For busy women, having a career and staying in shape is a lot to jungle!  Add family and friends to the mix and it feels like there is not nearly enough time in the day to exercise!  So CRAVE has compiled a list of the best gyms and studios in Boston plus exercise, health and wellness tips from some of their best trainers and instructors – all guaranteed to leave you CRAVE-ing your next workout!

Modern Pilates

Master Instructor Lisa Johnson is the founder and owner of Modern Pilates in Brookline. She is always expanding her Pilates knowledge and has trained in Toronto, London, Sydney, Chicago, Phoenix and extensively in California. Lisa is the first Pilates instructor to be accepted as an educational affiliate of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists and is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. This very busy woman is also the originator of the “Pro Zone” column in Pilates Style magazine. Is there anything she doesn’t do?  Apparently not!  Lisa has recently launched the Modern Pilates Instructor Training program. With so much to do in so little time, what are this busy woman’s workout secrets?

1.  Blitz some extra calories by doing cardio first.  Your heart rate will stay elevated throughout the weight lifting portion of your routine and you’ll burn extra calories without any additional effort!

2.  Kegels are your abs best kept secret!  Doing kegels while doing crunches will detonate any pooch.  Also, try doing your ab exercises at half your normal speed.  The slower you go, the more time those muscle fibers have to contract and the sooner you’ll be svelte and sassy.

3.  To look dazzling and sexy, do Pilates!  Pilates immediately improves posture so you looking taller and thinner and clothes drape better.  If you’re trying to tone quickly, Pilates three days a week for two weeks will flatten your tummy, tone your arms and leave you feeling graceful and lithe!

Healthworks Fitness Centers for Women

This fabulous all-female gym has it all: challenging cardio classes, personalized training, mind/body sessions, spa treatments, a book club and more!  With so many Boston-area locations, getting there is the easy part!  And don’t worry about having to stay all day.  Back Bay Healthworks Fitness Director, Bonnie LeFrank, stresses that workouts do not have to be 60 minutes, and that this all-or-nothing mentality can derail fitness goals quickly!  Instead, she says, carve out 15-20 minute pockets during your week to exercise at a high intensity. Intensity outweighs time for best results.  Try setting the alarm for 20 minutes earlier and spend that time working out.  Or do dumbbell exercises while dinner is cooking!

Core De Vie

For more than fifteen years, Ellen Comerford has strived to help people surpass their own perceived health and wellness limitations. She is a Holistic Health Practitioner and the founder of Beacon Hill’s Core De Vie, Boston’s only Master Trainer owned and operated Gyrotonic, Gyrokinesis and Pilates studio in Boston.  (If you haven’t tried Gyrontic or Gyrokinesis, your workouts are missing out)! Ellen, who weaves her holistic health into all of her teachings, tells CRAVE: ADD to your diet! “It’s called the crowding out effect,” she says. “Most people are told to avoid a list of foods, such as bread, white flour, and sugar.  A better idea is to Add in…Water, greens, whole grains, fruits (real food)!  When we add in nutrition packed whole foods, the junk has a way of dropping off organically!” Sounds yummy to me!

Prana Power Yoga

After achieving it all – an Ivy League BA, an Ivy League MA, a great family, a great job, and more (wow!), Taylor Wells realized all of these triumphs and accomplishments did not fulfill her.  Then she found yoga.  Now, Taylor works as President, co-founder and co-director (with her husband, Phillipe) of Prana Yoga Studio in Newton so she can give the gift of yoga to other busy women!

Taylor’s tip? Get on your yoga mat as often as possible! She says, “When people tell me that they are “too busy” to practice and ask me how I “do it all and fit in a yoga practice daily,” I tell them that I’m too busy NOT to practice every day.  Your yoga practice will not only transform your body, mind, and Spirit and help you to achieve inner peace and joy, but it will also “create” more time in your life.  How does it do this?  By helping you to become more focused, calm, and drama-free – immediately!  After your very first practice!  And it just keeps getting better and easier!  Just show up to your mat, Sister!” Namaste!

Back Bay Yoga Studio

Lynne Begier, director, founder and a teacher at Back Bay Yoga, has been a dedicated yoga student for almost two decades, studying many styles of yoga including Forrest, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Restorative, Yin and Anusara.  In 2002 she opened Back Bay Yoga where she encourages transformation through shedding the unimportant and embracing challenges. Lynne inspires her students to be strong, have fun and find their own flow on the mat and on the street.

Lynne’s tips to combat “do-it-all” syndrome?

1.  Commit to one class without fail.  Sometimes we women set high goals, like “I am taking four yoga classes these week.”  While some weeks you may be able to, those standards can set you up for defeat.  Committing to one class that you won’t miss removes the stress.

2.  Bring a Friend! The best way to do yoga is to make it your night out with a friend. Nothing is better than a great yoga class and sharing a yummy meal afterward. It will be more fun and you are more likely to stick with it.

3.  GO CHEAP! Back Bay Yoga Studio offers 6 weekly community classes for ONLY $5 Cash. This will help you keep your costs down and STAY fit and healthy all year long.

With all of these extraordinary exercise options, you are sure to sweat throughout this cold Boston winter!