Since I graduated from college and stopped playing sports, I have been searching for my new fitness routine. I feel as if I have tried EVERYTHING and spent hundreds of dollars a month doing it. I have tried Orange Theory Fitness, I have tried trending yoga studios, I have used ClassPass, I have paid for a personal trainer, I have tried just going to my local gym. Did this keep me fit? Sure! Was it sustainable? Absolutely not. I would only stay at each of these studios for a few months tops until the next new thing came around.
On top of these routines not being sustainable, it was hard to fit them in my schedule. I would work 9-5, then drive to the studio (15-30 minutes), then workout for an hour, then drive home (15-30 minutes). That means I would be getting back home at 7 pm if everything aligned perfectly. I felt like I was working, working out, having dinner, going to bed, and then doing the same thing again the next day. I didn’t want to choose between being healthy and having a social life, or spending quality time with my family. Turns out I didn’t have to!
As a former college athlete, I am used to long and intense workouts. I always thought that to be fit and healthy I had to train intensely for hours. As soon as I realized this was false, everything changed. I didn’t need more time to workout, I needed to be consistent. I didn’t need to plan my life around my workout, I needed to find a workout that can fit in with my life.
In 2024, I started working out for 30 minutes a day, 5-6 times a week at home. I came up with a schedule that helped me get in the best shape of my life and stay in shape for the next 2+ years. My new schedule worked because I was able to stay consistent and fit it in no matter what I had going on in my life. Some days my workouts are really intense, other days I am just trying to move because I have been sitting at a desk all day. As long as I get it in, it is a good day.
Here is an example of my workout schedule:
| Day 1 | Full Body Workout |
| Day 2 | Cardio |
| Day 3 | Upper Body |
| Day 4 | Yoga |
| Day 5 | Lower Body |
| Day 6 | Recover – Walk/Stretching |
| Day 7 | Pilates |
Do I follow this exactly every week? No. I switch my workouts around depending on how sore I am or what I am in the mood for. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just needs to be consistent. I have found that being consistent and having diversity in your workouts makes all the difference.
Grab a set of dumbbells and try out this workout schedule. Remember, all you need is 30 minutes a day!
