I actually began blogging 10 years ago when I was 24 so many of you may have seen these changes unfold slowly throughout my blogging career but I still thought it might be interesting to make note of the way certain things related to the way I work out and my overall approach to fitness have changed. I would also love to hear about changes you’ve seen in your exercise routine and what you think may have contributed to these changes.
When I began writing this post, I saw a theme emerge and it was one I’ve fully embraced: A lot of my workout changes stemmed from motherhood. I have less time to spend in the gym and less desire to really pour everything into fitness… BUT I have MORE desire to work out because I enjoy it and it’s something I do for myself. I have a stronger desire to keep fitness a priority in my life because I want my boys to see Mom taking care of her body. I understand that exercise is important for my mental health and my physical health and fully embrace the fact that regular movement and exercise is beneficial for my body for a myriad of health reasons… and I want to be healthy for my family.
And now here’s a little glimpse into how fitness in my 20s vs fitness in my 30s has changed in the past 10+ years!
Fitness in My 20s vs Fitness in My 30s
-
20s: 60+ Minute Workouts / 30s: 30-45 Minute Workouts
Gone are the days I’d spend an hour (or more) at the gym. I remember years ago thinking that if I didn’t have an hour of free time to spend at the gym it didn’t feel worth it and now that seems totally crazy to me. I also remember thinking a run should be around 5 miles to really count which seems insane to me now… but I also feel like the fitness culture in general a few years ago was all about longer cardio workouts. Now, in my 30s, I truly cannot remember the last time I worked up a sweat for more than 45 minutes. Short and sweet is the name of the game for me!
I credit two things for shifting my mindset away from believing that an hour at the gym was necessary: 1.) KIDS. After Chase was born, I began working out at home more often and nap time workouts mean time is limited! There was no way I was going to dedicate a full hour of precious kid-free time to a workout so I began focusing on shorter workouts to get the job done. 2.) Burn Boot Camp! I still remember feeling a little surprised when I learned that boot camp workouts are 45 minutes. Not too long ago it was next to impossible to find a group exercise class that lasted less than an hour but I quickly learned that 45 minutes is my personal sweet spot in a group exercise environment for a few reasons. I don’t get bored when classes aren’t a full hour! I also feel like I put more effort into my workouts because they don’t feel like they drag on forever and ever. Once I realized these few things about myself and the way I function during shorter workouts, they became my standard. Now most of my workouts last 30-45 minutes and I feel like they’re smarter, more efficient and more fun!
-
20s: 1 Rest Day a Week / 30s: 2 (sometimes 3) Rest Days a Week
Back in my 20s, Sundays were often my rest day from the gym. I’ve always understood and prioritized the importance of rest days and that has absolutely carried over into my 30s. Now I simply have MORE of them! This shift occurred mostly because I have more things to juggle in my life and fitness isn’t the focus it once was for me. I am very consistent on my weekday workouts (though I will occasionally miss one week day here and there) but weekends are almost always rest days around here. I’m not motivated enough to wake up early on a Saturday or Sunday to work out before the boys are up and I don’t want to spend time away from our family on the weekend to work out unless we make it a family affair (which I actually LOVE to do on occasion), so weekends are often rest days.
-
20s: Aesthetics Focus / 30s: Health/Longevity Focus
I feel like I’ve always had a decent mindset about my workouts and understanding the importance of movement and a regular fitness routine in my overall health, however, in my 20s I’d be lying if I said I didn’t give more thought to how my workouts would make me look from a physical standpoint. I also think on some subconscious level this probably played into my preference for alllll the cardio. Cardio = Sweatier = Skinnier. (Not true, by the way.) I gave more thought to my body and my physical appearance in general in my 20s than I do in my 30s and this is probably the shift I welcome most in my overall mentality when I think about how my approach to fitness has changed.
Do I still want my workouts to improve my body and how I look? Of course. But when I think about what I’m really hoping to gain from my workouts, it’s to be healthy and strong and have a body that will feel energetic around my children. I want the ability to be an active mother who enjoys doing physical things with my children and I want my children to see that fitness is important but also really fun! I actually find myself feeling increasingly frustrated with so much focus on aesthetics on social media and feel a serious push-back against a lot of it in my mind. So much of the latest fitness and nutrition fads are tied into diet culture in some new fancy package but when we shift our minds onto what most of us know and agree is important — regular movement and eating lots of veggies and fruits — some of the noise begins to fall away and we can find peace in listening to our bodies and going back to the basics.
-
20s: Cardio in Every Workout / 30s: Prioritizing Strength Training
In my 20s, my approach to fitness evolved quite a bit. Back in college, I was a big fan of spinning and the elliptical and still remember spending 50 on the elliptical as I watched The Real World at the UCF gym. (Oooh college.) I began slowly incorporating more strength training into my routine in my mid-20s but credit BodyPump with making me truly fall in love with strength training after college. Strength training quickly became my favorite thing and even though I began regularly lifting weights, I would still almost always incorporate some kind of cardio into my workouts. Whether it be a quick one-mile run to warm up or including cardio bursts in between circuits, I craved that sweaty cardio feeling in every workout.
Now, looking back on fitness in my 20s vs fitness in my 30s, strength training is still my favorite but I am in a place where I feel like strength training is 100 percent my priority. That often means I leave the gym sweaty but without that cardio high… and I’m more than okay with that feeling. I feel like I get enough “secondary” cardio in my day-to-day life as a mom. I move around with my boys all day long and I believe this counts BIG TIME so when I have time to work out, I choose to prioritize strength training because I know it’s incredibly beneficial for my body as I grow older. (Plus, I like it more!)
-
20s: Less Structure / 30s: More Structure
When it comes to thinking through my workouts, I look at the week ahead every Sunday and come up with a loose game plan. First, I begin by looking at Burn Boot Camp’s schedule for the week. I take this into account and will plan my personal workouts around the schedule depending on what BBC workouts appeal to me. (I’m most likely to skip core day because I personally feel that dedicating 45 minutes solely to working out your core is completely unnecessary, especially since so many BBC workouts incorporate exercises that engage the core all week long already.) I try to incorporate one upper body strength day, one lower body strength day and one total body strength day into my routine every week. Those are the three workouts I try not to miss and everything else is icing on the cake!
In my 20s, I planned out my workouts but usually did so in the morning right before I went to the gym. (I’ve always needed some kind of plan and don’t do well just winging it at the gym.) When it came to planning out my workouts in my 20s, my main priority was making sure I didn’t work out the same muscle group on back-to-back days to give myself ample time to recover but beyond that, I didn’t think through things too much.
-
20s: Autopilot / 30s: More Enjoyment and Focus on “Me Time”
During my 20s a lot of my commitment to the gym was based on autopilot more than anything. It was part of my daily routine, it made me happy and I knew it was important for my health. Comparing fitness in my 20s vs fitness in my 30s, I find myself thinking a lot more about the pure enjoyment I get from regularly incorporating exercise into my life. The ability to work out is not something I take for granted. I know I’m incredibly fortunate to be able to move my body every day. Also, as a mom who stays home with her two boys, my gym time is often the only 45 minutes I have to myself during the day and that is something incredibly important to me. It gives me a moment to take a break from mom life and focus on myself which rejuvenates me and gives me energy for the rest of my day.
Also, when it comes to the enjoyment aspect of my workout, I’ve found something I love and this is something I hope everyone has or finds this year because I think it’s so important when it comes to establishing a long-term fitness routine. It’s a million times easier to motivate yourself to work out when you genuinely enjoy your workout! We don’t have to kill ourselves in the gym for our bodies to experience the incredible benefits of exercise and finding a form of fitness you enjoy is so incredibly important.
Question of the Day
How has your approach to fitness changed in the past 10 years?
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
I was just thinking about this! My 20s was all about distance running and core work with occasional strength thrown in grudgingly. I never warmed up unless doing a group run, and even then I was lazy about it.
Three pregnancies later a move the far North, everything has changed. I vary my workouts so much more now that I’m inside half the year and I finally enjoy strength training. Also, after a series of minor injuries forced me to change my ways, I WARM UP now for a solid 10-15 minutes. Amazing what a difference that makes!
Do you find that your 30s has brought more focus on warming up too?
Yessss! I definitely feel older/not as “resilient” as I did in my early 20s and definitely cannot just jump right into an intense workout.
Love this post! When I think back to how much time I spent in my 20s worrying about exercise and physical appearance I could kick myself. Now, in my 30s and 3 (soon to be 4) kids later, exercise has become so largely focused on my mental health and the opportunity to recharge my battery throughout the week. . I do way more strength training and while I always aim for 5 workouts a week I’m completely happy if I only get in 4 (or 3). I want my girls in particular to have a mom who models a healthy relationship with body/food/exercise because at the end of the day, there’s so much more to life!
Love this and can totally relate! I go to orangetheory about 4x a week and love it! I look forward to and the only way I can explain it is that it’s the only hour to myself too ( my boys are 8 months and 3.5 years)! I am 33 and never thought I would say I look forward to working out!
In my 20s, I definitely had more time and a more rigid view of what exercise was. I think that is because, priority-wise, I was able to place gym-going pretty high on my list. Now in my 30s, I have redefined why I want to workout and what it means to me. Since having a baby boy, I find that I just want more time with him and don’t want to drag him to the gym with me. We invested in our home gym and, like you said, nap time workouts need to be short and sweet.
Movement feels good to me and my body. I used to think that running 10 miles was the only workout that “counted”, but now I see that sometimes chasing my little man around the house and getting in a 30 minute spin session at home is more than enough.
Hey Julie! I, too, have changed my workouts since having my daughter in September. I now have a home gym which makes it a million times easier to get a workout in. Having time to drive to the gym just isn’t something I have time for right now. I also use her nap time to get it in! Mom life is no joke. I feel like I am racing around my house in a frenzy just to beat the clock haha.
phew it’s SUCH an adjustment! nap time workouts always feel a bit crazy, right!? and ryan also switched to at-home workouts after chase was born and hasn’t looked back. he now has everything set up in our garage because he said sleep was just too precious to give up in the mornings before work once kids entered the picture.
My workouts have changed in a similar manner and I credit it as well to 1) having kids and 2) becoming more educated about the benefits of strength training + HIIT workouts over straight cardio workouts.
I can also honestly say I’m in better shape now, post-2-kids, than I was in my 20s. My work has a gym which is a huuuuge perk and I go on my lunch break almost every day.
I can totally relate to your “why” – it’s my “me time”, plus it’s such a privilege to be able to show my children what a strong, healthy mother looks like. Hope you and your family have a wonderful 2020!
exactly! and watching chase play his pretend games and do his imaginary “exercises” is so cute — perfect motivation right there!
Yesss! My daughter does “kettlebell” swings with a 1lb dumbell and it’s the cutest thing and makes you realize you’re doing something right. <3
I can relate to every single one of these! My motivation to workout has changed so much since having kids, especially after developing an autoimmune disease that required major surgery after my first child was born. Recovery was long but I know if I hadn’t already been in good shape it could have been much worse! It really motivated me to take care of my body so that I can be there for my family! As a stay at home mom, working out (also at BBC!) has become my me time, and sometimes my therapy!
I really enjoyed reading this blog post! It was very relatable as I also transition into the first few years of my thirties and navigate tuning into the needs of my physical and mental body.
This: “So much of the latest fitness and nutrition fads are tied into diet culture in some new fancy package”
It was so good for me to read someone else’s opinion on this! My 20s were filled with time at the gym, the pool, trying all sorts of new workouts. My 30s are finding time in the day to workout while juggling kids, home, & work. I cancelled my gym membership b/c I was never going b/c I didn’t have the hour or more commitment to drive to the gym, do the workout, drive home. Now it’s 15 minutes here and there. Slowly getting the motivation back to do 30 minute workouts at home. I still like to follow along to workouts, so I just search for workout videos and do those.
yes! i think it’s also incredibly important to embrace the season you’re in — it sounds like right now is a very busy season for you and i think it’s so great you’re fitting in fitness where it works for you in segments. <3
Love this! I agreed with every single point. As a fellow mom of 2 boys, motherhood and the passage of time (or gaining of wisdom) have completely changed my mindset regarding physical activity and exercise.
I’m still in my late 20’s but I’ve definitely shifted gears after having a baby a little over a year ago. I thought I might switch to working out at home but I just couldn’t motivate myself enough to get a good workout in at home by myself – I do so much better in a group setting. Then I tried working out in the evenings after dinner/bedtime, but that didn’t work out so well either, as I felt limited in what I could eat for dinner and feel good at the gym afterwards. Finally I settled on working out early in the mornings. I switched to a gym that has an abundance of 5:30am classes and it’s been so great to get my workout in before work and without missing out on any time with my son.
I’m so glad you were able to find something that works well for you! I also really love group exercise environments and feel like finding a class I love is key for my consistency.
LOVE this post! It is amazing how life and priorities change over time. I now focus more on what workouts I really enjoy instead of focusing on the calorie burn. I find I love strength more than I used to, although I still struggle with getting it in the way I’d like.
I’m feeling the same exact way. I turned 30 at the end of last year (gulp!) and cannot believe how my mindset has changed. I spent most of my teens 20s focusing only on running (I also ran for my university), but never broke the habit when I graduated. Later in my 20s, after I was forced to lay off running, I focused more on shorter workouts. I, too, used to think that if I didn’t have an hour I shouldn’t go at all. Definitely not the case anymore!
Compared to my 20s, I’m much more consistent with taking walks each day, whether its a short one or not. Physically, it’s challenging for me to be as active as I would ideally like to be, but I try to tell myself to focus on progress, not perfection.
Great post and I can so relate as a lot has changed not just with being in my 30’s but juggling kids. I remember years ago you used to post daily logs of your food and workouts. I’d be interested to hear about what that looks like as well in a week since that can also be a struggle balancing a family. Or at least it is for me 🙂
Agree with everything in this post from 20s v 30s – and I don’t even have kiddos! Strength (megaformer!) v. cardio/calories and truly being grateful about being able to move – even if just walking! Find something you enjoy and practice consistency over perfection. I feel so much healthier than doing 6 intense workouts that punished my body.
I love this post! Do you have any advice for a new mom wanting to get back into regular exercise after baby? I had to take time off and complete physical therapy due to diastasis recti, and now my postpartum body feels like it doesn’t even belong to me. As someone who has been active my whole life, this is incredibly frustrating! i feel like I am completely starting from ground zero!
I’m not Julie, but I’ve been there! There are some DR specific workout plans that really helped me. Also, I started doing more group exercise classes and just modifying all the core portions (with the help of the instructors). Barre classes helped me a lot!
Give yourself lots of grace Mama! My son was almost two before I could hold a plank again. It just took time.
This was my favorite postpartum work-out series (I actually still use it 2.5 years postpartum). The workouts are progressive which means they gently ease you back into working out safely-but you’ll still the burn! The postpartum workouts are usually 20-30 minutes, 4 days a week so it’s very realistic. They’re also safe for DR and I still use the core workouts because they’ve been about the only thing that’s been effective for strengthening my core. The postpartum program was about $99 but it was worth every penny because I’ve used the videos weekly for years. Highly recommend!
https://www.glowbodypt.com
I sound like an informercial-ha! I just wanted to be clear that it was the post pregnancy plan because that one is safe for DR and some of her other ones are not 🙂
As moms, I think we also need to factor in the amount of steps we get in at home. I probably get in 8K – 10K steps a day just from running around the house/yard chasing kiddos, household chores and errands. I think that totally counts as something because you are moving and burning calories.
Before kids, I definitely felt like I had to go to the gym everyday or I would be lazy! But I also spent more time on the couch on the weekends (because I could) and had all the time in the world to relax. So going to the gym would make me “get up”. Now, I hardly have time to sit down it seems!
Yes!! Oh man I can’t even remember the last time I sat on the couch for hours on the weekend. Honestly that sounds kind of amazing right now — haha!
I can totally relate to the health/longevity focus and the focus on strength!
I’m almost 37 and often think about how my fitness routine has changed from my 20s. I was more into HIIT workouts then and the thought of doing that right now makes me cringe. My body does not respond well to those types of workouts anymore and I prefer high intensity, low impact ones now. I don’t have kids, so I have the luxury of time, and I’ve found my personal sweet spot is long, steady-state cardio. It feels the best with my body and mind. The past two years, I’ve gotten into cycling and have been training for 45-100 miles of cycling for Pelotonia (raises money for cancer research) in my hometown of Columbus, OH.
I also take more rest days and have also included evening yoga into my routine. In my 20s it had to be sweaty Power Yoga or nothing at all, and now all I do is Yin or Gentle yoga!
What a fun blog topic!
I really love and appreciate your reflective posts!! This is a great topic. In looking at my own history, I began to develop a greater love of joyful movement in my mid-to-late 20’s when I discovered Barre3. While it’s taken me a long time to hit the 100 studio class goal (I will this evening!), it has been a wonderful experience. I’ve also tried other community barre classes, yoga, cycle (not my jam), personal training (loved it!), some running, and always walking. It’s so underrated. I finally joined my Barre3 studio, and I’ve been going three days weekly. They now offer 45 min. classes that I know will come in handy some days. I also have their online subscription, and their belief that even just a 10 min. flow is healthy and important shifted my mindset from length of time to quality. Sometimes 10 minutes is all I need to boost my mood, get my blood pumping, and to feel better. I do feel I’m in a good place with movement that I love. Whenever I have children, I know at-home workouts will be a big part of my life.
Congratulations on 100 classes!! That’s amazing!
Thank you so much!!
I was just thinking about how I’ve been following your blog for 10 years now and I can’t believe that! I was in college when I found one of your no equipment, at home workouts and now I have two kids that are about the same ages as yours so, I feel like we’re on the same journey in many ways.
My workouts have gone from more intense, body bashing sessions in my 20s to acts of self-love in my 30s. I workout to feel better now, not to try to change myself into something I’m not. The same goes with the way I eat. It’s been a beautiful improvement in my life.
I really enjoyed reading this post and all the comments. I am 28 and without kids, but I work a full time job which has definitely changed my fitness routine for the better. I used to be a group fitness instructor and worked out 5-6 days/week. Fitness used to be my only hobby when I was in undergrad/grad school. Now, a lot has changed which made me shift my priorities for the better. I moved cities, started a full time job that I love, am in a relationship and quit teaching group fitness. I workout 3-4X/week for 45-60 minutes, but take more rest days and “count” walking or lighter workouts as meeting my fitness goals. Such a better shift both mentally and physically!
Hey Julie,
This is a fantastic post! As a mom of two (almost 3 and 5) who is in her mid-30s, I’m recognizing that I’m at a place where I need to be intentional about working out…but when I do work out, I enjoy cardio. But after reading this, maybe I should take a closer look at strength training. Do you know of any good resources for beginning strength training? Walking into a gym and using machines other than cardio equipment is highly intimidating to me. Who would you recommend as an online resource for shy beginners? (And if YOU are the resource, can you point me to a place on your site where this info lives?) Again, thanks so much for this inspiring post!
Oh, Julie! Thank you for this post. I had my first son 15 months ago and just started working out routinely again. I’ve noticed similar changes – it’s time for me and I want efficient workouts. Gone are the days when I would do the elliptical for 45 minutes (to watch the housewives) and then a 20 minute strength workout. Now, it’s 45 minutes tops! I love to embrace the change and I honestly look more forward to workouts now because I want to do them not because I have to.
I couldn’t agree more with all of these points!
I am a morning exerciser as well (or at least used to be pre-kids). Can I ask, how did your workout schedule look when your little ones still took a morning nap? I have a 13 month old and she goes to part time Dayschool t/th while I do remote work. So I can usually squeeze in a workout class then. M, W, F it’s difficult to get to a workout class (I love group exercise classes) when they seem to always conflict without her nap!! Thanks