Friday Theme: Friday Fitness & Movement

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My Friday theme became Fitness Fridays mostly because became the exercise contributor to one of Arbonne’s 30 Day Healthy Living private Facebook groups. (Everyone is welcome to join my Facebook Group: Daily Rituals for Healthy Living Inside & Out.) Since I got into the habit of writing about fitness on Fridays, the theme grew from here.

It also makes sense to focus on movement at the end of the week so as to prepare for the weekend and give your energy a bit of a boost.

Get a trainer to help you create a training program you can do at home, while traveling or at the gym.

Exercise Habits

Plus, gyms seem to be quieter at the end of the week and on weekends. When I did some research to see if there was any truth to this observation, I found an article in Women’s Health Magazine about how to avoid crowds at the gym.

The article cited an actual study conducted by a fitness tracker company Jawbone. (The company seems to have ceased activity since 2017, but they collected fitness data through their Fitbit style wearable workout tracking wristbands since 2008.) According to Women’s Health, Jawbone data scientist Emi Nomura reported that “people tend to log the most workouts on Mondays and drop off through the work week with a low point on Fridays.” The article and study also found that people tend to be less active on Saturday and Sunday than on Monday through Thursday.

I think the habit to exercise only at the beginning of the week is worth adjusting.

Like most people, I tend to have more energy at the beginning of the week, then at the end, so by Friday, I wouldn’t always feel like practicing yoga or working out. For this very reason, I made movement and fitness Friday’s focus.

Fitness Friday Questions

Hiking is a wonderful Fitness Friday activity for people with a flexible work schedule. Hiking is great cardio + fresh air and nature!
  • How can I incorporate physical activity today and this weekend s?
  • When I am energized, I enjoy kinds of physical activities…
  • What physical activity can I do when I have low energy?
  • Is there any form of exercise I have I always wanted to try?
  • What are my fitness goals?
  • Who or what can help me achieve my fitness goals?

Fitness Friday Actions

  • Start a new daily habit of exercise. I recommend 30-60 mins of activity daily, but that doesn’t mean it has to be intense – walk, yoga, pilates swim, bike or jog. My 30 Day Lean, Fit & Strong Healthy Living Program is amazing for this;
  • Even if your workouts for the week did not go as planned, you can recommit to your health and start training again today: A 15 mins workout is better than no workout;
  • Start with a long warm up. If you haven’t exercised in a while, do a long warm-up and stretching session. Example: Loosen up with light cardio or 30 jumping jacks and 20 secs of running in place and repeat 3-4x and then eight to ten stretches for upper and lower body. You may actually only do this for a few days until you get into it;
  • Create a morning movement ritual. This doesn’t have to be your main workout. I do 9-10 sun salutations in the morning just to get the blood flowing, but your morning ritual could be some light stretching or walking your dog around the block; {See tips on how to create a Morning Routine}
  • Get a trainer. I see my trainer once a month for a new program and it is really helpful to have guidance for I can do at home, at the gym or when traveling;

    I tried a TRX class with my mom in Panama and it was fantastic! Also great to find activities you can do with or as a family!
  • Let go of excuses and do it anyway – even when I am alone with Koji; even when I am tired; even when it’s a travel day; even when I have so many other things to do; Again, 15 mins of exercise and movement is better than no minutes;
  • Figure out what you can for exercise even when you are tired or busy. Maybe just a walk around the block after dinner or some yoga in the park. Think about this as a Plan B;
  • Exercise in the morning to boost energy and before the day gets too crazy or busy. Of course, you can exercise at any time of the day, but I find most of my clients have the best success maintaining an exercise program if they exercise in the morning;
  • Try a new class, a new studio and/or a new instructor. This is especially interesting when traveling and even cooler when the class is in another language! {For yoga studios and classes around the world, try Yoga Finder}
  • Have fun and add variety into your workouts. Try new equipment and new types of exercise. Fun types of exercise to try:
  • Click here for more Fitness Friday Tips (and everyday workout suggestions);

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