Think about the workouts you’ve done over the past year or even the past few months. How have they changed? How have you improved? What have you learned? Are your goals the same? Are you happier? Healthier? Today let’s chat about workouts past present and future. 

I spent a lot of time during this past week reflecting on those questions. I had to because I was creating SMART goals for my upcoming workout program. I broke this thinking down to past, present, and future.

This is what I learned.

Workouts Past Present and Future

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Workouts: Past

During the past 3-5 years, I have done a lot of running. Some of my best times have been running. As a matter of fact, one of my best days on this Earth was when “I Did It: My First Half Marathon Success Story.” (Of course, this is also because I adore Nike.) My last half marathon was this past December when I did the Vegas 1/2 for the 2nd year in a row. It was a battlefield. Since then, I have not run much. At all.

In the beginning, I ran long distance because I “wanted to lose weight.” I ate very little. I ran a lot. And then it became an addiction. I loved it. I adored the running community. Mostly, I think I just loved the runner’s high, coupled with my adoration for Nike.

But then I got injured. My body began to break down. I had problems upon problems physically. I still loved it mentally. Weight loss stalled, but even when it didn’t stall, my body never changed. I became a skinnier version of my former.

I took a lot of time off from working out -> January 2012 through the end of April 2012.

Workouts: Present

At the end of April, a lot of things changed. I began workouts that I had never done before. For the first time ever my body actually began to change. I became stronger. Yes, I do have a pinched nerve or something in my right leg currently (likely from over training) but I’m not injured, and I have learned from it.

These past couple of weeks, while in Minnesota, I’ve still worked hard, but I have taken many more rest days. I went on long walks around the lake with my mom. I stretched. I rolled on the Lacrosse ball. I did a few random 20-50 minute body-weight workouts at home. And I completed 3 workouts at Horsepower Strength & Conditioning.

The Workouts

One Day (designed on the KidsDoodle for iPad, but nothing “kidsy” about this workout)

Another Day (seems like I slacked with just 5 circuits – ha!)

I highly recommend both of those workouts. They made me even more excited for my future workout program.

I’ll work my core a little today and over the weekend. I’ll have a visit to the chiropractor. And then my new workout program is on!

Workouts: Future

If there is one thing I’ve learned over the past few years, it’s that my body responds best to weight training and high-intensity workouts.

(Notice: I said MY body. I want to make it very clear that I believe in bio-individuality for food, fitness, and life in general.)

I have also learned that more is not more; less is more. It’s very easy for my body to become overtrained. Phase 3 of the Jamie Eason Workout Program was too much for me. The level of intensity was not too much for me, but sustaining that level of intensity for 6 days a week was.

I’ll give credit to my friend Marci for hand holding me through these next steps on my fitness journey.

Marci is amazing. For those of you who know her in person, you will be able to 1,000% percent agree that she has her s@*# together. She knows so much about training, and she is always my go-to girl for it. She will be featured on my blog soon. Until then, you can check her out via my other friend (and phenomenal trainer) Danny McLarty’s website –> “Nutrition Week: Intermittent Fasting.”

With Marci’s help, my future workouts are ready to cross the starting line.

Phase 1 workouts from Monday, July 9 – Sunday, August 5th will include:

• Strength:4 days/week. Each day of strength I’ll be doing exercises I typically have not done in the past (i.e. good mornings and suitcase holds). Each day I’ll lift fairly heavy, with many exercises 8 reps or less. I will do only about 5 exercises per day vs 752:)
• Cardio: TBD. Remember, I’m not doing long-distance now – maybe not ever again. I don’t want to spend hours doing cardio anymore. I love the high, but I hate how broken down my body and muscles became. I will only do HIIT cardio, (10-20 minutes running, hills, plyometrics) and I will only do it on the days I strength train (but not during the same session). I will do kickboxing and maybe boot camp each week. But again, all of these are cardio, so no more than 4 total sessions a week.
• Other. I will walk, casually – for fun, with Ryan, Maraduke and the little dog, too. This can be any day of the week because it’s a stress relief, keeps the body moving without exhaustion and makes me happy to be with my favorite 3! 3 days a week I will REST (except for walking if I choose to do so). I’m so, so, so excited for more resting days.
• Diet. Nothing changes. I have not had a flare up since I went off all drugs, and cleaned my gut out. I have a fairly strict diet, but I still have cheat sessions every week – because I’m normal and am still a food junkie at heart. But day-to-day? I’d rather be very strict and do less cardio than spend hours on a machine trying to work off pointless junk. My gut agrees as well.

Xox,
SKH