WORKING OUT : my daily routine

this winter has been an unusual one. being back in dark, cold sweden did shock my system quite a bit. in november, stockholm had 2 sun hours i think. just imagine. i lost a lot of energy from never seeing the sun.

besides from feeling tired from the darkness, i’ve also had a more busy winter than ever before. clocking crazy hours, having deadlines to meet and emails to write. when my life gets crazy, the first thing to go is exercise. which of course isn’t a very clever decision, since working out gives us energy and keeps us sane in stressful situations. so this is not something i’m proud of, but i’ve been seriously neglecting my daily exercising this winter.

but things are looking up. i’ve met a huge deadline. the sun is back with a vengeance. i’ve got a new lovely apartment and these killer yoga pants from lululemon. (definitively the most comfortable workout gear i’ve ever owned – what is it about looking hot that makes working out so much more fun ?)
and time. i’ve got time again. i even asked my boyfriend this morning if he could think of something specific i should do today, because my schedule felt so airy. heavenly feeling this “having time” thing, even if it’s still very little of it.

so finally i’ve started making time for my daily exercise again. and very realistically i’ve thought up a routine that works well within my busy schedule. i already know i’m not going to have time to go to a studio or gym every day, so i need to be able to do it close to home. here’s what it looks like:

a) 20 minutes of pilates
– 5 min legs
– 5 min abs
– 5 min butt
– 5 min arms, shoulders, back
every 5 minutes are divided into 1 minute long exercises. so all in all 20 different pilates moves.
i switch the moves up when i’m starting to get tired of them. trying to find slow, beautiful movements that enables me to fully register how my body is doing, and to move with focus and control.

b) about 30 minutes of walking
luckily our new apartment is in a hilly area, so briskly walking will get my legs and heart warm.

i’m trying to stick to this 5-6 days a week, usually in the early evening before dinner. if i can’t find the time for both pilates and walking, i’ll choose just one that day and maybe do that one for a little bit longer. the warmer it gets, i’m sure walking will gradually take up more time.

how i feel about working out has changed a lot this last year. i’m a very goal oriented person, so normally when i make up a new routine, i’d think of goals and push myself to reach those as soon as possible. this tends to make exercising a bit stressful and often painful for me. i would only exercise to reach my goals – not for how it makes my body feel while doing it (because it didn’t feel good at all, not until after the workout was done). it took a lot of self-control to keep the routine up, because it was all based on determination, and pushing my body through discomfort. and that meant that i couldn’t keep it up forever. because my self-control would run out sooner or later.

however, coming back to sweden and spending a year out in nature has truly changed my perspective on working out. before winter, i got into the habit of jogging or walking for an hour every day. hearing the birds sing, looking at the trees, smelling the grass – you know the drill.
this habit changed me profoundly. it gave me a new reason to exercise. from being about reaching my goals, seeing results – to winding down, feeling good. working out is now a meditation, a way of signalling to my brain that the work day is over. even though i usually work in the evenings as well, i try to do only inspiring, fun things in the evenings. like writing this blog post.

i now make an effort to connect with how my body is doing every time i exercise. is it ok. does anything hurt. am i calm or stressed out. what does my muscle feel like when i’m doing this move. that sort of thing. and it makes me relaxed, and i feel kind.
not pressuring myself to where the workout feels like a punishment, but instead making my muscles work in a way that feels strengthening and energising. stretching out my entire body after a long day in front of a screen.

i’m now moving my body simply to move my body. the movement itself and how it makes me feel is the purpose. no other results needed.
how does that sound ?

love // jenny