Running on the treadmill isn’t enough (for me). It’s something that took me a long time to learn, but when I did it changed my fitness game. Strength training was the trick. I grew up playing soccer and always believed the best way to get in and stay in shape was by running. Since hanging up my cleats I’ve realized running my way to a six-pack may not be the best regimen for me.
WHAT I LEARNED FROM A TRAINER
One of my friends in LA was a physical trainer at the UCLA gym. When I recommitted to getting in shape, I thought talking with him would be a good place to start. He told me story after story about girls coming to him in pursuit of that thin physique many of us pursue. Like me, they all believed that if they just put in enough miles and ate enough salads, they could have the body they’d always dreamed of. He really got my attention when he said that running and eating less rarely leads to lasting results. More often than not, it leads to cycles of yo-yo weight loss and frustration.
Girls lose weight when they’re running. But the moment life gets in the way and they are unable to be as consistent as they originally were, the weight comes back. He told me the best way to get the results I wanted requires a dual commitment to cardio AND the development of lean muscle through strength training (This article from Self explains it really well)!
At first, I was taken aback because running was always my trick. But that was just it. It all clicked. Running has always been my trick to lose weight or get back in shape quickly. I would run 6 or 7 miles a few times a week and quickly realized I was thinner and thinner. Despite how hard I worked though, the progress always went away faster than it came. If I took a few weeks off because I was drowning in school projects or working too much, it’d be like I never ran at all.
CREATING A NEW ROUTINE
One thing that held me back in the past was the fear I’d become bulky from strength training. I’m still afraid of that, but by focusing on movements and weights that promote lean muscle growth, I’m not as convinced it’s a rational fear. Moreover, I’ve been doing these types of workouts for over a year now, and I don’t feel like I’ve bulked up at all. Russ always jokes with me that if he couldn’t bulk up in 8 years of football/baseball lifting, I shouldn’t worry too much about it either. Everything works differently for different people, so make sure you’re always figuring out what’s best for you!
MY WORKOUT ROUTINE
Getting practical, here’s what’s worked for me. My workout routine is always changing, as I can’t stick to one thing for too long EVER. But, I love to roughly follow PWR by Kelsey Wells on the sweat app. You can read all of my favorite workout apps in this post. The overall structure of my workouts normally consists of 4-5 workouts a week. 2 of those have 15-20 minutes of running. Then 30-40 minutes of lifting weights/circuits for chest & triceps, back & biceps, or full body. 1 day consists of 10 minutes of HIIT (I do sprint intervals on the treadmill) then legs.
Lastly, I normally throw in a boxing class a week. I just started boxing last month and feel like it has helped to define my arms and abs more. On top of that, boxing classes are FUN. If you haven’t tried them, you should. It’s something that takes me out of my comfort zone every time. Plus, it’s a fun day off from strength training. All in all, working out has been a journey for me. I worked really hard playing sports growing up and always worked out. I got to college and really focused on it the first couple of years, but fell off track when life got crazy.
FIND YOUR FIT
In my journey falling off and climbing back on the wagon, I’ve learned that if you don’t enjoy it, you won’t stick with it. Find something you love to do! There is something special about the feeling of accomplishing your fitness goals. Not to mention, it feels good to take some time for yourself. The fulfillment from waking up and putting in an hour and a half of work in pursuit of becoming the best version of yourself is priceless. It’s fun, freeing and constantly rewarding.
Find what drives you! If you find yourself frustrated with the results of your current run-heavy workout routine, try finding something new that challenges you in a different way. Strength training is HARD, but it builds results that are going to stick around. Combine your new routine with healthy living and you will be off to the races (Read the 5 healthy habits you should start having Today).
Madeline from Madelinemoves.com gives her opinions here and here on cardio and strength training. I think she really knows what she’s talking about, and have implemented a lot of her suggestions into my own workouts.
