I know what it’s like to want to set wellness goals, to have a wellness vision, but be absolutely lost as to where to begin. It can be overwhelming and to some extent a little exhausting if you have no idea where to look in order to even get started. For the longest time I followed one fitness instructor online who I really admired (and still do)! And for a while doing that worked well for me.
But like with most things that fire and inspiration began to fizzle out. I was constantly watching the same videos and doing the same workout routines simply because they were easy and comfortable for me. What I didn’t know at the time was that in doing so I was limiting myself from growing stronger and exposing myself to many different forms of wellness. At the time I didn’t see the problem with this. I just figured if it wasn’t broken then there was no need to try to fix it.
However, continually doing the same routine over and over again eventually started to cause me to lose motivation. I got to a point where I was no longer excited to do a workout. I would watch other workout videos that were different from the ones I constantly watched. But I never even attempted to do them because I was telling myself that I was incapable of doing those workouts because my body did not look like hers, and I did not have the same strength that she had.
Boy oh boy was this such a defeating feeling! And when I finally succumbed to those thoughts and emotions, I just stopped exercising altogether. A couple of years went by before I found my fire again to embark on my wellness journey one last time. This time I took a different approach, broadened my horizons, and became more strategic with how I would engage with my workouts.
Today, I’m sharing all of this with you.
Wellness Inspiration
Find Instructors Online
If you are someone who does not like going to the gym then you are speaking my language fluently. I’ve tried the gym many times, both alone and with a buddy, and I just never could find a way to like it. I’ve always found this experience to be so overwhelming because there are so many different workout equipment to choose from.
When you aren’t really sure where to start you never really get started, which is what happened to me every single time. So, I eventually decided to stop torturing myself to become a “gym going person” and committed to my roots that started my wellness journey from the very beginning. Working out at home with the help of online fitness instructors.
I decided to follow online fitness instructors who could operate at my speed while also challenging me. That way I was completely comfortable with exercising in the comfort of my own home, and I avoided feeling overwhelmed with having too much equipment to work with. This was a much easier and more positive experience for me. So much so that I expanded my horizons, discovered a better flow for my workouts, and was able to approach my wellness journey from different angles.
So, who are the online fitness instructors that I follow along to?
- Blogilates – This is my number one go-to workout inspiration! I absolutely LOVE everything about Cassey! I’ve been following her for over 10 years and I can honestly say as she has grown and evolved with her workouts, I have as well. What makes Cassey (or Blogilates) so special and unique with her workouts is that they all have a Pilates foundation. So not only are her workouts targeted for helping you slowly reach your wellness goals, but they also help you get stronger with each workout.
You can check out Blogilates by clicking here!
- Growwithjo – I first discovered Jo while looking for some easy cardio workouts that did not require me to go to the gym or doing any type of running. She popped up, I did one of her videos and immediately fell in love. This is really my go to when I want some good cardio that does not require me to run or participate in HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts. The best part is that Jo really does cater to every type of woman. From pregnancy to post-partum, beginners, intermediates, and advance individuals she has a little bit of something for everyone. And it’s challenging enough to just be almost considered easy (in other words all her workouts are 100% doable)!
You can check out Growwithjo by clicking here!
- Yoga With Adriene – She’s my go-to yoga instructor! Yoga was something that I discovered many years ago and immediately fell in love with, but never really found the time to build consistency with engaging in it. I haven’t practiced yoga for a couple of years now but one of my wellness goals was to get back into doing it. So, when I discovered Adriene, I felt like all my prayers were being answered! Her yoga routines are very easy for anyone and everyone to do, and she has routines for all times of the day, moods, and personal wellness goals.
You can check out Yoga With Adriene by clicking here!
Break Up Your Workout Days
Once you have found an online fitness instructor to help guide you on your journey, the next thing you want to do is break up your workout days. Before I did this I use to try and target all areas of my body in one day. Total body, arms, legs, abs, and back all in one go on a day-to-day basis. If you haven’t caught on already this was a super BAD IDEA!
I not only completely exhausted myself but I was never seeing any results because I would be too tired to give 100% for each workout.
So, when I started committing to following the above fitness instructors, I also obeyed their rules for working out. What rules you may ask? Simply to break up your workout days where each day you are focusing on a different part of your body. This helps to not only avoid completely exhausting yourself, but it helps you to actually see and feel the results.
Take advantage of Wellness/Fitness Programs
What I love about Blogilates and Growwithjo is that both of them create monthly workout calendars that you can download and follow along to. Basically, these calendars have the workouts you will do for everyday of the month already decided for you. That way all you have to do is download the calendar and, on that day, do the workout(s) that is listed. Once you have done so you are done with your workout for the day!
What adds a special touch to these calendars is that each day is targeted for a different part of your body. Again, this takes out the stress and guess work that can come with knowing what workouts to do to get stronger with different parts of your body. These workouts are also not time consuming at all. They are designed to help you get the maximum benefit out of your workouts without taking away valuable time for your day.
While I’m not 100% sure about Growwithjo, I know that Blogilates creates these workout calendars every month and they are completely FREE! Which makes it even better because it’s a commitment that you know you can make and not feel pressured to keep up with just so that it doesn’t turn out to be a waste of time and money (like my many past experiences with going to the gym).
So, while the gym may be where a lot of people are going to get their workout fix, I don’t want you feel as though you have to follow down that same path also, because you don’t. I’m living proof of that and these ladies are proof of it as well. You can get all that you need and desire as well as so much more all in the comfort of your own home!
When you peel back all the layers you quickly learn that is no huge difference with working out at home vs going to the gym. Expect for the amount of equipment you have access to, the amount of time you have in a 24-hour time span to exercise, and the sense of community you may feel while being on your wellness journey. Which all of these things matter and look different for everyone, and that was something I did not understand early on with my wellness journey.
I’ve been doing home workouts for years now and I can honestly say when I’m on top of it, I’m achieving my goals! I’m a homebody for life, and I like it that way! How about you?