Critique my fitness plan!

[mybestchildismycat]

I work full time (mainly WFH) and have three DC. After what feels like 100 years spending well over an hour in the car every day on the (unavoidable due to location) school run, the youngest is heading up to secondary in September and will be able to walk to school.

I want to repurpose this time for meeeeeeee, specifically to get fitter!!! I'm 47 and hopelessly out of shape. On the rare occasions when I've had to run recently (to catch a train) I've been properly appalled at the fact I basically can't do it. I've also lost flexibility and have zero muscle tone.

On the plus side, my weight is OK (although it's been creeping up despite no diet change - thanks perimenopause) and I'm healthy enough with no injuries or anything.

I've done C25K a couple of the times in the past and found it relatively easy to complete (well, not easy, but I can keep up with the progression iyswim), but I really don't love running. I do know its good for me though and like the benefits. I also did Caroline Girvan Fuel last summer and that was really effective, but I had a nasty cold which lingered for a while before I got stuck into another programme, and never got back into it. I also enjoy yoga.

My window of opportunity Mon to Fri is 8.10am to 9am, which needs to include a shower. I can't exercise when I first wake up (6.30ish) - I feel really sick. I need at least an hour to get going.

My plan is:

Mon - Caroline Girvan workout (maybe Iron?)
Tues - Yoga
Weds - Caroline again
Thurs - Yoga
Fri - another Caroline
Sat (when I have more time) - run

Also going to make sure I have a short walk every lunchtime during the week.

How does that sound? Is it feasible to only run once a week when you are getting back into it? If I followed C25K again I'd still be at it until Christmas.

Thanks all!!!

My advice? Stick with Caroline, but also do some HIIT. Growingannanas is excellent.

Regarding Caroline: have a look at a full body workout from each of her programs and start off with the one that resonates most. Epic 1 is toughest, I think, because most sessions are nearly an hour.

Keep challenging yourself to up the weights - as long as you can maintain good form. It's tempting to skip her introductions, but they are very useful. I usually watch them the night before.

You'll also find exercising easier and more rewarding if you have am strong core. I cannot emphasize this enough!! Try these workouts and do one or the other most days:

Rebecca Louise's Best Abs (excellent, but turn the sound off...)
Caroline Girvan's Braced Core & Abs
Caroline Girvan 15 minute plank workout
Bowflex 3 - minute plank (I do this every single day, and my, it doesn't half make a difference!)

That sounds great. The yoga is important for mobility especially if you’re doing weighted exercises.

Make sure you maintain a progressive overload in the weights sessions

Sounds good. If you WFH, you can also try and add some "exercise snacks" (very short periods of exercise, even a minute is enough) throughout the week, eg if you want to add HIIT to your week it can be a minute of burpees or a minute of star jumps. You don't have to plan when, just have an idea of what you'd like to do.

Good luck :)

This is a great idea, I do something similar but never thought to call it a snack! Love that.

I wear an Apple Watch so need to stand up for a minute each hour to get the 'stand goal'.
I keep my dumbbells out behind me when WFH, and do a minute of shoulder press, or dumbbell lunges for example

I'd add in a hiit session. Find a format you like but mix it up from time to time. I like tabata and amrap the best. Caroline Girvan is good for strength but I'm not a fan of her hiit workouts. I like Heather Robertson because she has a really good variety of strength, cardio and mobility workouts. I've had really good results doing her workouts 5 days a week, as well as some yoga and pilates.