How have you changed the way you exercise?

I’m not alone, apparently. Have you changed the way you exercise? Lots of people have. This recent article seemed to sum up one aspect of it: we’re all doing a lot more strength training. And that’s definitely true in my case- but there are a few other changes too. Perhaps you’ve experienced them as well?

Lots of news about the benefits of strength training

This has been the biggest change for me. In the past, I probably did 90% cardio and 10% strength. Now, I’d say it’s more like 50/50. Part of this has been all the news about how important strength is as we get older- especially for women. And seeing my mom lose so much of her strength at the end of her life had a huge impact.

And I thank Peter Attia for this more than anyone…

It’s easy to go down a rabbit hole with strength training research, but for me, the key takeaways are the following:

• Strive to lift heavier than you think you can
• Make sure to get plenty of rest
• Keep abreast of the latest news and research on this topic
• Focus on functional movements that will benefit me as I age- lifting things, getting out of chairs, squatting down. It’s less about “getting jacked” and more about making sure I can get around with no pain and hassle in 20-40 years

More stretching, more mobility

I used to think that stretching before a workout was a waste of time- time that I could be pounding it out on the elliptical rider (a machine I no longer use, BTW.) But doing a 5-10 minute pre-workout stretch not only gets my body ready to work, but it also gets my head in the game. I just plain feel better after spending a bit of time warming up. (And feeling good is a big theme for me!)

Along with a stretch after working out, I’ve added mobility exercises to my regime as well. After hearing Peter Attia interview Beth Lewis, I was convinced. And while I could be a bit more consistent about it, I try to add mobility into every day.

Cutting myself some slack

This is an area where the pandemic had a huge impact on my mindset. I was a religiously consistent gym goer before the first lockdown. I did a very structured routine every week. Well, we all know how that went in March 2020! And frankly, I overdid it at the beginning. If I couldn’t go to the gym, well, I’d start running 20+ miles a week. That lasted for about a month until my plantar fasciitis came roaring back. Weights were scarce, the Peloton wouldn’t arrive for a few months. So I had to adapt.

And frankly, I think it was the best thing that could have happened. I had to explore some different things. It felt ridiculous, but I did some Peloton dance classes (in the garage- and no, there is no video evidence of this! :)) I did a lot more stretching. I actually allowed myself to count the long, long walks with Cheddar as “exercise.”

And I’ve managed to stick to this more flexible definition of exercise. A recent shoulder injury is prompting me to re-evaluate my strength goals and pull back a bit. I’m more focused on feeling good, getting strong and avoiding injury than ratcheting up the hours and intensity, month after month.

That said, I still love tracking my workout time on the Peloton app. I guess some things will never change!

So do tell- how have you changed the way you exercise?