Workout Routine need updating? Pt. 2
I’m a teacher so sitting all day is not my jam. With distance learning, I have noticed that my hips and lower back have been seriously affected. So I thought I would update you on how my workout routine has changed to meet my new needs since I go on and on about how you need to listen to your body and adjust habits—like working out—to meet your needs.
Here are my new answers to the reflection questions I previously shared for updating your workout routine:
What’s your end goal - what do you want to accomplish from your workouts/fitness routine? Get toned? Lose weight? Gain weight? Get lean? Build strength?
My current goal: core and glute strengthening (in an effort to create stronger supports for my back)
Why do you want this for yourself? Remember, you should workout because you love your body, not because you hate it.
My purpose for all my fitness goals: I love the way I feel after working out. I love my body and care very deeply about my overall health and independence. I love being able to lift things, move things, and do things myself. I have a lot of pride in my body and myself and working out has developed this pride and confidence.
How will you get there - what actions will you take? This part may require research, trial and error, time, or some combination of all 3.
I still eat a plant-based diet the days before workouts (Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday) and drink a Muscle Milk immediately after my workout. An hour after that, I eat a smoothie bowl and energy bites. However, I have cut out weights completely for now and instead do this:
Two days a week, I do a 20 to 30-minute pilates workout focused on glute and core strengthening and a 5-10 minute gentle yoga specifically tailored toward stretching and strengthening my back.
The other two days, I do a 20-30 minute yoga workout followed by my 5-10 minute gentle yoga for my back.
How will you measure your success? Develop a plan to monitor your progress - this could be creating a bullet journal spread; asking yourself at the end of the day/week/month: did I meet my fitness goals this today/this week/this month?; having a buddy to hold you accountable and check in with on a weekly basis. This step is key to your success and you need to make this something that works for you. Otherwise, you will never know if you achieved it or feel like a failure for not.
My current measures of success: no back or hip pain. I check and track all the above on a monthly basis in my bullet journal. I also track the way I feel after every workout in my bullet journal using a color-coded system: blue = I exceeded my expectations (felt strong, held poses longer than needed); green = I met my expectations (felt strong, held poses, engaged in all exercises); purple = almost met my expectations (felt tired, had to modify a few times, a few breaks); orange = did not meet my expectations (felt tired, had to modify multiple times, multiple breaks).
Again, I can’t even count how many times I have changed my workout routine to meet my needs. So make sure to reflect on these questions any time you feel bored, unmotivated, or like your body needs something different. This will allow you to analyze your successes and struggles and continue to revise and redefine your workouts. It is human nature to grow, adjust, and need something different at different stages and chapters of our lives and it’s up to us to listen to ourselves, be kind to ourselves, show ourselves grace, and, ultimately, hold ourselves accountable to what we want to achieve.
**Note: I am also using a standing desk now and receiving massages - from my shoulders to my knees - to increase circulation and maximize blood flow in my back and hip area. These massages aren’t anything official - they are courtesy of my loving hubby.
