I have realized that my workouts are much more structured and intense during the school year. Come summertime, I feel permission to relax a bit as staying up late and sleeping in is much more likely. Thus, 5:15am gym classes are not happening right now.
New to me this last month, is a swimming routine. I am an awful swimmer and have yet to master being able to swim freestyle more than one lap at a time (I have to resort to breaststroke so I can get enough air to breathe). Nevertheless, I feel great afterwards!
This last week, I had to re-commit myself to working out because I don’t like how lethargic I’ve been feeling. I also find myself having less capacity to be with people when I’m not in a routine of being active. This summer, the name of the game is 80% effort (instead of 100%). I tend to have an all-or-nothing mentality, which quickly leads to burnout or avoidance. I thought I’d document what working out looks like during this summer season, as I kickstart after a long pause with school being out.
Sunday, July 2, 2023:
Day ONE! Before getting ready for church, I did a quick 20-minute strength train class on my peleton app.
I setup a tiny home gym in the corner of our basement storage room, where I have various sizes of dumbbells, a barbell, yoga mat, bands.
Ryan recently helped me drag our Peleton bike down there.
Monday, July 3:
Day TWO! We had friends in town staying with us, so I woke up a bit early to get a run in before breakfast. I have a 2.5 mile route near our house, that I can quickly get out and accomplish when I’m short on time or creativity. At this point, if I’m running alone, my average is a 10:30 minute mile pace. Only if I’m running with my sister-in-law, Jenna, do I run any faster than this!
Tuesday, July 4:
Day THREE! On this holiday morning, I did some strength training (shoulders, chest and core).
A while back, I researched a bit and created at-home lifting workouts for different muscle groups and keep them in my phone notes. I like relying on these for days I don’t have time or don’t feel like going to the gym. This one took me 20 minutes to get through.
I followed my workout with ten laps in the pool. I do 5 laps of freestyle and 5 laps of breaststroke, alternating each lap (because I can actually breathe when I do breaststroke!). I’ve been borrowing my kids’ goggles (and sometimes their fins), and generally have goggle indentations on my forehead for a good portion of the day. I swim slow and without any proper technique, but I feel great afterwards and love the low-impact workout! Josiah usually joins me for my pool workouts, which I love!
Wednesday, July 5:
Day FOUR! We ran out of coffee on this morning and therefore had to make an early morning trip to go pick some up, so I did my workout later in the day (which I don’t normally like doing, because I come up with way too many excuses the later it gets).
I needed a mid-week stretch, so I did a Slow Flow Yoga class on my Peleton app.
It takes a lot of discipline for me to do slow forms of working out, after decades of a high-impact lifestyle with soccer, but I believe it is the ONE THING that allows me to sustain working out regularly without injuries. I’ve been trying to be more disciplined with making time to stretch after each run, as well.
Thursday, July 6:
Day FIVE! Another strength train and swim day! I did a 20-minute lower body Peleton class…
Then changed into my swimsuit and was joined by this little guy…
I only wanted to do. my usual 10 laps, but he barked at me to do 20! We negotiated down to 12. He went on to do 20 (with fins), with all kids of strokes, including butterfly! I managed to stay afloat and stuck with my trusted freestyle and breaststroke combo. Ryan cheered us on from our master sitting room balcony.
Friday, July 7:
Day SIX! I had planned to do yoga on this day, because my body was so sore from my lower body strength training the day before and I just wanted a slower workout. But my youngest was headed out to the pool and talked me into swimming with him. I went ahead and swam Josiah’s suggested 12 laps (of free and breast alternations), while he blew past me in his fins and swam 20 laps. Ryan also joined us, which made for a crowded pool lane, but it was fun to all do this together.
Saturday, July 7:
Day SEVEN! Another Peleton yoga class. Being in my forties requires much more stretching and yoga in order to avoid injuries, aches and pains!
I have also made it a priority to visit a Physical Therapist monthly. While there, she usually needs to realign my pelvis and/or massage out any tight muscles in my back. She’s started her own line of vitamins and supplements without all the fillers and sugar, which I’m a huge fan of now! She also manages her own working farm, so she has given me countless suggestions and resources for our horses! She’s the best!
That’s my WORKOUTS IN A WEEK! I definitely go through spurts throughout the year where life gets busy or I am idle and working out is put on hold. But my mental and emotional capacity is so much bigger when I am consistently working out. Like, night and day difference. Nice mom vs. Crabby mom. So I appreciate when I can maintain motivated to get myself up and out the door in the early morning and make it happen!
Happy Friday! Hope you have a great weekend and get into all the summery things!
