I’ve gotten a question (kidding, I just felt like talking about it) about my current fitness routine.  So buckle up, because I’m about to share more about my fitness than any other human could ever care to know.

I’m the sort of person who NEEDS to follow a prescribed fitness program, I really don’t do well with trying to come up with stuff on my own and end up just dicking around aimlessly.  It’s way too easy for me to be like “ok screw it, I will just elliptical and watch tv for hours on end per week, ensuring that I don’t actually exert any effort.”  And while that’s certainly better than nothing, it’s not doing a whole lot to help me achieve the body that I want.

I’ve followed a lot of programs (half marathon training, 30 Day Shred, Jillian Michael’s Body Revolution, Kayla Itsines’ Bikini Body Guide, New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women, Nike Training Club, Lauren Gleisberg’s 30×30, JNL Fusion to name a few) and have found that I do best with something that is mostly circuit training and strength moves.  I like the variety and it seems to do the best with helping me lose weight (when that is my goal).

I lost a decent amount of weight in the beginning of this year and through the summer while doing the Bikini Body Guide (BBG) and 30×30.  Then I started half marathon training.  I have yet to successfully drop pounds while training for any sort of race distance.  I’m sure it’s possible, but either I don’t understand the calorie adjustments I need to make while running, or I have other external factors that cause me to lose motivation, or I just don’t push myself enough while running.  Or something.  It just doesn’t work for me.  And I have these last 5 vanity pounds that I am somewhat committed to losing.

BUT I also don’t want to give up my running endurance that I’ve built and would really like to focus on speed.

Sooo, all of this long-winded ramble to say that I’m going to go back to a routine that is mostly circuit training and some strength, with a little bit of running thrown in.  I’m basing my routine on a program that Lauren Gleisberg is currently running, since I’ve had success with her programs and genuinely enjoy them.  I’m using the Fitabulous Fall calendar, and will insert two run days per week.  I’m not substituting days, just adding days, so this will stretch out the calendar.  For example, my first week looked something like this:

For my runs, I’m planning to do one day a week of a tempo or interval run, and one day of a normal/slow run.  Here are some articles or suggested workouts that I’m using to base my speed runs on:

4 Tempo Run Workouts to Tune Up Your Training 

Run a 5K Faster with These Five Fun Workouts

Interval Running Workout to Make Time Fly on the Treadmill

So!  That’s what my plan is for the next few months.  I plan on updating you guys on the program and how I’m progressing and liking it as I go along and will be sure to do a full review of the program at the end!