My Fitness Journey – You Can Do It Too!

This is not sponsored at all, I just want to share what works for me.

This is definitely a post out of my comfort zone, but with such a high request to know what I do for my workouts, I figured it was at least worth putting it down in words!

I really hope it gives someone the courage to start doing something for themselves.

For me this whole journey started this January 2021, I just got the urge towards the end of the month to try and do something positive for me. I also didn’t love the way my face looked in our holiday photos, I swear it looked too round and swollen lol. We all perceive ourselves in different ways and see imperfections others don’t, and for me that was my turning point. I was also turning 35 this year, and figured now was a good time to get my butt doing something healthy.

Chris has always been SO good at working out, pre-Covid he would go to the gym every morning with his good friend and they would work out hard with weights and such, then post those workouts he would run 6-7 miles. Just crazy! Lol.

Let me tell you, that is NOT me.

I knew I needed to start slow. I had attempted to work out a year or two prior and I could barely do a sit-up and I gave up because I hated how week I felt. Knowing this, I knew I needed to start slow and give myself some grace.

The one program that I had always heard great things about was the BBG (Beach Body Guide) program, and was actually the one I had tried a few years back (with no success). You have to pay a monthly subscription for it in the SWEAT app, but I have found it amazing to have a guided workout. For me I NEED someone to be telling me what to do and timing it out for me.

What I also love about the app is that it shows you how to do each of the workouts. So you are not relying on a picture, but more someone actually conducting the exercise. Another great point is that there are SOO many instructors so you can you find the one that fits you best. AGAIN NOT SPONSORED, LOL I just have had success.

I am also not a gym person, I do not like to work out with others, I like to be alone in my home with no one around hahahaha.

I started out very slow, I didn’t want to get discouraged like I did the previous time. So I knew I needed to pace myself and alter the exercises to do the beginner versions. Below is an example of the beginner push up. I started out doing them on my knees and then gradually built up enough strength to be able to do a regular push up. But it took some time.

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This is a great YouTube video which is 15 minutes long and geared toward beginners, this was definitely something I did in the beginning. Just to get my body used to the movements and understand what each exercise even was, hahaha.

She has a lot of great workouts that you can follow along, as you build your strength up and if you don’t want to pay each month for a specific program. I would just really suggest that once you build up your strength you also increase the time you work out.

After I completed the beginner program on the SWEAT app I moved onto doing 3 workouts a week, each workout was about 25-28mins long and definitely made me sweat and got my heartrate going. I’m telling you though, I dreaded it (frankly I still do), but that feeling after you complete the workout is great. You are just so proud to have accomplished it and to have the sweat to prove it!

A typical workout would be done in 3 circuits.

Circuit one would be 3 exercises, which you would complete 4 laps of:

Exercise	Length of Time
Push up	30 seconds (followed by 10 second rest)
Burpee	30 seconds (followed by 10 second rest)
Squat	30 seconds (followed by 10 second rest)

Rest 45 secs in between each circuit

Circuit 2 same as before complete in 4 laps

Exercise	Length of Time
Jumping Jacks	30 seconds (followed by 10 second rest)
Plank	30 seconds (followed by 10 second rest)
Mountain Climber	30 seconds (followed by 10 second rest)

Rest 45 secs in between each circuit

Circuit 3

Exercise	Length of Time
Ab Bikes	30 seconds (followed by 10 second rest)
Forward Lunge	30 seconds (followed by 10 second rest)
Crunch	30 seconds (followed by 10 second rest)

Personally, I prefer the timed workouts where each exercise has a time allotted vs doing varying reps of each exercise, this is just my personal preference and I know either way is great!

I did workouts like this for about 2-3 months, and each workout was roughly 28 mins long I also increased from doing them 3 times a week to 4. After a while of doing these however I built my strength up enough where I wanted to introduce weights and bands for my legs. I really wanted to start pushing myself harder.

These are the items that I purchased and I use everyday. I am not interested in bulking, just doing my best to stay in shape and toned! Which is why there are not a lot of heavy weights. I’m also still new to all of this and just doing my best to keep up with it everyday.

Now that I have been working out consistently for the last 6+ months I have increased my workouts to 35mins and I add in an additional 10 min ab workout following my normal workout. Here is a picture of me after I started introducing the weights and the longer workouts.

In these workouts I use the bands as often as I can, and I try to push myself with the weights. At first, I would use the 3lb and 5lbs for almost all the workouts, however now I have gained enough muscle to feel comfortable with the 8lb weights. BUT THIS TOOK TIME!

ALSO! I want to stress, that I take breaks even through the 45 sec stretch of the exercises. Some of the jump squats and certain lunges are really hard for me still and so I find I will stop catch my breath and then keep going. So don’t think for a second that I am not struggling as I am hahahaha.

Here is what a typical workout looks like for me now, I will do circuits again, doing 4 laps of each section.

Exercise	Length of Time
High Knees & Burpee (10:1)	45 seconds (followed by 10 second rest)
Commando	45 seconds (followed by 10 second rest)
Burpee and Lateral Jump (wear band on leg)	45 seconds (followed by 10 second rest)

45 Second Rest in between

Exercise	Length of Time
Squat Thruster ( 8lb weight and Band)	45 seconds (followed by 10 second rest)
X Mountain Climber	45 seconds (followed by 10 second rest)
Squat Walk with Strong Band (Gray)	45 seconds (followed by 10 second rest)

45 Second Rest in between

Exercise	Length of Time
Goblet Squat with Kettlebell	45 seconds (followed by 10 second rest)
Shoulder Tap, Push-Up & Half Burpee (4:1:1)	45 seconds (followed by 10 second rest)
Burpee	45 seconds (followed by 10 second rest)

After I complete this workout some days I will go and do this AB work out, I love her videos on You Tube too. She has some really great workouts too. So again if you are not looking to have a monthly paid subscription, you can check out her guided videos.

There are MANY MANY DAYS where I really just don’t want to do the workouts, or I am tired. But I tell myself repeatedly that its only ~35mins. I can find that time in the day to get the workout done.

I also tell myself constantly through the workouts that if I am unhappy with how I look that I am the only one to blame for that, so I try to use that as motivation to push through my lack of wanting to do it.

I am sure that as time goes I will continue to add to this post as I think of other points. But as I mentioned this is really hard to write about as I don’t feel I am anything special.

I just know that if you need an extra push or motivation that I am here cheering you on telling you THAT YOU CAN DO IT TOO! But it takes time, patience and work. You have to put the work in to see the results!

I hope this was helpful. Please let me know if you need more information or have any questions!

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