ARE YOU LOOKING FOR THAT MAGIC WORKOUT?

A few weeks ago, I asked the question, “Are you on a perpetual diet?” constantly trying the latest fad.  And so now, I ask the same of your workouts?

As we approach summer, I have noticed several slim down challenges and workout promises online. 

How is this any different than all the latest diet fads?

So, what is the best workout? 

Well, that depends.  (Yes, I know that is the same answer I gave when it came to diets—hahaha)! 

It depends on your:

Goals: Are you trying to lose fat?  Are you trying to gain more flexibility and mobility?  Do you want to move without pain and stiffness?  Are you trying to gain more muscle tone?

Current fitness level:  Are you sedentary?  Do you have a current training plan?  Do you possess the prerequisite movement skills to take your training to the next level?  Do you play sports?

Time: Do you have a lot of time to devote to your workouts or do you feel it is difficult to squeeze in 10 min of exercise a day? 

Just like with our nutrition, The “best workout plan” is the one you can stick to and that is sustainable for life, not 30 days.

Can you build daily movement habits and behaviors over time that can last a lifetime? How can we maintain motivation when we don’t want to get that workout in?  How do we avoid injury and adjust our workouts when we do get injured?

It took me several years to find what worked for me and my body and also what I really liked. 

Remember when cardio was all the rage?  I cannot tell you how many miles a week I ran in my 20s, thinking that this was how to keep my weight down.  And it did…but, again, I was also in my 20s.

And to be honest, I don’t know if I really enjoyed it all that much.  Yes, I did like the freedom of listening to music and just moving but it was more of a “should do” than a “want to.”

Perhaps that is why I burnt out and never really ran much after my first (and only) marathon.

So, what do I do now and why?

As most of you know my primary exercise comes from strength training and yoga and since COVID I like to also take long walks.

Strength training and yoga allows me to achieve my current goals. However, just like the “perfect diet” what works for me may not work for you.

You may loathe the idea of a down dog or lifting a kettlebell…two things that are near and dear to my heart.

And while I could write endlessly about the benefits of the two, I am not writing to convince you to pursue my passions but I am writing to say that the one non-negotiable is movement.

Do any movement you love, anything that you enjoy and can do for a lifetime! (And then I’ll harass you to do yoga and strength training with me.)

However, if you are at that point where you know you want to start either a yoga or strength training program, by all means contact me and I would be happy to help you on your journey!