My New Workout Routine for a Well Balanced Lifestyle
Let me just say that this year has been a year of exploration, especially when it comes to fitness. I’ve literally changed my workout routine every single month for the past 8 months like clockwork. And during those months of exploration my body has gone through some major changes, and so has my mindset, when it comes to fitness and a well balanced lifestyle.
I went from a very rigid workout routine to no routine at all and finally wound up somewhere in the middle of it all with a week of workouts that finally makes me feel balanced and fits into my lifestyle. Because I’ve realized that the most effective routine is one that you can stick to.
And for a very long time weight lifting was the thing that I stuck to. But when I finally accepted that it just wasn’t my thing anymore, I was on the hunt for something new. Something different. And preferably something that didn’t require a membership. What I found in the end was multiple somethings.
Turns out I like more than one style of working out for different reasons. And as someone who is more focused on overall health than physical appearance, I decided that there’s no reason why I couldn’t incorporate all of the exercises that I love into my routine.
Related: Why I’m Switching from Weight Lifting to Low Impact Workouts Immediately
Now, my current week of workouts is a routine I plan on sticking to well until the end of the year. It incorporates cardio, heavy weights, light weights, and body weight training. High intensity and low intensity. And best of all, it’s all low impact.
I want to preface this by saying by no means do I follow this workout routine with a rigid mindset. In fact, I choose to think of it more as a guide and move the days around as my body sees fit. If I don’t feel like doing a full body workout then I won’t. I’ll do Pilates or yoga instead. If I’m feeling particularly energetic, I’ll do a barre workout. The point is, the reason this workout routine has been so successful at fitting into a balanced lifestyle is that it is as fluid as I want it to be.
With that being said, here’s my ideal week of workouts.
Sunday and Wednesday : Full Body Workouts
I know a lot of people think of Sunday as a rest day. I used to be one of them. But for some reason I always found myself to be really motivated to get work done or do some type of workout on Sunday. For me, it’s the day that begins the week and therefore the day that gets me started on the right foot.
I prefer to use that go getter mentality to get in a really good full body workout. Sets. Reps. Heavy weights. The whole deal. On my full body days I try to do at least one exercise per muscle. Starting with compound moves and ending with isolation moves just like any other typical gym routine. The workout takes me an 1 – 1.5 hours finish and by the time I’m done I’m ready for food and a nap.
On Wednesdays my full body workouts tend to be more condensed since I don’t always have the same amount of energy halfway through the week that I did at the beginning of the week. When that happens I still use weights but I also combine multiple exercises together, use supersets, or do circuits. That way I can get in and out within 30 – 45 minutes.
Monday and Thursday: Yoga & Outdoor Walks
Of course after all of that heavy lifting from the day before I’m going to need a break. And what better way to enjoy an active rest day than with a walk and some yoga. I like to take it easy on my active rest days. Once, I made the mistake of doing and intense yoga session for an hour and had to take two rest days right after to make up for it.
Now I wake up, go outside, and do an hour walk to get in some good simple cardio. Then I roll out the yoga mat for an strong 30 minute session or a laid back 1 hour session. That way get the benefits of yoga without the added intensity.
Related Post: Hot Girl Walks and Other Low Impact Workouts to Try
Tuesday and Friday : Barre /Pilates Workout
Tuesdays and Fridays are my favorite days of the week simply because I just love barre and Pilates. Actually, it was my love of barre and Pilates that had me on the hunt for the perfect split of weights, barre, Pilates, yoga and cardio. And as simple as my week of workouts seem now, it wasn’t simple to me a few months ago. Now, I can’t Imagine not having barre or Pilates in my routine.
These are the days when I really listen to my body and allow myself some flexibility. Barre uses a lot of small repetitive movements and pulses to fatigue the muscles. Whereas Pilates focuses on building long lean muscles with slow and controlled movements.
Depending on the amount of energy I have and how I want to move my body, I’ll make the choice that best suits my needs. Either way I know it’ll be a fun workout and no more than an hour long.
Saturday: Rest
Last but not least is Saturday, which has officially become my one true rest day. This is the day that I sleep in, I binge watch Youtube videos and Netflix, and do whatever feels good to me. Because for a week of workouts like this one, it’s all about balance.
If you want to see some of the workouts that I do take a peek at my Pinterest. Its full of workout videos for inspiration. ➡️
