If there's one thing missing from my weekly routine, it's a more consistent workout schedule. Exercise is super important to me—both for my mental and physical health—but most days there simply isn't enough time to get a workout in after a hectic 9-hour work day, errands, cooking, and more. Like most people who want to get into shape, I had a million excuses to skip working out.

I was on the hunt for a good at-home workout when a friend recommended the fitness app Aaptiv. The app offers over 3,000 workouts and training sessions based on your fitness goals, each guided by a professional trainer. The workouts are broken down into specifics, so it's easy to browse the app by the style and approach of the trainer, music preferences, length of workout, and more. Aaptiv offers everything from outdoor guided runs to stair climbers and rowing sessions, but since I was interested in working out from the comfort of my home, my go-to classes are strength training, meditation, yoga, and pilates. Best of all, Aaptiv takes all of my excuses to skip working out and throws them out the window. Here are my four most common excuses to skip the gym, and how Aaptiv helps me conquer them.

1. “I don't have time to work out."

I'm the queen of pressing snooze one too many times to get to the gym before work. Luckily, Aaptiv has a ton of workouts I can do from home, many as short as 10 minutes long, so there's no reason not to squeeze in a little core blast or lunging session every day.

2. “I don't like working out with other people around."

If you're like me, you get gym anxiety—that feeling of being self-conscious and nervous around others in the gym, assuming they know exactly what they're doing and you're not so sure. Aaptiv's personal trainers talk you through exactly what to do, giving you the guidance you need to try free weights for the first time or discover the resistance setting on the stationary bike and totally feel like you belong. I use it at the gym to help me conquer my insecurity about being a fitness newbie.

3. “There's too much pressure to look good at the gym."

Wearing cute athleisure has become just as popular as actually working out, which really puts the pressure on gym goers. One of my favorite parts of Aaptiv is that I can workout while still in my pajamas or in a ratty t-shirt with holes on days I haven't done laundry.

4. “I never know what to do besides the treadmill or elliptical."

Finding new ways to spice up a fitness routine can be tough. Aaptiv offers personal guidance for trying out all kinds of new equipment, plus lets you dip your toes in cool kinds of classes like pilates, yoga, high-intensity intervals, meditation, and more.

Special offer for our readers: Aaptiv is giving our readers a limited time offer!Follow this link to sign up for 70% off your first year of Aaptiv!

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Nobody likes working out.

Ok, some people do, but sadly I'm not one of them. My roommate is one of those people that gets up at 5:30 am and is in the gym by 6:15 am. She has tried to motivate me a couple of times by literally dragging me out of my bed and making me go with her to some grueling workout class. So not my style. Plus, we live 30 minutes from the closest gym, so spending an hour commuting before I've even started getting ready for work feels like such a waste of time. I've slowly gained about 20 pounds over the last 18 months, and I knew I was going to have to find a workout routine that worked for my schedule if I was going to lose it.

Working out at home just made the most sense. My roommate, the gym bunny, told me that at-home workouts just don't compare to what you can achieve at the gym. Determined to prove her wrong, I started looking for an at-home workout plan that would give me serious results. My research led me to BodyBoss. BodyBoss is a 12-week fitness program designed to give you the maximum level of results in the shortest amount of time. You work out 24 minutes a day, 3 days a week. They sent me a fitness routine book, and also helpful videos you can follow along with on your phone, iPad or TV, so all of the workouts can be done at home and no equipment is required.

Just 24 minutes a day sounded super achievable. The shorter amount of time is possible because of HIIT strength training exercises—High-Intensity Interval Training is designed to help you keep burning more calories even when your workout is over, they call it the #BossEffect. I checked out the BodyBoss Facebook page and was impressed with the honesty of the questions and comments from all the women in the community. Real women, all over America, encouraging each other while they try to hit their fitness goals. That support system, as well as the incredible before & after photos, are what made me feel confident enough to order BodyBoss and get started. Here are actual photos of some of the inspiring women and their transformations that helped convince me that if they could do it, I might be able to do it, too.

Since I was a fitness rookie, and knew almost nothing about healthy food options (totally NOT doing wheat grass or living on celery!), I also joined the community every Monday for the free Facebook LIVE sessions where we all get tips, recipes and answers to our questions from Kim Lyons, the top trainer from one of my favorite TV weight-loss shows, The Biggest Loser. It's like a personal training session with one of the best coaches in the world! She answered several of my questions, gave me some of my favorite snack and meal tips, and I even won an Amazon Gift Card and a BodyBoss mat, just for commenting and asking a question. Kim's a busy mom like me, and she just keeps everything real, which makes me feel like I belong.

Now I've been using BodyBoss for about 9 weeks, and I'm so happy with the results so far. It's completely changed the way I feel about working out and I haven't looked, or felt, this good in years. I've even gotten my gym obsessed roomie to start using BodyBoss! She can't believe that she has an entire workout completed in half the amount of time she used to spend commuting to the gym. It's helped me make the most of the little free time I have, and on top of the physical results, I feel a lot less stressed now that I am finally working out on a regular basis. I can't wait to keep working out with BodyBoss, and keep working towards my fitness goals.

Update 05/29/2019: 2019 is your year to be the best you! Our friends at Bodyboss are offering a special promotion to our readers. Follow this link and get 20% off of your first order today!

Nobody likes working out.

Ok, some people do, but sadly I'm not one of them. My roommate is one of those people that gets up at 5:30 am and is in the gym by 6:15 am. She has tried to motivate me a couple of times by literally dragging me out of my bed and making me go with her to some grueling workout class. So not my style. Plus, we live 30 minutes from the closest gym, so spending an hour commuting before I've even started getting ready for work feels like such a waste of time. I've slowly gained about 20 pounds over the last 18 months, and I knew I was going to have to find a workout routine that worked for my schedule if I was going to lose it.

Working out at home just made the most sense. My roommate, the gym bunny, told me that at-home workouts just don't compare to what you can achieve at the gym. Determined to prove her wrong, I started looking for an at-home workout plan that would give me serious results. My research led me to BodyBoss. BodyBoss is a 12-week fitness program designed to give you the maximum level of results in the shortest amount of time. You work out 24 minutes a day, 3 days a week. They sent me a fitness routine book, and also helpful videos you can follow along with on your phone, iPad or TV, so all of the workouts can be done at home and no equipment is required.

Just 24 minutes a day sounded super achievable. The shorter amount of time is possible because of HIIT strength training exercises—High-Intensity Interval Training is designed to help you keep burning more calories even when your workout is over, they call it the #BossEffect. I checked out the BodyBoss Facebook page and was impressed with the honesty of the questions and comments from all the women in the community. Real women, all over America, encouraging each other while they try to hit their fitness goals. That support system, as well as the incredible before & after photos, are what made me feel confident enough to order BodyBoss and get started. Here are actual photos of some of the inspiring women and their transformations that helped convince me that if they could do it, I might be able to do it, too.

Since I was a fitness rookie, and knew almost nothing about healthy food options (totally NOT doing wheat grass or living on celery!), I also joined the community every Monday for the free Facebook LIVE sessions where we all get tips, recipes and answers to our questions from Kim Lyons, the top trainer from one of my favorite TV weight-loss shows, The Biggest Loser. It's like a personal training session with one of the best coaches in the world! She answered several of my questions, gave me some of my favorite snack and meal tips, and I even won an Amazon Gift Card and a BodyBoss mat, just for commenting and asking a question. Kim's a busy mom like me, and she just keeps everything real, which makes me feel like I belong.

Now I've been using BodyBoss for about 9 weeks, and I'm so happy with the results so far. It's completely changed the way I feel about working out and I haven't looked, or felt, this good in years. I've even gotten my gym obsessed roomie to start using BodyBoss! She can't believe that she has an entire workout completed in half the amount of time she used to spend commuting to the gym. It's helped me make the most of the little free time I have, and on top of the physical results, I feel a lot less stressed now that I am finally working out on a regular basis. I can't wait to keep working out with BodyBoss, and keep working towards my fitness goals.

UPDATE 05/29/19: Our friends at BodyBoss are offering our readers a special promotion! Follow this link & get 20% off your guide today!

When I was younger, it didn't matter if I ate pizza and cheeseburgers all week. My weight never really fluctuated, so I ate whatever I wanted- whenever I wanted. In the past few years, my metabolism has changed but my eating habits haven't. Now that I work in HR and sit in an office chair most of my work day, I'm not as active as I used to be and it's had an effect on my waistline. My husband surprised me with a trip to the Bahamas for our 5th wedding anniversary, and while I'm really excited for warm weather and pina coladas, I'm dreading throwing on a bikini. I decided I wanted to lose a few pounds but didn't want to go on some fad diet or two-month meal plan of gross, frozen foods. My friends have gone on crash diets and I've seen first hand how hard it is for them when they yo-yo the weight right back on.

One of my coworkers recently lost a dress size right before her friend's wedding, so I decided to ask her for some tips. She said she uses Splendid Spoon and loved it. I told her I wasn't interested in eating diet bars or using weird point systems, but she promised it was different. So, I looked into it and found out that Splendid Spoon is a subscription meal plan that sends plant-based, ready-to-eat soups made of fresh ingredients right to your door. They're not a weight-loss plan: their focus is on creating the most nutrient-dense and delicious soups and smoothies possible for people that want to eat cleaner. But, the soups and smoothies are calorie controlled, low sugar, and low fat (not to mention totally vegan) so a ton of people (like my coworker) lose weight without feeling like they're on a diet. The soups are chef and dietician-designed, so there's no doubt the meals are both healthy and packed full of flavor.

Splendid Spoon's menu is full of all sorts of cuisines, and the cool part about it is that you have complete control over your plan, so you can choose what soups you get sent. Immediately, I knew I wanted to try the Cauliflower Tikka, because cumin is my favorite spice, and the Lentil & Kale, made with organic carrots, kale, red and green lentils, and rosemary, sounded too good to pass up. All the soups are plant-based and made with superfoods, like turmeric, kale, and bok choy, and are loaded with the nutrients your body needs to boost its wellbeing. The soups arrived chilled and ready-to-heat, so all I had to do was warm them up in the microwave. I started taking the soups to work and substituting my regular lunch for a Splendid Spoon meal, which made a huge difference in my steady energy levels throughout the day.

By substituting my breakfast and lunch for Splendid Spoon, I eat fewer total calories during the day. I do a low sugar smoothie for breakfast, and their plant-based soups are only about 400 calories each, so they're a lot healthier than my usual lunch. My usual steak burrito clocks in at over a thousand calories. Just by switching out my lunch with Splendid Spoon, I've lost about 5 pounds in a month. I've noticed the biggest difference around my stomach, and I think that getting rid of all the excess sodium and processed junk in my diet really helped me lose several inches from my waistline. Plus, if I'm craving steak, I can still have my Chipotle bowl for dinner. That's what I love about Splendid Spoon: I can lose weight without having to totally change the way I eat. Dinners and weekends are still totally my own. Plus, with the subscription plan, each meal only comes to about $9, so my wallet is loving it just as much as my tummy. I'm going to keep eating Splendid Spoon for breakfast and lunch next month before I go to the Bahamas, and am really looking forward to feeling my best and rocking a new swimsuit with a flat tummy.

Update: The folks at Splendid Spoon are extending a special offer to our readers! For a limited time get $15 OFF any plan!

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