workout — Blog — cassandra padgett coaching

Cold winters make me want to snuggle up in bed for about 4 months straight, but this winter I've found a few ways to stay active. In the past my pup has kept me going, but having a 7 month old makes me picky about braving the cool temps with a babe in tow (especially with the inversion/bad air quality here in Utah).

This year, I've found a few awesome ways to stay active, and as a bonus I've lost the last of my baby weight.

Tips for staying active this winter and losing the baby weight.

Tip 1: Use a Fitness Tracker

My trusty Fitbit has been keeping me active. My mom got me a cute pink and gold fitbit a couple months ago and I use it to stay accountable and competitive with a few members of my family. The social aspect makes me want to get my steps in (I have a strong desire to win LOL). Plus I LOVE the gold and pink . My mom knows me so well ;) Tracking sleep has also been interesting, however it's pretty depressing to look at since I'm still getting up with my baby at least once a night.

Tip 2: At home workouts

I used to hate working out at home (I just found that I got a better workout in a gym), but since I paused my gym membership after my daughter was born, working out at home is my only choice. I definitely miss my gym, but right now it's just easier to workout at home. My husband got this awesome spin bike off amazon for an amazing price right before Christmas and I am LOVING it. I always loved the intensity of spin classes, and now I get to spin while my daughter naps. It's so nice not having to worry about driving to the gym, or schlepping the diaper bag/gym bag/baby carrier through the snow. Win-win. We will probably go back to our gym this summer, but until then, I am loving the convenience of working out at home. I'll be posting about a few body weight workouts too :)

One last helpful tip for working out at home- check out Youtube! I love the Y oga with Adriene Youtube channel. She has yoga workouts for all different fitness levels and she is just fantastic. There are tons of other channels for any interest. If you like pilates, zumba, hiit, short workouts, whatever...there is something for you!

Tip 3: Goal setting

It's so important to set a goal. My goal is 10k steps everyday + at least 30 min spin ride 3-4 times per week. Make sure you do what is realistic for you! Right now working out at home is realistic for me. If 2 days a week is realistic for you- Do it! The most important pat of setting any goal-Write it down. I put a step goal and my exercise plan in my calendar and in my phone. Getting that little notification reminds me of my goals, and helps me make sure I'm on track.

What are you doing to stay active this winter? I'd love to know if you have any great tips.

It can be intimidating joining a gym for the first time or going back after a long hiatus. But getting past the initial fear of joining, and then getting comfortable the first few times you go will ensure your long term success. There is no point in joining and letting your membership go unused! Here are a few tips for getting comfortable at a new gym:

When you join the gym, take a tour! You'll feel more comfortable knowing where all the bathrooms, weight room, group fitness rooms, etc. are located.
Most gyms offer a more specific intro session with a trainer to show you where all of the equipment is located and what it all does-take advantage of this!
Go to group classes. If you aren't sure where to start or don't want to hit the weights just yet, try out different classes. I have a whole post here about why I think group fitness is great, but essentially you'll get a great workout, stay busy for 45 min to an hour, and you won't have to come up with your own workout for the day. Win-win-win.
If you are ready to hit the weight room but feel intimidated-- go during less busy hours the first few times so you get comfortable and can locate everything without a bunch of people in the way. This time of year might be hard to find an empty gym at any time of the day, but usually early-mid afternoon or late night is great, or weekend evenings. I highly recommend the app Jefit which shows little animated picture of each exercise as well, so you can correct your form. I also recommend this as an intro program- it's free!
Even better than starting on your own would be to hire a trainer for a few sessions. This will ensure your form is correct and teach you the basics.
Don't give up! Everyone started as a beginner! Everyone at the gym is focused on their own workout, so go in there and get it done! You deserve to feel great.