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Towards the end of last year, I made a commitment to myself to be healthier. To eat less food that comes out of a package, increase fresh, whole foods for myself and my family (including picky toddlers/tweenagers), and to increase movement throughout my work day. I was working out 5-6 days a week and doing lots of cardio and some weight training but seeing very little results. I’ve used the same formula for the last decade, but I have noticed since transitioning to a non-bedside nursing position that I am weaker, less flexible, and a little dissatisfied with my middle-aged body. This is not exactly fair, as she has gotten me through every challenge and illness thus far and made and gave birth to 2 of my all time favorite humans, but she could use a tune up.
Luckily, I was introduced to a podcast by my husband called ChooseFi, which is a podcast about Financial Independence, but more generally, about enhancing all areas of life. There were several episodes about the importance of strength training and challenging the body, as well as adequate protein intake. I was intrigued. I scheduled an online consultation with an insurance covered dietitian that was supposed to help me make a plan. Let’s just say that meeting was crazy, my views didn’t align with theirs and they listened to my goals and spent 45 minutes of my time telling me what a waste of time they were. So I pivoted!
I have cut out a majority of packaged foods for myself. My family isn’t quite sold on that plan but there is time to work on that. Baby steps. We are already making changes with dinners and snacking options. I am meal prepping food for me and Art. My eldest, L, occasionally asks to take a burrito bowl or Greek chicken meal to school instead of a Lunchable, and I count that as a win. As a child of the 90’s and early 2000’s, I am trying to teach healthy choices without leaving someone with an eating disorder or body dysmorphia. So I’m not pushing anything, making room for healthy options and leaving space for not so healthy options occasionally.
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After that nutrition consultation, I decided I was going to give strength training a real try. Color me distressed to find out that strength training and Cardio hinder the performance of the alternate exercise. My early 00s brain washing could hardly stand the thought of working out without Cardio. And there are the American Heart Association’s recommendations to aim for 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise. So the thought of doing 3 strength, 2-3 cardio, and 1-2 rest days is completely different than the workout plan I have followed for the last decade. But then again, I am looking for different results. What I am doing hasn’t cut mustard for some time. I’m not sure if it’s the mid 30s creep, having 2 kids, or sitting on my arse all day but things are not what they once were.
Fast forward 2.5 months and I am amazed at how things are going. I have been aiming for 80-110 grams of protein per day. Some days are better than others. It takes a concerted effort to reach those goals. I can’t speak for the rest of America, but my pre-change diet was HEAVY on the carbs and very light on the protein. Like 50 grams or less per day light. I thought I was being healthy. I thought peanut butter or an egg was a serving of protein. I don’t know where I learned nutrition but I was very misinformed.
Things are going well. I have noticed a huge difference in my strength. I can hoist my kids around, and feel great that if there is an emergency, I am confident I can pick them up and skedaddle out of there. I am very pleased with the progress I am making and have noticed that even though I haven’t lost any weight, my clothes fit better and I feel more comfortable in my own skin.
The biggest things I have noticed that make a difference:
- Protein intake- I aim for around 100 grams per day. Sometimes I hit this, sometimes I don’t. But it has absolutely changed the way I eat. I used to fight my own desires for deliciousness as I battled my inner voices to choose between home made oatmeal or junky food like French toast/waffles, etc. Now I have a reason behind my food choices beyond the lame “it’s not healthy”. French toast and waffles do not provide the protein I need to fuel muscle growth, wound healing, and immunity to the plentiful bounty of germs my babies bring home for our sampling pleasure.
- Strength training 3 days per week. I do around 60 minutes of weight training each session. I rest between 2-3 minutes between sets so the amount of working time is laughably low but the results are laughably high. I do 5-10 reps per session and try to lift as heavy as I can and lift till (almost) muscle failure. I have a notebook with my workouts and write down the exercises and weights I use. Each session, I try to up my reps until I hit 10. Then I graduate to the next weight level. I use issaonline.edu for my weight lifting program. I don’t think it matters what exercises you do, as long as you build a routine and stick to it, tracking your progress along the way. I have a FitRX 5-52lb adjustable dumbbell set, which has been extremely helpful. I love the design of these dumbbells. It can be a little bulky for certain exercises, but I have gotten used to the larger grip handle and really enjoy the ability to quickly change the racked weight. The price point is very fair.
- Family Support- On an ideal day, Art and I are working out together. It is a nice opportunity for connection to share in toil. But reality is a bit different with kids, sometimes we work out on an alternating schedule so one person can do their work and the other can watch the kiddos. Otherwise, we have a really nice setup in the basement where we have our workout equipment and the kids have a play space/art area where they can go to town.
- Cardio- I do 2-3 Cardio days per week. I aim for 3 and at least one is a HIIT workout to get that high intensity burst of energy. Usually the other 2 are brisk and steady cardio workouts. Occasionally, I sprinkle a walk in there if I’m not feeling it. Sometimes the kids don’t sleep well. Sometimes everyone is sick and I am just trying to survive. But most of the time, I am doing moderate- high intensity workouts so my heart is also challenged.
The formula for progress isn’t complicated. It is very simple. It just depends on consistent tracking of macros, strength training, and cardio. I could be sad for all the time I’ve wasted, operating on the outdated understanding that cardio is everything and strength training will bulk me to the point that I am an unrecognizable hunk of muscle. But I’m not sad. I am SO HAPPY that I have figured this out. I am modeling consistency to my kids so they know the importance of movement and strength. I take my work outs as opportunities to burn off stress and formulate goals. I look forward to the next 10 months to make and crush goals and hope that I have good updates to give in December. Feel free to share what works or doesn’t work for you! Ciao for now.
Photo by Bruno Nascimento on Unsplash
Disclaimer: Advice provided on this blog is my personal opinion and should not be used as medical advice, legal, or financial advise. It is always recommended to consult your care provider prior to modifying your diet or physical activity routine. For individual-specific finance/legal questions, consult your financial professional or attorney.
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