Hi! I don’t know about you guys but I’m feeling the holiday hustle in full force. The ratio of “what I hope to achieve and do” versus “what actually happens” is pretty comical right now but I’m just taking it one day at a time. I thought for today’s weekly workouts post that I would discuss both emotional and physical health during the holidays.

It’s easy to talk about things like staying active to combat holiday stress and splurges. It’s another thing to talk about taking care of ourselves emotionally during the holiday. One thing that really surprises me about the holidays is how they can stir up a huge range of emotions. I started my Saturday morning yoga class by sharing that although it’s a festive and joyful season of the year, I was feeling kind of sad. I had just received word that one of our students lost her father, another teacher is dealing with a mother who is very ill after just losing her father earlier this year, a friend is going through a separation and I am feeling a little displaced by the first holiday with no family gathering at my grandmother’s house.

So while holidays mostly bring joy, gifts, family gatherings and love, they can also come with the paradox of sadness, loneliness, changing traditions, changing family dynamics, loss, etc.

Since I’m finding myself sorting through a myriad of emotions and flooded with memories from holidays past, I wanted to bring this up today because it’s been on my heart. Don’t get me wrong, I am extremely grateful for the love and abundant blessings in my life this holiday season but I think it’s so important to normalize talking about our feelings, especially during times where we are expected to feel a certain way and we just don’t.

So whether you’re feeling high or low, don’t judge it and don’t feel guilty for talking about it.

Back to the physical side of things…a good workout always seems to help clear my head and resettle my emotions so here’s how I’ve been working out this week.

Monday

Hot yoga

Tuesday

Strength/CrossFit-ish workout

10 back squats (115#)
10 ring rows
10 push ups (perfect push ups)
10 GHD sit ups

3 rounds:

10 deadlifts (115#)
10 ring rows
10 burpees
10 GHD sit ups

This was a great little workout and I was definitely feeling the GHDs for two days after. And check out the perfect push up video. While I admit that I do “chest push ups” often, I like to challenge myself with the “perfect” push up from time to time. Much more work on the tris and shoulders!

Wednesday

Hot yoga

Thursday

3 miles treadmill sprints + strength + hot yoga (my kind of triathlon!)

3 miles treadmill:

1 mile to warm up at a moderate pace
1 mile of 45 seconds on, 15 off at a 7:15 pace
1 mile of 20 on, 10 off at a 6:30 pace

Strength, 3 rounds:

12 chest flies (20#)
12 assisted pull ups (machine)
12 assisted tricep dips (machine)
12 split squats with rear leg elevated on a bench (holding two 20# dumbbells)
12 straight bar bicep curls (30#)
12 single leg deadlifts, each leg (holding one 20# dumbbell)
12 side raises (#15)
12 plate squat to press overhead (25# plate)

Loved this strength circuit. I don’t use machines often but I love the pull up and dip machine. I feel like I can really focus on engaging my lats in the pull ups and can’t cheat by “swinging” my core/hips. Also a big fan of split squats with a lifted rear leg. Makes it so much more intense in the working leg.

Hot yoga to stretch it all out after. Such a treat to make the time to fit this all in! These kind of workout days are few and far between.

Friday

Hot yoga

Saturday

3 mile run

Zoey has become the best, most enthusiastic running partner. Makes my heart happy.

Sunday

Teach Total Strength

I have a killer little “4-3-2-1” planned for them that I’ve tested on several clients already. I can’t wait to share it here soon!

Off to teach!

How are you feeling this holiday season? Give me one word, a sentence or a paragraph! (excited, happy, joyful, grateful, a little of both, behind, stressed, extremely organized…???)