The Daily Standard

The best way to stay fit requires some form of daily exercise.

Having a daily exercise routine has always helped me feel balanced. My routines have changed over the years but I've always relied on them to keep me centered and grounded. My weight hasn't fluctuated much in over 10 years and I know it is because of my dedication to a consistent exercise routine.

Exercise doesn't have to be grueling... it just has to be consistent and you experience the greatest benefit by doing it daily.

Right now, my daily routine consists of a triad of exercises that my husband has named "The Daily Standard". David and I both love to exercise with his product, the BOSU Balance Trainer. It is our favorite way to workout and has been yielding great results. Most of the exercises we do involve simply the BOSU ball and our body weight which is nice because they are easy to do at home.

The first exercise is called the "BGDGU" (aka: BOSU Get Down Get Up). You start by standing in front of the Balance Trainer and proceed to bend at the knees and the hip, lowering your butt down to the dome. Once seated on top, extend your legs out in front of you and lean your upper body back, coming to a plank like position with your lower back supported by the dome. (You can start by leaving the heels on the ground and later progress to balancing in a full supine plank with your feet lifted off of the floor.) Finish by bringing your feet back underneath you and use the momentum of your hands pressing off of the dome to come back up to standing. Repeat, performing 15 repetitions.

The second exercise is a downward dog-to-press flow movement. Start with the BOSU ball in front of you. Come into the downward-dog yoga position, with your hands toward the front of the Balance Trainer and your feet on the ground. Your body will look like an upside-down V. From here, shift forward, bringing one knee to the dome and place your hands on the floor in front of the BOSU ball. Lower your upper body down for a push-up and then press yourself back, bringing your hands back to the dome and your feet back to the floor to revisit the downward-dog position. Repeat the movement 10 times, alternating knees.

The third exercise is the Standing Balance with Head Tilt. Begin by standing on top of the BOSU dome. Take a deep breath and raise your arms overhead while tilting your head back, shifting your gaze to a point on the ceiling. Then, as you exhale, bring your arms back down to your sides as you tilt your head down, looking at a point on the floor. Repeat this movement 10 times and for an even greater challenge, try doing it with your eyes closed!

They say that it takes 21 days, or 3 weeks, to form a habit. Completing 4 sets of "The Daily Standard" takes about 15-20 minutes, depending on your speed and skill level. 15-20 minutes a day is hardly an unreasonable amount of time to invest in your health and well-being. The exercises in "The Daily Standard" include all of the muscles in the body and allow you to train cardio, strength, flexibility and balance simultaneously! Do it every day for 3 weeks and see how you feel.

Making the commitment to exercise on a daily basis is guaranteed to transform not only your body, but also your mind. Fortifying your mind through exercise will help you make healthier nutrition and lifestyle choices that will affect more aspects of your being than you might realize. Exercise is the key to strength, vitality and longevity in life. Take 3 weeks and make it your new Daily Standard of living.