Ugh, my workout consistency has been fairly terrible…and not really short term, either. This is now officially an ongoing problem that waxes and wanes.
Yes, it’s true that I exercise regularly. But I just so rarely hit all of my target workouts anymore, or even all of my planned strength workouts. Back from 2015-2020, I remember I was so dialed in. I literally never missed! I don’t know what’s going on. I blame the stupid pandemic for disrupting my routines. 😜
How much is laziness vs. I’m truly too busy vs. excuses vs. poor planning vs. poor execution vs. unrealistic expectations?
Honestly, I have also just felt like my ENERGY over the past few years has really tanked. I mean, I’m still a very active and energetic person! I do a ton. I know this.
But I mean that my mood + energy now seem to play a much larger role in determining what I do or don’t do (and when), compared to what I remember in the past.
I admire highly routine people who somehow stick to the exact same routine day in and day out… I always feel like, Don’t you ever just not feel like following that routine? I think I am just not a super regimented person anymore. Was I ever? I don’t know. Sort of? In hindsight, I don’t really think so. Even in my peak, my workout days/times, life in general, work schedule, etc. was all very varied.
I also just feel….tired. Sort of a lot.
Planning experts often recommend scheduling in things like workouts like an appointment, and I’d generally agree with this advice. But I just find more and more that inevitably life seems to happen and things like this happen (just a few examples):
- I plan a morning workout but then the night before I end up staying up too late and in the morning my “planned” morning workout sounds horribly unappealing.
- I plan a morning workout and then I sleep for crap and am awake for 2 hours and can’t get up on time.
- I plan a lunchtime workout and then work goes haywire and/or something throws off my morning, so now my lunch hour gets bumped or obliterated.
- I plan an evening workout, and the day is so busy and mentally draining that come evening, I just want to text Ivan to meet up for pizza and skip my workout. Lol.
- I plan a weekend afternoon workout but then I end up with a list of 9,423 things to do that end up taking longer than I thought and come workout time, I don’t want to go to the gym anymore….at all…..
- I plan a weekend workout in the morning but maybe our Friday night ended up involving a margarita and I stay up until almost midnight and then in the morning it’s raining and cozy and I REALLY just want to stay home and putter on my computer or relax in my sunroom for a while before the day gets really going (and I get started on the 9,423 things that always have to happen on the weekends- remember we do not have any outside help in our household so 100% of cleaning, yard work, errands, chores, etc are all on us on top of all the kid stuff, intense family visit schedules, travel, etc.)
Etcetera. Yes, written out these do look a lot like excuses. 🤪
I just feel like my energy wavers so more than I remember it ever doing before, and I have somehow lost all of my discipline apparently and I’m just SO OVER IT! What is my problem?!? 😩
I know I maybe have “high” expectations (or low, depending on who you ask) for what I want my workout schedule to be. Ideally, I want to do 5x strength, 3x cardio and 1x yoga. That is quite a lot, in my stage of life, really.
The weekend workouts have been exceptionally challenging. I tend to miss those the most, which doesn’t make sense, because shouldn’t I have MORE time on the weekends?!
I had some thoughts the other day about how I might rectify this situation.
Ideas:
- Strength is my priority.
- Weekends seem spotty, so what if I just try to knock out my 5 strength workouts M-F?
- Let cardio take a backseat for a bit. Weekday Charlie walks are fine and good enough. Life seasons will change and this doesn’t have to be forever.
- I can still try to fit in extra cardio as able (incline treadmill walk while watching a Grand Rounds, for example!) and/or on the weekends but consider it a bonus!
- Progress over perfection.
- Shorten my workouts!! Instead of 1 hour strength sessions, cut my sets from 4 to 3. Aim to be in and out in 30-40 minutes. Yes I’d rather do the full workout but it’s better to DO a shorter workout than not do a workout at all because I don’t have a full hour to devote.
- Remember that 3x/week is a habit and if nothing else, I AM usually exercising at least 3x and maybe that’s good enough too. I think I just ‘identify’ as an avid exerciser who ‘should’ be able to exercise at a high level….
New schedule idea!
M- legs/abs #1
T- chest/shoulders
W- back/biceps
Th- legs #2
F- full body
S- cardio/ yoga as able
S- cardio/yoga as able
I am way over my 500 words, lol, so I guess I’ll elaborate more later. In short, the weekday workouts will need to be either morning or lunch time. Keeping the workouts SHORTER should help the whole process immensely.
I really feel like THIS IS DO-ABLE, you guys!
I actually also looooove the idea of cranking out my strength by Friday and entering the weekend without having any gym sessions to fit in! I think getting in a steady routine with this could be game changer…? I feel like this would be a win in so many ways. (If I can make this happen.)
*I don’t have time to look back but I am sure I have written similar posts lamenting similar things at least like 10 times now, so if they pop up below in suggested posts, just pretend you can’t see those and pretend this is a new problem.. … lol.
Daily Gratitude:
I am grateful for some BEAUTIFUL leaves on a mild mid-morning quick break walk with Charlie.
GRATEFUL KAE 
Honestly, I think your expectations of yourself are maybe just too much. That’s an awful lot to expect to do every single week, over and over again.
You actually helped me so much when you shared about your coworker’s routine…a couple months ago now maybe? 20 minutes strength, 20 minutes cardio. Every other day. That was such a lightbulb for me and goes perfectly with the phrase ‘what would this look like if it were easy?’ Ding ding ding, turns out that is the schedule that works for me. It’s simple and it’s not too much. It’s been so much easier to be consistent. I never dread doing it, just part of my routine now. So thank you for sharing that…I hope you can work out a schedule that’s doable to stick to.
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I’m so glad my coworker’s routine resonated with you!! I really agree it’s a great plan and I love the simple but effective consistency.
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That tree is lovely! Fall is the best.
You are looking to spend a LOT of time working out! Personally, I aim for the basic recommendations: 150 minute of cardio and 2 sessions of strength training on non-consecutive days. I know I shouldn’t be locked into times of day but mornings are definitely best for me. I run/walk Monday, Wed, Fri, and Sat and strength train Wed/Fri.
I need the cardio to manage my mental health especially heading into winter. That keeps me focused. But the reality is if it doesn’t happen in the morning it doesn’t happen and I pay someone to keep strength training on track.
Finding time to work out is really hard, but maybe dial back your expectations a bit to get a routine in place.
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Well I think you SHOULD be locked into time of day if you found a time that works!! That’s the biggest struggle for so many people (myself included), so I think it’s amazing if the mornings work. I WISH I could get motivated to just crank out morning workouts- it would honestly solve so many of my problems. Part of the issue currently is Ethan’s early school start time- he leaves by 7. So if I want to go the gym (and get home before he leaves) it’s a little earlier than I would prefer. I would love to go more at like 6:30/6:45… but then I’d miss out on seeing Ethan off and I’m so aware of how limited time is with him at home… that said, I could realistically NOT see him off SOME days and that would be okay!
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I don’t know how much flexibility to have with your work schedule. On my WFH days I get up just before 6 and work in our dining room (open plan first floor) on things that don’t require too much focus until 8 or 9 and then go for a run and pilates. So, tomorrow I will work from 6-8 then run from 8-9, the go to pilates from 9-10.
I do that so I am around while my kids are getting up and getting out the door. I can touch base and have a quick chat with them while they are on their way out. I also find it less offensive to drink coffee and answer emails/pt messages in my PJs at 5:45 than to walk out the door to exercise.
However, my WFH days are super flexible. I can schedule meetings in the afternoon only. You may not have that same flexibility around when you meet with others.
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I think the good thing about you coming up with the ideas about how you might rectify this workout woes situation at this time of the year, Kae, is that these ideas can go right into your goals/plans for the next year.
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Good point, Yukun! 🙂
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I think you hold yourself to a really high standard. Your ideal is NINE workouts a week–a LOT for anyone! And especially for a full-time working mom of 2 active teens with a big extended family and who doesn’t outsource household stuff. I think if you can consistently work out 4-5x per week that would be amazing. As a mom who is in a similar season of life but probably slightly less busy than you, I aim for 5x per week but I keep my workouts shorter than yours, because I’m always cramming them in between when my kids leave for school (7:15am) and when I have to leave for work (8:30ish). If I aimed for longer workouts, I’d end up having to fit them in later in the day like after work and I know myself well enough to know I do NOT have the energy to workout later in the day (part of the reason I think working out in my 20s was easier was because I would routinely go for runs after work at 7pm–I cannot even fathom having the energy for that now. So I focus on 4-5 workouts per week and they’re usually 30-45 minutes, mostly strength focused but usually 1x per week is a short 3 mile run. I feel pretty good if I do that, even though I know I could be doing more cardio for “optimal” health or whatever. I think your 5 days a week with focus on strength is doable too.
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Yes, you’re right! Although, like I tried to clarify in my next post, not all of these workouts are as long (I guess in my mind some of them would be combined (like strength/cardio in same day) and would essentially equal ONE workout). Your workout window sounds great! I have actually been wondering if I shorten my workouts, could I some day squeeze in a morning workout AFTER Ethan leaves but before Asher leaves… it would be a similar time frame to what you have. That would make it tricky to fit in walking Charlie and currently I sometimes drive Asher to school, too, plus I’d need a shower… but asher should get his license in about a month! Eek.
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Yes I should add that my great morning workout window only works when my husband is home, because he is the one to drive the kids to school and walk the dog (we live in a city neighborhood but the kids’ school is near a big park/woodsy area so he drives them and heads straight into the woods with the dog). But fairly frequently my husband travels for work and then the drive to school + dog walk are my responsibility and eat up my perfect workout time–then I get kind of cranky because I cannot seem to find another way to squeeze the workout in! The struggle is real and ongoing!
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You’ve written this post 10 times and I’ve related to it 10 times. I think the key is to find a schedule that you can stick with, even if it’s less workouts than you’d do if you had unlimited free time.
Free time? Oh hey I have a lot more of that now. We’ll see how much of it goes toward working out. Cardio is no problem but in theory I’d like to ratchet up the strength.
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Haha, I’ll be interested to hear how or if your workout routine changes with your new found leisure time!!! 😉
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I do have to agree with the others, you really are expecting a lot from yourself. That’s quite a regimen to maintain. I know if it were me, I would say forget about it. Oh, wait, that is me. I’ve come up with so many ideas and end up hitting snooze 10 times instead of getting up, or going “squirrel” and getting caught up with something else, and pushing the workout aside.
I have also found that the older I get, the less energy I seem to have. I have asked my daughter countless times, how in the world did I do so much when they were kids, and now I can’t even keep the floors vacuumed. I am always tired and have no energy.
Best of luck with your exercise plans and I hope you take some of the advice that has been given already, it sounds pretty good to me.
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Haha- I think there’s some real truth to the energy thing!! I often also overlook how much I think my job now impacts my baseline, too. From 2016-2022, during my peak exercise time, my job was a lot less stressful and wayyyyy less mentally draining. It was also a lot more flexible than it is now! I often wonder why I feel so exhausted but I truly think some of it is work and just stress and mental drain impacting the rest of my life.
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I’m in kind of a similar slump, also caused, at least in part, by my favorite yoga studio closing down in 2020. I have been thinking that maybe I need to change what I’m doing for my workouts. Like maybe I need to dance or ice skate or swim instead of running and power yoga.
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Yes, mixing it up could be a great idea! I have found some success with cardio in this way- I kept trying to do “machines” at the gym for cardio and never wanted to do it. Now I have mostly been doing dance or you tube videos and not only are they easier for me to fit in, I like the variety and find them more fun, too.
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Ugh agreed, I hate cardio machines!!
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You nailed it with the first idea: strength training is your priority. As i read through it, what came to mind is “how bad do you wan it?!” if you want to fit in badly, you make it work. maybe it hasn’t became necessity to you. the consequence of not doing it is not evident.
I find that if I only do that for the idea of it helping me, I tend to not do it (i’m referring to strength). but now that I know I can’t afford not doing it, I don’t negotiate anymore with myself and do it. With running, I don’t need to force/schedule, I need it every day if my body allows for it.
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Yeah, that’s the thing that perplexes me- I honestly do love strength training, so it’s like, why am I being so inconsistent?!! I think it’s in large part I just persistently feel overwhelmed with too much to do etc and then “everything” starts to feel like a chore.
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http://www.junshiso.com
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So I say this as someone who has frequently commented about our shared love of strength training, but 5x strength a week is way too much, especially for someone who is struggling to fit it all in. I would suggest you try 3 full body workouts on Mon, Wed, Fri, giving your body a day of rest in between. Focus on the key compound lifts (Squats, Press, Pull etc) and forget the unnecessary accessory stuff (bicep curls!). I don’t even do this – I just lift on 2 days for honestly only about 30 mins and I just had a DEXA scan which showed I put on 2kg of muscle in a year at 47 years old. Less is more – I promise you! Especially at our age (sorry but it’s true!!)
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That’s so awesome about your results!! I do actually love full body workouts (one of mine is usually full body and I always really enjoy them). Hmmm, I’ll have to give this some thought! That could be a great idea. Thanks for the input!
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came to agree with this. I’m a personal trainer and the more I’ve expanded my education, the more I’ve seen the power that full body workouts can have. In some of the literature they produce better results. I think 3-4 days full body would maybe work better for your recovery and allow you to prioritize the cardio. Sometimes we forget how rigid we have become with our splits and forget we have options 🙂
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Agreed. I’ve settled on 3x full body strength workouts per week — it’s the ideal, but this way if I miss a workout I am at least hitting every body part every week instead of missing an entire upper or lower body workout. I should do more cardio but I’m less motivated. 🙂 I’m basically trying to figure out what’s the LEAST that I need to do to maintain my health and body composition and (at times at least) build strength a little at a time?
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I felt every word of this post! I used to train for half-marathons and I would never miss a run, and now I do the easiest workout most days. I have found and love using the Ladder app, and I think you might too. You can try it for free without putting in your cc info to see if you like it. You can do them from home if you have some weights and it takes all the thinking/planning out of it for me – just follow along with the plan. I also count walking the dog as my cardio on days that I lift and then try to run or do a spin class on cardio days. It’s also sad that as we age it seems to take so much more to get less results!
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Um…I am currently walking a few times a week and THAT IS IT. So girl, you are doing great 😉
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Same here, Elisabeth! Bonus points is I do my PT exercises a few times a week. But yeah. Lol. I agree- she is doing great.
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okay, I have THOUGHTS here. But I see you’ve already posted “more information” and I want to read that first…
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No matter how bad my sleep was or how yucky I feel in the morning, I know that I will have a better day and feel better if I just get up and go– morning work outs are the only kind hat work for me– because I agree SOMETHING always cmes up if I plan it later.
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As many of my high school students would say: bruuuuhhh
I WISH I fit it five times. That’s amazing but also how, where, when??? I often get angry at myself for not being able to address this area of my life that is lacking. In other areas I feel like I am “mostly” crushing it
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I have been struggling to set an alarm to workout early. I hate compromising sleep. For anything. I’m lucky that I can take my tots for walks in a quad stroller sometimes. That way I get my cardio in. I sometimes hop on the bike before tots get dropped off because that workout packs a punch. I’ve been managing to lift weights in my house thru airline given YouTube videos and those are great.
I think it sounds like you might need to give yourself some grace. I think it is hard to maintain the same energy level when we age or approach menopause etc. I think your outlined new plan sounds great. Hope it works for you.
I have a really difficult time working out if it isn’t first thing in the morning.
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Was it you who said “you can do everything but you cannot do it all at the same time”? I think you need to prioritize and not want to “do it all” (hahah, says the person who also always wants to do it all).
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