strength training Archives - My Inner Shakti

Postpartum Fitness – Building Strength with Peloton

While I’ve always known how important strength training is, I now see how I went about incorporating it into my workouts kind of wrong…at least in terms of my goals. I was definitely someone who loved (and sometimes still do) sweaty workouts that leave me 100% breathless (i.e. cardio). But that is changing…

Recently, I’ve been thinking about my long term health goals, and I recognize that strength training definitely needs to take a top spot in my plan. In all honesty, after visiting California to see my grandparents, it hit me that my future would likely include a lot of muscle/joint pain if I don’t get serious about my physical health. My grandmother, mom, and aunts all have some kind of pain, and while they’re strong women overall, they definitely didn’t focus on their fitness over the years, especially not strength training. Something I can learn from and change for myself.

A couple of notes first:

I’m almost one year postpartum. I restarted my workouts around week 6 (maybe 8…can’t remember!) with basic total body strength workouts, cycling classes, and lots of walking and general movement (I don’t sit much during the day).
I don’t weigh myself regularly. I did for a while after having Mila and up until a few months ago, but I find the scale deceptive. I may jump on every now and then, but I’m not measuring my progress with it at all.
I use Peloton to program my workouts, but you can use whatever you want. If you love running, make that your cardio workout. If you want a free way to include strength training in your routine, go check out BodyFit by Amy on YouTube. She’s amazing! My point is you don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. I 100% subscribe to the belief that fitness and health should be simple and affordable.
You may find that strength training burns less calories than cardio, and while that may seem to be true from a purely calories burned in the moment perspective, you have to look at what’s happening from a higher level. Check out this article for more information.
It took years of hard work to let go of the belief for me that thin is best. I’ll share more another time, but I’m at a point where strength, mobility, and flexibility are absolutely key. If you don’t have those things, life is going to get difficult at some point whether you’re thin or not, so I’m trying my hardest to build a routine that gives me those three things in abundance.

Current Routine

In terms of my current routine, here’s the breakdown of what a typical week looks like for me…

MONDAY: 20 min upper body workout (sometimes arms and shoulders, sometimes chest and back) + 10 min HIIT workout

TUESDAY: 20 min lower body workout + 10 min core workout

WEDNESDAY: 30 minute cycling class (usually something more challenging like HITT + Hills, a climb ride, or a tabata ride) + 5 minute post-ride stretch

THURSDAY: rest

FRIDAY: 30-45 minute total body workout + 5-10 minutes of total body stretching

SATURDAY: 30 minute cycling class (usually something more fun than intense)

SUNDAY: rest

The biggest change with this routine versus what I did in the past is that I split up the upper and lower body workouts and then cap off with total body. I used to do two total body workouts every week, but this allows for more focused strength, and I’m loving the way it makes me feel.

Changes I’ve Seen So Far

I’ve been at this routine since the end of July, and I’m starting to see changes now.

Firstly, my overall strength is increasing. I know this because I’m able to use heavier weights for certain moves that I couldn’t before. Also, my core strength has like tripled. This in no way means I have a six-pack (definitely don’t!), but I can now do core moves that had to be modified before. I can also take a 10 minute class and complete it without any breaks. #smallwins And finally, I am seeing more muscle definition now in my legs and arms, which is so cool. The other day, Vishnu said, “Your triceps look good, Par.” Best compliment ever!

Another change I’ve experienced that’s kind of new to me is that I’m hungrier than ever now. Will talk about my nutrition in a minute, but I’m having to be extra mindful because when that hunger strikes, I’m still eating healthy, but it’s all over the place.

Nutrition plans

This is where I really have a lot of work to do. I eat healthy foods, I make healthy foods, I buy healthy foods, but I eat them in bigger quantities. Sometimes it’s justified I think, but most of the time it’s probably not.

I don’t follow a particular diet (dislike the word itself in that context), but there are a few habits I’m building in to help me be better in this area.

Drink 120 ounces of water a day
Eat protein forward meals
Meal plan (dinner for everyone but every meal for me)
Salads for lunch at least 4-5 times a week
Practice the pause before eating (am I really hungry or am I bored?)
Plating everything (especially for snacks)

Do you strength training regularly? What’s the biggest benefit you’ve seen?

Three Things Thursday (28)

written by Parita 3 Comments

Since coming back from Miami this weekend, Vishnu and I have been talking a lot about making better use of our time. We came to the realization that we’re not taking advantage of the opportunities that come our way nearly as much as we thought we were. We already have some fun plans in the works!

In other news this week, I think I overload our meal plan. When I’m making new-to-me dishes, I always forget about leftovers. I’m hoping this means we don’t need to buy too many groceries next week.

Ok, enough chit chat, let’s move on to this week’s Three Things Thursday…

(1) International Food and Wine Festival at EPCOT!!!

Vishnu and I are driving to Orlando on Saturday and spending the entire day at Epcot! In addition to experiencing the normal attractions, we’ll also get to sample some amazing food at the International Food and Wine Festival that’s going on right now! I CAN’T FREAKING WAIT!

I’ve been to Disney World and Universal Studios but have yet to visit Epcot. I can already see myself reverting back to my inner eight year old. Fun times!

Oh and I plan to Snapchat all the fun, so feel free to follow along (username –> myinnershakti)!

(2) Total Body Strength Workout

I did this workout on Monday and was sore for the next couple of days! If you’re looking for a great total body strength workout to add to your rotation, I highly recommend this one. It’s a winner!

(3) St. Petersburg Weather

If you’ve been reading MIS for the last few months, you know that the weather has been terrible. Rain, mugginess, humidity, more rain, etc.

Well, it looks like things are finally taking a turn for the better. The weather this week has been, dare I say, perfect! It’s still a little too hot for my taste, but there’s a nice breeze and the sunshine is so refreshing! My short lunchtime walks have me really looking forward to the next few months.

Well, that’s all I have today. Have a great Thursday!

If you’re a blogger, write a post and link back to one or all of the hostesses: Raj from Pink Chai Living, Nisha from Love Laugh Mirch, or Salma from The Write Balance. Then share a link to your post (not your blog’s home page).

Fitness Friday

written by Parita 16 Comments

There was a time when fitness posts were a more regular thing around here. Oops!

I guess I’m more likely to blog about my exercise routine when there’s a routine to talk about. Ever since my half marathon, my workouts have been a mix of a little bit of this and that and a fair amount of running. And I’ve honestly kind of enjoyed the freedom of not having a set plan and just being active.

The idea of being active was an easy one to grasp with Brickell Key in my backyard. At the very least, I could always count on a beautiful evening walk.

St. Petersburg is a little bit different. We live in a walkable area, but I’m not super comfortable venturing out on my own just yet. The gym in our apartment complex is amazing, so there’s that. Lots of equipment/cardio machines, free weights, and space. So far, I’ve been able to squeeze in a few gym workouts and an outdoor run with Vishnu.

But here’s the thing. Even though I don’t want a super structured routine, I still want to have a general idea of what I’m going to do every day. So here’s what I’m thinking…

The first thing I want to focus on is getting my 10k steps in a day. My day job requires me to be glued to my laptop and phone all day long, so this one’s going to be a bit of challenge. Vishnu suggested taking a short break every hour and walking around for a few minutes. I think I’m going to try that and see where it gets me!

With the outdoor running thing on hold (unless Vishnu wants to wake up super early and come with me…hint hint!), I’m resorting to the dreadmill for now. It’s been so long since I’ve regularly ran on a treadmill so we’ll see how it goes. Hopefully, I can find a good outdoor running route soon!

In terms of strength training, I want to get back to a 2-3x a week schedule. Again, not following a specific program or anything, but just doing something and challenging myself with different workouts. I’ve been pinning workouts like crazy and can’t wait to try them out! Follow my Fitness board on Pinterest if you’re interested!

In line with my strength training goals, I also want to gain a bit more core strength. BUT I absolutely despise core work. Go figure. The one thing I don’t totally hate is the plank. I actually enjoy plank variations and coming up with different timed sequences to complete. And the best part is that I can do my planking in the evening while watching TV or before going to bed.

And if all of the above fails me, I can always look for a gym/studio in our neighborhood. I really don’t want to go down that path though because Vishnu and I have some pretty solid savings goals right now, and a $50-100 gym membership is not going to help!

Well, just thought I would share where I’m at in terms of my fitness goals and workout routine. It’s nothing out of the ordinary, but like I always say, every little bit counts!

Happy Friday and thanks for reading!

What does your fitness routine look like right now? Do you prefer to run outdoors or on a treadmill?

Half Marathon Training (Week 8) and Running to Lose Weight

written by Parita 8 Comments

Happy Christmas Eve! Even though we aren’t going home to Atlanta this year, Vishnu and I have plans to relax, watch Christmas movies, and spend time with friends. Should be a great couple of days!

Oh and I have to fit some running in there as well!

With that, here’s what week 8 looked like:

Monday: Gaiam TV yoga
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: 4.5 mile run
Thursday: Total body strength training workout – one of my favorites!
Friday: 5 mile run
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 10 mile run – first double digit run…dun dun dun!

I ran almost 20 miles this week. Phew! I felt strong all week long, especially during the 5 mile run. Lots of positive emotions around this whole training thing.

Until Sunday…

…because my long run this week was the absolute worst! My legs felt heavy the entire time. And to top it off, my mental focus just wasn’t there either. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I did it! I ran 10 miles and couldn’t be happier. But the run itself was just so-so.

While the running part genuinely sucked, I didn’t feel tired at all afterwards. I was absolutely exhausted after my 9 mile run the week before (to the point where I napped), but this week I grocery shopped, cleaned, cooked, etc. Weird how that works.

Running to Lose Weight

I wanted to address the topic of running to lose weight because I’ve gotten a few questions about this over the past couple of weeks. I’m no expert but have been running for a few years, so I naturally have some thoughts! Just remember every body is different. What works for me/doesn’t work for me may not be the same for you.

First of all, I partially attribute my initial weight loss in college to running. I regularly started running my junior year and lost a lot of weight. However, during this time, I didn’t make the best food decisions (re: under eating + lots of running). Sadly, this habit continued for the next few years, and I was able to not only keep the weight off but lose a few more pounds.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS METHOD TO ANYONE!!! Looking back, my behavior was stupid and dangerous. I did so much harm to both my body and my mind during this time.

Fast forward to my first half marathon. Overall, I was running more then than I am now, but I actually gained 3 ish pounds. I attribute this to a little bit of overeating. For example, after a Sunday long run, I went to dinner at a Mexican restaurant with my parents. I ate chips, guac, salsa, an entire entree, and even some of my mom’s entree. This was a regular thing. Mentally, I thought I deserved huge amounts of food because…duh…I ran a lot!

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS METHOD TO ANYONE EITHER!!! And not because I gained weight. Three pounds is really nothing when you think about it. I just wasn’t eating the right things during this time. I ate a lot of junk food because I thought I deserved it. Again, not good for the mind or the body.

[I honestly don’t remember much from my second half, so I’m going to skip that!]

Fast forward to this half marathon. I’m running, doing a little bit of yoga and strength training, and taking two full rest days a week. And…I haven’t gained or lost a single pound (on average of course). Nada. I attribute this to the fact that my focus is not weight loss. Instead it’s been to fit in solid runs/workouts, remain injury free, listen to my body, and fuel properly. By removing the “I deserve this or that” mentality, I no longer link my workouts to my meals. And I can’t discount the fact that my eating habits are much…hmmm…cleaner now than they have ever been.

So, I’ve lost weight running…the wrong way. I’ve also gained weight running…the wrong way. And I’ve maintained my weight while running.

With all of that being said (this is turning out to be a wordy post!), I do think it’s possible to lose weight with running. Shorter (maybe even faster) runs plus strength training, in my opinion and experience, is the best way to lose weight and/or lose inches. I’m a huge proponent of strength training – helps reshape your body, is so good for your bones, etc. And when paired with running (and good eating habits), it can be a huge catalyst for change.

In fact, this is exactly what I’m planning to do after my race at the end of January. I want to strength train (hopefully) 3 days a week and run 2-3 days a week. But my runs will only be 2-3 miles during the week and between 4-5 miles during the weekend. This is the perfect balance for me.

So the (very) long and the short of it is that in my experience running can help you lose weight, but it really does depend on a bunch of other stuff. If you’re really looking to change your body, pair moderate amounts of running with some form of strength training.

What are your thoughts about running and weight loss? I’d love to hear them!

In case you’re interested, here are links to my weekly recaps:

Week 1 Half Marathon Training
Week 2 Half Marathon Training
Week 3 Half Marathon Training
Week 4 Half Marathon Training
Week 5 Half Marathon Training
Week 6 Half Marathon Training
Week 7 Half Marathon Training

Best Body Bootcamp: Phase 2

written by Parita 11 Comments

I can’t believe we are halfway through round 5 of BBB. I know I’ve been talking about how amazing this program is for a while now (phase 1 recap), but really, it is! And luckily for those of you who want to give it a try, Tina may be starting round 6 earlier than expected. I’ll update you when registration opens!

So phase 2 was all about muscle endurance. What this means is that we did a lot of pulsing. For example, one of the exercises she had us do was a plié stance squat. Looks simple on paper – 5 reps, then 5 pulses, then 10 pulses, and then 15 pulses. By the time I got to the 15 pulses, my muscles were screaming.

Another brutal but awesome exercise combo was the push press + downward dog pushup (no pulsing for this one). I love push presses because they make me feel strong. However, when you pair them in a set with downward dog pushups, you are in for a treat. My arms were on fire!

At the end of the day, no matter how hard the workouts were, I was so glad to have completed them. Even as I sat in the middle of my living room floor with sweat dripping off of me (pretty picture, huh?!). BBB is legit – I can promise you that.

Now that we’re four weeks into the program, I’m seeing a lot more conversation in the Facebook group about people noticing changes in their bodies, the way their clothes fit, their energy levels, etc. I’m one of those people. While I will never post progress pictures on the blog, I can assure you that progress is being made! It’s crazy what a little bit of consistency + hard work will do for you (right, Laura?).

One of the threads that caught my attention was about seeing positive changes in muscle definition while seeing no drop (and sometimes an increase) on the scale. Personally, I didn’t weigh myself before starting BBB. I didn’t want to get caught up with the numbers because that would lead me down a dangerous path. Even still, it was interesting to read the comments that followed. Everyone talked about how they haven’t noticed much of a difference on the scale either, but their clothes are fitting better and their significant others are noticing a change. I think the group concluded that we should ditch our scales!

So here’s the point I want to make. If you choose to strength train, you may not lose pounds, HOWEVER your body will change for the better. It’s all in the science – 1 pound of fat weighs the same as 1 pound of muscle. Muscle is more dense than fat and therefore takes up less room…which makes for a more lean body. I know a lot of women are afraid of bulking up and looking ‘manly,’ but that is really not possible (at least not with a program like BBB).

I know strength training can be intimidating, especially when you’re first starting out. I also know that it’s hard to get out of the all cardio mindset. I’ve been there! On the other hand, I also get that not everyone has the same fitness goals. Not everyone wants defined muscles and that’s ok too. However, I do think that basic strength training (at a minimum) should be a part of everyone’s routine. Beyond the strictly physical benefits, there are quite a few other long-term health benefits that everyone can reap from lifting weights. Don’t believe me? Do a quick Google search.

Key takeaways:
1. Pulsing is a lot harder than it looks.
2. Muscles > fat, even when the number on the scale doesn’t go down.
3. Strength training WILL NOT bulk you up, but it WILL have a profound impact on both your physical and mental health.
4. Best Body Bootcamp is amazing!

How do you determine how ‘fit’ you are? Have you been able to ditch your scale?

Best Body Bootcamp: Phase 1

written by Parita 19 Comments

Today marks the end of Best Body Bootcamp Phase 1. The past two weeks have been challenging but in an amazing way.

I’m not sure if it’s all in my head, but my body feels different – stronger and more resilient overall. And it’s not just my body, my head is in a much (MUCH) better place. Mirrors no longer scare me because I feel strong! I’m truly proud of myself.

Now you’re probably thinking, “It’s been two weeks, Parita. Give me a break.” Well, I agree that two weeks is a short period of time. However, for someone like me who did strength workouts twice a week (most weeks) and random cardio workouts in between, these two structured weeks have made a huge difference.

With BBB, I’m doing three different and very challenging full body strength routines three times a week, short (but intense) cardio workouts two times a week, and steady state cardio workouts three times a week. Sounds like a lot, but it’s not. On any given day, my workouts take no longer than 50 minutes from start to finish.

I’m painting a very pretty picture, I know. Don’t let that fool you – while BBB isn’t time intense, it’s done a number on my body (again, in a good way), especially the first week. Sore doesn’t even begin to describe it. But you know what – I kept going. I was able to work out Monday through Friday without any issues…not even my knee!

Week two started this past Monday. As y’all know, I was in Orlando for a conference. Me being me, I did some research beforehand and learned that the hotel gym didn’t have free weights. So I brought my eight pounders with me! And while during week one I used weights ranging from 3-8 pounds for any given exercise, this past week I used the 8’s for everything…and it wasn’t so bad!

Like I said before, these strength exercises are intense. Luckily, Tina is amazing and sends out video links for each and every move in advance so that participants can familiarize themselves with the workouts. No video could have prepared me for the surrender squats in workout A and the one leg touchdown squats in workout C though!

Even though all of the above is awesome, it’s still not my favorite part of the program. Surprisingly, the Facebook group is what I love the most about BBB. When I first joined, I didn’t think I’d get much out of it. I thought it was just a forum to ask questions. I was wrong! Not only do your questions get answered, but everyone is supportive and open – there’s no trace of judgment in the group. LOVE IT!

If you’re looking to shake up your workouts and incorporate more strength training into your routine, I highly recommend joining the next round of BBB. It’s like having a virtual personal trainer for a little less than a $1 a day – can’t beat that!

Are you participating in Round 5 of BBB? Have you ever participated? Do you strength train regularly?

The Little Things

written by Parita 14 Comments

At some point this weekend, Vishnu said that he loves how I find so much happiness is the little things. So true.

Lucky for me, this weekend was full of wonderful little things.

In no particular order…

I was in heaven upon walking into this new to me farmer’s market. So much great stuff for so cheap. I walked out of there with a bag full of fruits, veggies, and a loaf of bread for $18!!

And that would be a kale, green apple, and cucumber juice from the market’s little café! It was pretty good, and I felt so good for drinking it.

Saturday night was wine, cheese, bread, and olives night. I finally made it happen! I wasn’t so sure how much Vishnu would enjoy this meal, but by the end of it, he mentioned that we should make this a regular thing. Music to my foodie ears!

But for real…I can’t even begin to tell you how delicious all of this was. The multi-grain bread was the loaf from the farmer’s market. The olives and cheese (goat gouda, provolone, and some blended cheese I can’t remember the name of) were from Whole Foods. I can’t wait to do this again!

I mustered up the courage to make a trip to Costco at 2 pm Sunday afternoon. Bad idea! Way. too. many. people. But I did manage to find everything on my list. We should be good to go for another few months. Ha!

A much needed pit stop to satisfy a much needed craving. This is pretty much my standard now – cookies and cream yogurt, dark chocolate chips, a few cookie dough bits, strawberries, and sliced almond. Mmmmm…

I picked up this book at the library. I’m hoping to incorporate some new moves into my strength training routine. And for the weights, well let’s just say I decided to up the anti! This is a huge step for me and my “I workout in my living room” self. I tried these bad boys out for an at home strength training workout on Sunday. And let’s just say I’m a litttttle sore today.

Two other small things that made me happy went undocumented unfortunately. One was a fun Mexican meal out on Friday night with Vishnu. I was starving by the time I got home from work so it was much needed. And number two was that I made poached eggs for lunch on Sunday…for the very first time. They actually tasted really really good! For any poached egg novices out there, I followed this method.

Well, I hope you too were able to enjoy the little things this weekend!

Happy Monday!