You would think not being able to do anything all day long wouldn’t leave me so exhausted. You would be wrong. I was cooped up in our house without a car again today and apparently having nothing to do but entertain a toddler all by myself drains me like nothing else can. Or it could also be fatigue from a good workout late yesterday afternoon. I couldn’t make it to my usual Power class so I opted for my own full body weights workout that went like this:

Followed up with 20 minutes incline walking on the treadmill. It was kind of weird not just going to a class. Making up my own workout routines and detailed plans is something I thoroughly enjoy doing and this workout made me really miss it. I still think I am going to mainly stick with classes right now and save the creative-workout-plan juices for after the baby. I will do my own things on occasion, but when I’m not trying to make any strength gains or physical progress I prefer to not have to think much about my training. Classes definitely provide that option.

One notable thing about my own workout…I am feeling it today. I am taking a rest day today, but I will be ready to get back in the groove tomorrow. I have my mojo back. Something I was hankering for after a few too many weeks of it missing. Between vacation time, a sick kiddo, battling morning sickness, and other issues I have not been to the gym much at all over the month of June. In fact, Monday was my first workout in about 2.5 weeks! That is a long hiatus for me and I was worried it would be difficult to get back in the swing of things. So I took some time to consider how to get myself back to working out and came up with the following ideas. They are working so far and I hope they can help you when coming back from vacations, illnesses, life getting in the way, etc.

1. Ease back into it. If you have taken close to a week or more off from your regular training, don’t expect to pick up right where you left off. It might take a few days to a couple weeks for your body to get back in the swing of things. Try to schedule in an extra rest day or two the first week back. Lighten up your normal weight load for strength training workouts. Cut back intensity or length on some of the cardio. Wouldn’t you rather take things a little slowly for a week over injuring yourself or blasting your body into soreness oblivion that leaves you sidelined for weeks? Yea, I thought so.

2. Pick a workout you can get excited about. Don’t expect to motivate yourself back into the gym on Monday morning if your regular Monday plan is that long elliptical session that makes you feel like pulling teeth. Choose something you know you love doing, whether it be a run, a spin class, a lifting session, or some yoga. Make it fun. You can even opt for a new workout you have been dying to try, like that Zumba or Kettlebells class your gym just added.

3. Find a workout buddy. If you have accountability from another person that will help you get your butt off the couch quicker than relying on your own self would. Since Peter has to use my car this week, I knew I would not get myself to the gym in the afternoon after he came home unless he went with me. Being able to go workout with him helps me be sure to get in a workout and it makes it fun.

4. Schedule to go at a time you are least likely to skip going. If it is already going to be extremely tough to get back into the early waking habit, it might be better to plan your workouts for after work until you readjust to your normal schedule. If stress is wearing you down, make a point to get things done first thing in the morning so you can feel better. Don’t make fitting in your workout harder than it could be.

5. Don’t delay or start excuses. Upon returning from a vacation or fully overcoming that cold, return to your training routine asap. If you start making excuses for why you can’t go at the beginning, it will just continue to get harder to return to your fitness plan. The first couple of workouts are always the hardest after a break. Get them out of the way quickly so you can feel better and rejuvenated.

6. Remember why you love getting your sweat on. Consider the goals you are striving towards, the race you are training for, that accomplished feeling you love after a workout, or the health you enjoy. Think about what got you to the gym or out pounding that pavement before your break. Use those same things to motivate you now.

And if all else fails, buy a new workout outfit you want to flaunt of take such a long break that you really cannot wait to return to the gym! For the record, there really should be something called sarcasm font. 😉

• What helps you get your motivation back after a workout hiatus?
• Do you prefer morning or afternoon workouts? I am definitely a mid-morning workout person. Going anywhere from 8-10 am is the best time for me. One of the perks of being a stay at home mother!

Hey everyone! I want to say thanks for all the welcome back messages. I’m really glad to be back in the blogging world. It really is such a great community. I also want to give one last thanks to all who did a guest post for me. I appreciated it immensely.

So, how is everyone surviving their Tuesdays? I am making it through mine the best I can. For some reason I am exhausted today and it doesn’t help that I have to be cooped up all day. I have no car to drive thanks to Peter’s car going bust and having to give mine up to the hubs. I hate not being able to get out of the house! Don’t worry though. I will be at the gym for a weights + light cardio session venting some of that frustration as you all are reading this. 😉

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Today I wanted to discuss something that I thought about a lot during my vacation. Vacations should be a time to relax and enjoy yourself, but sometimes they can cause anxiety. I’ve been there in years past. I would be nervous about the time I would be taking off from workouts, fearful of gaining weight from eating different foods, and anxious over how I looked in my bathing suit. I would let such things affect my trip and limit the fun of the vacation. Luckily in the past year or two I have let such things slide and changed my vacationing ways from stressful to peaceful. How did these changes happen? Through a few changes in how I approached vacation. A different mindset really can change everything...

1. Recognize that the informal activity that happens during vacation is worthy. I may not have visited a gym on my vacations, but I do not doubt that playing with a toddler, going on walks, and climbing 20 flights of stairs at the lighthouse we visited kept me moving.

If you think about your daily activity on vacation, I expect you would find many ways you are being active. At the beach you may take strolls in the sand; touring a town you will be walking the streets to visit new sights; and even on a family trip you can find yourself playing with kiddo relatives, which is nonstop activity. Even if you aren’t doing your typical 5 mile run or hour Bodypump class, you are still doing something. And it counts! Don’t forget that. Decide to enjoy the new ways you will be moving your body. And if your traditional workouts fit into your trip, that is great. Just be sure not to fret over getting them done.

2. Find balance with food. Just because you are on vacation doesn’t mean you need to overeat every meal and eat copious amounts of sweets, fried food, and heavy meals. If you’re anything like me, that will just leave you feeling ill. Try to find a balance by choosing foods you really desire and enjoy, then filling in the rest with more nutritious items. For example, on my vacations I generally tend to indulge a bit at dinners with richer items like clam chowders or fried shrimp that I really enjoy. However, at lunches I will opt for fresh fruit + veggies; I will skip any sort of dessert most days; or I will be sure to choose healthier sides like salads, plain potatoes, or veggies. That leaves me feeling good, but also satisfied.

3. Take care of your health. Yes, we all want to look cute in our sundresses and rock our swimsuits, but health should always be #1. Even on vacation. Don’t try to cram in a long run in sweltering temperatures for the sake of it “helping you look hotter on the beach the next day”. Focus more on taking care of yourself. Be sure to drink plenty of water to hydrate you for your daily activity. Get enough sleep to keep your body functioning optimally.

Keep your skin protected from the sun so you aren’t in agony from sunburn the rest of your trip. Have fun and laugh for mental health.

4. Enjoy the rest and the break from the norm. R&R will likely do your body GOOD. Our bodies need regular breaks from exercise and the routines we put it through. It will give us a chance to recuperate energy stores and leave us more rejuvenated for after the vacation. From personal experience, no vacation has ever left me with loads of weight gain or a loss of fitness. After a week or two back to my normal routine, things had regulated themselves and I was usually better off from the break thanks to extra energy and motivation for my healthy living. Rest may be a four letter word, but not in the negative sense. Live it up! Or I guess I should say, don’t live it up. Chill.

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5. Focus on your surroundings. When you pay attention to the beauty around you, whether in the form of a gorgeous view or the people you are with, it truly shows you how insignificant your worries on the calorie count of the dinner rolls are. There is too much beauty in this world that we allow to pass by us without even noticing because we are too caught up in our own insecurities, troubles, thoughts, lives. Vacation is a time to put those things aside. Take a real look at that sunset or the smile on your friend’s face as she laughs with you over lunch. It is way more rewarding.

(View from Beach)                                                                 (Shot from Lunch with Julie)

• Does vacation ever stress you out? Why?
• How do you try to approach vacation with balance and to enjoy it fully?