I shrug my mammoth backpack onto my bedroom floor after a long day and open my planner with a sigh. Math test tomorrow. Two quizzes. Job applications unsubmitted. A violin concerto waiting to be memorized sitting on my music stand. And a mere six hours of sleep the night before. Needless to say, working out sounds anything but appetizing.

While last year I would have taken a nap at this point (and still do sometimes), Cassey Ho’s workout videos on youtube.com motivate me to exercise and maintain a positive self-image, even when I feel the most drained. Her positivity, manageable routines and stance on body image make her videos, all created under the username “Blogilates,” a highlight of her viewers’ days.

Within seconds of starting their first video, viewers can see Ho’s radiance and optimism. She wears neon colors and nail polish, smiles widely and often stages her videos in a sunlit Los Angeles apartment or on a deserted beach. Although viewers may start to sweat within a few minutes of “fire hydrant kicks” or “volcano ab shakers” (Ho is as creative as she is difficult), Ho keeps them going with polite reminders to work through the pain. After a long day, this motivation is welcome and effective.

While Ho may smile throughout her videos, her routines are incredibly challenging despite requiring only an exercise mat. Most videos focus on pilates, but some incorporate dancing or cardio. Each video focuses on a specific body part and usually lasts about 10 minutes, which Ho proves is plenty of time to sweat and ache with soreness.

Despite the challenge of her videos, Ho offers beginner videos and workout calendars on Blogilates.com for newcomers. Viewers can workout for as long or hard as they want since all videos are free and mixed easily.

As if viewers needed more reasons to use Blogilates, Ho constantly stands up for herself and reminds fans that there is no such thing as a perfect body. In light of negative comments on social media regarding her thighs and abs, she posted a video explaining the importance of accepting others and that a “perfect body” does not define a good fitness instructor.

These messages of accepting one’s self in Ho’s workout videos and responses to cyberbullying make Blogilates a positive, inspiring and challenging method of working out. Indeed, that’s worth working through the afternoon slump.