We talked about this is my last article, but spring break is right around the corner. I want you all to look and feel amazing when you slip into your bikinis, hit the slopes or slave away at work during our week off in March. By spring break, I want exercise to be your medicine. I want exercise to be your favorite stress reliever. I want you to love to sweat and live to sweat.
Exercise is extremely important to your physical and mental health. With that said, I don’t want you to only create an exercise plan, I want you to integrate exercise into your life so that it can be enjoyable. I want you to be excited to go to the gym or to head outside for a run.
The following exercise plan is quite daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. 30-minutes of heart-pumping (cardio-esque) activity every day, with 2-3 days of strength training is the ideal–but I know that this is not possible.
Start by finding space in your busy schedule for 5 days of cardio exercise and 2-3 days of total-body strength training. These workouts can, of course, overlap so that that you are not exercising 7 days per/week.
Here is an example exercise regime:
Day 1: 45-60 minute cardio routine, 5-minute stretch
Day 2: 30-minute cardio routine, 30-minute total body strength routine, stretch
Day 3: 45-60 minute cardio routine, 5-minute stretch
Day 4: REST, or you have a few options– 30-90 minute mind/body class or home-workout to sooth your body (yoga, Pilates, or a long stretch); or if you’re up for it, do a 30-minute cardio, 30-minute strength routine
Day 5: 45-60 minute cardio routine, 5-minute stretch
Day 6: 30-minute cardio routine, 30-minute total body strength routine, stretch
Day 7: REST, or alternative cardio (clean your house, power walk while grocery shopping, go skating with some friends)
What I’m doing (a real life example):
Day 1: Zumba, stretch
Day 2: 2-3 mile run, strength training, Yollet
Day 3: Zumba (1.5 hour class!), stretch
Day 4: 2-3 mile run, Yollet
Day 5: 3-5 mile run, stretch
Day 6: Zumba, strength training
Day 7: 4 mile run (I am training … that is the only reason I am running so much… otherwise this would be a BIG rest day!)
Okay… this looks scary, especially for all of you busy folks. If you are serious about integrating exercise into your life, and serious about losing a few pounds before spring break, this is what your exercise regime should look like to some extent.
My regime is a little crazy–but that is because I am a Group Fitness instructor. Also, I understand that it is a little bit easier to for me to get to the gym because, well, I have to be there. But… I PROMISE YOU… if you schedule time to workout in a way that is convenient and in a way that does not add stress to your life… you can do it.