Had an interesting chat with a client the other day about how scheduling ALL your favorite exercises and activities into your week can be challenging, especially if you enjoy a wide variety of activities.  Here’s what that looked like for her on that particular day:

• 7:30 Quick Rower Cardio

• 8-10 Tennis League

• 10-11 Personal Training

• 11-12 Dynamic Stretch class

• 12-1 Swimming

To a sedentary individual struggling to become active, this may look excessive and crazy but for the highly active sporty fitness person this is just a regular day.  Nonetheless there are times when it gets to be a bit much trying to fit a lot of activity into your week.  So let’s realistically break it down using a list of my personal favorites that I’m loving right now.  We’ll schedule a dream fitness week and then a more realistic week of activity.    

My dream schedule / unrealistic expectations of what my body can do:

• Hard strength training 4 days a week minimum

• Rope flow drills 5-7 days a week

• SUP or Hiking 1 day a week

• Yoga Flow 1-2 days a week

• Aqua Fitness 1 day a  week

• Flow Props Drills and Choreography 1-2 days a week

• +Teaching 5 classes per week (2 strength hiit, 2 dynamic stretch, 1 aqua)

My real fitness schedule based on what my body can actually handle:

• Hard strength training 2-3 days a week

• Rope flow drills 4 days a week

• SUP or Hiking 1 day a week

• Yoga Flow - optional

• Aqua Fitness - optional

• Flow Props Drills 1 day a week

• Flow Props Choreo - optional

• +Teaching 5 classes per week

So as it turns out the realistic fitness schedule isn’t too far off from the dream schedule and it allows for plenty of consistent activity with a bit of spontaneity which keeps things fun.  Some weeks you may feel like doing more strength and less flexibility or more sporty movement instead of traditional fitness.  Other weeks your body may be asking for more gentle fitness or more outdoors activities. 

Stay mindful that the point of exercise when you’re already fit and healthy is to enhance your life and enjoy your life.  Remember to listen to your body and be flexible with your options.  You could try to work it ALL in but in the end it will just create stress and anxiety which are the antithesis of a healthy body and a healthy lifestyle.  It’s great to be as active as possible but also to do it in a sensible, healthy way.