Wellness That Works for a Busy Schedule (A Series) – Part 2 Fitness

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One of the most empowering habits you can build for your health is a consistent fitness routine. HOWEVER, and let’s be real, between long workdays, and active social life, family (fur baby) responsibilities, and the occasional (is it REALLY that occasional?) desire to just stay in bed and rot, actually sticking to it can feel daunting. The good news? Building the perfect fitness routine doesn’t have to mean perfection. In reality, it’s about balance, sustainability, and making movement a part of your lifestyle.

In this post, I’m going to walk you through all the steps in planning an effective and doable fitness routine, discuss why different types of exercise matter, and show you how I apply these insights to my own routine.

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Define Your Goals

Every routine starts with intention. Important questions to ask yourself:

• Do I want to lose fat, build muscle, increase endurance, or just feel healthier?
• Am I training for an event, or do I want to improve energy and stress levels?
• How much time can I realistically commit each week?

Defining your goals before developing a fitness routine is important because it gives your workouts direction, purpose, and measurable progress. Without clear goals, you may end up doing random exercises that don’t necessarily move you toward what you want to achieve. Knowing whether or not you want to lose fat, gain muscle, increase endurance, or improve your health overall will guide you in choosing the right type of exercise. These goals also keep you motivated and make it easier to track your progress which ultimately allows you to remain consistent. Spend your time and energy on exercises that will actually move you toward your goals instead of wasting effort. Overall, this is just a more purposeful approach and with defined goals, easier to stick with in the long term.

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MiX uP the Types of Exercise

The human body thrives on variety (I’m sorry, but we’re really not all just creatures of habit). Each form of movement has unique benefits. Strength training will help to build muscle, improve metabolism, and strengthen bones. In fact, strength training is so important for women as we age to decrease our risk for osteoporosis! Cardio supports heart health, improves endurance, and boosts mood by releasing endorphins. Hi, this doesn’t always have to mean running. Walking, cycling, boxing, dancing, are all less painful means of cardio (just saying). Flexibility and mobility practices like yoga help to keep your joints healthy, improve your posture, and reduce your risk of injury. And my personal favorite, active recovery (such as foam rolling, gentle walks, sauna sessions) help the body to repair between more intense workouts.

Think of fitness like a plate of delicious food; a buffet perhaps. Variety ultimately gives the most benefit for the entire body.

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Structure Your Week

Religiously, every single week on Saturday morning, I plan out my fitness schedule for the week ahead. I try to find class times that work with my varying schedule and a variety of different types of exercise for each day. A simple blueprint that works for me:

• 2–3 days of strength training (upper/lower body or full-body splits), and on these days I typically add on alternating home yoga practice with inclined walking
• 2 days of cardio (mix of moderate steady-state and higher-intensity intervals if your body tolerates it); for this I typically do some sort of rotation between boxing/muy thai, HIIT, and barre
• 1–2 days of flexibility or active recovery, for me this means a gentle yin yoga practice before bed, or a steamy sauna session

This is probably the most important tip to remember when it comes to this: Your routine doesn’t need to be rigid. What matters most is consistency.

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Plan AROUND Your Life, Not AGAINST It

In my opinion, one of the biggest mistakes that people make is trying to design a “perfect” schedule that doesn’t fit into reality. I’m so guilty of this myself, and I pass zero judgement. However, in this day and age, people are BUSY (like, too busy). Society has over-hyped “hustle culture” to an extreme, and we are all suffering for it. If you work 12-hour shifts (like I often do), have kids, busy weekends, etc. build your plan around what’s realistic, not what’s ideal.

I manage this much better than I used to by scheduling fitness into my calendar almost as if it were a meeting. I use Google Calendar and schedule in each fitness class, home workout, etc. and then treat them as if they are non-negotiable appointments (but like, an appointment with myself).

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Listen to Your Body

I have to admit, this is the one that I struggle with the absolute most. It’s important to remember though, pushing through every single session isn’t the goal, longevity is. If you’re not sure whether or not you’re pushing yourself too hard, watch for signs like fatigue, poor sleep, or nagging body-aches. One of my biggest telltale signs is irritability. If I start noticing little things get to me more than usual, I ask myself if I’m over-stressing my body, or if I’m simply just having an off day. Either way, it is NEVER wrong to take an unscheduled rest day. Your body sometimes needs rest more than another workout.

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How I Apply This to My Life

Consistency can be harder than some of these workouts in general. Trust me, I get it. Life is unpredictable and non-relenting. Every Saturday though, I try my best to create an outline to structure my weeks. I remind myself that if I can’t make it to a planned session or something else comes up that it’s not the end of the world. I give myself grace on the days that I simply don’t have enough left in my battery to make it to a planned session. Flexibility is key. Here’s how I personally structure my weeks:

• Strength Training (2–3x/week): Weightlifting sessions that focus on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and presses.
• Cardio (1–2x/week): Boxing, HIIT, or inclined walking (while I catch up on my latest Netflix obsession). Things that keep my heart rate up but are also fun.
• Mobility & Recovery (1–2x/week): Yoga flows or stretching to counteract long hours on my feet.

I don’t aim for perfection. Some weeks I train six times, others only four, or even two. What matters most is that I always come back to it. Exercise has helped me feel more energized, improved my mental clarity, and even supports my thyroid health and hormone balance. Healthcare is tough. It keeps me grounded and provides a stress outlet.

Final Pointers

The “perfect” weekly exercise routine isn’t about following a strict formula. It’s more so about creating a balanced plan that supports your goals and fits your lifestyle. By mixing different types of workouts, planning realistically, and staying flexible, you’ll not only build strength and endurance but also improve your mood, confidence, and overall health.

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Remember, my lovies: Exercise isn’t a punishment; it’s a gift to your body.

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Missed part 1? You can find it here! Be sure to subscribe to keep an eye out for the next latest trend breakdown and part 3! Xoxo, C

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