In this post, I am going to introduce my current routine. What I've done, what is working for me now and the way I find time to do workouts throughout the week. It has been a challenge for me. I want to reflect on what I've been doing and then hopefully if I continue what I've been doing, can come back at the end of every month and reflect on my progress. I'm going to use that as motivation for me.
Ever since I found out I was pregnant in August of 2019 with my first, working out and exercising has been pushed to the back burner. Before I started having babies, I ran a lot. I was able to run at any time of day during the summer, and late at night on school nights. I had a more flexible schedule. But as most of you with kids know, once you start having kids, they become your priority. The time and flexibility you once had is almost nonexistent. I had two pregnancies/babies in two years. First baby, found out I was pregnant at the end of August 2019, Second baby was born beginning of September 2021. Crazy two years for my body. A lot of changes, muscle loss and weight gain. I carried and birthed two beautiful little girls, so I am totally blessed with those changes. It just took a while for me to figure out a new routine for myself. I didn't want to stop exercise altogether. During both of my pregnancies, I was sick most of the time, so I did not do a lot of exercise. I was ALWAYS in the bathroom hovering over the toilet. I would walk as much as my body would allow me to, but it definitely was not something I made sure I did consistently. I just wanted to lay down and sleep. All. The. Time.
After baby 2 was born and we established a pretty good routine, I started to think about exercise again. Here was my goal: Do not get pregnant in 2022, and start making exercise for my body a priority (when I can). Knowing myself, I start something, I get bored and then I want to do something different. I wanted to break that cycle in 2022. I wanted to create a routine that was manageable. In the beginning of 2022, I started a running streak. I wanted to have something that I looked forward to every evening. I signed up for a half marathon in May of 2022 to use that streak to work towards. I don't know why starting a streak was a good idea. It was not. But hey, I did 86 days in a row of running! It was getting out of control though. I would wait until the very last minute to run. Some nights I was running at 11:30 pm. I started losing sleep. Once I started getting more and more days in the streak, it became an obsession. For example, I'm up late with baby #2 because she's sick, and I start crying because I'm going to "screw up my streak". I cared too much. What was supposed to be a healthy journey for me, wasn't. In April 2022, both girls goth extremely sick. I got sick shortly after. I had to stop my streak. I could not manage two girls and being sick myself and also trying to run every evening. I went 86 days. I feel super proud of myself for it, but honestly, will never do it again. A running streak is not for me. I was also sick on the day of my half marathon, so I ended up missing that too. April was not a fun month...
After that, I knew I needed a change. I needed to think of a different routine but one that I was able to stick with even when I get sick or the girls get sick. A routine with more flexibility. I have been a Beachbody member for a few years now. Since before the girls were born. I have completed a couple programs. I really liked T20 with ShaunT (I did that one after my first was born), MBF (only completed 3 weeks), and P90X3 (LOVE THIS ONE), but most of these workouts required 6 days a week. Felt like a streak again. That is when I found LIIFT4. It is a strengthening program that's only 4 days a week. Yes please!!! Now that's flexibility. I started LIIFT 4 at the end of May/beginning of June. My routine has changed for the better. I am going to list a few things I did to motivate myself while starting a new routine.
I found a program that was only 4 days a week, my goal was to do Monday-Thursday and off Friday-Sunday but used Friday-Sunday and flex days or just did 3 workouts a week.
I found a monthly calendar on Amazon that goes to July of 2024. I use that to write down the workouts I do at the end. Tracks my progress. (If you'd like the link to this, let me know).
I picked goal shorts, a dress, jeans and bathing suit that's too tight on me now but eventually I want to fit in.
I weigh, measure, and take pictures only once a month. (I started doing this every week and it wasn't as motivating, so by only doing it once a month and not obsessing about change, helped me look forward to something and honestly see more change)
If I knew the evening workout wouldn't be as manageable, I did it during the day with my toddler while my baby slept during her first nap. (I'll share a funny story about that one at the end of this post).
I record vlogs. I created a folder in my google photos, and would record once or twice a week of how I'm feeling, and the progress. I would go back to the very first video as motivation sometimes.
I changed my mindset. If I decided to only do 3 LIIFT4 workouts during the week, that's okay. If I could only complete half of one, because one of the girls woke up crying, that's okay. I stopped putting so much pressure on myself.
I eat and drink healthy but do not deprive myself. If I want a glass of wine, I am drinking that glass of wine. My goal was to be super good Monday-Thursday and enjoy everything I love Friday-Sunday. That has worked out great! And I'm still seeing change in my body.
I've found a way to include my toddler and infant in my workouts. That includes, walking at least 3 days a week with the girls (the calmest time of my day), showing my toddler how to do a squat (she sometimes follows along with the video), giving my toddler empty water bottles as her "weights" (soooo cute).
I picked one space to do the workout. It holds all my weights and things I need during my workouts. For me, it's my new (mostly done) basement. The lights are bright, I'm not making a lot of noise for the girls to hear and if I ever want to do a quick walk on the treadmill for a warm-up, it is in the same room.
I've been doing this for over two months now. I love my new routine. LIIFT4 is an incredible workout. I highly recommend it. Next week, I finish the program and will share my results with you. It's not life changing results but definitely progress that has been extremely motivating. I plan to do a second round of LIIFT4 after next week. I may do 3 rounds of it and then find a new program. But I will adjust any other program to 4 days. I will never go back to thinking I have to do 5-7 days a week of working out. With this new life of mine as a busy mom, it just does not make sense to me. I know what the running streak did to me mentally and emotionally, and a workout routine should not make ANYONE feel that way. If you feel that way, stop. You're doing too much. Stop, reflect, and make a change.
Okay so quick story before I go just because it sums up what being a mom with a toddler is like, especially while trying to workout during their playtime. In LIIFT4, there are a lot of exercises that's lifting weights while laying on the floor. I knew I was not going to be able to do a workout in the evening, so I did one in the morning while my infant was asleep. I'm doing my floor lifting and my toddler decides it would be an AWESOME and exciting idea to sit on my stomach. So as I'm lifting my core, she's sitting on me. YES, it was way more difficult but she thought it was a ride and having fun, so I just went with it. I was super sore after that workout. She then decides to go grab some crayons, I thought "yay, now she will be distracted", she loves to color. Yea... no. The crayons were not for a coloring book or paper. She grabbed the crayons to color on me. No joke. Maybe she noticed I was wearing a white tank and it sparked an idea in her little brain, but she grabbed the crayons, came back over to sit on my stomach, started coloring my top in all different colors and by the end of the workout, my white tank was not completely white anymore. Of course I started to laugh during, it was hilarious. But this is reality when working out with a toddler. There's always something. I completed my workout that day and my toddler was super content too! So even though my white shirt isn't white anymore, I'd say that morning was a success!
Thank you for reading!
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~Susana
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