Changing Your Outlook on Fitness (My Fitness Routine)

Nowadays, when people think of exercise, I’m pretty sure their first thought is the aesthetically pleasing vlogs we see on social media where people (more specifically, women) wake up very early, put on a matching gym set, eat extremely healthy, and lift heavy with their seemingly perfectly sculpted bodies.

Remember, comparison is the thief of joy. This is just one aspect of fitness that we see, but it’s definitely not the whole!

Fitness does NOT have to be complicated. Exercise is simply moving your body. If you’ve never worked out before, you can start simple. Once you start seeing results and your confidence builds, you’ll be naturally inclined to do more complex workouts.

‘Simple’ workouts vary from person to person. When I think of simple workouts, I think of:

• Stretching (At home)

• Committing to a daily walk (30-60mins)

• Inclined cardio (3-4x/week)

• Beginner body weight workouts (At home or at the gym)

• Anything that gets you moving and breaks a light sweat.

You don’t have to get into the gym and immediately start lifting weights that you can barely pick up. This could cause bodily injury and discour

agement, which increases the likelihood that you won’t go back to the gym.

Everyone’s goal is different. Some people want to lose body fat and build muscle to lean out, while some people want to gain weight and buil

d muscle to fill out. Whatever your goal is, it’s important that you understand that nutrition is key!

We’ve all heard the phrase ‘You can’t workout a bad diet’ and I’m here to tell you that it's true! I’ve subconsciously tried it because I didn’t want to let go of unhealthy foods. Unfortunately, all it did was waste my time, leaving me feel defeated and unhappy with my body

I always say that self awareness is tricky because kno

wing things about yourself is one thing, but taking that next step to change and grow is hard- but this is the truest act of self love and self care.

I’ve been working out consistently since 2019, but so

me of that was done from home due to quarantine during COVID-19. When I first started working out, I would only do cardio workouts because I didn’t understand how to incorporate strength training to help me reach my body goals.

After a lot of research, guidance, and trial and error, I finally understand what I need to do to reach my body goals!

Although for me, working out is primarily about sculpting my body and learning discipline, it could be important to you for an entirely different reason! Studies show that there are a plethora of health benefits to workout out.

Health Benefits of Working Out:

• Decreased depression and anxiety

• Endorphins released

• Improves brain health

• Reduces the risk of disease

• Manages weight

• Strengthens bones and muscles

• Improves activities of daily living

• Boosts energy

My Current Workout Split

My workouts have been the same for a couple of years now, but I definitely notice a difference in results when I’m primarily eating nutritious, protein filled foods vs when I’m primarily eating junk foods. Though I have many food restrictions, some ‘junk’ foods are okay in moderation. However, I have to remind myself of goals so that I don’t go overboard and slip into old habits.

One goal that I am actively working on is adding 15-30 minutes of inclined cardio to the end of my strength training days. For me, it’s difficult because by the time I finish lifting, I’m absolutely ready to go home!

My current workout split is as follows:

Wednesday- Full Body Workout

Upper Body:

Lat Pull Down- 3 sets

Assisted Pull Up- 3 sets

Seated Shoulder Press- 3 sets

Should Press W/ Bar- 3 sets

Bend Over Rows- 3 sets

Lower Body:

Back Squats- 3 sets

Hip Thrusts w/ Dumbbell- 3 sets

Hip Thrust Pulses- 3 sets

Romanian Deadlift w/ Dumbbell- 3 sets

Reverse Lunges- 3 sets

Bulgarian Split Squats w/ leg press- 3 sets

Hip Abduction machine- 4 sets (supersets)

Thursday: 45 Minute Spin Class

Friday: SEE WEDNESDAY

IMPORTANT NOTES-

• Each body part should be exercised 2x per week to see muscle growth/fat loss.

• Remember to start light and slow, executing proper form is more important than lifting heavy

• Between school/work, these are the days that work for ME! Pick any 2-3 days out of the week that work for YOU.

• You don’t have to do all or any of these workouts to see results- starting somewhere is key!

• There are great workout resources and tutorials on Tiktok and Youtube, utilize them!

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