back in the fitness game {+ a running/strength workout)

This post is sponsored by Zappos.

Hi friends! How was you? Hope you’re enjoying the week, and that my friends who were affected by Hurricane and tropical storm Irma are safe and recovering from the impact. This week I’ve spent a lot of extra time focusing on the good things, especially since there’s so much going on right now. 

An exciting development: I was cleared to lift weights again! I’ve been patiently waiting to get the “ok” from my doc following my recent surgery, and I was PUMPED when he told me I could start lifting weights again. (I have to wait a few more weeks before push-ups and core work, which I figured wold be the case. Slow and steady!)

The past almost-eight weeks, I’ve been working on safely getting back into the fitness game, starting with short easy walks and progressing from there.

My personal stages of getting back in the fitness game following an injury or hiatus (as always, talk with a doctor to set up a unique plan for you!):

-Start to increase daily activity levels. In my case, this went from spending my entire day in bed, to taking more walks around the house. After that, I started making meals and snacks, spending more time up and about, and then transitioned to errands, chores, and full-up cooking. This process took about a week following my first recovery week, with some steps forward when I felt great, to steps back + more rest when I needed it. 

-Add in cardio. At first, this was short (1 block!) and slow walks around the block. 

-Add in duration. I was able to carefully increase my walking duration from 10 minutes to 30 minutes. 

-Add in speed. I’ve been working on increasing my speed back to my *normal* treadmill walking speed. My usual is 4.0-4.2 and I’m at about a 3.5 right now. I’ve also been able to add in some jogging intervals and it feels SO good to move my legs again.

-Add in weights. This is what I’ve been able to add in this week! It’s important to remember that if you haven’t strength trained in a while, muscle memory will kick in, and this is a beautiful thing. However, you don’t want to just in using the same heavy weights you did pre-hiatus. Start with bodyweight so you get used to the movement and muscle groups you need to use, and add in light weights from here. When I did my first strength training workout post-surgery, I did bodyweight exercises and held 8-10-lb dumbbells (when I’d usually use 15-20) to to some upper body work.

-Add in impact. I’m really looking forward to adding in some HIIT drills once I feel comfortably back in the strength and cardio routine, and also get back to running.

The fall air always gives me an itch to run, and I’m looking forward to some weekend longer runs on the horizon.

Something that always puts a little pep in my step: new fitness gear. My friends at Zappos kindly sent me some new Brooks gear to try out, and I’ve been wearing my new Brooks Revels as I get back into my workout routine. I’ve been a huge fan of Zappos for years, especially since they ship quickly -I received these particular items in two days- and they have a 365-day return policy. I was excited to see their impressive collection of Brooks shoes and activewear since it’s one of my favorite fitness brands.

My new Brooks Revels are so comfortable and I love the grey color! They’re supportive without feeling clunky, and have a unique texture to them. The texture doesn’t make them feel thick and scratchy, but instead, they also can be worn more like comfy street shoes. 

They’ve been awesome for cardio and strength; I can’t wait to test them out on some runs!

They also sent me these super Chaser Shorts and Distance Short Sleeve top.

(The top is lightweight and breathable for sweaty workouts, and the shorts have a built-in liner.)

I also received this Distance Tank (love the pink!) and these supportive Greenlight capris. I’ve been wearing both of these to teach barre. The shirt is a little longer in the same light fabric, and the capris aren’t see-through (<— importante).

For today, I wanted to share a quick cardio + strength workout. Workouts like this are perfect because you can do them inside on the treadmill, or outside in the fresh air. All you need is a space to walk or run, some awesome music, and your own bodyweight. 

Here’s the workout if you’d like to try it out:

So, tell me friends: when was the last time you took a hiatus from your fitness game? What helped you get back in the swing of things?

Favorite workout gear right now?

xoxo

Gina

Photos by Lindsay Colson

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