My Workout Routine for Fall
Clara and I all ready for the High Fitness class we took together this summer. It was fun and challenging!
With the start of school the past couple of weeks, "routine" has officially shown up! She is like a long lost friend. I just want to hug "routine". I want to write her a love poem. Or maybe sing her a song and buy her chocolates. I am not going to lie, the early mornings are a bit of a beast (are they for you?), but I am acclimating. The organized (and not so organized) chaos and demand of summer have mostly given way. Thanks be to the universe! Summer kicks my rear. Now don't misunderstand me, I love the summer months. The loosening of the schedule is part of the allure. I just get plum tuckered out by the end. And so, each year around this time, I welcome the time to sit down with my planner and create space for my values. Contribution/Work. Health and Wellness. Relationships. Home management. Learning. I create my routines around my values.
One routine that is officially in place is my workout routine. Moving my body is an aspect of my life that is always worth the time I give it. Period. My relationship with my body has changed so much from the days that I ran and trained for hours each day as a high school and college athlete. I gravitate toward a more intuitive approach now or at least, a structure that allows me to consider what is most needed for my body overall. So important! And while the physical results may affect how we view our bodies, I really try to focus on how I feel when I move my body.
Now... onto routine building!
One of the first questions to consider when creating a workout routine is what kind of movement you most enjoy? I always start there... as there will be no success if I don't actually want to do it. This may sound obvious but so many people sign up for classes or buy running shoes when they don't even like yoga or running. Or they may have bad knees. A little self-awareness goes a long way here. Case in point? I know that health clubs are not my jam. Especially workout machines. Treadmills. Bikes. ARGH. I would fail before I even begin!
Next, think about how often you desire to move your body in the formal sense. For me, I prefer to work out five days a week. I have found that I have been able to stay injury free working out five days a week (for years), while also enjoying the better sleep benefit (as well as the stress release!).
From there, I may evaluate how much time I feel is reasonable to spend. This may vary from day to day. That is okay. I just utilize the time the best way I can. I have days where I have 30 minutes. So I work with that. Other days, I may have an hour so I can schedule a nice hike. Your plan should look different from mine. Two days may work best for you right now. Or twenty-minute sessions may be your sweet spot. It should reflect and feel honoring to YOU. No perfectionism here. Nope. Perfectionism is not invited to our party!
One last thing: Consider what your intention is for moving your body? I am trying to incorporate flexibility, some muscle building, a little stress release, and some cardio into my life. How about you? What do you care most about right now? Because of my intention, my routine looks roughly like this--
Tuesday-run 2 miles at a challenging pace. Strength train for 20 minutes. Arm video. Stomach. Legs.
Wednesday-walk 4 miles around local neighborhoods
Friday-run 2 miles at a challenging pace. Strength train for 30 minutes.
Saturday-hike or run in the canyon for an hour or more(depending on how I feel)
Sunday- attend a 60-minute yoga class
My movement plan does change with the seasons too. Are you like that? For example, I notice I like to run a bit more in the summer and fall. My energy surges naturally during these months. In the winter or spring though, my energy wanes a bit and I appreciate doing yoga more. I think that mixing things up is a wonderful idea. For your body and your mind. The high fitness class that Clara and I took this summer was a challenging workout for my body but it was also good for my mind. I had to pay attention and follow the dance steps quickly. So good! Don't be afraid to try something new.
It can feel tremendously honoring to create a movement plan that appeals to you. What are your areas of focus for moving your body? What are your favorite ways to move? Have you been successful at creating a workout routine that feels good to you? What does it look like?
I would love to hear from you. I have sure missed this space. So glad to be back!
