Why I Took a Deload Week

Hey, hello, hi m’fitties! How are ya’ll doing?

Back in the second week of May, I took a week of lighter exercise, much similar to the 10 days I gave up exercise except incorporating some aerobic activity/weight training here and there. I still incorporated my usual Monday PUSH DAY(<–a must read!) but took the rest of the week lighter. And because I did this intentionally and planned it, I didn’t have workout guilt about it at all.

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Push day. Done. (A push day is the 1 day of the week where you challenge yourself mentally and physically beyond your limits!) Insanity pure cardio. 60 jog. 5 sets of 6 exercises at 20 reps each at the gym. 45 minutes on elliptical. I am so ready for a lighter workout the rest of the week. What's holding you back from your fullest, most joyful, potential? Lacking motivation? Let's have a chat–you can gain all of this with me! Email me: ✔PERSONAL TRAINING/LIFESTYLE COACHING: darkest.abyss.worlds@gmail.com✔ ❤Do this for you.❤ • •• ••• #fitnessjourney #igfit #youcantfakefitness #motivation #weightlosssupport #staystrong #sweatlikeapigtolooklikeabeauty #fitnessmotivation #bikinibody #absaremadeinthekitchen #mindovermatter #dontbediscouraged #pushyourself #bodyunderconstruction #sweatlikeapigtolooklikeafox #getslim #getlean #skinnyandtoned #bingeeating #emotionaleating #BEDrecovery #fitchick #nevergiveup #postworkout #sweatyselfie #mojo

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Here was my week of workouts:

Monday: {PUSH DAY!}

  • Insanity pure cardio
  • Run 60 min.
  • 45 min elliptical
  • 5 x 25:
    • lunges (25 each side) 25 lbs
    • leg press ~75lbs
    • hip abduction ~35 lbs
    • deadlifts 40lbs
    • squats 40lbs
    • bench hip thrusts 40lbs

Tuesday: {Super Mellow, no sweat day}

  • 20 min super duper slow jog
  • 20 min easy elliptical
  • 20 min stroll
  • 23 min abs

Wednesday: {Light weight and aerobics}

  • 30 min jog
  • 50 min easy arm workout
  • 60 min elliptical easy
  • 5 x 25:
    • Skull crusher 20lbs
    • Squats 25lbs
    • Chest barbell press 25lbs
    • Bicep curls 20 lbs
  • Triceps: 1 round, 20 reps at 10 lbs
  • Inverted row: 1 round, 20 lbs 25 reps

Thursday: {Some randomness I did}

  • 46 min jog
  • 24 min arms easy
  • 10 minutes random hula hooping
  • 30 min meditation/yoga

Friday: {Randomness I did}

  • 30 min jog
  • 15 min yoga
  • 65 min easy elliptical
  • 23 min easy pilates

Saturday:

  • 26 min pilates
  • 30 min meditation/yoga
  • 30 min jog

Sunday: {Ahh…}

  • 45 min  jog
  • 7 min HIIT (<–after consecutive days without something intense, this felt so refreshing)
  • meditate/yoga 30 min

What I incorporated to destress:

I spent most of my evenings journaling, listening to podcasts, and also reading! I’m so into this book called The 5 Love Languages. I’m learning so much; and even though it was a book made for couples, it still teaches me about how different people receive/communicate their love language. I’ve always been passionate about human psychology and this’ll help me become a better coach for my clients as well.

I also start writing in this little guy:

the me journal

I love little questionnaires so much! It gives me something mindless and mellow to do on lonely nights in bed.

selfie me journal

And gratitude journaling:

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I've always been a workaholic, but today I've taken it slightly down a notch. ♡ ♡♡ There are so many blessings in my everyday life that I often overlook or even STRESS OUT about. Today was not one of those days. I can count all the blessings out loud: ♡ ♡♡ ➡1. I have met someone off of Instagram spontaneously on the streets! We were passing each other by and recognized each other off our IG pages– it was such a wonderful surprise. ♡ ♡♡ ➡2. I met with a potential client who is kind-hearted and open and ready for life coaching; perhaps starting within the next few weeks. ♡ ♡♡ ➡3. I went on a 45-minute light jog today. The weather was PERFECTION. I fell in love. ♡ ♡♡ ➡4. I found the food that my duschebag housemate threw out somewhere else in the house. I restored that shit in the fridge. I'm not mad or annoyed but I actually LAUGHED at the whole ordeal! But I will say this: Eff you too, Chris. :') ♡ ♡♡ ➡5. The sunset was beautiful today. ♡ ♡♡ ➡6. I tried a new tea called Coco sea salt. ♡ ♡♡ ➡7. Im in love with my new frother and im looking to name her/him. Suggestions? Maybe FROTHY? ♡ ♡♡ ♡♡♡ 😙BOTTOM LINE: There are so many things to be grateful for, and sometimes you have to slow down and stop stressing out in the adrenaline of the moment to realize what a blessing they are, and truly appreciate the moment. ♤ ♤♤ 😙 What are you grateful for today? ♡ ♡♡ ♡♡♡ What's holding you back from your fullest, most joyful, life? Let's have a chat–you can gain all of this with me! • •• Email me: ✔PERSONAL TRAINING/LIFESTYLE COACHING: darkest.abyss.worlds@gmail.com✔ ❤Do this for you.❤

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Of course, planning out my agenda for the next day in my EC planner is always a must. Just because I’m deloading on exercise doesn’t mean I let myself slack on other areas of my life.

erin condren life planner

I’ve also been drinking lots of tea, eating lots of good food:

EGG YOLK SALAD

A salad with egg yolks, pecan butter, sugar free syrup, mustard, parsley and sauerkraut.

DO. NOT. THROW. OUT. THE. YOLKS.

crazy selfie

GIVE THEM TO ME.

Mood + Energy:

My mood has been pretty stable and happy and energized as the weeks went along! There was an evening I went on the elliptical, then did 1 set of 20 inverted dumbbells rows and felt so good I had to stop myself from doing more because I promised myself I would take it easy this week. But man oh man, did I ever feel the pump in my arms–I felt so elated!

Why take a de-load week?

I needed a mental refresher. So often I felt my workouts getting tasteless and monotone. They said every 8-12 weeks you should try switching it up, and I’ve been following my general workout routine for about 4 months (that’s 16 weeks!), seeing the same scene, feeling the same in each workout.

When I finally did go back to my original workouts, it felt so good returning to gym mental recharge. I felt renewed energy and motivation.

 

I stopped and smelled the flowers.

Along with the mental refresher, there’s always a physical refresher! My body sure felt sore the first day after I got back into working out, but I can’t tell you how good it felt. I was on fire, feeling 10/10 after my workout 😀 and that got me excited all over again and boosted my confidence. It also resets the metabolism so it doesn’t get used to the exertion. Surprise your metabolism and you can kick through a weight loss plateau!

 

When was the last time you took a deload week? Are you on a workout program right now? What’s your routine like?