My current philosophy with working out is the shorter the better. Today I have three 29-minute workouts to share with you.
Day 95: Make Time
The hour you give yourself for self-care pays you back three. Think you’re too busy? The busier you are, the more effective and energetic you need to be, and the less time you have to get sick. Revolutionary Act #95, powered by Experience Life
{This post builds off of “Because We Can’t Do It All,” so if haven’t read that one yet, go check it out.}
I am in the season of life when working out is, once again, super fun for me, but I no longer have 1-2 hours to spend in the gym (plus, working out a lot is not good for healing severe adrenal fatigue). Now that I am at home with Samarah full-time, it’s just not possible, and the gym I train at (currently) does not have daycare.
I figured it out this past week how to make time (per the above) for myself to be in the gym, but also how to do it effectively and minimally.
As I am just coming off of Spartan Race training, that style, I have learned, suits me best. The gym I train at is not a CrossFit gym, but instead an athletic performance one in which many people train CrossFit-style.
A week ago from today, I was telling my friend Bethany how I tend to do the gym early in the morning or I can’t do it all. She said, “I’m in. Let’s do it together.” I am typically not the person to train with anyone else, but she and I started together this past week and it ROCKED! As I mentioned in my last “What We Did Wednesday” post, she also has small children, so we like to get it done and be home by (or around) 7 am.
We have a plan to go Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. We leave our house (she lives next door to me = bonus) around 5:55 am (gym opens at 6 am) and leave the gym to return home around 6:45 am. Our workouts are no more than 29- minutes long, and we do 6 rounds of Tabata followed by a final 5 minutes of either stretching and/or “cardio.”
What I learned from last week? Whoever said a killer workout cannot be achieved in less than 30-minutes, 3 days a week has never worked out like this. And for the record, that used to be me!
Here were the three 29-minute workouts we did last week.
29-Minute Workouts, Tabata Style
Tabata Circuit 1
I did 5-minutes on the stair master at the end of this workout for a total of 29-minutes.
Tabata Circuit 2
Again, did 5-minutes on the stair master at the end of this workout for a total of 29-minutes.
Tabata Circuit 3
We stretched at the end of this workout.
Each time I do the exercise again, I try to “beat” my last numbers. I bring a simple pen and paper to record numbers each time. I love the challenge of competing against myself!
I was sore all week long + I have been sore all weekend long. Just as I felt after I completed my first Spartan Race, there are muscles in my body I never even really knew existed.
You really, truly do not need to spend hours in the gym. In fact, all of the above workouts could be tailored to do in your home, at your convenience.
We cannot do it all. And while working out just isn’t a top priority these days, it is something I truly enjoy and I know that when I make time for it and for myself, my family benefits because I’m healthier and happier.
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Xox,
SKH
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You will heal. I will help.
I am definitely trying to embrace the the short workout routine these days. I am going for a shorter/gentler approach though I must confess it has taken some getting used to. But after speaking with my naturopath – we have agree less is best for now while we try to focus on baby-growing instead!
It will be best:)