Nice, Short, and Sweet 14-minute Workout

Well, maybe it's not too nice or sweet BUT it is short!  :)  Do 4 rounds of each set before moving on to the next.  No breaks between sets!  Goal is to keep working the entire 14 minutes.  Good luck!


Set A X 4:
Prisoner squats X 20 seconds
Iso squat X 10 seconds

Set B X 4:
T-push ups X 20 seconds
Hand plank X 10 seconds

Set C X 4:
Squat jumps X 20 seconds
Iso squat X 10 seconds

Set D X 4:
Military (tricep) push ups X 20 seconds
Hand plank X 10 seconds

Set E X 4:
Front lunge to squat, alt legs on the lunge X 20 seconds
Iso squat X 10 seconds

Set F X 4:
Cross body mountain climbers X 20 seconds
Hand plank X 10 seconds

Set G X 4:
Full extension squats (squat to toe raise) X 20 seconds
Iso squat X 10 seconds

Becky's Maintenance Workout

Since I’ve been having some knee issues lately I’ve come up with a way to still run, but take it a little easier on my joints.

• Walk : 1 minute
• Jog: 1 minute
• Fast pace walk: 1 minute
• Jog: 1 minute

I vary between these for around 30 minutes. It’s a little bit easier to do outside than on a treadmill when you have to deal with pushing buttons.

After that I grab a miniband and do these exercises three times through to strengthen my glutes and abductors. Focusing on the weak parts of your body will only make you stronger!

• Miniband side walks x 1 minute
• Miniband clams x 15 reps
• Miniband firehydrants x 15 reps on each side

Finally finish up with some core! Repeat two times:

• Right oblique v-up x 10
• V-ups x 10
• Left oblique v-up x 10
• Hollow body hold x 10s

Q&A with Becky Nichols

Becky Nichols RD LD

What do you do to stay in shape?

I try my hardest each week to workout at least five times per week, but that doesn’t always happen. I like to run to stay in shape because it’s easy and I get to be outside in the sun getting some Vitamin D. I also enjoy biking with my parents on the weekend when I go home. When I’m not running or biking I take full advantage of having two of the best trainers in Austin and workout with Manda and Abe, because what’s better than getting your butt kicked by one of those two?! I save planned working out for the week and if I work out on the weekend it’s usually something fun like hiking, paddle boarding, swimming, or just running around with my dog and fiancé at Zilker.

What’s your secret to achieving your fitness goals?

Staying motivated and realizing setbacks happen, but to not let those get me down. Sometimes staying motivated is hard, but I think it’s key to achieving any sort of goal. Achieving your goals takes time and dedication. You have to set your priorities according to what you really want. If your priorities aren’t in the right spot it’s likely your goal will fall by the wayside. I stay motivated by having other people around me to help me. I have Abe and Manda to help me as well as other professionals in the health field that keep me focused on what I want. Surround yourself with like minded people and people who can help you and you can’t go wrong.

What’s your best advice you can give a client who is trying to lose weight and get in shape?

 Make sure your priorities are in the right places and your actions match up with what your goal is. It’s not easy and it’s going to take time and dedication, but it’s possible. Set small, obtainable goals so that you are successful throughout the whole process. Nutritionally, clean up your diet by taking processed food and fast food out as options. Fitness wise, have a good mix of cardio and resistance training.

What’s your diet like?

I try to keep my diet the same throughout the week. I have the same breakfast, snacks, and lunch every day of the week and I vary my dinners. This helps with time, money and staying healthy. When the healthy food is there and ready it makes it easier to be healthy. The weekends are a little more relaxed and I eat out more. My goal is to have a 90/10 split. 90% of the time I stick to my healthy eating and 10% of the time, if wanted, I can be a little more relaxed with my choices. I try my very hardest to listen to my body and eat when I’m hungry and don’t eat when I’m not. I feel, for my body, the key is eating breakfast and having 3 meals with 2 snacks per day. It keeps me from getting too hungry at any one point during the day and it keeps my energy up.