Looking for real-life fitness inspiration? Read on to check out my personal workout calendar from last month and find tips and motivation to create your own!
As a busy mom, I know firsthand how challenging it can be to squeeze in a workout when you’re juggling all the chaos that comes with mom-life. That’s why I’ve decided to start sharing my personal workout calendar each month.
My hope is to give you some practical workout ideas and show you that I’m right there with you, dealing with all the same ups and downs. Life doesn’t always go as planned, but we do our best, adapt, and celebrate ourselves for showing up and doing the work.
Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash
My May 2024 Workout Calendar
This workout calendar includes all the YouTube workouts I completed throughout the month. Each workout name is clickable, so you can easily access the exact routine I followed. You can also download and save the calendar to revisit it later.
Embracing the Chaos: Getting Sick & Listening to My Body
I usually aim for 5-6 workouts a week because it makes me feel good. Exercise releases those feel-good endorphins, which boost my mood and energy levels and make me an all-around more pleasant person. Which I think my husband appreciates.
Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands, they just don’t.
Elle Woods, Legally Blonde
But let’s be real—life happens. We kicked off the month with a mountain trip. I had dreams of hiking or doing yoga outside, but it rained non-stop. Instead of stressing, I decided to enjoy the downtime and get back to my routine once we got home.
Then mid-month, I could feel myself getting sick. I did the same damn thing I always do—pretend it’s not happening while popping zinc tablets and guzzling orange juice like it’s the antidote to poison. Alas, my immune system betrayed me, and I got a full-on cold. Apparently, with a baby, you get sick 40 times a year, and it lasts three times as long. Neat.
Eventually, I had to accept that I was sick and needed rest. One thing I’ve learned is that building a solid fitness foundation helps you bounce back faster after being sick. After about ten days of rest, I was back to strength training.
Consistency doesn’t mean working out every day. It means continuing to show up, even after a break, instead of quitting because you missed a few days.
Photo by Ginny Rose Stewart on Unsplash
Finding Structure & Routine with a Workout Calendar
Structure and routine aren’t usually my thing, but when it comes to fitness, a little planning goes a long way. This month, I tested some workout programs I’m planning to release on the blog, mixing in strength training, cardio, core, yoga, and mobility exercises.
Even though I usually avoid cardio like the plague, this structured approach paid off. I saw some great results in a short time.
Highlights & Challenges
Highlights
- Stuck to more challenging and well-planned workouts.
- Felt stronger and noticed physical changes, especially from strength training.
- Discovered new YouTube channels and trainers.
Challenges:
- Dealing with a cold for nearly two weeks was tough. I was down longer than expected and it required a lot of patience to allow my body to recover on its own time.
- I transitioned my baby from one nap to two this month and it didn’t always go smoothly. I had to be extra flexible with my schedule and trust we’d figure this out eventually, too.
Results and Benefits
The new structure and pushing myself when I was feeling good, along with resting when I wasn’t, really paid off. I noticed more muscle definition, increased energy, better sleep. I’m also managing my stress levels more effectively — as much as possible with postpartum hormones! I’m feeling stronger, more stable, and empowered.
Don’t Sleep on Walking
One thing you won’t see on my workout calendar is my daily walks. Walking is my go-to form of exercise over everything else. I genuinely credit most of my postpartum recovery to walking—physically, mentally, and emotionally.
I usually walk anywhere from 1-4 miles per day, spread over a couple of different walks. It’s my favorite activity to do with my little guy, and I’m already dreading the upcoming North Carolina summer when we’ll be limited to a small morning window for our walks before we hit our daily one million percent humidity.
If you’re looking to start a fitness routine, I can’t recommend walking highly enough. Especially outside. It’s good for the body, mind, and soul. It literally checks all the boxes. And it often feels a lot easier to do than a strenuous workout. (But if you can do both, by all means, do both!)
Photo by Sean Foster on Unsplash
Wrapping It Up
My workout calendar is meant to inspire and show that you don’t need to be perfect or work out daily to look and feel Fit as a Mother. Consistency, clear intentions, showing up, doing the work, and celebrating small wins are what truly matter, just like in motherhood.
If you’re ready to get started with your own fitness journey, check out my other post for a 7-day workout plan that only takes 10 minutes per day with no equipment needed: Free At-Home Workout Program
