An excuse is really just a way of letting yourself off the hook from something. 

It doesn’t mean you’re lazy. It means it’s time to find a new approach to your success.

I believe that one of the reasons why I’m effective as a coach and expert is because, really and truly, I’m just like you.

I have days when I eat chocolate for breakfast. I have full weeks where the only exercise I do is leisurely walking. There are times when everything else in my life is more important than my workout.

The key to my personal success is that I 100% trust myself to get back on track quickly. I don’t stress about eating a donut because I know I’ll get back to my optimal eating habits the next day. I’ve also learned how to allow for indulgences without it having much impact on my muscle mass or body fat. 

Earlier this year I was still working through some health issues that made working out more challenging than usual. I was also particularly obsessed with supporting the women in my community, and put “work” at the very top of my priorities. Fun fact, I’d work 24/7 if I could - that’s how much I love the work that I do. 

Before I knew it, my workouts had slipped away and I was left feeling terrible.

I knew that if I didn’t make some changes today, I was headed for more unhappiness tomorrow.

I remember the moment exactly. I was looking out the window from my desk and said to myself, “Woman, no more excuses.” 

I realized that I could take the minutes I was staring out the window and exchange them for a few sets of my favorite exercises. 

And just like that, the concept of Intermittent Sets was born.

In this episode of Hot Tea with Holly I walk you through one of the best ways to never skip a workout again.

Intermittent Sets are brilliant because…

• There is nearly no excuse for skipping exercise
• You can complete one exercise in 30-60 seconds
• They serve as a short break from work or desk time
• You can maximize your exercise time since you’re not resting between sets like you would in a normal workout
• They work with homeostasis so that your body eases into longer workouts in a more productive way
• They allow you to gradually increase your time dedicated to workouts
• You accumulate the same total number of sets as completed in a normal workout
• It allows you to pick the exercises you like the most. This increases the likelihood that you actually do the exercises

If you find yourself off track with workouts and struggling to get the momentum going again, Intermittent Sets are the best way to get started.

Special thanks to my friends over at Turnaround Management Association for creating this video as part of their TMA NOW Summit.

Do you love learning about evidence-based concepts? Are you someone who appreciates research that backs up your beliefs? Me too. Here’s one of the studies I used for this article.

This systematic review and meta analysis shows that this intermittent exercise concept may be more beneficial in some ways!

Stay strong, my friend!