Hey guys, hope you all had a great weekend and a nice start to the week yesterday. I had a blast at Erica’s bachelorette weekend, and I can’t wait to share our festivities with you once I go through the millions of pictures we took. In the meantime, since today and yesterday have definitely been get back on track days, I want to talk about my workouts over the past month or so.
My heavier strength workouts have been pretty hard to squeeze in lately. With summer weekends booked like crazy, it’s just HARD to get to the weight room as much as I did during the winter. Saturday and Sunday often end up as off days or days that I just go for a quick run or do a quick at home workout instead. Without either Saturday or Sunday (or both) to lift, it’s hard to fit strength training in among my teaching schedule, the classes I’m subbing, and the fun fitness events I’m attending during the week. That said, I haven’t been progressing as much as I’d like for my strength workouts, but it’s okay. I’m modifying my routine to fit what works for me right now, and I know once things calm down a bit I’ll be back on track with my goals. I’m also spending more time outside (kayaking, walking, running, etc.), so letting lifting take a back seat for a few more weeks is okay with me. I never want to feel stressed about something that I enjoy doing so much.
Before I get into some of the workout recaps, I want to share a Facebook status that one of my fitness idols, Molly Galbraith, posted a couple of weeks ago:
I recently took an informal poll asking a few audiences: “For those of you who have worked out for longer than 5 years, how many days per week do you work out?”
I can’t lie — was *secretly hoping* I’d hear the answer of 3-5 days per week, since that’s my general recommendation (that’s weights + cardio) for sustainability over the long haul. And yes. That’s what most people said… 3-5 days per week. But you know what they said that was even cooler?! Almost everyone who made a comment (beyond just listing the # of days/week) talked about MODIFYING IT FOR THEIR CURRENT LIFESTYLE/SITUATION, ie:
- “In the winter I work out a little less, but I lift more. In the summer I lift less, but work out more overall, mostly hiking and swimming.”
- “When I was in law school, I was lucky to manage 2 days a week, but now that I’m done, I’m hitting a solid 3-4 days a week.”
- “When my son was born, I mostly just walked with him every day for the first 4-6 months, and maybe did a little body weight circuit at home. But now that he’s old enough for the gym daycare, I’m back in there 3 days a week, and I still walk with him most days.”
Freaking awesome! Each and every one of these people recognized that if they modified their routines and just did SOMETHING, that it was better than nothing and that they would still be doing something good for their bodies. None of this, “I can’t hit the gym 5 days a week so there’s no point” stuff. Just giving themselves grace about their situation and finding what was sustainable for them. Love it.
I feel like this describes my workouts lately perfectly. By no means am I slacking because I’m still making fitness a priority, I’m just making adjustments to fit in everything else. <—there’s your motivation for the day!
Here’s how my weekly workouts have looked for the past month:
Workouts: Sunday 6/22 – Saturday 6/28
- Sunday: Off
- Monday: Full body strength workout
- Tuesday: Taught (and did) my 6am class
- Wednesday: Outdoor run. I had full intentions to run 3 miles, but it was way too hot and I felt dehydrated, so I listened to my body and stopped around 2.
- Thursday: Taught (and did) my 6am class and then went to the June New Balance Girls Night Out event and did bootcamp
- Friday: Subbed for Heidi’s 6am cycle and core class
- Saturday: Off
Workouts: Sunday 6/29 – Saturday 7/5
- Sunday: Off for engagement celebrating
- Monday: Off. Just didn’t feel like going!
- Tuesday: Taught (but didn’t do) outdoor Tabata stations, then stayed after teaching to do a full body strength workout. Also went kayaking!
- Wednesday: Full body strength workout + cardio finisher
- Thursday: Off to head to the Cape
- Friday: 3 mile run
- Saturday: At home workout (my Baby You’re A Firework bodyweight circuit)
Workouts: Sunday 7/6 – Saturday 7/12
- Sunday: Off day
- Monday: Lauren’s spin class
- Tuesday: Taught (and did) my 6am class with two five move circuits, one for upper body and one for lower body
- Wednesday: Ran a really hot 3.1 miles after work
- Thursday: Taught (and did) my 6am class with three different upper body supersets and lower body/cardio progressions between each
- Friday: Full body strength workout
- Saturday: Off for Slesh’s wedding
Workouts: Sunday 7/13 – Saturday 7/19
- Sunday: Off for Slesh’s wedding
- Monday: Off for the day after Slesh’s wedding
- Tuesday: Taught my 6am class with one of my favorite formats, 10 strength reps + 20 cardio seconds, five different sets, four rounds each. After that, we finished with a stability ball core circuit.
- Wednesday: Met Liz and Alice for a morning workout date at Studio Empower. At night, I went to an event at SoulCycle in Chestnut Hill and took a cycle class there.
- Thursday: Taught my 6am class with the same format as Tuesday, just with different exercises
- Friday: Off for Erica’s bachelorette
- Saturday: Off for Erica’s bachelorette
–Let’s chat–
Tell me how you modify your workout schedules to fit your routines? Do you find that you make adjustments in the summer? How do you still keep fitness a priority despite busy schedules? Is anyone else going to the New Balance event tonight?
Feel free to share anything else workout related that’s on your mind, and make sure to check back tomorrow morning for my New Balance giveaway winner!
Love this post! I’m a 27 year old living in Boston with my boyfriend who travels weekly for work and has a busy schedule so I feel like I can really relate to you and the lifestyle you write about. You’re great at showing how a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be all consuming or driven by the idea of perfection. Happy I stumbled onto your blog a couple months ago, it’s very motivational!
Thank you so much, Jackie!
LOVE LOVE LOVE This. I was reflecting on this topic and actually saying to a friend how I think I’m the opposite in terms of my fitness regime winter vs summer. I find I’m just more ‘social’ in the summer and finding time to fit ‘gym’ time in can be harder but that’s okay, I know when the winter comes and we all snuggle in for a loooong winter (esp. here in Canada) then I get back to some solid 5 X a week type workouts but for the summer, I’m enjoying being outside, being social and enjoying the time spent with friends and family. We do after all have a WHOLE life of goals to reach not just short term goals! GREAT post!
Thanks, Fiona! Glad you liked this one so much.
That’s such great inspiration. My workout types and frequencies absolutely change with the seasons. Good to know that’s totally acceptable!
Definitely. 🙂
I definitely do a lot more cross training (spinning, bootcamp, weights, yoga) in the winter months. Summer is all about marathon training for me! It’s hard to balance it all, but I enjoy the regimented schedule. It helps to keep me on track. I will see you tonight!
Sarah, so nice to meet you at the NBGNO event!
I agree- my summer workouts are more all over the place, many of them being shorter than usual. My teaching schedule has kept me somewhat on ‘track’ but with my upcoming change I can see room for shorter workouts in favor of after work drinks!
It’s so nice to have that extra free night off. Enjoy!
I’m in the same boat as you! Maybe it’s summer, maybe it’s slight burn out, but I’m totally in a workout transition right now. I’m still teaching and training a lot, it’s just my own fitness that takes a backseat sometimes. But I know one day I’ll get my groove back so I’m not TOO concerned! 🙂
The most important thing is to not obsess and stress over it! Summer is just so tough.
I usually stick with my lifting routine throughout the summer, but this year, I honestly haven’t been in the weight room in about 2 months. Between the wedding, our mini moon, and training for the Falmouth Road Race, my workout time has been spent running, doing outdoor stair/circuit workouts, November Project, and just doing some KB work at home. As much as I love the weight room, it’s been nice to have a little change, and also to spend most of my workout time outside when it’s so gorgeous! See you at NB tonight! 🙂
I always love hearing about your cardio workouts outdoors!
I have been dying to go to a soul cycle class! Wish they had one in Dallas. They have Flywheel here and I’ve tried it and it was just meh. But I have a feeling Soul Cycle might be better!
Fingers crossed for Soul Cycle to open near you soon!
You are so inspiring! I had been at the Y in Needham 4 to 5 days a week during the school year.
I had some major surgery June 30th, and can’t do more than short walks right now. I’m at the Cape for the summer, but my doctor said no swimming! Crazy, but I’ll manage,
Keep up the good work.
Maria Mannix
Thanks, Maria! Hope your recovery is coming along nicely. Enjoy the Cape!
I’d say kayaking is a strength workout for how sore I feel afterwards! 🙂
I totally agree with you though, my workouts change depending on the season and life situations.. but honestly, that’s what keeps it interesting and fun!
Kayaking is definitely a great workout for the upper body. I often get sore from that as well, but it depends on how leisurely my kayak is.
I used to sleep in more during the summers but the past few years I’ve realized that it is better if I still get up at 5:00 am and get my workout done before the boys are up – this year it is the only way I’ve been able to stay consistent!!!
Consistency is key! You are a great role model for that.
Perfect timing for this post as I had to cut today’s workout short and will need to skip tomorrow because of work. I think I’m the opposite of everyone else seasonally. Other than this week I’m generally able to get more lifting workouts in in the summer than the winter. My daughter goes to camp at our fitness center and camp pickup is an hour+ later than school pickup so I’m able to get my workout in before I get her. Bonus: the weight room is practically empty at 3pm!
I’m glad this post was timely for you. Also… there is nothing more exciting than having the weight room to yourself!