on Sunday mornings, and I learned this past week that it works LOTS of muscles I never knew I had. Keeping my workouts mixed up makes my body stronger overall, and allows me to take a break from very impactful exercising (like running) and get non-impact workouts in (biking) to keep my body healthy. Plus, I never get bored!

#3: Set a goal.
Whether it’s to be able to run a mile without stopping, signing up for a 5K run or a 10-mile bike ride event, or making it through a yoga class without falling on your butt—setting some kind of goal keeps you motivated and makes you check yourself when you want to slack off. It’s that simple.

#4: Make it social.
Sometimes, it’s hard to fit working out for even 30 minutes into the day. Including others in your workouts can make them more fun, and get in the social fix that you crave. I invite a friend along to run, walk or bike with me while we catch up. I sign up for a 5K race with a group of friends; not only do I have training partners, but I have people cheering me on when I cross the finish line. I have yet to make it to the local running club—I’ll admit it, I am kind of nervous to go by myself!—but I would think it has to be a great support community as well. And I don’t keep it all serious: I joined my co-workers on the Jockey softball team in a rec league this summer. I may have struck out 99% of the time, but I still had a lot of fun hanging out with the crew and playing around anyway.

#5: Get up early—or stick to it later.
Morning workouts. Oh boy. Not everyone’s favorite. But if you’re like me, you have a long workday and a lot to do at home even after you leave the workplace. I don’t work out every single morning, though some say it’s easier to form the habit of getting up that way. Instead, I think ahead—do I have time to workout tomorrow after work? If not, I set my alarm for 15 minutes before I actually need to be up, so I can hit snooze once and still get out of bed on time to fit in my workout and then get ready for work. If I ponder how I want to stay in bed, I think about the rest of the day and how this is my only chance to have some peace and quiet (and a good sweat session) by myself. That usually does the trick. If I do plan to work out in the evenings, I make sure I come home and put my active clothes on right away—I don’t let myself sit down, turn on the TV, return a phone call, nothing. Then I’m out the door before I can even be distracted.

I hope these insights help you out. I’d like to hear your thoughts on working out (good or bad) and what helps you stick to it / keeps you motivated / makes it fun for you. Won’t you share? :)

Fat Stats:
Starting weight: 166 pounds
Last week: 151.5 pounds
This week: 152 pounds (After my boot camp class & being sore for three days, I think it’s a gain of pure muscle!)
Goal weight: 145 pounds

Keep movin’
Amanda
@jockey_amanda

P.S. The weight loss challenge at Jockey may be over (results to come next week), but I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with my ramblings, folks. Hope you enjoy!

We are so excited to welcome Tim Tebow to the Jockey® family.  As of July, 2010, the pro football quarterback will be serving as a Jockey® spokesperson.  Tim was a first round NFL draft pick in 2010.  In college, he won two national championships and was the first ever sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy.  He also was a two-time winner of the Maxwell Award as the nation’s top college football player, as well as the winner of the Dave O’Brien Award as the nation’s best college quarterback, and the James E. Sullivan Award as the nation’s most outstanding amateur athlete in any sport.  Needless to say, he is an incredible athlete.

Tebow will be working with several Jockey® product lines, including the new Jockey® Staycool line which will launch in spring 2011.  He will also be featured in Jockey catalogs, TV and print advertisements and on Jockey.com.  Tim said “I’m excited to represent the Jockey brand and to work with such an innovative company. I’ve long been a fan and consumer of Jockey, and think they make a quality product with a great fit.  I’m looking forward to a great relationship with such a respectable company.”

We are definitely excited to have Tim Tebow as a Jockey® spokesperson and are looking forward to working with him in the upcoming years. Go Tebow! Go Jockey®!

I’ve been saying how becoming healthy really boils down to making a lifestyle change. This weekend, I was surprised to see how much being active and eating right really have become a lifestyle for me—and how much richer it makes every day.

I’ve found ways to make “working out” not be the dreaded part of my day anymore. Eleven weeks ago (heck, up until even a month ago), I would slap my alarm clock at 5am when it went off, groan, and grimace at the thought about running a few miles as everyone else in my sleepy town snoozed soundly in their comfy, cool beds. But now, I only get up to run in the morning if I am really looking forward to it the night before. If I go to bed excited to get up to run, it’s sooo much easier to actually get up and go. If I don’t want to get up in the morning, well, I am not going to force myself—I’ll work out after my workday, when I’m ready.

But better yet, I have found a less jolting and enjoyable way to work out in the morning: biking! It’s pretty much my new favorite thing. I love the way the wind rushes past me as I whiz down the tree-lined, shady bike path; the break from the pavement is relaxing and peaceful to wake up to. I feel like I am alone in the world, that it’s my day for the making. What do I want to do – what do I want to accomplish? In the early morning, by myself, the sun coming up over the trees and the birds chirping in the background, I really feel like I can do whatever I want. It’s most often the calmest time of my day, and it’s something that I’ve come to truly appreciate.

Eating healthy, too, has become something I appreciate and enjoy now. I like looking for recipes online, finding new ways to take normal, simple ingredients and turning them into something delish. And let’s face it, after working all day, going for a long workout, and doing my laundry/cleaning the bathroom/whatever other chores I need to get done, I don’t have a whole lot of time left for my boyfriend. So now we make dinner together some nights, and guess what? I know I’m kind of a dork, but…It’s fun! I get excited for the nights we plan on making dinner together, debating all day on what to make and then cooking up a storm. I’m glad we’re able to find a way to make a healthy lifestyle something that works for both of us, and for both of our schedules.

But, what’s my favorite “healthy eating” part of my life at the moment? Going to the farmer’s market! Every weekend, my city (like a lot of cities) closes down a whole street early on Saturday morning, and by 8am it is lined by white and blue tents with tables and tables of fresh fruits and vegetables (and baked goods, jewelry stands and other shopping delights). I was finally able to go to the market this weekend, and literally spent every last dollar I had in my wallet. A big tasty bran muffin, one giant cucumber, plump cherry tomatoes, little fingerling potatoes (can you say YUM?) and sweet, juicy peaches were my treasures of the morning. Something about browsing the market early on a Saturday, with the somewhat festive and happy atmosphere of it all, makes finding fresh, healthy produce a fun thing… I couldn’t wait to get home and figure out what to make with my veggies. And the home-grown peaches? They blew my store-bought peaches out of the fridge and into the garbage. I urge you to find out about your local farmer’s market and check it out this week. You’ll love it!

All in all, this week I have been thinking about how it is often the simplest things in life that make a difference, and these simple parts of my week are what make me the happiest. What I can’t believe is that three months ago, these “simple things” weren’t really a part of my life at all. Now, I can’t imagine things any other way.

How do you make a healthy lifestyle work for you?

Tell me about it. :)

Fat Stats:
Starting weight: 166 pounds
Last week: 153 pounds
This week: 151.5 pounds
Goal weight: 145 pounds

Happy weekend,
Amanda
@jockey_amanda

We’ve still got World Cup fever (and we want to give a special shout out to Spain on a great game)! Soccer season may be over, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop supporting your favorite teams!

We think you’ll want to check out one of our newest (and coolest) styles, our International Y-front® Brief! Now you have the chance to sport your favorite team’s colors in the comfort of Jockey all year round. Whether you root for Germany, Brazil, South Africa, Portugal, Spain or the USA, we’ve got you covered!

Plus, if you’re looking for a little more coverage, our International Y-front® trunk has arrived! You can wear your country pride in a style that will fall at the very top of your thigh.