My Fitness Routine: How I Stay In Shape

I am often get asked how I stay in shape. It's true, I've never been overweight, but keeping a healthy weight requires mindful choices. Today, I want to share the 3 key pillars of my fitness routine that I also incorporate into my teaching.

Taking a Step Back: The Power of "Why"

Before diving in, it's important to acknowledge the mental aspect of fitness. Your "why" is your motivation, the reason you push yourself. Maybe it's keeping up with energetic kids, like mine! Whatever your reason, a strong "why" fuels your persistence and keeps you going.

Nutrition: You Are What You Eat

We've all heard it before – nutrition is 80% of the battle, especially for weight loss (we'll delve into common weight loss mistakes next month, stay tuned!). Eating healthy doesn't have to be complicated, but it does require making conscious choices.

The Three Pillars of My Fitness Routine (and Fitness for Life Flow)

My fitness approach is built on three main elements, which interestingly mirror the Fitness & Movement habits hierarchy of the Wellness Vortex.

1. I Move More Throughout the Day:

Remember our previous discussion about common fitness misconceptions? This first step is all about incorporating movement into your daily routine. It can be as simple as taking the stairs or parking farther away from stores. These small changes add up and allow me to reduce the need for dedicated "workout breaks" throughout the day (although I do teach additional classes on top of this!).

Did you know that a sedentary lifestyle can lead to a significantly lower Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)? NEAT is the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating, or ¹ planned exercise. According to NASM, NEAT can vary by up to 2,000 calories per day between individuals of similar size, simply based on their daily activity levels (Levine, 2004, as cited in NASM blog). This highlights the substantial impact of those seemingly small movements.  (expertpt.co.uk)

Furthermore, even seemingly minor activities like fidgeting can contribute to calorie expenditure. NASM cites research indicating that individuals who fidget while seated or standing can burn five to six times more calories than when they remain still (Levine et al., 1999, as cited in NASM blog).

These statistics underscore the power of incorporating consistent, low-intensity movement throughout your day. It's about building a foundation of activity that supports your overall well-being and can indeed reduce the need for as many separate workout blocks.

Check out this blog post for ideas on how to get your daily step goal in.

2. My Functional Fitness Classes (3 days/week, 30 minutes/session):

Functional fitness focuses on movements that mimic everyday activities. This could be anything from bodyweight squats to lunges and gait training. Knowing the difference between functional and traditional strength training is crucial. I teach these Functional Fitness classes three days a week; they have become my workouts too. 

3. Cardio for Stress Relief (5K runs):

I love ending my day with a stress-busting 5K run. 

Let's Calculate! My Fitness Formula for Success:

Aiming for moderate-intensity cardio three times a week is a classic recommendation. Here's a breakdown of my weekly exercise:

• Moving more throughout a day
• Functional Fitness Classes (30 min/session, 3 times/week): 90 minutes.
• 5K Runs (30-60 min/session, 3 times/week): 90-180 minutes.
• That is absolutely over 150 minutes a week and plenty of steps! 

My Fitness Habit in a Nutshell:

To summarize, my successful fitness routine follows a simple formula: functional fitness in the morning to jumpstart my day, and an outdoor 5K run in the evening to de-stress. I truly believe that hitting my functional classes in the morning sets my body and mind up for success for the rest of the day. The focus and energy I gain carry over into everything I do. Then, completing my days with an outdoor outing helps me release the stress and tension built up throughout the day, promoting better sleep.

Call-to-Action!

So, what are you waiting for? Find your "why," fuel your body with healthy choices, and start incorporating movement throughout your day including functional fitness! You might be surprised at how much better and stronger you feel fast!

Talk to me!

To your Energy and Power, 

Nadya

Your health, life, nutrition coach, personal trainer, author and wellness empowerment speaker.

P.S. Ready to dive deeper? Join my upcoming FREE training: 'Fitness That Fits' Creating Life you Love. The Training'." Whether you're a beginner, unsure where to start, or looking to level up your workouts, this is for you! Join the free (my anniversary gift) community here. Already a member? RSVP here.