I hate uncertainty. I'm also a big sucker for to-do lists and love planning things meticulously. Especially when going to the gym, I hate walking in there without a real plan of what I'm doing. I think that's why I am such a big fan of Kayla's BBG guide, or any type of workout guide really.

Taking on a ‘mission’ like "I want to get fit" without a defined goal or a plan is the same as walking out of your front door and not knowing where you are heading. If you have no plan and no goal destination, how can you push yourself to achieve that goal? Goals allow us to succeed and success keeps us motivated.

I've been working out regularly aka approximately 6x a week for the last 3 years now and have always followed some sort of guide or self-made plan with semi-realistic goals (alright fine, I still can't do the splits, I still can't do 5 pull ups in a row and I still can't walk in a handstand, so the whole "achievable" part of my goal setting hasn't really worked out that well for me yet...).

But hey, I ran a marathon, and that's a pretty damn good achievement. It's now two weeks post marathon & I am officially ready for a new challenge! I loved focusing more on cardio and yoga over the summer and in preparation of the race, but now I am ready to get back into the gym and work on those #girlgainz. There's something so empowering to weight lifting and I can't wait for that weight-session-endorphin-release.

Let me just put this out there: Lifting weights will not make you bulky unless you are eating a diet that doesn't aid in fat loss. The biggest transformation I saw in my body is when I started picking up weights in the gym, not when I ran 10km on the treadmill every day. Cardio will only take you so far. Yes, cardio will help you loose fat but lifting weights will help you tone up like running could never do.

So without further ado, this is my & Vic's new workout routine

I start each session with a 10-15 minute cardio warm up. This way my heart rate is already pretty high by the time I start the workout, and by super setting my sets I make sure to keep my heart rate up throughout the workout. I also try to stretch after each workout and incorporate a little yoga flow/handstand practice.

Monday - Back day

Warm up: 10 minutes rowing
4 x 1 pull ups
- 10 second decline
4 x 12 deadlifts
- 15 push – ups
4 x 15 bent – over rows
- 10 laydown tuck burpees
4 x 12 bent – over reverse fly
- 1 min plank
4 x 10 lat pull – down
- 12 slow cable row
2 x 25 back extension
- 15 oblique raises (each side)

Tuesday - Leg day

Warm up: 15 minutes sprints
4 x 12 barbell squats
- 10 jump lunges
4 x 12 pulse front – squats
- 20 dumbbell step – ups
4 x 24 weighted lunges
- 10 tuck jumps
4 x 15 weighted sumo pulse squats
- 10 reverse lunge jumps
2 x 20 cable kick – back (each leg)
- 20 cable kick – back crossover
50 donkey kicks (each leg)
- 20 pulse donkey kick

Wednesday - Early morning cycling class

Thursday - Shoulder/bicep day

10 minutes elliptical
4 x 1 pull – ups
- 10 second decline
4 x 10 front lat raises
- 10 side lat raises
4 x 12 dumbell shoulder press
- 10 dumbell bicep curls
4 x 10 cable delt raises
- 10 cable bicep curls
4 x 12 dumbell bench press
- 15 pulse tricep dips
4 x 12 inclined dumbell bench press
- 15 dumbell tricep extension

Friday - a Kayla BBG

Either a full body of the first guide or a personal challenge of the second guide (this depends on whichever body part hurts the least at this point..)

Saturday - Yoga class

Sunday - Cardio session

15 minutes HIIT
45 minutes LISS

Switching things up & a word on finding your balance

Our muscles are very adaptive and after a while they stop responding to whatever workouts we are doing. Because of this it's important to change your routine from time to time. I told myself I'll stick to this plan for 6-8 weeks and then see how I feel and wether I want to continue or switch things up again.

Once I set myself a workout plan, I'm pretty good at sticking to it. I love that feeling of accomplishment knowing that I have achieved what I set my mind to. That being said, I do slip up here and there and don't always end up sticking to the routine the way I would like to. But I have learnt to no longer beat myself up over it. As much as I love having a plan, I try to look at the schedule as a loose guideline rather than a set-in-stone plan.

And yes, I do have rest days and think that they are extremely important. Even though they are not planned into my schedule, they happen when I just don't end up having the time or I notice my body craving a rest. The important thing is to listen to your body.