The second Workout Wednesday of December is upon us and it is ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS here in western Iowa! This morning I was able to get my run done without gloves. Like whaaat?! A very rare occurrence this time of year for sure. My current program wraps up this week – 1 week late thanks to Thanksgiving. The next 2 weeks are going to be super fun in terms of testing out some new moves, so stay tuned!

Funnel Neck Hoodie / Joggers / Cloudflows

Top 3 Questions of the Week

How does being on your period effect your workouts?

I have gotten this question a lot recently so I did a quick IG poll this morning to see what y’all had to say. Looks like the general consensus is that it negatively impacts your fitness routine. I am fairly neutral I would say. It truly depends on the month. My period is consistent but not {hence the fertility issues I’m sure} so some months I have zero symptoms and my workouts are great. Other months, less so. I’ve never NOT worked out due to cramps/headaches/etc. but I have waited until issues calmed down a bit before starting some mornings. Two things I notice while working out on my period: a higher HR average and I sweat more. Curious if anyone else experiences either of those!? Regardless, if you’re feeling crappy–REST. But also know that getting some movement in is likely to help you feel somewhat better too. That was the case for my Workout Wednesday today actually!

Do you take vitamins or supplements outside of a preworkout?

Vitamins, yes. I take d3, fish oil, CoQ10, DHEA, a multi-vitamin & elderberry. Extra supplements, no. Unless you count my BCAAs or collagen as supplements. I take both of those. Personally, I believe in getting nutrients from nutrient-dense foods. {Sample Food Diary here — it’s old, but it’s still pretty similar though I’m 100% consistent on vitamins now!} Eating vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats regularly allows me to hit my needed nutrition intake. Protein powder is almost non-existent in my diet too. I’m getting my proteins from chicken, almond butter, eggs and oats! ‘Extras’ are something I’ve been consciously trying to avoid lately. And it seems like just about every company is adding a ‘little splash of this word-you-can’t-pronounce’ or a ‘fat burner’ inside of a basic powder. LIKE WHY!? I’d love if you’d just give me a protein powder that’s STRAIGHT pea protein and let me figure out how to mask the taste. I don’t need a dash of this and a tablespoon of that. My other issue with many ‘fitness supplement’ brands is that they don’t distinguish between males and females. Probably why I am such a fan of Alani Nu. Stim-free is my jam! Again though, there’s quite a bit of extras in there. Not judging if supplements are your thing — some people benefit from them. But I probably will judge some if you’re doing fat burners. Those are a strong NO. 🙂

Multi-Vitamin / Vitamin D3 / CoQ10 / DHEA / Fish Oil / Elderberry / Collagen (use code: 2823767 or THIS LINK for $10 off at checkout)

Favorite quote(s) or mantra(s) when working out?

Gosh, it depends on the day. But I quite often repeat ‘it’s tough, but you’re tougher’ when I’m pushing through a hard sprint or feel a weight is borderline too heavy. I’m weird but I talk to myself in my head a lot (well aware that’s not normal LOL) and I’m constantly asking myself during workouts if this effort is my good, better or best. Another quick hit I like is ‘show up and own it.’ That applies in life for me, too. I once read an article that suggested picking a word to focus on during every run, and that’s resonated with me. Sometimes it’s simply ‘fast’ while other times recently it’s been ‘light,’ ‘consistent’ and ‘enjoyable.’ When I’m getting tired, I remind myself of my WHY. Do these quotes or words really help? Who knows, but it gives my mind a place to go and helps me stay focused!

Workout Wednesday Workout of the Week

FULL BODY FOCUS

What you’ll *ideally* need – 3 sets of dumbbells (heavy, medium & light), a band & a jump rope. To make it harder, increase those weights baby! To ease up a bit, drop down to 3 rounds for the 1st 2 circuits and 2 rounds for the 3rd or go bodyweight wherever needed! This is a BURNER so good luck & tag me on IG if you try it 🙂