Just like our diet changes with the seasons, so do my workouts! Add in a baby nap schedule and things are about to shake up. When we last spoke in May, I was doing a lot of running and not a lot else. Let’s look back to where I started….
Winter
- Outside: Cold
- Priority during naps: a good workout followed by work later in the day
- Babysitting help: twice a week
- Workload: medium to low
- Gym classes: 0-1
- Time of day: 9am, right after B went down for morning nap
- Strength sessions: 2-3 at home with Aaptiv
- Treadmill use: high
- Outdoor workouts: low
- Soccer games: once a week indoor
Spring
- Outside: Warming up
- Priority during naps: ramping up work
- Babysitting help: twice a week
- Gym classes: 1-2, usually without B
- Time of day: lunchtime, either outside with the stroller or on treadmill during nap
- Strength sessions: some on treadmill days
- Treadmill use: medium
- Outdoor workouts: medium
- Soccer games: on Sundays
Summer
- Outside: HOT. Too hot for stroller anytime but first thing.
- Priority during naps: working hard! Lots going on.
- Babysitting help: high!
- Gym classes: 1-2, without Birch
- Time of day: many evening soccer games or quick noon solo runs while sitter was here. Some early morning walks.
- Strength sessions: very low
- Treadmill use: very low
- Soccer games: very high!! 🙂 2-3x a week
Starting Now
- Outside: still hot but getting cooler
- Priority during naps: working hard! Lots going on.
- Babysitting help: ZERO (eek!)
- Gym sessions: 2-3 with Birch
- Time of day: In between morning and afternoon nap. Or late afternoon.
- Strength sessions: needs improvement! Possible night class.
- Treadmill use: needs improvement!
- Soccer games: will move back to Sundays
What hasn’t changed?
I do what I feel like doing!
As you can see, my priorities and workout types are constantly changing depending on if I have any help at home, the weather, and nap/work timing.
What has surprised me is that I have barely taken Birch to ACAC KidsZone this year. With Mazen, I used to go to the gym everyday to meet up with friends, workout, shower. It was our routine. Maybe my memory isn’t clear and that didn’t start until he was older, but I remember arriving at the gym when KZ opened at 8am so I could rush home by 9:30 nap. I do think Birch and I will go a lot more when he transitions to one nap in the middle of the day. I should be taking advantage of the awesome child care there.
I was getting into really good shape when I was running on my treadmill a lot. Those interval workouts are great! But I moved my running outside for the warmer weather and am not pushing myself as hard. My strength training has dwindled a lot too. I’ve been doing a lot more running + walking and almost no weight lifting. I think that is also because I am sore and tired from hard soccer games twice a week. I like to weight train when my muscles feel fresh.
Plan Going Forward
Here are my goals, which obviously are subject to change:
- Continue running outside with the stroller. It’s so easy and a great way to get B some fresh air after nap and before lunch. Once it cools off a bit it will be so much easier to do this at that time. Can’t wait for fall weather!
- Aim for 1-2 gym classes a week. I’d like to take both boys to the gym more in the 4-5pm time frame. It’s a little slower in KZ then, and Thomas is also there a lot at that time. Birch is up from nap. Lunchtime would be my preference, but it interferes with B’s lunch too much I think.
- Bring back some strength. Sarah and I went to night strength class a few weeks ago and it was fun! It hangs over me a bit, but I was sore for two days so it was a great workout. Once B goes down to one nap, I’ll be able to go back to my favorite 10:30am strength class on M + W. Gym classes are the best way for me to strength train. I don’t cheat out early!
- Use the treadmill a bit. I’m not sure I’m quite ready to get up at 5:30am to do that, but looking towards the winter I think doing home workouts before the boys wake up OR after Thomas is home from work will make sense when I don’t want to leave the house on the cold, dark nights.
I have been really into running with the nice weather! I was in a steady routine of strength and some running but with summer here it has definitely gone the other way! As fall arrives I see it being much of the same, but come winter I’m sure I’ll be doing much more strength workouts as opposed to running. Unfortunately, that means early mornings before the lo is up! Running is much easier to do with him in the stroller!
Thanks for sharing your new routine! You’re always so up-to-date and ready to workout, no matter the weather! 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
I have a couple nagging injuries that do better when I space out my more intense/high impact workouts (hiit and bootcamps), so I’ve been adding more hot yoga to the mix this summer and absolutely loving it.
I love this post – I’ve been thinking of changing things up a some and love the motivation to make that happen. I belong to a program that’s 5x week – Mon-Fri – 2 cardio days / 1 upper body strength / 1 lower body strength day / 1 kickboxing day. It’s great and I love it but it’s at 5am and after more than a year I think it’s time for a change – not loving the 4:15am wakeup. I also try to run 3x a week 2-3 miles. I’m looking into more home workouts that incorporate strength and cardio.
I like the way you broke this down for us (and yourself)…I think I’ll do the same for myself! I’m in Texas and 100% the seasons and my kids’ schedules dictate the amount of home vs studio workouts I get!
Are you still using Aaptiv? I have a 6 month old and tried it for a few weeks after seeing your review. I’m not sure it’s something I’ll continue to use as he gets older though so I’m debating cancelling it. Lately I enjoy watching my iPad on the treadmill or running outdoors with my music right now.
I use it for almost all of my outdoor runs and anytime I’m doing strength at home…actually or at the gym – anytime I’m not doing a class but need some strength. I still do love it and will renew.
I tried Aaptiv and the Nike app. I liked Nike better. It has videos and it’s free.
Love your strength goal–doing more has changed my body dramatically.
I have a recommendation for you, too–I bought Fitness Blender’s strength program. It was like $20 and you get lifetime access. CHANGED MY BODY this summer, big time. Sometimes I have time for the whole workout, other times I have time for 15 minutes. I am working my way through the 4 week program again.
It’s fun, flexible and you will see results. 10/10 highly recommend. 🙂 Let me know if you end up going for it!
https://www.fitnessblender.com/plans/4-week-fb-strong-build-muscle-burn-fat-and-feel-great
I probably won’t buy another since I paid for Aaptiv, but I do need to find a program and consistently do it! My “2-3 days of strength a week” are pretty random right now. Sometimes I do a hard-core class, sometimes I do a class that has a little strength in, and sometimes I just do a quick 10 minute sesh.
You can use all of their workouts FREE! I just like that they curate them for you into the program, then you can use it for life–ie, you pay once and it’s yours. But again–all content can be free and you can use the calendar feature on the site to create your own schedule. (I don’t work for FB lol! I just love it!)
Good luck!
Ohhhhh! Cool!
So cool that there is a children care at your gym … they should invent that in France ^^.
My fitness game is nowhere near what you are doing but I will try to move more now that baby is older ( he’s ok with me doing a short strength training while he plays). Do you have a special running stroller ?
I do, I have a BOB Jogging stroller
This was a really helpful post in reminding me how we have to adapt to these different seasons of life (both literally and in parenting, figuratively), so thank you for sharing how you approach your routines.
Oh boy, I am in the wilderness in terms of exercise :(( – which is to say, hardly working out at all! Sometime in the past year I started to get sideways on what I thought my exercise priorities should be… I thought I’d focused too much on strength classes and really wasn’t getting enough fat-burning cardio in. So then I began doing a lot of running in spring when the weather was nice and it was so “easy” to go out for runs. Then summer hit, and I had a six-year-old on my hands who had very different ideas on what summer should be than I do (I love being at pool, on playground, or out & about; she’s a major homebody). I sort of stopped doing anything. Interestingly, I’ve suffered from some anxiety and depression this summer – which really sucks since it’s my favorite season of the year. I’m pretty convinced that my lack of exercise was a contributor. Soooo…..
I’m headed back to the gym for strength classes and incorporating HIIT classes as well for that cardio boost. I’m hoping I’ll also have some time for gentle walk/runs since I love being outdoors, but I’m going to look at that more as bonus exercise. The structure and camaraderie of exercise classes is really helpful for my mind and body so I need to make that my “bread and butter.”
And next summer, my child is going to have to get with my program!! :p