Good morning! I hope you’ve had a great start to the week so far.
In case you’re catching up around here, I introduced Weekly Workouts just short of two months ago. My intentions are not to just to share my own workouts, but also to hopefully inspire you to try something new at the gym or in your fitness plans.
Just to throw this out there, I have received a few comments concerning the intensity of my workouts while we are trying to conceive. I appreciate the concern (really, I do!), and I figured I should address this here as well for any of you who may be thinking the same thing.
Before I started posting my weekly workouts, I went about six months without doing any kind of high-intensity workout at all. Truth is, I was scared that anything I was doing was affecting my chances of getting pregnant. Even demonstrating certain exercises at the gym freaked me out. After talking to my doctor, there’s nothing I should be afraid of. I’m not introducing anything crazy-new into my routine, I have backed off of running long distances (my max is now five miles), and I take a lot more walks (versus runs) than I used to.
For a while, I was just doing low-impact strength training. In fact, this was all I did for about eight months until I just didn’t feel like myself anymore. I felt like I was being overcautious, and I wasn’t happy. I missed getting my heart rate up and being able to run without feeling out of shape, so I incorporated HIIT workouts back into my schedule, just not during my week of ovulation. Eleven months later, here we still are. And my doctor supports everything I’m doing. I could probably taper down more, but I’ve decided to just “do me” for a few months before I go back to tracking, taking ovulation tests, and starting hormone treatments.
It’s exhausting. I need a break. If something happens, it happens. But for now, and considering the possibility that our lives could completely change at a moment’s notice, I’m taking it.
That said, no two weeks of my workouts are the same, and last week was definitely on the lighter side. I didn’t intend on taking three (practically four) rest days, but it just panned out that way. Whoops!
If you’re not into running, check out my Cardio Workouts page for more cardio workout ideas as well as the Circuit Workouts page for more bodyweight, dumbbell, and in-gym workouts!
Weekly Workouts
(September 28 – October 4, 2015)
• Monday – Rockit Class
Oh my goodness you guys. This one was a doozie!
I wrapped up my appointments at the gym right before the last class of the day. When I found out there was only one client signed up, I took it upon myself to join her since I wasn’t teaching. She appreciated the company and we completed a circuit called “Powerhouse 99” that goes in a pattern of:
99 mountain climbers
99 bicycle twists
99 squat pops
99 second wall sit
9 push-ups
88 high knees
88 Russian twists
88 lunges
88 second plank
8 push-ups
and so on all the down to… 11 reps of exercises and 1 push-up.
I’m not sharing the whole workout with you because it was insanely challenging. I was literally sore for three days, and there weren’t even weights involved. I made sure to do plenty of foam rolling afterwards and for the next few days.
If you’d like to try different Rockit class workouts, see my previous Weekly Workouts posts linked at the bottom of this page!
• Tuesday – REST
I was planning on running on Tuesday, but my body just wasn’t feeling it. I took it as a sign to throw in a rest day, and I don’t regret it one bit.
You can’t get hard on yourself about “skipping” a workout every now and then. Check out my thoughts on why you need rest days in your workout plan every single week!
• Wednesday – Pure Barre Class (in the park!)
It was my first time taking a barre class outdoors, and I absolutely loved it.
Barre is a total body (55 minute or less) workout that concentrates on the areas that women struggle with the most: hips, thighs, seat, abdominals, and arms. Any time someone asks me how to achieve a “lean dancer’s body”, I steer them to barre or Pilates workouts.
By no means do you have to be a dancer to take class. I was hooked after my very first class, and I always encourage people to give barre a try three times before saying it’s not for you.
• Thursday – REST
• Friday – 4 mile walk with Roadie
I spent a lot of my extra time last week working on games and crafts for my friend’s bridal shower. I didn’t really feel like running (again), so I grabbed Roadie and enjoyed a nice long walk through the trails.
This is a recycled photo, but they’re all pretty much the same. 😉
• Saturday – REST
• Sunday – 12 Minute Do-Anywhere Bodyweight Workout
I almost got sucked into another rest day. Clearly, I didn’t need it, so I asked Scott if he wanted to join me in a quick 12 minute workout before getting ready for bed and he was game.
I love this one!
This circuit takes you through 5 total rounds that drops in reps each time. Start your first round with 20 reps of each exercise, then repeat with 16 reps, then 12 reps, and so on.
Healthy Meal Ideas
I like to end these posts with some healthy eats that didn’t make the blog over the course of the previous week. Here are some clean and colorful meals you could (very) quickly throw together!
A speedy breakfast…
Low-fat cottage cheese topped in sliced apples and a ton of cinnamon
My version of a healthy Southwest salad from Wendy’s…
Romaine lettuce, green and red peppers, tomatoes, Amy’s chili, crumbled corn tortilla chips and shredded cheese
Gluten-free goodness…
Sam Mills Gluten-Free Cheddar Broccoli Pasta Sides topped in apple chicken sausage and Parmesan cheese
And leftover sweet potatoes in my salad…
Spring mix, red and green peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet potato cubes, black beans, and black olives drizzled in oil and vinegar
Previous Weekly Workouts recaps:
• Weekly Workouts & Un-Pictured Meals
• Weekly Workouts & Healthy Meal Ideas #2
• Weekly Workouts & (New) 12 Minute Core Strength Workout
• Weekly Workouts & (New) EMOM/Tabata Gym Workout
• Weekly Workouts & (New) Stability Ball & Dumbbell Circuit Workout
• Weekly Workouts & Healthy Meal Ideas #5
Have a great Tuesday! I’ll see you back here in just a bit.
Questions of the Morning
• What is your favorite 1 hour class workout?
• What is the easiest meal you’ve made lately?
Generally, I try to complete some kind of class, circuit, or strength training workout 3 days a week and get in at least a few (3+ mile) runs for cardio. There was point in time where I went the gym to exercise 4-5 days a week and completed a long training run (8+ miles) on the weekends, but that hasn’t been what I’ve been up to in quite some time.
In short, it is important for me to stay healthy and fit, but I am not planning on running races or pushing my body towards intense training right now. If you would like to know the longer version – read on.
Disclaimer: I am not a registered dietitian. Although I am a certified personal trainer, I am not necessarily your personal trainer. The workouts I post are what work best for me and might not be the right type of exercises for you. If you decide to give these workouts a try, please listen to your body and rest or modify as you see fit. I always recommend consulting a doctor or health professional before making changes to your diet or fitness routine.

That southwest chili salad looks amazing! I must try that soon!
Jenn @ Mark My Miles recently posted…Post Partum Half Marathon
It’s so easy! And happens quite often around our house 🙂
For fast meals I have been making tuna melts! You just mix some tuna with Greek yogurt and some seasoning stick a slice of cheese in a wrap and toast it and you are done! I pair it with roasted zucchini because well I’m just plain obsessed with it now haha! But that gluten free pasta side looks so yummy! Where did you find it?
Hilary recently posted…Tips For Meal Prepping
I believe we got it in the gluten free section in Kroger or Meijer. You can find some great pasta sides there!
My favorite one hour class workout is always zumba. It’s so much fun and goes by incredibly fast.
Lisa @ Lisa the Vegetarian recently posted…Workout Week in Review
Zumba is so fun! I was fortunate to take class with Beto at the IDEA conference this summer and couldn’t stop smiling (and sweating)… love it!
Heather recently posted…Alex’s Bridal Shower
After seeing your post last week about pure barre and how badly I’ve been wanting to do one I managed to find one online (fitness blender had one on youtube) and although I’m sure it’s different than actually going to a class, my legs were on fire! It felt so good!
Rest days are so very important! I always have friday as a rest day and if I need another one earlier in the week then I’ll take one. Sometimes though it can be hard to tell yourself that you need a rest day when you least suspect it. On sunday I planned on running and after many cups of green tea to try and wake up I ended up telling myself that my body obviously needed to rest and took a nap instead. I never got around to running but that evening I had plenty of energy to do yoga and go for a long walk and it felt wonderful.
Good to know Fitness Blender has an online barre workout. Thanks for sharing! And hey, it sounds like your body needed the rest. 😉
That pure barre in the park class looks so fun!
Tara | Treble in the Kitchen recently posted…The Easiest Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies
I think it’s great to keep up with your regular workouts! I don’t think your workouts are anything that would inhibit conception. You still always have rest days and a lot of your workouts are quicker HIIT workouts. As long as you still have a period and are ovulating, your body is still prepping to get pregnant. Besides, I still think when trying to get pregnant, changing things up from your norm (unless you exercise to the point of amenorrhea or just being unhealthy) throws your body off and that “stress” makes you not want to get pregnant.
Your Monday workout looks insane. Those are the days that I look at ahead of time and decide I’m not going to. I get bored with doing the same thing over and over again, and that is just way too many reps for my liking! But I can imagine that you were insanely sore after that!
Also, I saw a comment above about a quick and easy tuna melt! I mix 1/2 can of tuna, some Sir Kensington’s mayo, and a 1/2 slice of cheese in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds and it’s heavenly. No bread. Just the good ol’ tuna. Probably my favorite easy meal to make and I’d eat it every day if I could, but that’d be too much mercury. I love the idea of the Wendy’s chili salad thing. I never really thought about putting chili on a salad!
Liz recently posted…When You Have a Fat Kid…
Thanks Liz. Yes, Mondays workout was pretty rough, hence why I decided to keep it off the blog. I wouldn’t want someone just throwing themselves into it! Thanks for the suggestion for the tuna melt. I’m not a huge tuna fan, but I’ll enjoy tuna salad from time to time. Have a great week!
Listening to your own body and doing what makes you feel good, both physically and mentally is the best way to go in my opinion 🙂 It’s good there are others looking out for you, but you need to be doing you!
Thanks Alexandra! <3
I love these sort of posts. Thanks for the food ideas and I just love barre! I’ve only don’t workouts online, but they are really challenging in a different way. have a nice week!
Thanks Jessie, you too! I appreciate your readership.
Nice workouts. Definitely need to listen to your body when you need a rest day. My new favorite class is Orangetheory Fitness. I work at one but our studio is being built so I went to a studio in SLC and loved it. It’s 60 minutes of HIIT. Hope there is one near you to try!
Sheena @ Paws and Pavement recently posted…Fit One Half Marathon Review