How to Fit Exercise Into a Busy Life - Tips for Women Lawyers https://corporette.com/category/lifestyle/exercise/ A work fashion blog offering fashion, lifestyle, and career advice for overachieving chicks Mon, 15 May 2023 17:19:52 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.2 https://corporette.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/corporette-favicon-150x150.png How to Fit Exercise Into a Busy Life - Tips for Women Lawyers https://corporette.com/category/lifestyle/exercise/ 32 32 How to Get More Protein Into Your Diet https://corporette.com/how-to-get-more-protein-into-your-diet/ https://corporette.com/how-to-get-more-protein-into-your-diet/#comments Thu, 23 Mar 2023 17:09:00 +0000 https://corporette.com/?p=146320

Trying to up your protein intake, either for satiety or muscle building (or maintenance)? These are my top tips on how to get more protein into your diet -- what are yours?

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collage of 3 ways Kat gets more protein into her diet: cottage cheese, whey protein, and Fairlife shakes

It seems like this advice is everywhere, lately: Get more protein into your diet! Left to my own devices (even with lots of eggs and nuts!), I tend to be under 40 grams of protein a day… which is generally on the lower side. So let’s discuss — readers, are you trying to get more protein into your diet? Which are your favorite protein sources?

I’ve been making an effort to add more, and thought I’d share some of my favorites…

(Note that I don’t personally have any food restrictions — and a lot of my choices tend to be dairy heavy. If you’ve found different protein choices that work with your diet, please share!)

Why You Might Be Trying to Get More Protein Into Your Diet

Maybe this is just the way my social media algorithms are making me feel, but it seems like everywhere there’s advice to eat more protein. The two main arguments I always see:

  • It helps you stay full longer!
  • It helps you build (and maintain) muscle!

Protein is especially important for older people — according to The New York Times, studies show that “on average, people start to gradually lose muscle mass in their 30s and 40s, and that after the age of 60 this decline accelerates.” Yay.

{related: the best strength training programs to do without a gym}

How Much Protein Is Enough?

According to SELF,

The RDA for protein is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, or about 0.36 grams per pound. (So you would multiply your weight in pounds by 0.36 to get your RDA.) For instance, the average 200-pound person needs at least 72 grams of protein per day to meet the RDA.

But that’s the minimum. They note that people with a higher activity level will need more, particularly if you’re trying to build muscle. It’s also recommended that people over 40 should eat more protein.

How much more protein? Again, according to SELF:

Several large organizations—the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy), Dietitians of Canada (DC), and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)—reviewed the research on sports nutrition and agreed that the optimal daily protein intake for active adults and athletes is 1.2 to 2 grams per kilogram of body weight (or 0.5 to 0.9 grams of protein per pound). Similarly, the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommends 1.4 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (or 0.6 to 0.9 grams of protein per pound) for most individuals who are working out.

Based on those recommendations, for instance, a 200-pound person would want to get between 100 and 180 grams of protein a day. Generally, the more active you are—the more frequent, strenuous, and long your workouts are—the higher in that range you’ll be . . .

Another example, using the math: If you’re 125 pounds and active or over 40, you should be getting between 75-112 grams of protein a day.

You can use Examine.com’s Protein Intake Calculator to figure out how much protein you need. (According to the NYT, Examine.com is “a large and independent database of nutrition research.”)

Note that you can only absorb so much protein at a time — depending on your weight it may be somewhere from 25-50 grams per meal.

My Favorite Ways to Get More Protein Into My Diet

1. Cottage Cheese

Good Culture cottage cheese container

I’ve always liked cottage cheese, but after I realized it can have 15-19 grams of protein per half cup, I started liking it a lot more. I’ve eaten fat-free or reduced-fat cottage cheese for years, but I must say: full-fat cottage cheese is so, so, so (SO) much better, and the calorie difference isn’t huge. I highly recommend it!

I’ve seen people pureeing their cottage cheese to get it to a whipped consistency (great for toast!), and I’ve seen people turning it into waffles and more. (There are TikTok recipes out there for making savory waffles with cottage cheese that I can’t find right now; I think going off the keto idea of “chaffles.”)

This is a great pancake recipe involving cottage cheese.

You can also add cottage cheese to scrambled eggs, but in my experience it makes the eggs a lot runnier — I’d only add a quarter cup if I were scrambling two eggs.

{related: snack ideas for work}

2. Greek Yogurt and Protein Yogurt

bag of vanilla whey protein powder

One of my favorite things to eat is “protein yogurt” — plain Greek yogurt with a scoop of protein powder. If you’re avoiding protein powder, you can also use powdered peanut butter for this — I like both the original PBFit and the chocolate flavored version, although I prefer to add chocolate chips, syrup, or a tiny bit of hot cocoa mix if I want to add a chocolate boost.

Greek yogurt is pretty protein heavy on its own, so you can always just add fruit or hot cocoa mix, or some people add about 10 tsp. of Jell-O pudding mix. (I don’t notice a huge difference in taste between full fat Greek yogurt and fat free Greek yogurt the way I do with cottage cheese, for what it’s worth.)

I like to add Fiber One cereal (the old school little sticks) to my yogurt to add some crunch and a lot more fiber.

(Did you know you’re also supposed to be getting 25 grams of fiber a day, minimum? That may be another story all on its own because it’s a challenge to get there consistently. Most vegetables have about 3 grams of fiber per serving.)

{related: how to fit exercise into a busy life}

Do you really need protein powder? No! As mentioned above, you can add fruit, chocolate, or powdered or regular peanut butter to Greek yogurt. According to The New York Times, though, it is a good source of protein:

If you can’t get all the protein you need from whole foods, then it’s fine to boost your intake through protein supplements . . . . Whey protein is a particularly good source of protein because it’s rich in amino acids — the building blocks of protein — and the body absorbs it nicely. It’s also been shown in studies to be particularly beneficial for muscle health when paired with exercise. But for people who are vegan, supplementing with soy, pea or hemp protein products can work as well.

Which is the best protein powder? Well, they’re all a bit of an acquired taste. I’ve bought multiple containers of Optimum Whey Vanilla, Pure Protein Chocolate, and Clean Simple Eats. (I’ve liked most of the CSE flavors I’ve tried, and love that you can buy individually-portioned packs to try different flavors.)

I finished my containers but probably won’t repurchase the flavors I got from Alana Nu (confetti cake) and Quest (caramel) — they were OK but not great. Quest does have an unflavored one I haven’t tried yet — I’ve also heard great things about Buff Chicks Buff Whey Brownie Batter, but have yet to try because it’s always sold out.

{related: how to hire a personal trainer}

3. Protein Pudding

collage of Fairlife protein shake with Jell-O sugar free instant pudding mix

I seriously love this stuff — I waited a long time to try it, but it’s really good. Pro tip #1: You can use any protein shake, but the taste and consistency with the Fairlife protein shakes are unbeatable.

(In general, Fairlife shakes are amazing and drinkable on their own – note that these do not contain whey powder, but instead “ultra-filtered milk.“)

Pro tip #2 for protein pudding: Do not get the cook-and-serve pudding!! I made that mistake at first because, well, I wasn’t thinking. I tend to get the sugar-free Jell-O pudding mixes because they’re fewer calories, but there are regular versions if you prefer that.

Here’s how you make protein pudding: Get a mason jar or other 16-oz. container. Dump an entire bottle of Fairlife shake into the jar. Then add entire packet of Jell-O pudding. Shake well, and refrigerate. That’s it. I tend to view the jar as 2-3 servings and eat as dessert, with whipped cream; the entire jar has 26-30 grams of protein, depending on which shake you used.

What flavors are good here? I’ve had very few failures, and I’ve tried a lot. I’ve never had pistachio pudding in my life, but tried it and now love it with the chocolate Fairlife protein shake.

{related: tips for women lawyers on finding time to exercise}

4. Chicken

Super boring, yes. I’ll either buy the pulled rotisserie chicken from my local grocery store, or throw a few breasts into the crockpot and cook them with broth or salsa for a relatively neutral flavor base. I’ll make chicken quesadillas, add chicken to soup, or eat it on salad.

More Options for Protein

We eat a lot of chicken, and I’ve noted before in our post on warm workday lunches that there are some freezer meals and canned soups that have a relatively high amount of protein. I personally don’t like to eat tuna more than once a week because of concerns over mercury, but a can of tuna has about 40 grams of protein so it’s a great source.

(My favorite tuna recipe, which I sometimes eat on salad and sometimes just in the bowl: 1 can of tuna, drained. Add a splash of pickle juice. Slice 1/2 a large avocado or an entire small avocado. Add Buffalo wing sauce. Mix together, enjoy! Lots of healthy fat, fiber (avocados are high in fiber), and protein.)

What about protein bars? I eat them, but I’m not a huge fan — even eating half of one often feels like I’m choking it down. Built Bars taste the best but have that chemical sweetener that can really affect your digestive system, so… start slow. Trader Joe’s Barebells bars are great and reasonably priced if you buy in store. I like Quest bars, particularly the birthday cake and the cookies & cream one. The Kirkland ones are super affordable but are very dry.

You can also make a lot of things out of high-protein baking mixes like Kodiak; protein pasta like Barilla’s can also help you meet your protein goals. Quest makes a number of savory products like the chips or crackers — these taste OK, and are fine for variety or if you need something quickly. (I saw one recipe where someone used the Quest chips for breading her chicken, which I might try.) If you like pork rinds, those are also pretty high protein and often more affordable than other savory options.

(I should also note that beans and lentils often make a lot of “great for high protein” lists — I personally think their protein count is a bit low compared to other things, so I view them more as a vehicle for fiber, rather than using them to meet my protein goals. Still, they’re incredibly healthy, and everyone should be eating lots of them. Hat tip to the readers for introducing me to the Rancho Gordo Bean Club; we often just soak a bag of beans on Sunday and cook it Monday as part of our weekend meal prep.)

Readers, these are some of my thoughts on how to get protein into your diet — how about you? What are your favorite protein sources?

{related: how to fit lunch workouts into your workday}

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How to Fix “Tech Neck” https://corporette.com/how-to-fix-a-dowagers-hump-and-tech-neck/ https://corporette.com/how-to-fix-a-dowagers-hump-and-tech-neck/#comments Tue, 14 Mar 2023 16:03:00 +0000 https://corporette.com/?p=145385

Are you worried you're getting a hump at the back of your neck? We rounded up some ways to prevent and fix tech neck.

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blonde woman in strappy camisole touches the back of her neck and head; she is wondering how to fix tech neck

Have you ever spotted your profile in the mirror and wondered “Um, what the heck is that behind my neck?!” If not… that moment may be in your future. *ominous music* Today we’re sharing tips for how to fix tech neck, also known as a dowager’s hump — which, despite its name, doesn’t just affect women.

(Whichever dude named it must have also been the one to come up with the phrase “old wives’ tale.”)

What Is a Dowager’s Hump or Tech Neck?

The actual name for Dowager’s hump is kyphosis — and the chronic neck pain and stiffness called “tech neck” can eventually lead to the condition. Both of them are caused by bad posture; tech neck (aka “text neck”) specifically comes from repeatedly hunching over your phone, tablet, and other devices, and also can produce headaches and shoulder pain. Your head weighs about 10 pounds, after all.

We’re not going to tackle other potential causes of kyphosis, which include osteoporosis and fractures, though preventing osteoporosis could be a great topic for another post for readers of all ages.

For a personal side to this: I’m in my 40s, and a few months ago, I spotted what appeared to be a humped area at the base of my neck. My first thought was, “Um, has it always been like this, and this is normal, or is it new?!”

(My mom and late grandmother both have/had osteoporosis and a dowager’s hump, so I was a bit freaked out.)

I, of course, forgot to ask my doctor at my recent physical whether I’m just imagining it, but I did immediately start following advice for proper phone use.

I now try to hold my phone at eye level to avoid putting my head down and hunching my shoulders. True to form, I also googled a couple of exercises to do and subsequently forgot about the printout — but today we’re providing lots more info than that!

Related: Better Ergonomics at the Office

Tips to Help Prevent Tech Neck and Dowager’s Hump

Recline your desk chair. I don’t know about you, but I had always thought you’re supposed to sit up straight while using the computer. In fact (oops), this tends to overwork your neck muscles. It’s best to recline your chair at least 25-30 degrees. Make sure your screen is at eye level, too.

Kat has recommended this monitor riser in the past, and Elizabeth recently suggested this laptop stand .

Get up and move around during the workday. This is good advice in general, of course. It’s easy to set alarms on your phone or use apps like these to give yourself reminders to not stay seated for long periods of time at the office or at home. (They can help you remember to drink water, too.)

NPR reported earlier this year on a study that found that even taking a 5-minute walk every 30 minutes can significantly counteract the harmful effects of sitting for hours.

Regularly do targeted stretching/exercises. Try these suggestions from experts:

  • 10 Tech Neck Exercises to Relieve Tension from Your Upper Body (from a physical therapist) [Self]
  • Best Exercises to Improve Dowager’s Hump (from various experts) [Shape]

Related: Petite Office Ergonomics (and: How Does Your Office Handle Ergonomics?

Tips to Fix Tech Neck and Improve Your Posture in General

We’ve talked before about improving your posture, and back then, readers mentioned core- and back-strengthening exercises (and strength training in general), yoga, Pilates, The Dailey Method, The Gokhale Method, and the book Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges by Amy Cuddy.

Here are some specific exercises to try:

  • 8 Rear Delt Exercises That’ll Help Improve Your Posture [Self]
  • 5 Simple Exercises Than Can Help Improve Your Posture [Real Simple]
  • (video) Better Posture Workout — Exercises to Improve Posture and Prevent Hunched Shoulders [FitnessBlender]
  • (video) Yoga For Healthy Posture — Yoga Tips [Yoga with Adriene]

Of course, if you have any neck, back, and/or shoulder pain that you’re worried about, talk to your doctor!

Readers, do tell: Have you tried to fix tech neck or prevent a dowager’s hump? Do you have issues with your posture, or any neck and shoulder pain in general? Any recs for exercises or videos like those above that really helped you to see improvement?

Pssst: Some of our Favorite Tools for Better Ergonomics at the Office

Pictured, some of our favorite tools for better ergonomics at the office as of 2023…

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Open Thread: How Do You Fit Exercise In When You Work Long Hours? https://corporette.com/how-to-fit-exercise-in-when-you-work-long-hours/ https://corporette.com/how-to-fit-exercise-in-when-you-work-long-hours/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2023 17:38:00 +0000 https://corporette.com/?p=144189

How do you fit exercise in when you work long hours, readers? What works for you, and what are your best tips to others?

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woman does situps; she has a braided ponytail and wears orange leggings

How do you fit exercise into your life, readers? If you’re doing something like 75 Hard with multiple workouts a day, do you do them back to back? Do you do some exercises every day, such as situps before bed? If you strive for a certain step count on top of exercise, how do you find time to get your steps? If your work situation has changed (e.g., remote to in-office, or the reverse), have you changed when/how/where you do your exercise?

Lots of questions!

(Here’s a long ago post from a guest poster/lawyer who shared her tips on finding time to exercise when you hate to exercise…)

My Tips on How to Fit Exercise In When You Work Long Hours

In the past, some of the ideas we’ve discussed include:

Combine your commute and your exercise. Try walking to work or biking to work.

Take exercise snacks. Get small, 5-10 minute bursts of exercise such as a quick lunchtime walk, doing some bodyweight exercises throughout the day, or more — The New York Times has reported that even 20 seconds of exercise can improve your fitness.

Stack your habits. Tie an exercise snack to something you already do, such as doing planks the second you get out of bed, or doing squats between layers of skincare (e.g., serum, squats, Vitamin D, squats, moisturizer, squats, sunscreen, squats).

{related: how to build good habits}

Commit money, such as buying a pack of aerobic classes or hiring a personal trainer for a few times a week.

{related: how much do you spend on fitness?}

Do low-sweat activities for lunch workouts, such as strength training or yoga.

Schedule it, or make it social — as one reader noted, “find friends at work who love working out too and make it an appointment!”

Make it easy. One reader noted that she loves CrossFit because, for her, the key is taking out as much “in the moment” decision-making as possible. I won’t exercise if I have to decide the workout myself so going to CrossFit classes is really helpful — I just have to show up and do the listed workout.”

Make it fun. Whether your workout is your hobby (e.g., hiking), you enjoy seeing yourself be able to lift heavier weights, or you love the music and vibe of the class — make it fun!

{related: the best hiking gear for women}

Readers, what are your tips on how to fit exercise in when you work long hours? What’s working for you?

Stock photo via Stencil.

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What’s Your Biggest Obstacle in Meeting Your Health Goals? https://corporette.com/whats-your-biggest-obstacle-in-meeting-your-health-goals/ https://corporette.com/whats-your-biggest-obstacle-in-meeting-your-health-goals/#comments Tue, 25 Oct 2022 17:28:25 +0000 https://corporette.com/?p=138365

What do you think is your biggest obstacle in meeting your health goals, whatever they may be?

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young professional woman takes a break from her run outside in snowy weather; she wears all black

I saw this question on social media recently, and thought it might be an interesting discussion here: What is your biggest obstacle in meeting your health goals — and how can you overcome it?

For my own $.02, I’ve been trying to prioritize eating healthfully and strength training recently, as well as getting enough sleep. I’ve been doing… OK… but I’m very aware of the fact that we’re heading into the busy season where all health goals go out the window, so I’m trying to recommit so I get at least a few good weeks under my belt before we hit the Thanksgiving-New Year “screw it all” corridor.

Some of the obstacles that I can definitely see standing in the way of my own health goals include

  • a busy lifestyle
  • perfectionism
  • declining willpower as the day wears on
  • feeling entitled to “treats,” whether it’s a bigger dessert than planned or skipping the workout
  • getting overwhelmed by little things, like finding proper gear for the cold or the perfect workout

I don’t think I’m alone in this! We all have good intentions to eat healthily and exercise regularly, but with work, family obligations, social events, and everything else on our plates, it can be hard to prioritize our health.

But here’s the truth: we are our own worst enemies when it comes to health. No one else can make us prioritize our health; it has to come from within. It also involves changing our mindset and viewing health as a priority rather than an afterthought.

How to Meet Your Health Goals (and Overcome the Obstacles In Your Way)

Some of the great tips I’ve seen from the readers over the years include things like these — but what are your best tips?

Set a low bar for success: If you’re a runner, for example, you might say that just putting your running shoes on and leaving the house counts as a win. Is it the 10K the Perfect You would run in record time? Maybe not — but what counts as a win is all in your head.

Remove decisions: Maybe this means prepping your meals for the week on Sunday, making plans to meet a friend after work for a class or a walk, or laying out your workout clothes the night before. (One reader blew my mind when she said she puts entire workout outfits together and keeps them in her drawer like that — top, bottom, socks, underwear, etc. Brilliant!) Remove that decision-making process of whether or not you’ll show up for yourself today, and make it harder for yourself to not do the work than to do it.

Remember that health is a long game — don’t beat yourself up over one missed workout or one meal: For me, this looks like that interior voice that says “Screw it, we’re already off track this week — we’ll start again Monday.” Uh huh…

Commit to yourself for 24 hours: Plan your meals for the next 24 hours according to whatever your health goals are: vegetables, fiber, protein, whatever. Plan one workout that you know is a good one. (Am I the only one who intends to work out and then gets sidetracked by fussing with the app or finding the exact workout you want to do?)

What is your biggest health goal obstacle? How do you plan to overcome it? Share your tips with us in the comments below!

Stock photo via Deposit Photos / nicoletaionescu.

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What Workouts Are You Loving Right Now? https://corporette.com/what-workouts-are-you-loving-right-now/ https://corporette.com/what-workouts-are-you-loving-right-now/#comments Mon, 13 Jun 2022 16:46:48 +0000 https://corporette.com/?p=132213

For those of you who are back in the office -- are you working out midday, before work, or after? For those of you working from home, how do you fit your workouts into your workflow? And -- what workouts are you loving right now, whether an in-person class or a streaming workout?

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a woman walks on gravel; she wears gray sneakers and a pinkish legging.

For those of you who are back in the office — are you working out midday, before work, or after? For those of you working from home, how do you fit your workouts into your workflow? And — what workouts are you loving right now, whether an in-person class or a streaming workout?

For my $.02, I’ve been suffering from motivation for a while for my strength training workouts at home, so I’ve decided to try to focus on consistency and just meeting the lowest bar possible — so for me that’s a walking workout. I’ve started listening to audiobooks during them, which makes it something I look forward to once I’m mid-book. (Right now I’m reading Jackaby (affiliate link), which I picked up after someone described it as “Sherlock Holmes meets Buffy.”) And I’m being consistent, which is my goal. (Unfortunately I’m most consistent if I do it right after the kids are out of the house, which means a lot of my mornings feel like they go flying out the window.)

I’m still wary of going into a gym to exercise, but then we’re Very Covid Cautious. (Here’s a recent NYT article about how people “expel a shocking number of tiny aerosol particles when they are working hard.”)

How about you, readers? What workouts are you into right now? If you’re like me and tend to have fits and spurts of exercise, what workouts do you do? If you’re back at the gym, what classes or machines did you miss the most?

(Oh, and another question — what are you wearing to exercise? Are you a fan of the matchy-matchy looks that seem to be all over Instagram? I keep seeing this set recommended…)

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The Best Strength Training Programs to Do At Home https://corporette.com/the-best-strength-training-programs-to-do-without-a-gym/ https://corporette.com/the-best-strength-training-programs-to-do-without-a-gym/#comments Thu, 20 Jan 2022 18:35:31 +0000 https://corporette.com/?p=120426

What are your favorite strength training programs to do at home? We're rounding up a bunch of ones we've heard good things about...

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woman wearing yellow sneakers, lifting a kettlebell

Are you in search of a new way to exercise at home? Particularly if you want to get stronger, it can be a bit tricky to find a good strength training program to do without a gym, and I just saw a good roundup of different programs, so I thought we’d discuss. Readers, what are your favorite strength training programs to do at home? In general what are your favorite exercises or programs to do at home?

We’ve discussed a lot of the most-recommended programs previously, so here’s a quick listing of the ones that are probably familiar to you already:

I still really like the Sweat App, but I’m always on the hunt for more, so when I saw a big discussion in a Facebook group I saved the conversation for myself, and I thought I’d round up some of the answers here!

I also signed up for a January challenge from something not mentioned here, in part because I’m annoyed at the app as well as at half of the workouts… but maybe that’s a me-not-figuring-it-out-yet problem. I was also on the cusp of signing up again for a program I’d done in the past and really liked the workouts (FASTer Way to Fat Loss, circa 2018) — I hadn’t liked the nutritional advice component (spoiler alert, there’s fasting) but the workouts were really solid, so I was thinking about signing up for the next round again.)

One more note — I know readers swear by Peloton workouts, but I haven’t found good ones for strength training — do tell, which are your favorite instructors for strength training? When I tried to look a few weeks ago it seemed like 1–3 lb. weights?)

This post contains affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!

{related: lifting for women (2014 discussion)}

The Additional Four Strength Training Programs At Home I Hear About the Most

Honestly I feel like people still love the ones we’ve already reviewed! But there are a few more programs that I keep hearing about, so let’s get into them.

Let’s do the free ones first…

Caroline Girvan

Caroline Girvan — 10-week EPIC program, free on YouTube — here’s the first workout

Sample review, from the site Girls Love Evidence:

The EPIC Program focuses on functional movements that often recruit more muscles than what is explicitly being worked. This allows for better stability and overall movement. I was shocked by how often the exercises that were bodyweight or balance-based were more challenging than those where I was lifting.

My notes: I’ve only done a few of these workouts — they’re kind of reminiscent of the Bodypump options in that they will kick your butt but are fairly repetitive movements with lighter weights, at least the one I did. Some of the early workouts were beyond my skill level (like the one where you did a round of pushups every three minutes, unless I was doing them against the wall or on my knees), but people absolutely love her so I keep wanting to try her out further.

{related: how to hire a personal trainer}

Sydney Cummings

Sydney Cummings — If you look at her YouTube playlists she has a number of 4-week programs, as well as a few longer ones.

Here’s a sample review of Sydney Cummings, from Reddit:

I am noticeably stronger, have more endurance, and have moved up in weights. She’s easy to follow and it’s taken a lot of the planning out of my exercise! I’m really pleased with where it’s put me physically and mentally.

The next few cost a bit of money, but not much…

{related: how to fit lunch workouts into your workday}

MegSquats / Stronger by the Day

Stronger by the Day, by Strong Strong Friends — $9.99 a month gets you at-home and gym plans for barbells, complete with gifs. Their pitch: “If you’ve been cherry picking workouts from Instagram influencers or have seen a plateau in strength, it’s time to find a dedicated strength program that provides a focused path to a stronger you. We take care of all the planning, so whether you want to use our in-gym barbell version or at-home bodyweight version, all you have to do is show up and follow the plan.”

Here’s a review from blogger LiftBakeLove (who notes that she’s an experienced lifter coming back from a serious back injury):

There’s a ton of variety week to week and block to block. I never get bored with the workouts.

There’s so many substitutions offered for the different movements so if I shouldn’t do something because of my back injury or it’s not available at the gym, it’s super easy to still get the workout done.

Beyond the strength gains, I can definitely see a change in my body composition which I’m super exited about.

The founder, Meg, just had a baby, so they’ve added prenatal and postpartum fitness programs. They also have a program called “Before the Barbell” if you’re just starting out with strength training…

{related: how to find time to exercise}

THINNER LEANER STRONGER

Michael Matthews, the author of this bestselling book, also offers a Year One Challenge book, laying out the exercise program (the original book focuses both on nutrition and strength training).

Sample review from Amazon:

The book covers meal planning, how to adjust your macros based on your goals (losing weight/gaining muscle or maintaining), and strength training. I’m a 37-year old mom of two and I work full-time as an attorney. I have always been athletic and comfortable in the gym—I played tennis and volleyball in high school, was on the rowing team in college, and have ran two marathons and many half marathons. But I never prioritized weight lifting and knew nothing about progressive overload training.

. . . Even with my imperfections, it hasn’t even been two months and I’ve lost 10 pounds. Most importantly, my scale also shows fat loss and muscle gains. My clothes fit better and I’m excited to see where I am 6 months from now. Equally exciting is my progress in strength. 

It’s a 12-week program that you “unlock” by paying for the Bodybuilding app for $6.99 a month (or $48 for the year).

{related: tips for women lawyers on finding time to exercise}

Even More Apps and Programs to Try for Lifting Workouts at Home

Readers, do you have thoughts on any of these lifting programs and apps?

  • Alive App
  • Biolayne Workout Builder
  • Bodybuilding.com App — particularly, the Jamie Eason LiveFit program
  • Blue Star Nutraceuticals on YouTube
  • Booty by Brett
  • Clank: Weight Lifting App
  • Dr. Jim Stoppani’s Shortcut to Size
  • Emily Skye Fit or HIIT Burn
  • EOU, Cathe.com
  • Erin Stern
  • Fit by Katy
  • HASFIT
  • Hybrid Performance Method
  • Kim French Fitness
  • Kristie Barker’s Girl Hustle Bikini Fit
  • Lyle McDonald’s Generic Bulking Routine
  • Mari Fitness Slay App
  • Mark Carroll’s programs – Bikini Body
  • Paula Nordine Fighter Diet
  • PHUL – Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower
  • PowHer Fit
  • Sweeney Fitness
  • Swolenormous
  • TheWkout.com
  • Tonal
  • TTSL Thick Thighs Save Lives from Constantly Varied Gear (I also hear great reviews of CVG leggings, but haven’t pulled the trigger yet myself.)

Readers, what are your thoughts — are you still working out at home? What programs or apps do you follow most religiously? Have you started anything new recently (perhaps for a resolution)? What are your favorite strength training programs at home?

{related: how to diet while working a corporate job}

Stock photo (woman wearing yellow sneakers, lifting a kettlebell) via Stencil.

You may have read that women should do strength training -- but it can be tricky to know how to start, especially if you want to work out in a home gym. Kat and the readers have always been fans of lifting for women, so we rounded up 40 programs you can do at home, taking a closer look at the 4 strength training programs we've been hearing about the most, including Caroline Girvan, Sydney Cummings, Thinner Leaner Stronger, and MegSquats. (We've also done more in-depth reviews of apps like Fitbod and SWEAT, and streaming programs like Beachbody, BodyPump, and more!) What are your favorite strength training programs to do?

#corporette #strengthtrainingtips #liftingforwomen #liftheavy #getswole #getstrong #epicheat #strongfriends #liift4

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