Working in the Workouts: Adding more cardio

Each week, Debbie will share her goals, challenges, successes and tips on how to fit in fitness when caring for a rambunctious toddler.

If you all read The Results Show last week, you'll know that although I am getting some great results from my new routine, I also have a few problems to work out.

The strength training is great, I love it, it fits into my day (and Owen's!) nicely and is helping me to have a firmer, stronger body. My thighs, however, have other ideas besides leanness, and so to counteract the muscle mass that I am building, my goal was to try and add some sort of cardio, a sustained activity that will burn the fat

I have all but abandoned the elliptical (and really, I am not convinced that five minutes was enough to qualify as cardio anyway), because spring has finally sprung here in the Northeast and last Saturday was my first installment in reaching my new goal.

I strongly suggest carving out a little "me time" and abandoning your husband and child on Saturday morning. My old hiking buddy, Guinness (our German Shepherd) and I hit the trails on the conservation land bordering our house and I briskly hiked for about a half hour. Owen and Daddy had a fun bike ride so everyone was happy.

On Tuesday, since my poor kid was so exhausted from playing outside constantly for four days straight, I was able to cajole him into the stroller for a brisk half hour walk. My goal is to aim to do this about three times a week. That way, if it is twice one week and four times the next, it's all good. I won't beat myself up because I couldn't reach a specific number goal, and I'll be doing the best I can.

And that's what it's all about. No, not the Hokey Pokey; follow along folks. It is about doing the best you can with the time you have got. I am sure doing a lot more than I was a month ago, and that is a huge accomplishment.

Have any of you tried sneaking fitness into your busy schedules? How is it working for you?