Just Keep Moving!

Hi there friends! How are you guys holding up? This post was scheduled to go up last week, but I decided to hit pause with everything that’s been going on. And instead take the week to listen, learn, process and do a lot of self reflecting. I have so much more learning about racism and the injustice Black people face in our country, the systemic racism, and my own white privilege, but I’m here for it. My eyes, ears, mind, and heart are open…..and I hope to be a voice for change, starting within the walls of my own heart and home!

With that said, I hope you are all well and taking care of yourselves. Movement is still one of my greatest sources for strength when I feel stressed, overwhelmed or life feels heavy. I know in some areas gyms are opening up, but also know many of us are still working out from home, myself included.

My home gym set-up isn’t anything fancy- I’m in my garage with some dumbbells, a box, and exercise bands! We do have a peloton bike (and she’s fancy) but other than that I’ve got my running shoes and that’s it!

I asked you guys several weeks ago what fitness related questions you had for me right now, and the most common questions I got were, 1) “how do you stay motivated during this time of quarantine with limited access to gyms and 2) “what does a full week of workouts look like for you!”

Let’s start with Motivation.

I don’t wake up every day feeling motivated to exercise, but I do wake up every day knowing that I’m going to move my body anway 🙂 I’ve spent most of my life building the habit of daily exercise, I grew up in a very active family and I played sports through high school and in college. I feel like I’ve been training for something most of my life. And while I’ve had periods of re-establishing and re-building the habit and routine, it’s something I continue to prioritize for ONE main reason- how it makes me FEEL! The endorphins from exercising make me feel stronger, more confident, I have more mental clarity. I’m more patient.

So, I just try to keep moving.

If you’re losing motivational steam from being in quarantine or have yet to find it, here are a couple of things that help me get moving!

#1. Have a plan. Plan + schedule your workouts each week. Write it down or put it in your phone. That simple step creates accountability. When I created my four week Made to Move guide I included this weekly workout scheduler. Print it out if you want, write down your workout plan for the week! Be realistic about your goals, if you’re just getting back into exercise start with 2-3 days a week. Give yourself grace and don’t over-commit!

#2. Get outside! This one has done wonders for me. Take your dumbbells outdoors, workout in the grass, go for a run. Hike. Hit the local track. Run a hill (you know I love this). The sunshine, fresh air, and change of scenery does wonders for me mentally! I’ve turned to running more and long walks, simply for this reason.

And like I mentioned above, focus on how exercise makes you feel!

What does a week of workouts look like for me right now?

Typically on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I do total body strength workouts combined with some High Intensity Interval Training. I still use workouts from my guide, program my own, use the peloton app for workouts, and am always inspired and doing workouts from some of my faves like abbydwellness.

These workouts range from 30–45 minutes!

Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday: Are typically running days. Tuesday is a shorter 4-5 mile run, Thursday is 2-3 miles, hill sprints, or I hop on the peleton bike. And Saturdays I try to do a longer distance run!

Sunday is my day off from exercise, and I give myself a rest day during the week if I need it, I just try to listen to my body.

My routine will likely change a little once I start going back to a gym, but aside from missing exercising with people. I haven’t minded this time to switch up my routine and have especially loved getting outside more. One of my favorite things to do right now is hill sprints. It’s one way to mix up my cardio and it is SO tough. Find a short driveway or gradual hill near you, and give this hill sprint workout a try. You can run, jog, or walk the hill and I promise you’ll feel the burn.

If you give it a try, let me know what you think! I hope you guys have a great week! I hope you are doing well and taking some time for you. I think we are all going to come out of 2020 stronger, it’s opened our eyes to change, and we will grow from it. Lean into it, and just keep moving!

this post is brought to you in partnership with adidas! thank you for supporting the brands I work with and love.