workout routine

If you're not an outdoor exerciser, a gym membership can be the most efficient way to make sure you stick to your workout goals. But while half the battle may be getting there, you shouldn't make your visit a waste of time. Here are some tips for making sure your visits to the gym are spent well.

• Warm up: Don't skip this part — starting out without warming up properly can make you want to cut your workout short in no time. If you're hopping on a cardio machine, spend a few minutes at a light intensity to ramp up your heart rate before you go all out. You can also do this dynamic warmup to get muscles ready for your workout.
• Work up a sweat: If you want results, it's time to put down the magazine. Intense cardio intervals are your friend — not only do they burn major calories in less time, but they also help you become more fit by increasing your endurance and speed. And don't forget about all the calories you'll burn after the fact; intense intervals give you the highest amount of afterburn.
• Don't be intimidated: There are so many options at your gym, it can be easy to fall into a routine that ignores exercises and machines that would be good for you in favor of being comfortable in your regular workout. But that tunnel vision could make you miss out on exercise that's just the ticket to moving past a plateau and seeing the results you've been waiting for. The next time you're at the gym, ask a trainer to show you the ropes on new-to-you equipment; from the overlooked rowing machine (read our tips on how to use the rowing machine here) to the weight room (don't worry, we've got you covered — be confident in the weight room with these tips!), make sure you're getting the most from your time at the gym.

Morning workouts may be better in many respects, but if you're like me, you'd take an evening workout any day. And while I normally look forward to my workout, sometimes energy levels leave me preferring the couch. To make sure I check my workout off my to-do list for the day, here are ways to keep energy up in the evening.

Well-timed snack: Lunch is a distant memory by the time you're ready for after-work exercise, so snacks are in order if you want to have the energy you need for a good workout. But eating too much right before a workout can be your downfall as well. The solution? A well-timed, well-balanced snack of carbs and protein to help power through a workout; go for easily digestible carbs — like saltine crackers or raisins — if you're grabbing something right before you head out. Here are some ideas on what to eat before you workout that you can easily eat at work.

Water: Feeling sluggish? Dehydration could be the culprit. Make sure you stay amply hydrated all day — otherwise you could be met with fatigue at the start of your workout. If your exercise routine is intense, make sure you keep a water bottle handy to stay hydrated throughout your routine.

An extra kick: Coffee perks you up in the morning, and it can do the same before your workout. Studies have shown that drinking caffeine before a workout helps increase your stamina and energy throughout. If an evening cup of coffee spells disaster for your bedtime routine, try green tea instead.

Is your push-up routine as consistent as your morning shower? Working your muscles can be a hard habit to maintain, especially if you convince yourself you don't have time. An easy way to cross your strength-training routine off your to-do list: make it part of your daily morning or after-work routine. Sandwiching crunches in between teeth brushing and makeup application helps you move past the lack-of-time excuse — and helps you realize that results happen minutes at a time. Here are a few ideas for sticking with it by tying your strength training to your normal everyday routine.

1. Do a minute of squats after you get out of bed to help tone your legs while waking yourself up as well. For tips on how to do the perfect squat, watch our video here.
2. Balance exercises help ensure that you maximize your strength-training results by maintaining correct form (and preventing injury). Multitask your morning bathroom routine by standing on one foot while you're brushing your teeth.
3. Increase your flexibility while showering with these stretches you can do in the shower.
4. Need to relax before you sleep? These yoga poses you can do in bed will not only prime you for bedtime but will also help tone, soothe overworked muscles, and increase flexibility.
5. Take the stairs back to your office after your lunch break. One minute of stair walking burns eight calories.
6. If you run in the morning, end your workout with the Pilates classic The Hundred to work your abs.
7. This 30-minute indoor circuit workout is easy to split up into manageable parts; repeat it twice in the morning (for a total of 12 minutes) and three times (18 minutes) after work.

We're all for scheduling time for a workout, but sometimes days get too hectic to even think about getting to the gym. On those cant-fit-it-all-in days, take a tip from celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak: spread it out.

"[Exercising] doesn't have to be a big event in the day," Harley recently told us. "It can be something that adds up throughout the course of the day, whether it be walking or taking the stairs or doing some postural work earlier in the day, later in the day doing some arm [workouts], and later in the day doing your thighs. You don't have to make it all at once."

Harley's favorite ways to squeeze in a workout? The trainer to Jessica Simpson, Hilary Duff, and Jennifer Hudson (just to name a few) recommends investing in a pedometer and wearing comfortable shoes to encourage yourself to stay active all day, as well as downloading fitness apps and searching online for workouts (try our 10-minute Class FitSugar workouts) to help you burn calories minutes at a time. Working out at home can save time as well, which is one reason why Harley also recently released Harley Pasternak's Hollywood Workout, an interactive Wii and Xbox Kinect video game that tracks your stats and progress throughout the 25-minute workouts. "I want everybody who has four square feet around them to know that they can get a great workout," Harley says. "You don't need a gym membership."

How do you squeeze in a workout on a hectic day?

The good news: you may be feeling relief from the oppressive heat, meaning you can actually enjoy the warm outdoors instead of hide from it. The bad news: the days are getting shorter, so it can be harder to get out of bed in the morning or fit in a workout in the evening. Here's how to motivate yourself to work out when the days get shorter.

Make prep easy: This is especially true if you work out in the morning, but rushing to exercise after work can make this an important point as well. Pack your gym bag the night before or lay out your gear, including a few snacks like a granola bar or fruit, along with water.

Exercise at home: You may be more motivated to get your workout done with if you know it doesn't involve a commute or a run in the dark. Cue up your favorite workout videos (like our 10-minute Class FitSugar workout videos) and keep your workout DVDs and home gym supplies organized and in easy reach so you'll have no excuse to skip out.

Load up your iPod: There's nothing like an energizing playlist to shake off any workout reluctance. Keep your iPod well stocked with fast-paced music and fire up your playlist as you warm up to get you in the mood for your workout. Check out some of our Spotify workout playlists for motivating music ideas.

Sometimes getting out the door isn't the only obstacle — even if you've suited up, anything from cramping to fatigue to ravenous hunger can cut a workout short. If fatigue is the issue, make sure you're setting yourself up for success with these tips to keep you energized throughout your workout.

1. Drink enough water: Water helps prevent many ailments that can halt exercise; dehydration can lead to cramping and fatigue, so make sure you drink an adequate amount of water before your workout. For tips on how to stay hydrated, find out how much water you should be drinking here.
2. Find the best time: Everyone's favorite time to work out varies, and many times it's more about when you can fit in a workout, not when you'd like to fit one in. But make sure you listen to your body when it comes to working out; if you are finding that your evening exercise is hard to complete after a long day of working and running errands, try to fit in a workout during lunch, or wake up 30 minutes earlier and pop in an exercise DVD at home — research has shown that people who work out in the morning have more energy for their workouts than those who exercise later in the day.
3. Find the right snack combo: What works for one person may be a workout killer for another, so make sure you experiment with your pre-workout snack to find one that's easy to digest but that will give you the right amount of fuel to sustain you throughout your workout. Think carbs and protein when putting together your snack — for ideas, check out our tips on how to choose a pre-workout snack.

Bonus: studies have also shown that drinking coffee before your workout helps your endurance, so if you're a coffee drinker have a cup an hour or so before your workout.

If you've just graduated from college, then one thing you may miss once you're fully entrenched in the real world is that long list of healthy perks from your college days. As you transition from campus life to your new plans, here's how to ensure that you're keeping up with your fitness routine during Summer and beyond.

Take time to find the right fit: So, you've never stepped inside a gym and you don't know the difference between a squat and sit-up? If you've set a goal to start exercising now that you're in the real world, then your first job should be finding your fitness personality. If you've got free time between graduation and your postcollege plans, then make sure to figure out what motivates you to exercise. Once you've figured out that you hate to run but you love dance class, starting and sticking to your workout routine will be that much easier.

Make fitness friends: Got a new gig that's not in your college town? Joining a running club is a great way to make new friends while learning how to navigate your city. Find a neighborhood studio with the types of classes you like and see if they have work-trade available. You'll save money, and not only that, but it can also be a good way of meeting like-minded workout buddies!

Establish a routine: College can be a mix of all-night study sessions and juggling internships with socializing, but one of the great things about baccalaureate life is the ability to create your own schedule. If you're starting a life that's more 9-to-5, then it's important that you establish a workout routine that's sustainable. Pick a time to work out that you know you can stick to, establish weekly goals when it comes to the number of workouts you'd like to do, and learn how to properly do a few strength-training basics so you can incorporate them into your routine.

How did you stay fit after college?