Happy Workout Wednesday, friends!

After my post two weeks ago about feeling down and unmotivated, I am back to my usual self in terms of workouts. I’ve had a renewed energy and passion for getting myself out of bed at 5:20am and pushing my limits! I’ve also noticed a more positive attitude lately as well and I’m thinking the solid sweat sessions have had a little something to do with that. Taking things easier and adding a few extra rest days over the last few weeks also allowed me to rest and recharge a few annoying aches and pains. It’s been a while since I’ve shared a glimpse into my week’s worth of workouts so I’m sharing what this past one looked like for me!

Wednesday – Cycle + Sculpt

This was my second spin class in 4 days and it felt SO good. Sarah is literally the best instructor and my legs/butt felt 100x better than they did on Saturday. Apparently I needed to shake off a little rust on the bike! 🙂 I went to a 5:45pm class which is super different for me as a typical early morning exerciser and I my body reacted so much better than I expected.  I purposely didn’t wear my heart-rate monitor or fitness watch in order to allow me to focus more on how I was feeling and really focusing on the ride itself versus how much time had passed and how many calories I was burning. After 45 minutes of riding and light weights, I know I got a great workout in and burned off the glass of wine I had the night before.

Thursday – Walk/Foam Rolling

After OrangeTheory on Tuesday and Cycle + Sculpt on Wednesday evening my legs needed a break. Beckett and I took a nice long walk in the morning and I spent 15 minutes foam rolling before getting ready for work. I also spent another 30 minutes after I got home working on my hip flexors and hamstrings that were incredibly tight. This is my favorite kind of active rest day–relaxing and my body appreciates it so much.

Friday – OrangeTheory

An Endurance OTF class was on the agenda for this morning and it was incredibly high energy. The music was really high-energy and I was able to zone in on the beats versus counting down the minutes of the treadmill work. Our time on the treadmill included extended Push Pace blocks and minimal rest time. The rowing portion of class was brutal…we combined long distances (1200m, 1000m, 800m) with medicine ball squat jumps after each distance. My legs were on FIRE. I burned over 700 calories in class and could definitely tell because I was so hungry throughout the entire day. After class concluded I literally felt like a champ!

Saturday – Puppy Chasing

Ok, so chasing a puppy around isn’t exactly a widely-recognized workout but honestly that’s exactly what I did all day. Once we got to the breeder and picked out Cabo, it was game on. The little dude is FAST. Even more than he is fast, he’s stealthy. Like you can’t close your eyes for a second or he’s gone. So yeah, I burned minimal calories but mentally and physically I felt like I got an all-day workout in. Plus my step count was over 18k…that counts for something, right!?

Sunday – Yoga

After being in and out of a car most of the weekend, a long stretching session was exactly what my body {and mind} needed. I went with one of my girl Adriene’s videos that focused heavily on back strength and flexibility and it helped me get a solid night sleep. I’ve been somewhat slacking on my practice but every time I finish a video or practice on my own, I feel rejuvenated and totally centered.

Monday – 4 Mile Run

It is pitch black when I wake up in the mornings now and with it being the 1st night at home with a new puppy, neither Kyle nor Beckett were interested in going for a run outside with me so down to the basement I went. I honestly don’t mind running on treadmills if I’m doing speed work or running for less than 20 minutes but I had told myself the night before that 4 miles was the goal so 4 miles on the treadmill I did. When I’m doing a steady pace, I usually keep the treadmill around 7.0-7.5 but after the first 10 minutes I was soaked in sweat and decided I needed to crank out the mileage faster. This was also Day 2 of my Push-Up Challenge so I cranked out the whopping 5 that were due!

Tuesday – OrangeTheory

Yesterday morning at OTF was a ‘Switch’ Workout which means you are at each area for 4-5 minutes, max. Think quick sprints on the treadmill, short rowing distances at max ability and power moves on the weight floors like jump squats with the TRX bands and kettlebell swings. Class flew by and before I knew it the 60 minutes were done. Conveniently enough the air conditioner was having issues so I was drenched and totally regretting the light pink cut-off I chose to wear. Oh well, ya win some and ya lose some. I finished with 19 splat points and 646 calories burned.