Turn over a new [fitness] leaf
Ok, so we really don’t have many *leaves* over here….
but you know 🙂
How’s your morning going? Mine has been lovely – it began with a long walk at Sabino Canyon with a friend. A great way to start the day 🙂
[We’ve had so much rain lately, there was actually water flowing through the canyon!]
+ some blueberry protein oats
So today I thought it would be fun to talk about turning over a new leaf. I did a similar post last year, and loved reading your responses. Fall is always an excellent time to make changes… everything about it feels fresh and new, kind of like the new notebooks and pens from school days, to the pumpkin spice lattes and cooler weather. Last year we talked about goals, and this year, I figured we could talk about fitness changes.
Since the weather is getting cooler (before it gets too ballz cold), it’s the perfect opportunity to explore outdoor workout options and also re-evaluate fitness routines before we get into winter and have to bust out our gloves and beanies 😉
So, what leaf are you turning over as far as your fitness goes?
Here are some ideas:
-Adding in at least 1-2 HIIT or Tabata-style workouts each week
-Dedicating one weekly fitness activity to the great outdoors
-Emphasizing weight training [check out the Schweaty September Workout for this month’s cardio/weightstravaganza]
-Stretching or foam rolling every day
-Making more time for yoga
-Scaling things back and not going too cray cray for every session [the body THRIVES on varying intensities- there’s no need to go ballz to the wall every.single.day]
-At least one weekly rest day
-Trying out a new fitness class each week
and the list goes on and on 😀
For me, my biggest fitness leaf that I’m turning over is the understanding that while I’ve had to scale things down a little bit, they will most likely need to be scaled down even more. I’m excited to roll with that and explore different workout options as my belly gets bigger, and continue to work out for health, energy and sanity, instead of fitness gains or results. I’m making a list of the things I’ve missed (like Bikram!) so I can change and adjust as needed after January 🙂
So tell me friends, what changes are you making this fall? What are you most excited about, as far as fall workout options go?
I’m excited to read what you’ll be up to 🙂
See ya later today with a Family post!
xoxo
Gina
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this post couldn’t have come at a better time. my “new leaf” is pretty simple: to get my body moving (a walk with my dog, fitness class, weight session at home, workout dvd etc) 5 times a week! I know I can do it! Thanks for the challenge and encouragement, you are so inspiring!
ps. I am so excited for your little girl, I can’t imagine how excited you are as it gets closer 🙂
I would like to have a more concrete fitness plan instead of hitting the gym and just doing whatever. I want to focus on different muscle parts and have a strategy for my cardio!
Just ordered TurboFire a few days ago! So excited to try it out! 🙂
ooooh! enjoy!
I love this post so much, it is awesome, and full of amazing ideas for turning over a new fitness leaf 🙂 Is it wrong that I want to do all of them?! 😉
Mostly I would like to practice more yoga, maybe 1-2 x a week…I miss it so much! <3 But I am also LOVING short but sweaty cardio interval sessions and emphasising heavier weight training, which I've been doing recently…I feel fantastic for it! I also love what you said about not going balls to the wall every day. That is so true and wise. Amen. 🙂 xyx
Is that pic with the gloves really from winter? So jealous! We have too much wind, ice and snow for me (I live in IA) to do any outdoor workouts in the winter and those who do venture out are what I call crazy! lol
yep i think it was in january?
I wish I were writing that I was going to incorporate lots of interval training and weight training into my workouts, but instead I have to focus on taking care of my nagging knee injury. Back to the doctor tomorrow! I’ve been so frustrated – I feel like I’ve lost so much of my overall fitness! Instead, I will resolve to focus more on activities I *can* do like upper body weights, the bike if that is ok-ed tomorrow and eating really clean to keep my weight under control and help me heal! Maybe I’ll be up for yoga soon….fingers crossed!
Definitely looking to add speedwork to the mix and strength training. I’m solely running right now, so I want to work on more comprehensive fitness. This post is a great reminder!
I’m using this slightly chilly fall weather to get back into running. It’s been WONDERFUL and I feel so much stronger already. The leaf I need to turn over now is foam rolling. I have bursitis in my hips and tight IT bands that previously led to snapping hip syndrome (PAINFUL!) so I have to seriously stretch & roll it out to be able to continue logging those miles!
I MISS oatmeal!!! Freaking dorm food makes me want to barf
Girlie – if you have a micro, you can totally make homemade oatmeal with rolled oats. Don’t forget about overnight oats, too, if you have a mini fridge.
This morning I started turning over my new leaf fall leaf!! I have never run! I mean, a couple miles here and there. And I danced and cheered and we had to run miles for conditioning. But I’ve never actually run for the fun of it. This morning I woke up really early and ran before school. I loved it! I’m also going to start HIIT workouts! I’ve never done one of those. My friends and I are also choosing to go to classes at the gym instead of hanging out at the movies/shopping. We all love movies and shopping, but we decided our pockets prefer the gym…(;
I really like idea #6.
I want to incorporate strength training into my workouts more and make it more of a priority to make sure I really workout everyday. I had the best 21st birthday weekend but I had so much unhealthy stuff and besides dancing did a lot of vegging, so I really need to kick it back up into healthy workout mode!
I love the change in weather and love that I can run midday instead of having to get up first thing in the morning before it gets hot. I’m trying to scale thigns down a bit and listen to my body to make sure I get enough rest. I’ve been overdoing it lately and my bosy is NOT happy. Resting time! 🙂 And figuring out creative ways to get my owkrouts in while I’m with my twin boys so I don’t have to wait until they’re asleep to try to find time to work out. 🙂
I’m going to get more rest. Try to take a day where I don’t do a “planned exercise” and just relax and get caught up with things I need to do
My Love and I just started P90X with Tony Horton, and it is awesome! For myself, I know I can get caught in the all-cardio-all-the-time trap, so it is awesome to have a program that includes weight training into my routine. I love it! Awesome and inspiring post G!
I would really like to stick to getting something in everyday, and I want to try to challenge myself more. I tend to get bored easily, and I feel like I don’t really push myself…so I want to try to do some thing different and challenging every day (but still allow for some nice stretchy stuff, like yoga).
my new leaf…joining the army!! I swore in today and have my first pt session tomorrow morning. How’s that for something different? 🙂
First of all, I’m so happy for you. Working out (with the nugette in tow!) for your sanity and overall health & well-being is so important. To be in tune with your mind and body is amazing. I really admire you for that, Gina!
My fitness goals for this year aren’t monstrous. I work out 5 days a week and t’s perfect for me. This is my last year at school (WOW!) so I’m taking advantage of free classes like Butts + Gutts, Circuit Training, Kickboxing, and Spinning. I also teach fitness classes on Saturday mornings. Working in a 5th solo weights workout where I just zone out and pump the iron is awesome. While I love group classes, I look forward to having that one day to meet my personal weight training goals. Amazing for the mind-body connection! (:
Stay lovely,
Heather
I just want to get back into my fitness mojo. After dealing with a major health issue (it’s all fixed now!) and losing some bits of myself, I’m ready to dive back in with fusto.
Make that gusto.
I am looking forward to doing more yoga and I would like to get a foam roller and start using that daily. My legs are so tight from running and stretching just hasn’t been cutting it so maybe that would help me out! 🙂
My biggest change will be getting back into a routine. I seriously need it! The good news is that my boyfriend actually wants to go to the gym with me. I thought I was hallucinating when he brought it up — ha! So we are going to check out a cycling class on Thursday upon his request. I’m excited!
I’m going to try adding swimming to my workout routine. I actually just bought a one piece Nike bathing suit today so that I can get started on my goal. I’m so excited! 😀
Mine is less a ‘new’ leaf and more back to basics. On Guam, running was almost impossible for me with my asthma. If I continued to have treatments increased they’d qualify me EFMP which I’m sure you’re aware of as a mil-wife and we didn’t want that. So workouts basically became a ‘must do’ because I was packing on pounds like crazy.
Now that we’re in Japan and my lungs play nicer with the air, it’s back to basics…the simple goal of ‘moving’ for 45 mins + each day. I walk my kids a mile to school and a mile home most days, and then some days I boot camp it up outdoors with hill sprints and bw exercises, sometimes I run, sometimes I sightsee and walk for hours, sometimes I just hit my yoga mat. But always, SOMETHING. I’ve seen a few pounds come off since we moved 2 months ago, no doubt from being a 1 car family, walking most everywhere. No more pressure for me to do a race or hit a weekly mileage goal, its all just about health now.
I started a spin class yesterday and I start a TRX class tomorrow so I guess that can be my turning over a new leaf! 😉 Also, our spin instructor was talking about tabata yesterday and I was the ONLY one who knew what it was thanks to you!
Other than that this fall I’m really just focusing on eating healthy and small meals often and hitting the gym (or one of my classes) five times a week.
PS. You can have some of our leaves! They’re falling like crazy!
I joined a running group to train for a 10K race happening on Thanksgiving! This is big for me, because I’ve never run more than a 5K, and even that doesn’t happen very often. It’s so much fun to run with a group, and more motivating than running on my own!
My new fitness leaf would be committing to going to yoga at least once a week. I always feel so relaxed after a class and always makes me feel rejuvenated!
Oh I love this post!
This past Sunday I sat down and wrote a plan for my workouts. Interval training in my fave class twice a week, more cardio, more outside runs, strength training on my own twice a week. I’m also trying at least 1 class my gym has to offer every week. It’s so much more exciting when there is a plan to stick to 🙂