It seems like ages since I last posted a workout update, so I thought it was time for a round-up post. Some pretty big changes have happened in the last year and a half, so I wanted to post it here.
Hello friends! How are you all? I hope you are enjoying this week so far! I have a ton of client calls today, heading to a girls’ school event, ballet class, then pick-up and evening routine. Here we go!
Today I wanted to share a workout update for the first time in a while. My workouts have changed quite a bit in the last year and a half so I thought I’d post a little update.
One of the great things about fitness is that it can evolve with you, no matter where you are in your journey. When I first got into the fitness industry, I loved workouts that got my joints pumping and made me sweat my eyes out. During my pregnancy, I was into barre, spin, and yoga. Then I made the switch to focused training. I did Orangetheory for years. I trained for races and ran half marathons. And now, here I am.
Last spring, I had signs that my stress levels were too high when I was hit with eye problems on top of years of joint pain, fatigue, and a mysterious rash. (Stress can come in the form of emotional stress, physical stress, and environmental toxins.) I had inflammation in my body, which was confirmed by testing positive for two lupus markers. Determined to reduce inflammation, nourish, and heal my body, I embarked on a mission to support my nutrition and nervous system.
You can read more about my healing plan here A big part of it was changing the way I train.
Before my eye problems started, I had pretty lofty goals for my body composition. Even though I was lifting the heaviest weights I’ve ever lifted, my recovery was poor. I pushed myself too hard in the gym, I felt like I was out of shape, and it felt like I needed days to recover. In the end, I learned the hard way that you can’t recover and tone at the same time. 😉
I shifted my emphasis. Although my body composition has changed a bit (I’m definitely not as *toned* or muscular as before), I feel a million times better. I can still wear my clothes, and more importantly, I don’t feel like I’ve been hit by a truck when I move every day. In December, my lupus markers came back negative(!) and I was able to wear my contacts again. Now that I’m finally able to push myself a little harder again, after over a year, I’ve slowly started lifting heavier and adding in more intense cardio intervals, with lots of recovery and easy days in between.
How my training has changed (recovering from autoimmune symptoms and eye issues)
My current weekly training schedule is as follows:
Maisie and I go for walks on the walking pad and hikes every day, and I can’t wait for the weather to cool down a bit so we can hike more often!
Ballet once or twice a week (Pure Barre, ballet lessons, or ballet at home) Sculpture Society Strength training
Hot yoga or pilates once a week
F45 (strength training only days) 2 times a week
Sculpture Society Dance Cardio or Peloton 1-2 times a week
Am I hyper-focused on progressive training right now? No. I’m just moving my body every day and doing what feels good.
Do I still do real weight training at least twice a week? Yes.
I feel great 🙂
I learned the hard way You have to earn the right to train really hard and still feel good. Sleep, nutrition and stress management are the most effective ways to achieve this, and if you miss out on any one of these, you’ll eventually feel it.
This is just a friendly reminder that it’s okay to adjust your training to fit your current situation—scaling back can be a healthy strategy, especially during times of heightened stress.
What does your weekly training plan look like right now?
Kiss
Gina
