This week I’m sharing the workouts that I will be doing for the month of May. Every week I will be doing the same general workouts, designed to burn fat and build lean muscle. Since I’m not a trainer by profession, I’m sharing workouts that have been developed by others and are guaranteed to produce results. Join me and share your daily workout (tag me!).
I prefer to work out in the morning before I have had time to talk myself out of it. I put my clothes out the night before, set my alarm, and since I know what I’ll be doing, it’s super easy to just roll out of bed and go. Although there are several studies that show why working out in the evening is better for you than in the morning, I struggle. When do you work out?
I’ve mapped the workouts below to the FASTer Way to Fat Loss workout days and you can do these in place of those that you may have been provided.
Monday
I love this 14-minute full-body HIIT workout from the trainers at Women’s Health. All you need is a dumbbell and you’ll do as many reps as possible for 40 seconds while maintaining proper form. You’ll then rest for 20 seconds as you prepare for the next exercise. Repeat this pattern through all moves, then rest for one minute. Complete three to five rounds total.
Tuesday
If you’re busy and don’t have a lot of time to work out, a HIIT workout is perfect for you. This article links to three different HIIT workouts for women, all designed to burn belly fat. All can be done at home and use your own bodyweight to produce results.
Wednesday
I love this full-body workout from the trainers at Shape Magazine. This four-round circuit uses moves that get progressively more challenging with each round. You will need a set of dumbbells for the workout. Don’t have them? Use bags of flour, cans, milk jugs, anything you can find that has a little weight to it.
Thursday
Toned arms, shoulders, and abs are a huge focus of mine. To that end, I do two different groups of exercises - one focused on arms and shoulders, and the other on abs - every week. Combined the exercises take about 35 minutes total to complete.
Friday
On Friday I rest. I take a hike through the neighborhood, hop on my Peloton for a quick ride, walk the loop in my neighborhood, or do some YouTube yoga. Anything to keep my body moving but not a hardcore workout. It’s important to rest your body.
Saturday
Leg day is one of my favorite workout days. And this month I’m doing the Butt Lifting Workout from the trainers at Women’s Health. These exercises build your hamstrings because they are the way to lift your glutes and create definition in the space where your rear meets the thigh. The trainer has provided 20 different exercises, start by choosing four - two standing and two on the floor. Complete 15 reps each. Go through all four exercises and repeat (I do 4x).
Sunday
I rest on Sunday as well. I almost always go on either a hike or a long walk with friends. It’s great to catch up, be surrounded by the beauty of the world, and just have some time to nourish my soul. Enjoy your Sunday!