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ELANA BAUM'S

Elana Baum, February 24 2020

How to work out every day for 25 days. I did it and here's what happened.

I know, you're probably wondering 'How did she do that?!' and telling yourself 'I don't have time for that!' which is why you're now reading this blog.

Welcome. I am a 21 year old, fourth year marketing student at the University of Ottawa. I worked out 25 times in a month and you can too. This blog will tell you how my mind, body and life transformed and give you advice on how yours can too. I will provide tips on how to exercise regularly, even with a busy schedule.

What did I do?

Let's get into what types of workouts I did. A whole lot of hot yoga classes, weekly kickboxing sessions and some simple cardio and weight workouts at my campus gym. It's important to find exercises that you enjoy and that work for you, or you won't be as motivated to go. Try out different workouts and see what you like, for example, I've tried spinning classes and running, and they weren't for me. When you discover the types of workouts or fitness classes that you enjoy, it becomes an activity you look forward to, rather than a chore. That's how you'll be more motivated to challenge yourself and meet goals.

Here's what happened

Starting with hot yoga, I got an unlimited monthly pass to Pure Yoga. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made in 2020 so far. It has been so transformational for me on multiple levels. My favourite classes are flow, power and sculpt. When I leave class, I am drenched in sweat but I feel so revived and at peace. When I’m in class, I leave all my worries at the door and stay present in the moment and it is such a calming and zen feeling. It’s almost as if I’m sweating out my stress. 

Moving on to kickboxing. I signed up for weekly sessions with a friend, and it has been so empowering. I feel stronger and more powerful. Learning how to fight has been pretty fun, and being able to punch something definitely relieves stress. One of the most interesting changes I’ve noticed since starting, is my dreams. I usually have a recurring stress dream where I’m being attacked and unable to fight, and now they don’t happen anymore. I guess you could say I fought the nightmares out of my sleep. 

I also occasionally did some gym workouts, such as the lateral elliptical, stair climber and simple light weight workouts. In terms of nutrition, I don’t follow any particular diet, but I try to mostly eat plant-based. I noticed, due to living a more active lifestyle, it was easier to make healthier food choices. Basically, it was kind of a domino effect to living an overall healthier lifestyle. Balance and keeping a healthy relationship with food has been a priority of mine this year. I still had my fair share of eating out with friends and going out for drinks. I love a good El Camino taco and a Corona with lime. Sometimes you gotta live a little and treat yourself. 








Exercising regularly has improved not only my physical health, but my mental health as well. Research findings indicate that exercise is associated with improvements in mental health including mood state and self-esteem, and this is certainly true for myself. 

Overall, I lost 5 pounds, I look more toned, gained muscle, I got rid of my stress dreams, my skin got clearer, it has reduced anxiety and stress in my life, I've become better at living a balanced and healthy lifestyle and my mind is more at peace. My life has definitely been busier and I feel exhausted at the end of the day, but I also feel so proud of myself. Don't you want this for yourself too?

How to work out every day, even with a busy schedule

Let's move on to how I did it. Here are some tips and advice on how I managed to fit this lifestyle into my busy schedule so that you can too.

Now that you’ve learned how working out regularly has improved my life, use this advice to implement healthy changes into your routine and watch the positive benefits flourish for you. Coming from a business student, health is still your most important investment. The evolution of you isn't a look, it's a feeling. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Hold the vision, trust the process.

Written by

Elana Baum

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