An energetic Workout Wednesday post is a lot harder in the Winter. Just being honest. My go-to trail is under more than a foot of snow, it’s frigid which makes snapping a quick ‘here are my leggings + sports bra’ pick brutal and the desire to just remain curled up under the covers at 5:53am is real. Don’t worry though, we carry on. It’s basically business as usual around here! If everyone let chilly temps & gloomy days dictate their fitness routine, NO ONE would be in any sort of shape.

How do you overcome a ‘bad’ workout or an ‘off’ few days?

Grace. Something I’m not great at giving myself, but when I don’t feel like I ‘nailed’ a workout, I have to give myself grace. The longer I’ve been committed to my health & fitness journey, the more I have learned to embrace the fact that not every workout is going to be stellar. Not every run is going to be a PR. Honestly, the less impressive workouts are what end up making you stronger in the long run. Forcing yourself to show up the next day is obviously a lot harder than just quitting. And there is no space at the top for quitters. Also, learn to decipher between the pain of a tough move/pain from increasing weight and the pain of an actual injury. There is NO SHAME in honoring your body if it’s telling you it hurts. Soreness and injury are two different things. Recognize the difference and act accordingly.

So…I miss the gym FYI.

What is your #1 tip for someone who is unsure of where to start?

MOVE. Just start moving your body. Everyone starts somewhere. The girl you admire lifting weights on her on IG stories? She was once was picking up a weight for the first time. Want to run miles like someone you follow? That person ran their first mile at some point too. Not everyone needs to make Workout Wednesday a dumb double-day like I tell myself I have to. So my #1 tip is two-fold {so maybe I’m cheating a little 😉}:

a) Find what works for YOU. If you have horrible knees, you probably won’t be a runner. On the flip side, maybe you’re super flexible and find yoga to be your cup of tea. Don’t let the fact your neighbor is a CrossFit addict make you think that you have to do CrossFit. Approach various types of exercise with a ‘try before you by’ mentality. Luckily there are SO MANY amazing options out there that truly there is something for everyone. But girls…if you are physically capable, LIFT SOME WEIGHTS. It’s totally normal to be scared and/or intimidated. Do it anyway.
b) Don’t you dare compare your beginning to someone else who is in chapter 25 of their journey. It is unfair to yourself to do that and it can easily get you discouraged. That person on chapter 25 has put in a hell of a lot of work to get there — respect that hustle and allow it to motivate you to write your own story.

Sleep with/Marry/Kill : Fitness Brands. You Pick the Brands.

Ok I got this and legit laughed out loud. The question came with a little more colorful word but we’ll keep it PG-13 here. You all see me in the same brands daily, so my ‘Marry’ will come as no surprise: lululemon. My ride or die workout brand going on 10 years now. Bought my first pair of flared Wunder Unders {and OMG they brought them back last month!} in October 2011 just after we moved to Omaha. My ‘Sleep With’ is hard and I went back & forth between 3 brands but my answer is: Free People Movement. Their price-point is pretty affordable, all the pieces I have from them are good quality + everything has a bit of a sassy flair. Both of those brands made my Top 5 most-loved in 2020 too! This one was much easier…I will ‘Kill’ Athleta. While I absolutely LOVE my acid wash Elations, I’ve honestly returned more than I’ve kept from them. Their stuff is either awesome or dreadful with no in-between for me.

Free People Crop – size XS/S – color is Ocean Blue

Workout Wednesday Workout of the Week

BODYWEIGHT/HIIT-FOCUSED

What you’ll *ideally* need – just your body, girlfriend. If you want to make this harder, set yourself a timer and beat your time the 2nd round. Easier? Slow it down a bit. No rush 🙂