Spring clean your fitness routine
Hi friends! How’s the morning going? I am still recovering from returning from Vegas + Daylight Savings. Not a good combo, but in Vegas, time doesn’t matter. 😉 It was totally worth it.
Miss P thinks that waking up at 6:30, which is really 5:30, is pretty hilarious.
We jumped right back into things on Sunday, and the Pilot did an awesome grocery run and meal prep session. (Since he’s also focusing on more protein + produce, he has been all aboard the meal prep train. He made a ton of grilled chicken, and even labeled mine in the fridge. #truelove) We’ve all been hanging out, I made salmon burgers for dinner, and madre went back to Tucson last night (wahhhh). This morning, P and I are out for a walk, I’m hitting the gym, getting some work done, and taking Livi to piano.
So today, I thought I’d talk about some changes you can make to spring clean your fitness routine. Spring is the perfect time to reevaluate what’s working, determine which New Years goals are in motion, and where you can make additional changes to propel yourself towards your aspirations.
Here are some ideas to streamline and add some spring pizazz to your fitness routine:
Change up your strength split, or try supersets or circuit training. For the last two weeks, I’ve been doing a 5-day weight split, and almost all of my exercises are supersets. This means that you work back to back for opposing muscle groups so that one muscle can “rest” while the other is working. This results in an awesome calorie burn because your heart rate is elevated the entire time. I also like that it makes the sessions fly by! I have a weights training 101 post here which breaks down the various ways to change up your routine. Take a look at your split and see what you can do to get your body guessing. You can also check out this post to amp up your upper body, lower body training, and cardio.
Try a new tool. If you’ve been scoping out a piece of fitness equipment in the gym but aren’t quite sure how to use it, ask a personal trainer to show you. We ALL want to help you succeed, so I’m sure they would not have a problem showing you how to use the equipment and safely implement it in your routine. I’ve been using the battle ropes lately, and while they certain aren’t my strength (those little beasts are tough!!), it has really transformed my upper body routine.
Ditch the time sucks. I used to be notorious for taking my sweet time at the gym, scrolling my phone, and getting sucked into a good book on the cardio equipment. Then babies happened. I try to get in and out as quickly as possible. Check out your habits and see how you can streamline your routine, or get in a faster workout. I try to ditch my phone whenever possible -it’s a huge distraction and even when it’s with me, I feel like mentally I’m not fully absorbed in my workout- and also try to set up my stations/supersets so that I’m not racing back and forth between rooms or equipment. Having a plan makes a huge difference, so I like to know in advance what exactly I’m going to do, and how I’ll set it up.
“Does this spark joy in you?” Taking a hint from The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Think about each component of your fitness routine, and determine what pieces truly bring you joy. If you hate something that you’re doing, GET RID OF IT. The great news is that there are so many fitness modes, options and classes in the sea, there’s no reason to do something you don’t love. You just have to experiment with different things before you find your workout soulmate, and keep in mind that over time, that could change.
What changes are you making to your spring fitness routine? Is there something you’re doing that you don’t really love? What’s your favorite part of working out? For me, it’s the group atmosphere. When I teach or attend a high-energy class, I’m on a cloud of happiness all day. 🙂
See ya later this afternoon with an all-new workout and recipe!
xoxo
Gina
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Love the “does this spark joy in you?” concept! So many people think of fitness as a chore because they’re doing fitness routines they feel they *should* do instead of finding the movement modalities they *love* to do and embracing that.
See also: “this is why I will never run another half marathon”…but to be fair, the post-race freebies DID spark a little joy in my cheapass soul 😉
haha you can get me to do almost anything if you give me a free tech t-shirt 😉
Great post!! I tend to get stuck in a workout rut often… I love group fitness classes as I think have the energy of the class really helps me to push myself out of my comfort zone. Have a great day!
i totally agree. LOVE classes 🙂
This post is coming at a great time because I’ve just been thinking about revamping my fitness routine! I know that I need to run a few days a week because I’m training for a race, but I’ve been curious about what to do on the other days. I think I’m going to add weights into my routine for sure, and also try to do more yoga.
love the graphic you created for this post — cute, clean and simple.
thank you, friend!
I’m trying to challenge myself with mastering push ups, pull ups and squats. Basically functional movement is my goal. It’s harder than most realize too. So far it going well though! What’s your salmon burger recipe?
that’s amazing! those exercises are such a great foundation, and like you said, so functional/important for everyday life
for the burgers i did ground salmon filets with garlic, shallot, chives, salt, pepper, olive oil and almond meal
xoxo
Random Tucson question…my husband and I will be in Tucson next week for our wedding anniversary. Where is a great date night spot to go (we don’t have kids and are willing to splurge)? I read through your Tucson posts and looked at Trip Advisor…Vivace, Flying-V, Wildflower, Acacia all seem like good choices…maybe there’s something else you’d recommend more? I’m having a tough time deciding! 🙂
AHH that is such a tough one. acacia closed, so that is out. (we used to love it!)
my all-time favorite is cafe poca cosa. you need to get reservations, but it is wonderful and such a unique tucson spot. they make the menu daily depending on what’s fresh at the market, and it’s mexican food unlike anything else i’ve had in the states. flying v is also very delicious and special, so that would be my #2 pick!
Thank you!!!
I am glad I came across this. I have been thinking for a while on how to change my workout routine. Now I am gonna try something different and see if it works well.
hope this helps!!
Perfect timing! I always feel like a new season or month is a good opportunity to take a look and evaluate everything I’m doing. Sometimes a good shake up will pave the way for more motivation and progress. 🙂
amen to that!
I love group fitness classes! Especially when everyone is really supportive and the group clicks. I hate it when everyone is silent and obviously wants to get in and out. Having people talk/cheer everyone on can truly make a difference!
i totally agree!! it makes a huge difference
I really loved this post because lately I’ve been stuck in a rut of the same old fitness routine! My favorite part of working out is how I feel after – energized, accomplished and ready to attack the day! 🙂
You talking about salmon burgers reminded me of the jalapeño turkey burgers in your book! I had them last night and they were a huge hit. This will definitely be a staple in our home. Thanks to you and the Pilot!
ahhh that is amazing! so happy you like them 🙂 they’re a staple in our house
xoxo
Great post and P is just too cute! It’s so important to monitor your routine/goals etc throughout the year :). I love the group environment, it’s easier to push a little harder knowing someone might notice if you stop (not that they would care). I re-evaluated and clarified my goals a few weeks ago, so that was a good start to Spring Cleaning for me :).
I love this post! Especially about making sure to switch things up! I always need to remember to not get too comfortable with my workouts 🙂
Great tips! I’ve been working to waste less time at the gym too!
SO TRUE about making sure your workouts spark joy. I discovered this year after three months of classes that Pure Barre simply wasn’t for me – I always got a great workout but I got tired of its scriptedness. I was also bored to tears with my running routine and kept falling into a pattern of injuries.
Then I discovered two unlikely workouts that I LOVED – Pilates and Boxing. I always leave the Pilates reformer with my body feeling so happy, and a session with the boxing bag makes me feel like a badass. By adding these two types of exercise into my routine, I was able to jettison a few things that no longer brought me joy. Hear hear!
that is so so awesome. the pilates reformer is KILLER! i’ve been meaning to take a boxing class. thank you for the reminder!
The biggest change in my routine is to get outside more! I’ve spent all of my physical activity time over the last few months inside in a gym, so it’s really refreshing to take a walk, go for a run, or do some bodyweight exercises outside.
Also, would you mind if I link to this post and use the graphic to link it up on my blog? I want to include it as part of my “Friday Favorites” post tomorrow. I would appreciate it : ) Thanks!
If you love group based workouts, you should come to November Project! We meet Mondays (location changes monthly, April we’re at Crown Point Park) and Wednesdays (always at Balboa Park) at 629 AM. I practically live at group fitness classes at the gym, but this…this is way more amazing and so much fun. Such high energy and everyone is super motivating/supportive. Best decision I ever made fitness-wise!