Workout Diaries: April 2023

Hello!

Well, once April hits, I start getting serious about getting my workouts in.

Honestly, I workout pretty consistently year round. That being said, like most of us, December can be a struggle with the extra busyness of the holidays and then we recommit in January.

In January, I did regroup (at least better than December!) with what I was eating and started to get back in a true workout groove.

Then, usually around spring break when the weather starts to warm up…and I realize I will have to wear shorts soon, I really get a plan for working out and eating better.

So, starting April 1st, I started keeping track of my workouts. While I’d love to commit to five workouts a week, I knew four a week should be doable. I decided to “split the difference” and try to get in 18 true workouts.

While walking counts as a workout, I was really aiming to get in my Bodi (Beachbody’s new name) as well as a few elliptical workouts at the gym.

Here’s my month of movement:

April 1:

I was in the midst of Fire and Flow which is a Bodi program. I did a Restorative Flow workout before we hit the road to Greenville, SC. (Restorative Flow is a yoga type workout)

April 2– This is the day we biked 15 miles and I walked 11k steps. That was definitely a workout!

April 3– It was a rainy day, and I was sore from the bike ride! I could have lounged around the hotel while the kids and Travis went to do a track workout, but I did go for a 60 min walk around town. I ended up with 8,000 steps that day. I’m sure it would have been half that if I didn’t go on the walk.

April 4– We went on a 2 mile trail hike before heading home. Once we got home, I went on a 30 min walk to stretch my back and get a few more steps in.

*same outfit –one on the trail and one in my neighborhood!

April 5 – I did a Mobility Flow workout the day after we got home. I was tired from the trip and wanted to do low impact. This type of workout is yoga/Pilates… but with weights. It’s slow paced but makes you sweat!

April 6 – After a few previous days of lower intensity, I was ready to sweat. I did a Lower Body Fire workout which is weighted circuits and fire finishers (HIIT).

April 7 – I took advantage of a Friday with no school (still on spring break), and went to the gym for an elliptical workout.

April 8 – On this Saturday, I hit the gym again for an elliptical workout before picking up my grocery order. I do like the elliptical because it’s a good workout, it goes by quickly, and I can listen to a podcast and watch tv.

April 9– This was Easter Sunday. After church, we went to Elizabethtown to see Trav’s family. I easily could have skipped when I got home, but I knew life would get busier since we were headed back to school. Also, I wanted to walk off the big lunch and get some steps in, so I walked for 30 minutes.

April 10– We were back to school and the kids had their first track meet that evening. I squeezed in a quick Job One back/glutes/core workout. I finished this program a few months ago, but it’s a great one to go back to because the workouts are only 20 minutes.

**Also, I love when workouts have the countdown clock!

April 11 – Tuesdays are our least busy evenings. I tend to use those days for cardio which also then becomes a hair washing day. haha. I did Cardio Fire which is all cardio…no weights.

The workouts had sets of ladder workouts (20,40,60 seconds) with one minute HIIT “fire finishers” in between and core at the end. The Fire workouts always leave me tired!

April 12– no workout (track meet day)

April 13– I did the elliptical at the gym. Since Hayden had injured himself, he could only do the stationary bike at the gym. With that workout, I ended up getting 10k steps that day.

April 14– no workout. *I will say this is why Friday morning workouts used to be the best idea…because then I could guarantee getting a workout in to wrap up the week.

April 15– I did a 21 Day Fix Lower Body workout. I LOVE 21DF…it’s one of the original Beachbody programs, and I always turn to it if I need a random workout if in between programs or wanting to mix things up. All the workouts are 30 minutes which is a selling point for me as well.

April 16 Sunday is usually a rest day but I decided to walk after being pretty lazy most of the day. My friend wanted to borrow the book I had finished reading, so I walked it to her house and still walked for about 30 minutes.

April 17– I did a quick 20 min Job One workout before a track meet.

April 18– no workout – I was actually “disappointed” in myself this day. I had planned to workout, but it was a doozy of a day…I was up extra early, crazy busy at school, and then had all kinds of evening activities. I was just tired, and wanted to put my pjs on as soon as I could.

April 19– Fire and Flow: Functional Flow (yoga)

April 20– Muscle Burns Fat: Power Ignite– I did both the MBF and MBF Advanced programs last year and really enjoyed them.

I like the Power Ignite workout because she does EMOM – “every minute on the minute” style workouts. There are two five minute blocks and a 10 minute block, so it’s a quick by challenging workout.

April 21 – (Friday) —no workout. I headed straight to the kids’ track meet after school. It lasted until 10pm, but I did get 8k steps that day.

April 22 –I love Autumn as an instructor (from 21DF and other programs), so I did one of her Bod Exclusive workouts —Dirty 30 Sculpt. The 21 Day Fix program has a Dirty 30 workout that’s one of my faves. I enjoyed this one too.

April 23 – Restorative Flow which was much needed because I sore after Saturday’s workout. Finishing this workout meant that I finished the Fire and Flow program.

April 24- No workout (not even a quick one) before the track meet.

April 25 – I clicked around the Bodi programs, and decided to try Get Strong. I’d never seen it before, so I’m assuming it’s a newer program. It only has about two weeks of workouts.

The Strong 1 workout included 3 supersets and one tri-set. I don’t think I’ve ever done a tri-set before!

April 26 – I was so tired and really didn’t want to workout. I rallied and did another Get Strong: Sculpt workout.

April 27– I didn’t do a workout because I had a hair appointment after school. Priorities, obviously 😆

April 28- Another Friday with no workout, and I headed straight to the kids’ track meet after school.

April 29-This was a Saturday that I just didn’t get a workout in. We were up and at my nephew’s baseball game by 10:00, and then had other errands and spent time with family most of the day. It’s not that I was disappointed in myself for missing a workout, but this just reaffirms why I need to get those in early on a Saturday or the day just escapes me.

April 30- I wrapped up the month with another Get Strong workout. This was a Cardio Sweat workout and just what I needed to make up for missing on Saturday.

Fun fact: I hate cardio, I don’t mind walking or the elliptical. That being said, if it’s part of a program I will do it. That’s why I think I don’t struggle to workout at home. I might rearrange days but I will still get cardio in, so I can continue with a program.

So, I had a goal of 18 workouts. My workout total for the month:

• Workouts: 19
• Walks: 3
• No workout: 8

Overall, I think April was a pretty good month of intentionally working out and making it a priority.

Even just knowing I was going to write this post motivated me to workout out a few of those days. It might sound silly, but I knew I was logging those workouts in this post, and wanted to meet my goal. I guess y’all are my accountability partners…and you didn’t even know it!

After completing the Fire and Flow program, I liked being able to turn to the Bodi workout library and pick and choose from other programs that I was familiar with but also a new one to try.

I know many aren’t motivated to workout at home…I’m actually more motivated to just go down to the basement and get the workouts in. Bodi is seriously the best investment for me. There are so many options of workouts, and I look back on some of the days I would have done nothing because I didn’t have a lot of time, but instead I “pushed” play on a 20 minute workout.

Before 2020, I was in a decent habit of getting up early two days a week to workout. On Wednesdays, I’d usually go to the gym, and on Fridays, I’d usually workout at home. That just kind of went to the wayside. Now, that life feels extra busy, I guess I just prefer the extra few minutes of sleep and the guaranteed quiet time I get in the morning with my cup of coffee.

This month, I did try to make better food choices. Again, I wasn’t perfect, but I was intentional with tracking my foods, working out, and limiting sweets as much as possible. I did end up losing 5 pounds which I’m happy about. I will be happy if I can get back down to where I was –5 more to go!

My weakness continues to be drinking water. I do drink water daily and during/after a workout. I’ve found that I tend to drink more water on the weekend, but need to drink more during the week.

Anyway, whether I post about it or not, I think I will track my May workouts as well. It’s almost pool season! 😆

What’s your workout routine like?