"I just don't have time to workout"

"I would if I could only find the time"

"I hate waiting for the treadmill"

"The gym is too far"

"It's too busy at the gym, it takes forever"

"Yeah, but you gotta train for hours on end every day to look like that"

...And so it goes. The great fitness myth that good health and fitness takes frikin' forever. Interestingly enough, I say this "myth" has been perpetuated by a certain group of people that I will boldly identify right now. Are you ready? This "myth" has been perpetuated by LAZY people! And do you know what else? It's just a poor excuse disguised as a myth!

Now, If you're a professional anything, then you make your living doing that. So, if you're a physical professional, like a ball player, Gymnast, Olympic lifter, Power lifter, dare I include Bodybuilder here, you have a full time job and you better put in long hours.

But who said anything about that? We're talking about getting in shape and staying in shape. In David Whitley's ebook entitled "101 Kettlebell Workouts", which you can get for free at irontamer.com, the second segment is titled "30 Under 30." One of the many joys of Kettlebell Training is that you can get in a very effective and efficient workout in under 30 minutes. Technically, you can smoke yourself in under 5 minutes if you're really pressed for time and that's the point here. There is NO "I don't have time" excuse. And that's really all it is.

Everybody and every body has their own reasons for avoiding exercise. Exercise I think, is a choice. In 10,000 BC, being in shape wasn't a choice. If you weren't in peak physical condition, you died. Plain and simple. When you're hunting, gathering and protecting yourself and your family, you need to be in shape. Now in the years 2009 and the ones to follow, you still can find yourself in the need for that kind of fitness level, it's just the odds of ever having to chase and kill a Saber Tooth Tiger are really slim. However, running away from a Pit Bull who just got off his leash is a possibility. So is being attacked or mugged. The need to be in shape is still there, however since most of us spend more time on our butts than our feet, normal, functional fitness and strength has fallen by the wayside.

If I may be so bold as to say the following: You have an obligation to yourself and to the Higher Power that created you to maintain the vessel you were given for this journey we call life. So identify whatever it is that's holding you back from loving yourself a little more and loving this life you have. Then find a way to move past that. Ironically, once you start doing things for yourself, such as finding and making time to exercise, a whole new world opens itself up to you. Try it if you don't believe that.

30 Kettlebell Workouts in Under 30 minutes. Is it possible to stay in shape with just 30 minutes of exercise a day?Can that even change my physique? How can that benefit my health and fitness level? Let's say I do six of these workouts a week. That means 5 weeks to complete all 30. Let's also say that before starting this I measure my scale weight and body fat percentage. Take some "before" photos. Then commit to follow a specific diet and keep a food diary. Blog the whole thing out for the 5 weeks, take some "after" photos and then compare the results. Sound interesting? I think so and so I'm gonna do it...

The Plan.

1. Perform 6 workouts a week. Preferably first thing in the morning before breakfast.

2. Eat a diet high in protein, veggies,healthy fats and a few low glycemic fruits like apples, pears, bananas, ect. post workout. There will be no starch, processed sugar, or grains. One day a week (Sunday) I will allow myself a yam or whole wheat pasta. Legumes in moderation will be OK(for the fiber). Most of the day will be spent "grazing" with small snacks (nuts, salads, raw veggies, a protein shake or two) and 1 main meal in the evening. I will keep a food diary and include it in my daily blog. Based on the number's below in #4, I'm going to make sure I get about 200 grams of protein daily, try to keep the carbs between 45 - 75 grams a day. Fat grams will also be in the 45 gram range. I won't count calories or stress too much about these numbers. I will simply make it a point to watch and make note of the protein content coming in and keep track of what type and when the carbs are coming in. I will focus on healthy fats. (nuts, seeds, avocado, fish). I will also take a few supplements. BCAA's and Glutamine, ZMA, Anti-oxidant complex, and CLA.

3. Blog, Blog, Blog. Every evening before going to bed I'll journal on the day's workout and food intake plus thoughts and feelings on the process.

4. As of November 1st at 9 pm my scale weight is 170 lbs. My body fat % came in at 14.18% using the skin fold deal and 9.8% using the Homedics Health Station. So my ego prefers the Homedics, but I will use both and check the scale every Sunday morning when I wake up.

5. You'll also see the "before" photos here in the slide show.

Well! I'm excited to see how this is all going to come out. I'm also excited to show how with just a pinch of discipline and a little commitment this can get done. Stay tuned!

Care to join me on the journey? Get yourself a copy of David Whitley's "101 Kettlebell Workouts" at www.irontamer.com and get to work!  If you'd like to read how this all began, you can start by clicking here.

My website is www.thepuravidacompany.com. Check it out. Feel free to contact me with questions and comments.

Thanks for following along!

The first 3 pix show me at the beginning of my journey. They were taken on 9/28/09 in my apartment. The second group of 3 show me on 11/1/09. These are the "after" pix from the first month after finishing the first segment of Dave Whitley's 101 Kettlebell Workouts. There were 12 in that series and it was called Workouts for General Conditioning.  I noticed a few subtle changes.  Keep in mind, I really didn't alter my diet much.  I eat clean to begin with, no fast food or processed food.  However for this 30 under 30 part, I'm going to focus on fat loss while maintaining muscle mass and strength.  Let's see what happens!!!