Since the theme of this site is health and wellness, it only makes sense that we bring fitness into the mix. And since I often get asked what my exercise routine is like, I thought today would be the perfect timeĀ to not only chat aboutĀ my own personal fitness, but also talk about why exercise is so important.
Exercise and healthy eating really do go hand-in-hand in my opinion and I don't think that we will ever be able to achieve optimal health without movement. There are so many amazing benefits of exercise, so I won't get into all the nitty gritty, but here are some of the health benefits I love (and that I use for motivation when I'm not feeling the urge to get my booty moving):
- You will live longer
- Reduces your risk of disease (including cancer and cardiovascular)
- It's mood boosting
- StrengthensĀ your immune system
- Helps you maintain a healthy weight
And honestly, those are justĀ some of the benefits of regular exercise. There are loads more, but for the sake of today's post, we'll stick with those five.
Tips for Staying Motivated
I'll be the first to tell you that it is so difficult to get motivated to exercise during the winter. I would so much rather be snuggled up under a cozy blanket with a good book. And since I'm a morning exerciser, most days that means getting up in the dark when all I really want to be doing is sleeping.
If you're a person that loves exercising outdoors then I'm sure you know what I mean. Or even if you like going to the gym or a local studio, it's still quite the process getting all bundled up and trudging to class. So what can we do to stay motivated?
So how do I stay motivated? Here are a few tricks I use:
- Think about how I will feel after I'm done.Ā Like the popular saying says, “You'll never regret a workout”, and I've really found that to be true. As much as I don't want to do it, once it's done I feel amazing and am so glad that I did.
- Get a cute outfit. This sounds so silly, but I swear it helps. When you feel confident and sexy, you're more likely to want to wear your workout clothes and therefore be more likely to want to workout. Trust me š
- Get good shoes. Whether you're a runner, a cyclist, a kick boxer, weightlifter or even just someone who loves walking, having a comfortable and supportive pair of shoes can make a world of difference. I actually recommend going to a running shoe store and gettingĀ fitted for shoes. This will help make sure you have a shoe that works with how you move which will make your whole workout way more enjoyable.
- Have a killer post-workout meal. I'm not the biggest fan of using food as a reward, BUT when I know I'm going to have a kick-ass breakfastĀ after my workout, I'm more motivated to get through it. I love food and eating, so using that as motivation does help. (my fave post-workout meal btw is smoothie bowls….in case you couldn't tell from my Instagram account)
- Find something you enjoy. For the longest time, I tried to force myself to become a runner. I hated it, it hated me and it made working out so much less enjoyable. Now, I listen to what my body wants and have found routines that I actuallyĀ enjoy.Ā Having that and knowing that the workout is going to be fun is a great way to stay motivated.
Once we're motivated andĀ ready to go, it's time to start trying to make exercise a habit. Once you get into a routine, it just becomes second nature and you don't even really think about it as a chore anymore.
You know, studies have actually shown that it takes at least 21 days to form a new habit. That means we can't just give our selves one week of going to the gym and then bail. You've got to give yourself time and allow your body to adapt, so that exercise becomes not just something you do, but something that's part of your everyday life.
My Personal Exercise Routine
Now I want to close this post with giving you a glimpse into my current exercise routine. I've been following this schedule for a few months now and I'm definitely in my rhythm. In general, my fitness routine looks like this:
- HIIT (high intensity interval training): 2- 3x per week for 30 minutes
- Strength Training: 2 -3x per week for 30 minutes
- Vinyasa Yoga: 1- 2x per week for 60 minutes
- Hot Yoga: 1x per week for 60 minutes
- Walking: 7x per week, 2x per day for 30 minutes each
Okay so after writing all that down, it seems like A LOT of exercise, so I just want to clarify a few things. The walking? That's with my pup (Trevi), so we're walking at a pretty leisurely pace most of the time. The vinyasa yoga I'm doing is usually a slow flow, so it's not super challenging and I use it more as a stress reliever and stretching tool.
The HIIT and strength training workouts I do in my living room. I follow the folks from FitnessBlender.com and so that I stay on track, I usually follow one of their programs. They also have an amazing calendar feature on their website which linksĀ each workout video to the exact day you are on in the program.Ā Right now I'm doing the FB Abs Program which is 4 weeks long, but I've also done some of their 8-week programs as well as their FB Booty program.
What I like about doing these workouts is that they offer modifications and you are able to use whatever weight you want. I actually purchased some adjustable dumbbells which I absolutely LOVE! They're small, come in just the right amount of weight intervals and are perfect for my little hands. These weights were a game changer for me.
From that general collection of exercises above, here is a day-by-day breakdown of my week (the FB workouts change depending on what program I'm following):
MONDAY
- 6:30am: 30 min walk with Trevi
- 7:00am: 30 – 40 min FitnessBlender workout (either HIIT or Strength)
- 12:00pm: 15 min walk with Trevi
- 5:00pm: 30 min walk with Trevi
TUESDAY
- 6:30am: 30 min walk with Trevi
- 7:00am: 30 – 40 min FitnessBlender workout (either HIIT or Strength)
- 12:00pm: 15 min walk with Trevi
- 4:00pm: 60 minute yoga class
- 5:30pm: 30 minute walk with Trevi
WEDNESDAY
- 6:30am: 30 min walk with Trevi
- 7:00am: 30 – 40 min FitnessBlender workout (either HIIT or Strength)
- 12:00pm: 15 min walk with Trevi
- 5:00pm: 30 min walk with Trevi
THURSDAY
- 6:30am: 30 min walk with Trevi
- 7:00am: 30 – 40 min FitnessBlender workout (either HIIT or Strength))
- 12:00pm: 15 min walk with Trevi
- 12:30pm (sometimes): 60 minute yoga class
- 5:00pm: 30 min walk with Trevi
FRIDAY
- 6:30am: 30 min walk with Trevi
- 7:00am: 30 – 40 min FitnessBlender workout (either HIIT or Strength)
- 12:00pm: 15 min walk with Trevi
- 4:30pm: 30 min walk with Trevi
- 5:00pm: 60 min yoga class
SATURDAY
- 8:00am: 30 min walk with Trevi
- 9:30am:Ā 60 min Hot Yoga class
- 1:00pm (or 2): 30 – 40Ā min walk with Trevi
- 5:00pm: 10 – 15Ā min walk with Trevi
SUNDAY (rest day)
- 8:00am: 60 min walk with Trevi
- 1:00pm (or 2): 15 – 2oĀ min walk with Trevi (or taking her with us on errands)
- 5:00pm: 10 – 15Ā min walk with Trevi
(p.s. in case you can't tell me and Trevi are bffs)
Again, I want you to remember this is a routine that works for me and my body. You might be totally different and that's okay. If you're just getting into exercise or are still trying to establish a routine, I want you to challenge yourself to move forĀ at least 30 minutes every day. That could be a walk, an at-home yoga class, really just anything that gets your body moving.
Your turn…
There we have it! I really hope that you found today's post helpful š Now I want to hear what your routine is like! What's your favorite type of exercise? Do you have a fitness routine that you follow? Let me know what you think in the comments – it'll be so fun reading about everyone's different habits.
xo Alyssa
I mean….could she be any cuter?! š
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