Your BUF Girl Weekly Workout Planner

Ever feel confused about what your perfect week of training should look like? What should you be doing? Should you workout every single day? How intensely? And should you be doing more weights, cardio, or yoga?First up, lets just address the fact we use the term ‘perfect’ loosely because training programs will vary from person-to-person based on what your goals are and what’s going on in the rest of your life. Just like there's no magic tablet for losing weight and different approaches work for different body types, there’s not a single magic workout schedule that works for everyone on the planet either.You need to do what works for your body shape, energy levels, lifestyle and personality... but we can  help point you in the right direction ;)Here are some of the things to think about when creating your perfect workout week:

Time it right

One of the most important things you can do is find a time that best suits your energy levels and schedule, then open your diary and get planning. Pop all your work, school and family commitments in before you ‘book’ your training sessions as if they were business meetings.

Include Functional Movement

Including some functional movement in your training schedule is important. This basically means: as well as workouts that focus on building strength and burning fat, you are also improving other movement skills that apply to your daily life and hobbies, such as agility, balance and conditioning. Think bending, throwing, catching, rotating, balancing, crawling, side-stepping, leaping and striking. Hint: most machines in gyms won’t fit this description, so get outdoors, or find yourself a personal trainer who can guide you through a quality functional session once a week.

Intensity

You need to get a little uncomfortable at least 2-3 times per week if you want to see results. When your body is put under intense enough stimulus (lifting heavy weights, running fast, etc), it’s forced to change and positively adapt. So conquer the pain and push your limits a few times each week to achieve your goals more quickly. Make sure you nail the correct technique before you ramp up, as this will make sure you avoid injury and get the results you’re after.

Move every day

Try not to think about exercise in terms of burning calories or something you’re doing short-term just to lose a cheeky few kilos. Focus on moving your body because it makes you feel good, not because you have a weekly exercise quota and remember, movement can be anything from walking to stretching, dancing with your girlfriends, playing with your kids, climbing trees, going surfing or stand-up paddle-boarding. So much more fun than sitting on the couch all day, right?

Amp up the fun

Dreading workouts is sooooo last year. These days, there are so many workout options that you’re guaranteed to find one that tickles your fancy. If you love solo workouts, try shaking up your routine with a few workout DVDs, or just set yourself a timed challenge, or weight lifting goal and see if you can beat it! If you’re a gal who needs a little company, join a bootcamp that creates fun workouts and provides an awesome group vibe. BUF hot tip: once a week do an activity that is absolutely new, or purely for fun. Stuck for ideas? Try a dance class, take a SUP lesson, go for a romantic sunset walk with your man, or just hit the beach and do a little body surfing.

It's gotta be sustainable

There are 52 weeks in that diary, so make your exercise plan sustainable. Don’t go too hard from day one, rather spread your energy out with a mix of intense workouts, lower intensity efforts and ‘just for fun’ activities that get you moving. Make it realistic – 3 quality workouts every week of the year will get you much better results than 5 workouts one week and zero for the next few. Being extreme does not create lifelong, healthy habits.

Nutrition rules

Training with intensity and consistency means your body will be crying out for adequate nutrients and repair time. A quality diet and sleep routine is important, so pop those all-important recovery days in your plan, set an alarm that reminds you to turn off your screens and get ready for bed each night and make sure you refuel with healthy proteins, veggies or fruit after sessions. Include plenty of good fats in your nutrition plan too, as they’re essential for weight management, skin health and stress reduction – fats are best eaten a few hours before your workout, or a few hours afterward, as they’re not well metabolised during or immediately after exercise. 

So a typical week might look like...

Need a bit more specific guidance? Here’s an example of what to include on a typical week for a general, full-body BUF Girl fitness plan:

• 2-3 x total body strength training sessions
• 1-2 x dedicated cardio sessions OR simple include 10-15 minutes worth of higher intensity cardio/metabolic conditioning at the end of your strength sessions.
• 1-2 x recovery sessions such as yoga, stretching, a long walk or slow jog
• 1-2 x “just for fun” activities that get you moving!

Still confused? Try this weekly schedule:

Monday: StrengthTuesday: CardioWednesday: StrengthThursday: CardioFriday: StrengthSaturday: Rest or Yoga/Stretch/WalkSunday: Rest or Yoga/Stretch/Walk 

Or this one...

Monday: Strength/Cardio CombinedTuesday: Rest or Yoga/Stretch/WalkWednesday: Strength/Cardio CombinedThursday: Rest or Yoga/Stretch/WalkFriday: Strength/Cardio CombinedSaturday: Rest or Yoga/Stretch/WalkSunday: FUN DAY! Do something new, or revisit an old fave ;) For those of you who love boxing, running, dancing, cycling and similar, feel free to plug in any of those activities where you see the term "cardio." Depending on your fitness level, the cardio can be steady state (e.g. jogging) or interval (e.g sprint and rest combos).Happy planning!