It’s been quite a while since my last Q&A-focused Workout Wednesday post, so I thought what better time to bring it back? Because it’s swimsuit season. But I’m here to first say, every body is a swimsuit body. So don’t for a second thing you need to change anything to slip into one and live your best life! In the last 2-3 weeks I have gotten an influx {& by that I mean 15+ so that’s a lot by my standards LOL} of questions about running. So on that note, I’m going to hit heavily on that today. But I also asked in my IG stories if anyone had questions they wanted answered. A few stood out to tackle in this post & I’ll continue to work through the rest over the coming weeks! And I love Workout Wednesday so they’ll be more regular, I promise!

Today’s Top 3

How do you become a runner?

A few months ago I answered ‘how to love running‘ that I suggest checking out. Because it’s cool to be a runner. And it’s also wonderful not to be one. But for HOW to become one? Lace up some shoes and start. In the probable words of Dr. Seuss, ‘a runner is a runner no matter how fast or how far.‘ So in all reality, anyone who wants to be one can be. There are 3 tips I give everyone who asks me this though:

Start by alternating walking + jogging. My first day of running I did 1 min walk/1 min jog for 12 minutes. And I barely made it a mile. From there I worked my way up. It wasn’t until 4 weeks in that I eliminated the walking intervals from my runs.
Focus on the amount of time you spend on your feet, not the distance you cover or pace per mile. This can be so hard because life is a constant comparison game. But truly, time on your feet matters most. Especially when you first begin. Worry about acclimating your body to the impact. And focus on YOUR goals, not keeping up with anyone else.
Learn the difference between soreness and pain. At the beginning, you will be sore. Your feet, shins, quads, etc. are all experiencing new sensations. You can always run through soreness but never should you run through pain. Figure out the difference between the two. But know you’re body is stronger and more resilient than you may realize.

Workout Wednesday

What are your thoughts on Orangetheory Fitness?

Y’all I could do a 3 page post about Orangetheory, but for the sake of time I won’t. My experience with OTF is more than most of you probably realize. I jumped on that bandwagon in September 2015 (read all about my hype for it HERE). From there I spent nearly 3 years as a member. And then, something else a lot of you may not know…I helped open a brand new studio in the summer of 2018 and managed it for 6 months. So I have a LOT of thoughts. Because I’ve seen the inner workings of studios, my opinion is not just limited to being a member. But I’ll keep it brief.

OTF circa 2015

Orangetheory can be a great option for some people. Because like any workout, one size doesn’t fit all. If you need the accountability from a group setting or unsure where to begin, you should try it. Want the ease of showing up and being told what to do for an hour while burning quite a few calories? Also a reason to give it a chance.

But Orangetheory is no longer for me. I personally outgrew it. No longer was I being challenged. And honestly, I experienced some injuries and watched numerous others suffer from overtraining. Unfortunately with class sizes of 20+ people, 1 single trainer just cannot give each member the attention they may need. Because of that + knowing that a degree was NOT required to ‘coach’ keeps me steering clear. And intense cardio every day is not good for anyone.

2016
Last Week @ OTF
Now

Do you have any current fitness/workout goals?

So, not really. Not at this moment. Because over the last 8.5 years I’ve been in training mode. Looking ahead to my next race. But there is no race on the horizon because my fertility situation trumps all right now. And it took me longer than I’d like to admit to accept that. Exercise is my passion and staying fit has been a major priority for a very long time. Learning to let go of that to an extent has been hard but it’s given me a fresh perspective on my WHY. Talking with followers about Workout Wednesday content has opened my eyes a lot too. So right now if I had to talk about goals, I would say there are 5 things I’m trying to focus on in terms of my overall health:

Listening to my body – resting when it asks for rest
Uncovering low impact options to move – loving barre & Pilates both
Continuing to build strength – moving heavy-to-me weights is so good for both the muscular & skeletal systems
Learning to accept that not every workout has to leave me a sweaty mess – walks are most definitely still workouts
Fueling my body (& mind) for the long-term – I want to be able to coach my kids AND actually workout with them

Workout Wednesday Workout of the Week

BODYWEIGHT ONLY

What you’ll *ideally* need – yourself! If you don’t have a bike to warmup with, go for a brisk 5 minute walk or even jump rope. Want to go a bit longer? Throw in a 3rd round to turn this into a 30 minute workout.

Workout Wednesday