I am purposely keeping plans relatively light + easy.
Low-Key Goals For The Day:
❏ Workout (threshold run)
❏ Take kids to skating (the one place around here where having a mask on actually helps with body temperature regulation!)
❏ Enforce kids’ reading time (30 min)
❏ Order groceries (PrepDish meal plan this week so I won’t have to think too much!)
❏ Organize nightstand and possibly kids’ craft drawer area
❏ Brainstorm some podcast ideas
No social plans, and probably not a lot of time outdoors because the weather does not look promising, but that’s okay. Dinner will be takeout and the kids WILL be in bed by 9. (#bedtimegoals)
That’s it. I slept terribly last night (?anxiety) and may also need to take a nap, but I also wanted to get up early and get my workout in.
Thank you for all of your thoughts yesterday. I’m not ready to entirely scrap my running/training because I really do enjoy it, gross/humid weather and all! But I do think getting in 3 solid strength workouts/week minimum is probably the right thing to do at my >40 age. AND honestly, I know I could be eating far more healthfully than my current baseline.
Random shot of the podcasts currently on my phone (ie, what I have to choose from for my running playlist this AM!).
15 Comments
I’m really interested in this discussion about running vs strength. I find I’m so hungry after running and it’s hard with lots of work or kid stuff to refrain from grabbing junk all day. But honestly I am only exercising 4x a week max so it’s probably not enough over all. Aiming for 1 run to just keep it up and get the endorphins and 3 strength or barre workouts. I struggle to exercise right when I wake up but that’s the best time for me during the week and barre is easier to jump into than other things. But it’s probably not as good as hard core strength training.
So I’m 40 and I am really curious about all of this advice to strength train. Do you do it at home? Where did you buy weights? If you go to a gym, how do you know what to do? I’m soooo intimidated by the free weight area of the gym. It’s all dudes and I don’t know the etiquette or where to start or what weights I should use and I basically get hives thinking about it. Not to mention the Delta issue (I’m in AL). Help?
I was the same way too! I was super intimidated by the weights section and didn’t know much of what to do. Youtube was a HUGE source of resources for me, as far as what exercises to do, how often, the science of strength training, and targeting specific muscles. I used to train in the gym, but now I’m working out at home. I got most of my dumbbells from Target. The neoprene ones are nice. There are also resistance bands you could use if you choose to workout at home. I would definitely go back to the gym if there wasn’t a current surge starting to emerge, but for now, I think I’m just going to do the Youtube videos. Carol Girvan and Heather Robertson are the ones I usually turn to (much less talking, good music if that style meshes with you), but I have heard great things about Sidney Cummings, if you choose to go the Youtube route for home workouts.
Peloton also has a fair amount of strength workouts but not really the progressive ‘programs’ that BB offers.
(I hate that BB is an MLM but I do like what they offer. I never bought anything other than the online subscription and a strength band, no shakeology etc)
oh and yes I have also heard Sydney Cummings! Googling now 🙂
So my prior version of strength has been via Beachbody – using up to 25 lb dumbbells. Honestly for me that worked really well and I definitely saw results. If I went to a gym I’d want to work with a trainer or try classes like at F45 (we have one near me, curious if anyone has tried).
Last summer I lifted 5-6x/week (Beachbody 80 Day Obsession) did no cardio other than walking and was in great shape BUT I was often tired and sore and missed running 🙂
I’m a head trainer at F45 and LOVE it. It has completely transformed the way that I view strength training. Also, F45 classes (COVID- and location dependent) are taught by two certified personal trainers. You get a ton of attention, motivation and form corrections throughout class. Happy to answer any questions!
I actually live very close to a new F45 but I also am not in a life stage where it’s easy to leave the house for workouts. I think in a few years I will be! But right now it’s home workouts to fit into the rest of life …
I also hate that it’s an MLM but BB is convenient for starting out since the programs can help you figure out how to balance working different muscle groups and the videos demonstrate form and modifications. I tend to pick and choose workouts from different programs because I’m too lazy to put together my own workout but don’t usually want to follow a complete program. I’ve heard a lot of good things about the peloton app if you want to try strength workouts but not necessarily a more prescriptive program. For weights a set of adjustable dumbbells can be way easier/space-saving compared to accumulating individual weights. The bowflex selecttech are super pricey but amazing (we found 2 sets used for wayyyyyy less than the retail price- worth checking offerup etc), or I’ve seen some smaller sets that look reasonable at target etc. Also strongly recommend having a yoga mat for traction + to lie on for chest presses, abs, etc.
Check out soheefit.com as a strength training resource. She just got her PhD and is so much more than “just” a trainer. She also has a book out called “Eat. Lift. Thrive” that is supposed to be a very good overview of all things strength training for women. (I haven’t personally read it bc I already had experience with strength training in the gym, but I have heard good things about it.) Sohee has online training programs for I think like $20/month and you can do either home or in gym, 4 workouts per week, all strength. She’s on Instagram/you tube I think also and puts out lots of informational content.
I got my gym strength workouts from northingtonfitnessandnutrition.com (I did the online “group training”, where they sent me new workouts each month to do on my own in the gym.) They were split by body part. I did this for years and it was awesome. Hands down best shape I’ve ever been in. Made going into the free weight section a piece of cake because I knew exactly what I was going to do each day.
Sohee’s monthly training plans are similar, but I think full body workouts instead of body part split.
I loved getting a new training plan each month. Let me know if you want me to send you a screenshot of a sample workout or anything.
Pre-pandemic, I got seriously into strength training. Lifting as heavy as I could. In my mid 40s my body transformed into the best shape I have ever been in my entire life. I couldn’t believe it. I also could eat way more than I could when I only did cardio (gym classes, dance workouts, some running) or yoga, so it made me a believer. The pandemic interrupted my previous training regimen, and working out in the same way felt like such a low priority. I was doing a lot more cardio. My body has gotten softer, and I feel a lot less confident wearing certain clothes again. I am grateful for having a healthy fully functioning body, and I try not to feel bad about the aesthetics of it. But yes, it’s become very apparent to me also that strength training needs to be the main focus for me fitness-wise at this age. I do incorporate cardio (mostly hiking) because it feels good to be outside, and I practice yoga as much as I can, for the mental and emotional benefits. Plus some of the poses just feels really good on my creaky joints. But I’ll be incorporating much more weight training again, this time at home.
Hello! I have a super random question, looking at your screenshot: what podcast app do you use, and do you like it? I’ve been an uncomplaining user of the Apple podcast app until now, but the last update now has it organized in really un-intuitive way, so I think it might be time for me to overcome my learning-a-new-app inertia and find a better option!
PS Am also following this discussion of strength training with great interest! I’m firmly in the interested but clueless camp, so definitely making a note of all these youtube and app recommendations!
I’ve used PodCruncher for years 🙂 it seems to work well for me – you can create playlists, set it to keep only the newest episodes of a podcast or keep all of them, and doesn’t glitch too much!
Excellent! Thanks very much! I’m definitely going to give that one a try 🙂
Like you, I was fine with Apple until the recent update. So then I did some googling and downloaded Overcast (free version) and like it. Fairly straightforward, nothing fancy, and intuitive to use. It took less time to figure out Overcast than it did the new Apple update! 😉