When time is tight it can incredibly busy to fit in regular exercise.  I love pilates and barre classes but with a little baby at home, going out for over an hour for a class was just too difficult. I bought work-out videos but after a week got bored of them and found it increasingly difficult to psych myself up to start a 40 minute workout very early in the morning (too tired after a night of broken sleep) or late at night (not advised as exercise just before bed keeps you awake!).  Then I found the “Ballet Barre Fitness & Pilates Workouts” App by Kira Elste.

 So convenient and do-able…

For the fraction of the price of a regular class you get a fantastic selection of 15-30 minute workouts.  No commute time, no fancy fashion-forward activewear required…and no excuses.  Anyone can find 15 minutes per day.   

So fun!

Kira is an enthusiastic, quirky and encouraging instructor and includes fun workouts such as “Blue Jean Baby” (leg workout), LBD Barre (arms, legs, core) and Tank-Top Arms!  She also has a section for “Healthy Treats” she recommends and a technique section in the App.

 The benefits

 I felt better the within 2 days of adding in a daily 15 minute workout.  Obviously too early to see any change in the body, but I felt more supple, my muscles felt more toned and I just felt better about everything.  It’s such a small amount of time to put in, but just goes to show, a little can go a long way, and a tiny workout that you can commit to regularly is better than a long workout you never get around to. 

 It grows with you

Because the workouts are so short, you can easily add on more workouts as you become stronger, and once fitting in a workout has become a habit.  And you can customise the muscle groups that you work on. 

 So, the answer to getting around to exercising (and other things)? Make it easy for yourself and aim for something easily achievable at first. In this case 15 minutes of exercise wherever you (and your smartphone) happen to be.  Once the habit is instilled, you can build on it.

 (ps: this is not a paid/sponsored post, I just really like the app!)

This review was first published as a guest post on www.nzgirl.co.nz