I’ve been thinking about my fitness journey lately; it’s taken many forms over the years and I’ve learned a lot along the way. One thing I’ve noticed though, is how the simplest tweaks to my routine have had the most impact. Take a quick walk with me through my years of fitness, and see just what I mean.
Where I Started
I started going to the gym when I was eighteen years old, just out of high school and had quit Scottish dance. In those days, I’d do a couple of classes a day plus spend time in the weight room. I still lived at home, and my life was gym, work, school, gym. Then in 1992 a few friends and I competed in the Ryka Canadian National Aerobics Championships. We hired coaches, and the programs they gave us for fitness, nutrition, and our routine was intense. It was similar to what someone might do for a figures or body building competition.
Since this was how I was introduced to the fitness world, I believed that it was the only way to be in great shape. I thought I needed to spend hours at the gym, restrict my diet, take supplements, and be sore all the time. Truthfully, I loved intense workouts and the pain. But I could also nap, sleep in on weekends, and was very young. I didn’t know any better or any different.
A Simple Routine When I Was Overwhelmed
As happens to all of us, life became a lot busier for me. I started teaching classes two to four times a day. I got married, had babies, moved further away from the gym and work, and soon became overwhelmed with how much time I thought I needed to spend in the weight room. So for several years, I didn’t set foot in there.
A few years after having our youngest daughter, I was feeling frustrated that I wasn’t losing that last twelve pounds. I was doing plenty of exercise and cardio as it was, and I connected the dots that the part that was missing was weight training. I decided that I needed a quick in-and-out workout that was efficient and effective.
My mentor built me a program that I could do a few times a week in about thirty or forty minutes; it was simple, and it worked. When I stopped thinking that I needed to be in the gym for two hours a day after teaching, all that pressure I’d been putting on myself was gone. Plus, I was learning that fitness could be simple and effective.
Healing From Injury with Simplicity
I’ve been recovering from a recent injury, and it made me think even more about simplicity because getting stronger (and out of pain) only required a few exercises each day. The injury happened in the first place because I had let my strength training slide during Covid. The studio was open, then closed, then kind of open – you know! I was out of routine, stressed, and let that part of my workout go – which led to an injury.
Since I know better these days, I started slowly strength training again even before I saw my physiotherapist. I knew it was a big part of the problem, but it was admittedly hard to get back into routine again. The solution? Start small and simple.
I was in a lot of pain, so was limited in what I could do. But as the pain subsided and as I got stronger, I could do more. Now, I’m proud to say that I’m back into the routine of doing a strength workout two or three times a week; and again, it only takes me thirty or forty minutes. I follow along with the monthly workouts on the Sweat with Melissa Pilates & Strength app, and I’m happy to say that I’m feeling good again.
A Simple Challenge For You
I want fitness to be simple for you, too. Whether you want to add something to your routine, are just starting out, or want to shake things up, it doesn’t need to be hard or complicated. That’s why I’m helping you out with new, weekly mini-challenges. Each week, I’ll challenge you to do one tiny thing each day for seven days. It will be so small that you can do it in five minutes or less.
Are you ready to see what a small and simple change can do for you? Subscribe to the newsletter or follow me on social media to see the challenges each week. I’ll announce a new one each Tuesday, and we’ll start on Wednesday. Are you with me?