30 Days of Self Love- Exercise

Tina’s topic today for the 30 Days of Self Love is an important one to me; working out. I have been working out 3 times a week for 10 years! I joined my first gym on campus in the Fall of 1999 and started working out when I was in college and then went on to a membership at Bally’s for a few years, then a small local gym and then finally Lifetime and CorePower Yoga. It is interesting to think that I have had a membership somewhere since I was 18. While I have not worked out 3 times a week every single one of those weeks, I have had fitness in my life.

I started working out to help gain strength after my ACL surgeries and stuck with it, I like how it made me feel and I liked the routine of going to the gym. At first I just did cardio and some machines and the occasional class but in 2004 I discovered weights. I met with a personal trainer at the small local gym I belonged to and was instantly hooked. Picking up that dumbbell and seeing results was very inspiring. Lifting has been part of my routine since then and I have tried a myriad of programs:

Workouts from Magazines (like Oxygen, Self, Shape)

New Rules of Lifting and New Rules of Lifting for Women

Turbulence Training

12 Week Personal Training Program (where I saw my best results)

Mens Health Workout App

But my go to routine when I want to get in for a good solid workout is a quick full body routine after 30-45 minutes of cardio.

• Bulgarian Split Squats (3×10, each leg)

• Military Press (3×10)

• Lunge (3×10, each leg)

• Incline Chest Press (3×10)

• Squat (3×10)

• Push-Ups (3×10)

• Standing Calf Raise (3×10)

• Weighted Ball Crunch (3×25)

• Plank (2 @ 30 seconds each)

• Stretching

This workout hits most of the main muscle groups and is quick enough to do in 25-30 minutes, getting you out of the gym in under an hour. The benefit of all of these is they can be done at home with basic equipment of dumbbells, a bench and an Olympic bar. I may not be the world’s best athlete but I am good at working out and I take pride in the results that I see. If you aren’t lifting weights I strongly recommend you do, it helps with bone loss, will change your body and make you one strong sexy lady!