A Week in the Life: Coach Lisa’s Workout Journal
In our “Week in the Life” series, we ask 8fit coaches to share their weekly workout plans. The goal? To show 8fitters that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to fitness and that everyone’s relationship with exercise is different.
Sunday: A mental reset
I’ve recently got into a good routine of doing a quick morning workout at home, followed by a 10-minute meditation, then a shower and healthy breakfast. Life (and in my case, traveling) sometimes gets in the way of me keeping to this routine.
I’m proud of myself for keeping up with my routine for this week. On the weekend I traveled with some friends, which was so lovely and fulfilling in a lot of ways and meant that I had to drop my routine to go with the flow. Despite this, I noticed at the end of the day, that my anxiety and stress levels were way higher than usual. With this in mind, Sunday night I decided to rest at home, recalibrate, and dedicate the coming week to intuitive exercise.
Monday: Trouble shifting into 2nd gear
I had trouble sleeping last night and woke up feeling a bit grumpy. It was a struggle getting up in the morning, even though I woke up at my normal time. I did a very quick workout — about 10 minutes — and spent a little extra time stretching. As I was tired I knew my body wasn’t up for intensity. I meditated and walked to work. I still felt tired during the day, I walked home, watched TV with my friend, and went to bed early.
Tuesday: Slow and steady wins the race
There was an organized exercise class with co-workers. I love group exercise but as I set the theme for the week to be intuitive exercise, I listened to my body and decided to have a slow and steady morning. I ended up exercising at home for about 20 minutes, doing a combination of squats, push-ups, crunches, etc. I’m glad I pushed myself a bit. I followed-up with my regular meditation routine and as a result feel so much better today.
Wednesday: Workout on the go
This morning I did a simple, but effective 15-20 minute exercise session. Because I was working remote, I didn’t have my usual equipment to hand, so I got creative and used two large water bottles to work my back. Next time I travel, I’ll make sure to bring an exercise resistance band along. While meditating, a few quotes really resonated with my theme this week:
“Be patient with your body.
“Your body is your best friend.”
I walked to and from work again.
Thursday: Staying accountable
I had planned to go to yoga in the morning, but had trouble sleeping again the night before and woke up unmotivated. However, my friend was leading the class and having an accountability buddy pushed me to go. I was so happy that I went — it felt incredibly good to stretch, be challenged, and break out of my routine. I felt tired during the day but my body felt good.
Friday: Early bird catches the worm
I had a busy day ahead of me and woke up early. Even at 6 am, waking up 15 minutes earlier was worth it to squeeze in some exercise and prepare for the day ahead. Though I only ended up exercising for about 10 minutes and doing my meditation, I was amazed at how much it helped me de-stress. I felt ready for the day and also got to walk to work again. It left me pretty sweaty, but I embraced it with a smile.
This week’s ‘A-ha!’ moment
An important aspect of myself I became aware of this week when logging my exercise was that when I feel depleted, I start to focus on and be critical of my body. Movement helps me feel more confident while being patient with myself and listening to my body was key. Some days I follow a slower pace than others and that’s fine. Practicing small steps really helped me stay motivated and on track with my exercise and meditation routine.
Find the short 10, 15 and 20-minute workouts Coach Lisa does in the morning in the 8fit app. Sign up today!
