This is a topic I’ve written about before, but since I have to remind myself about it every now and then, I thought it important to revisit on the blog.
As we age, we lose muscle and bone density, and gain fat. Even if we make exercise a regular habit, it’s easy to get into a routine or even a rut. To avoid the culprits of aging and changing hormones, and to make changes in our bodies, we have to confuse our muscles. I’ve found it more important than ever to mix up my workouts.
This year I’ve tried Bikrahm yoga, Pure Barre, Kokofit and Kickboxing. In addition, I’ve kept Jazzercise and yoga in my repertoire and have done lots more walking and hiking and some occasional rollerblading and biking during the nice weather.
I encourage you to look over the upcoming week and determine how you might add a new twist to your usual routine. There are plenty of Meetuos and Groupon type deals available to help you to mix it up without a lot of money or long term commitment.
Here’s what my workout week looks like so far, and what I’ve got planned:
Sunday – Bike Ride (30 minutes)
Monday – Teach Jazzercise (60 minutes – cardio, strength and stretch)
Tuesday – Workout at home learning and reviewing new Jazzercise routines for next class (30 minutes, light workout)
Wednesday Walk (50 minutes)
Thursday – Was going to to to kickboxing, but opting for a walk to enjoy this glorious fall weather (important to be flexible!)
Friday – Take Jazzercise OR take a rest day
Saturday – Kickboxing – (55 minutes hard core cardio and strength, plus a bit of stretch)
Sunday – Hiking (usually two hours)
Notice I’ve varied the type, duration, and intensity of workouts throughout the week.
For me, scheduling my workouts for the week is important, and not just scheduling them in my mind! I put them in my calendar, the same way I’d schedule an important meeting or a dentist appointment. I already know that next week will involve some yoga!
I also always have a back up plan because as we know, life happens, and things get in the way of our plans. I’m hoping to get to Jazzercise tomorrow morning, but I also know there’s a meeting that may crop up, so I already have some alternate ideas. Fitness DVDs are a great back up plan. I also keep a few episodes of Classical Stretch on the DVR. This is my go to when I want something quick and/or light. And of course, a rest day is nice now and then too!
Reevaluate your routine monthly, or even weekly if you like, and continue to make adjustments. Even small changes will add up to big results!
Don’t let your routine fall into a runt!