Start a Workout Routine that Works for YOU (Plus my field trip to Atomic Athlete)

I was nervous–and I never get nervous.

Stepping through the doors of Atomic Athlete (a strength and conditioning group training gym here in Austin), I felt like I did when I first started CrossFit–unsure of what was to really expect, but well aware of all the “dirt” I had heard about it (“it’s challenging”…”it’s dangerous”… “it’s crazy”…etc.).

Atomic Athlete is known in the community for “grueling” workouts and the motto: “Stronger. Faster. …And harder to kill.”

Founded by former special operations soldier, Jake Saenz—a ‘rugged’ mountain-man, known for killing bears with his own two hands, hunting his own elk for dinner and spearing wild-caught salmon (instead of going to Whole Foods like I do)—it’s no wonder it has this platform.

Nevertheless, for this particular Workout Wednesday adventure (a post where I occasionally set out to DO SOMETHING NEW AND DIFFERENT outside my usual fitness routine). I decided to put on my big girl panties to see just what this Atomic Athlete “thing” was all about…

(And hopefully, if anything, inspire YOU to explore all sorts of modes of fitness as well!)

My expectations? A militant workout, complete with 50 lbs. backpack-ruck runs; dragging sleds miles at a time; and deadlifting two-times my bodyweight for sets of 10-20.

What I discovered? Hard-core, yes, but anything BUT militant and ‘un-doable’.

• Two main working pieces of the day, including:
  • 4 rounds of 5 Front Squats + 400-meter Run;
  • 5-minute rest,
  • 4 rounds of 5 Kettlebell Clean-to-press and pushups between + 20 Plyometric box up and overs,
  • And lastly, some ‘core work’ to polish it all off;
• A balanced, fresh perspective in programming written on the board (some strength-based days, endurance days, work capacity and deload workouts);
• Appropriately scaled weights, loads and endurance demands, customized to your personal abilities
• And a supportive, smiling, hard-working community, complete with fist bumps and high-fives; and post-workout coffee socials.

What I also discovered? New confidence.

As Coach Jake encouraged me through each workout piece, he also guided me in maintaining proper form through each lift; working within my own personal body’s abilities (i.e. not trying to add more weight just for ego sake); and acknowledgement of my personal hard work (‘great job Lauryn!’).

In short: I survived! And my workout session at Atomic was a reminder of one of my personal great ‘Why’s’ in why I love training and a kick-butt workout session…

1. Yes, personal improvement and gains, but also;
2. Community, social connection and fun!

Working out alongside others and ‘kicking butt’ at whatever challenge is thrown our way is both rewarding and bond-building. And, of course, if you’re not having fun while kicking butt…WHY DO IT?

While group classes may or may not be for you, my Thrive Challenge for you today is for you to begin to explore what moves you AND why…

WHAT do you genuinely love to do?

And WHY do you train?

Personally, I love lifting weights, feeling strong and a bit of sweat on the brow from plain ol’ hard work…

Others love dance…yoga…Barre…running…swimming…rock climbing…power lifting…Olympic weightlifting…team sports…tennis…and on and on…

WHY do you do what you do?

Everyone has a ‘why’, be it:

• To look good naked
• Lean out
• Tone up
• Stay healthy
• Be more productive
• Keep sane :)
• “I have to”
• A love for sports and activity
• Training for a specific endeavor
• Setting new Personal Record
• Achievement
• An escape
• And on and on…

For many many years in my eating disorder, my “WHY” around exercise had everything to do with “having to do it” (I HAD to exercise or ELSE).

It was never a choice–not even my routine. It was a mandate: 6-7 hours per day to be exact spent on my StairMaster, treadmill and 5-10 lbs. weight routines from Shape Magazine (with no real other gain or goal in mind).

Since then, I’ve discovered, rather than wasting time and energy doing things that bring me down–or make me focus on my body (and what it looks like), I only choose to do things that inspire and encourage me to be the best version of me I can be…even if that means stepping out of my comfort zone! (After all, variety is the SPICE of life!)

Unfortunately, when it comes to fitness, it can be far too easy to:

a.) Get ‘stuck in a rut’ –doing the same sort of things we do, without exploring the unlimited options and balance we can have with movement, OR…

b.) Refrain from any sort of routine or fitness regime altogether out of uncertainty, self-consciousness or excuses.

Can you relate?

Concerning the latter (b.), recently, I received this inquiry:

“Lauryn, how does someone even begin a workout regimen going from less than sedentary wanting to be an athlete again?”

The question came from a gal who, at one time, worked out RELIGIOUSLY—but after years of struggling with anorexia and years of treatment, found her muscles had wasted over time (both from the disordered eating and sedentary treatment lifestyle).

Whether you come from a history of over-exercise, mandated ‘bed rest’ and NO exercise (as in treatment for an eating disorder, illness or other life stressor), or you’ve never worked out in your life…there is NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT to get excited, and explore the possibilities of what a healthy workout routine could look like for YOU (and YOU alone—after all, every body is different).

I like to call this “Couch to Connection” (connection to what moves you, and finding joy moving in your own body!).

Reflecting back on my own journey, after spending a year in treatment for my eating disorder, my body went through quite a big change (from training on my stairmaster and body-building routines for upwards of 6-7 hours per day…to doing NOTHING—lying in a hospital bed, or sitting on a couch, all day, every day)…and as I emerged from treatment, I had one of three options:

1. Go back to my former way of exercise (moving my body simply to ‘move more’, burn more, and ‘be healthy’);
2. Continue to do not-much in terms of working out (walking, yoga, light gentle movement);
3. Or, do something completely new, refreshing, different. Give myself and my body a chance to do something NEW—and for the first time, begin to see (and treat) my body with respect, as well as like an athlete (working out for more of a purpose than just exercising to exercise)

I chose #3…

And if you are starting ‘from scratch’ (a more sedentary lifestyle; or desiring a genuinely healthy relationship with fitness), you CAN do the same!

Here are a few points to get you started:

• Forget the past. History aside, no matter what you’ve tried in the past, there is now is the time to find what moves you! Just like I checked out Atomic Athlete this past week…check out all the options in your community to find what you like—and what you don’t.
• Be real (with yourself). You know what over-doing it looks like…and what it doesn’t. for instance, in my eating disorder, Saturday mornings used to mean: all the time in the world for binge workout sessions for myself: Three hours pumping iron and doing cardio at the gym; 1 hour of cardio kickboxing; 1 hour of bootcamp or CrossFit—all within the time frame of 7 am to 12, noon. Internally, I KNEW, for me, this was overdoing it—my mindset was NOT in a healthy place, and I figured, if I just made myself log in the time, I could justify eating anything that day, and could go about my day, feeling ‘better about myself’ because of all my hard work.
• Champion Mindset. Think like an athlete. You are no longer defined by ‘being sedentary’, ‘being too weak’, ‘too fat’, ‘too out of shape’, ‘sick’, or anything else you’ve been name calling yourself. Begin to think (and train) like an athlete: How can you become the best version of yourself? Your process? Build your body up—not break it down? Thinking like an athlete also encourages you to focus MORE on performance and less on aesthetics (what your body looks like). While wanting a six-pack is not a crime…that strong core WILL actually come when you focus more on training like an athlete—not chiseling or sculpting your body. This is the primary reason I loved CrossFit personally-no mirrors in the gym…my workouts became about improving my personal fitness and strength (rather than sculpting my thighs).

• Eat to Perform. If you want to workout…you are going to have to eat. The age old wisdom of ‘move more’, ‘eat less’ is dated…and for both a firey metabolism, and plenty of energy, you need food—and quality real food at that! For most women, generally this means AT LEAST 1800 calories as a baseline for moderately active individuals. And no need to count these, eating protein, healthy fats, veggies and starchy carbs around workouts (as well as lots of water) can help you move in that direction. For an individualized approach, connect with a nutrition expert for starters to make sure you are fueling your body appropriately.
• Ditch the magazines. My fitness magazines used to be my fitness bibles. I read those things for hours upon hours as I stepped away on my Stairmaster. And while, there are some great articles in there…there are also LOTS of advertisements (even subliminal) that mess with our minds…and make us think we need to look like XYZ…There is also a lot of old-school conventional wisdom, that, as I often write about (MYTHS) may not be the case. Take everything you read in those glossy ‘zines with a grain of salt…and refer back to point 3 when you feel inadequate.

• Find your tribe. Not everyone loves training in a group class setting, but there’s nothing like having, if anything, other individuals in life who ‘get it’ and are like-minded in working towards positive health and fitness goals. Even if you train at a traditional weight gym, instead of just plugging in your headphones and keeping your head down…get connected. Make new friends. Community makes life go round.
• Reach out. If you feel overwhelmed, you don’t have to go it alone. No matter where you come from, coaches, trainers, friends and support systems exist for a reason—to help. It is important to note, no two personal trainers, coaches or therapists ARE alike, but consider interviewing several different ones to find an individual sensitive to your concerns, knowledgeable about the body and healthy training, and relatable/connectable for you.As part of my Thrive Life program, I love nothing more than partnering with individuals to customize a personalized holistic blueprint, with their goals in mind—be it a training/fitness plan, nutrition for their body, and/or therapeutic support for wrestling through various life issues, anxieties or ‘figuring out’ their personal passions and purpose. I personally have found GREAT SUCCESS in my personal fitness and strength from working with my own personal coach who writes up my weekly strength workouts—guiding me in reaching my personal goals in my fitness. Connect with me for a free 30-minute consult to ask questions and find out if Thrive Life could be for you.
• Have fun. If it’s not fun. Don’t do it. Seriously. Life is too short to make yourself do things you hate or dread. If cardio kickboxing is not your jam, perhaps walking and hiking outside is perfect for you—and that’s just great! CrossFit too overwhelming? You don’t have to drink the Kool-Aid. Bikram yoga not your jam—more of a hatha girl? By all means, hot yoga is not for everyone. Do what you love, love what you do. And if you “hate exercise altogether”—it’s time to do some soul searching and digging chick…your body was meant to move if you have limbs that move, a beating heart and lungs that breathe. Get connected with what moves you—and have fun with it!

Questions? Comments? Let me know!