My Exercise Routine | Feeling Great and Staying Motivated!

Today I am writing about something a little different than usual — my exercise routine. Why I love it so much and how it benefits my physical and mental well-being. Plus my tips for staying motivated. Let’s be fit together in 2025!

Exercise in My Life

Today I am doing something a little different here.

I know most of you join me here for home and lifestyle content.

Plus, of course, MM&C (Maine, Maddie, & Cisco)…

But exercise is also a big part of my life.

And, since some of you might be looking to be more active this year, I thought I would share my exercise routine and why it is so important to me.

How it makes me feel great.

Plus, my tips for staying motivated.

Exercise truly is key to both my physical and mental well-being.

Let’s be fit together in 2025!

My Exercise History

Exercise and fitness have been important to me since I was young.

Swimming

Starting with 8-&-Under summer swim league, to year-round-club swimming, to the high-school team, I was wet and smelled of chlorine for most of my childhood.

Competitive swimming is one of the most intense sports (and a great full-body form of exercise), but it instilled in me a lifelong love of that feeling of power you get from a good workout.

Post knee surgery

Unfortunately, it probably also exacerbated my predisposition towards loose joints. In 7th grade I blew out both my knees playing tag in the school gym at recess. I soldiered on through middle and high school– swimming, skiing, cycling, playing tennis, hiking, and running, Only pausing to recover after my knee cap would slide around and the joint would swell.

By the end of my freshman year in college, though, my knees were so bad that I underwent double knee surgery.

After healing, I carried on as best I could.

I did Jane Fonda workouts in my college dorm room. Ran when my knees allowed. And as a young professional, I joined a gym and got into Step classes.

(Do any of you remember when we used to wear a leotard, tights, and white hightop Reebok sneakers to work out?! And of course the leg warmers…)

I cut back on exercise during my childbearing and rearing days. Though I did swim when I was pregnant with Leah, my oldest. Maybe that is why she was also a competitive swimmer through college!

But, really, isn’t chasing around after 3 little ones exercise enough?!

After my kids got to a certain age, though, I rejoined the gym, focusing on low impact aerobic classes (knees…), weight machines, and the elliptical.

Cycle love

Then one day on a whim, I signed up for a spin class.

And I was completely hooked.

Spin class led to me getting a road bike. Which I started riding locally with friends from the gym. And then we began doing longer multi-day rides. We did a few MS150 rides (A 150-mile fundraiser to help fight Multiple Sclerosis), biked across Iowa with RAGBRAI (IYKYK), biked from village to village in Tuscany, rode up to and around Crater Lake in Oregon, and spent several weeks biking and camping in different parts of Maine.

These were my favorite exercise years. My knees never hurt when I was on the bike!

When I moved to Maine, I sadly left my cycling gang and my gym behind.

Which brings me to present day, working out at home with Peloton — cardio, strength training, and mobility.

I will get to the details of my exercise routine soon!

The Benefits of Exercise

But first, let’s talk a bit about the general benefits of exercise.

Of course you can read plenty about all that an exercise routine can do for you both physically and mentally.

Regular exercise can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and even some cancers. It helps to strengthen muscles and bones, making osteoporosis and fractures less likely. Getting active boosts your mood, improves sleep quality, and reduces stress and the risk of depression and anxiety. It increases energy levels, improves immune function and enhances cognitive function and memory.

Simply put, regular exercise dramatically improves the quality of your life and helps you live longer.

But, here today I want to talk about some of the concrete things I have noticed that exercise has done for me personally, both physically and mentally.

Physical

As I mentioned earlier, cycling (indoors and out) has been my primary form of exercise for a number of years. It has given me strong legs, lungs, and heart. I have outstanding stamina and endurance.

At 63, my bones are healthy and strong.

I have a family history of high blood pressure, but I take only the lowest level of medication to control it.

After basically an entire lifetime of chronic knee issues, I learned earlier this week that I have advanced arthritis in both my knees. And yet, except for the occasional flare-up, I generally have only minor pain as I move about my day. I am convinced that the strong muscles in my legs and keeping the joints moving has helped to keep my knees as pain-free as possible.

I also believe that working up a good sweat almost every day has done more to keep my skin youthful looking than all the creams and lotions I have used. (Though, I still love a good skin care routine too!)

Since I started focusing more on strength training in the past year, I have been able to move to heavier weights, and I am noticeably stronger functionally. I have dramatically improved the form of my push-ups, and can now easily do a “V-up”. In 2024, I lost both belly fat and a few pounds. While I wouldn’t say that I needed to lose weight, I definitely feel better about the way clothes hang on me now.

Basically, I feel strong, healthy, and younger than my age! And I want to stay that way as long as possible for my children and grandchildren.

Mental

In addition to the endorphin rush, there is so much about exercise that makes me feel good emotionally and mentally.

Working out and being strong gives me a huge sense of accomplishment.

Completing a 90-minute class or a set of intense intervals on the bike reinforces to me that I can do hard things. That carries into the rest of my life.

I am proud (and sometimes amazed) by what my body is able to do, even as I age.

In a world where so much is out of our control, exercise and taking good care of myself are two things over which I do have control. This gives me a sense of empowerment.

The time I spend on the bike, lifting weights, crunching my core, or stretching tight muscles gives me time to process things that are happening in my life and the world. Or a time when I can just let go of everything, if that is what I need.

I have literally “worked out” a lot of things on the bike over the years.

During Covid, I had a streak of over a year without missing a Peloton workout — from lockdown until I was able to travel for the first time. I felt so grateful to be healthy, with lungs that could pump oxygen throughout my body.

And the other day when I returned from the doctors appointment where I received the discouraging news about my knees, I got on the bike for a 90-minute ride. I needed to prove to myself that I was still strong, despite my arthritic joints. To feel like myself, and not just a patient facing knee replacement sometime in the future.

My Exercise Routine

So, what is this exercise routine that has me feeling so great?!

I don’t have a hard and fast schedule or plan. Just a general framework I follow.

I aim to work out 6-7 days a week. This is generally for 30 minutes to 1 hour. But sometimes I only have time for a quick 20-minutes. And other days I will go for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

I do a mix of cardio, strength, and stretching.

Cardio:

5-7 times a week, 20-90 minutes per session.

A mix of lower intensity endurance rides and higher intensity interval and climb rides.

I am generally an endurance rider, but stimulating those fast-twitch muscles needed for short high-intensity intervals is particularly important as we age.

During the week I usually focus on a mix of cardio and strength training, so my cycle classes are generally shorter, 20-30 minutes. On weekends I try to get in a couple of longer rides, 45-90 minutes.

Of course it is always important to throw in a few fun or low-key rides each week for recovery after harder workouts. Or when I am just feeling tired.

My favorite Peloton classes are Power Zone Endurance, climb, HIIT and Hills, and Tabata rides!

Strength training

4-6 times a week, 5-40 minutes per session.

Upper body with weights and core work.

I generally can’t do lower body strength classes, because squats and lunges hurt my knees. Fortunately, my legs and glutes get a good workout from the cycling.

Usually one or two days a week I will focus on strength training with longer 20-30-minute classes. Other days I will just add a 5-10-minute core and/or upper body class on after cycling.

Again, strength training with heavier weights is particularly important for women as we age. It helps to combat natural muscle loss and strengthens bones.

Stretching

5-7 times a week, 5-20 minutes per session

I wrote in my post Farewell 2024! Let’s Get 2025 Started! that I wanted to focus more on stretching this year. Maintaining mobility as we grow older is so important!

Peloton has a wide variety of stretch and mobility classes. I usually do post-ride stretch and lower or full-body stretch classes.

Sometimes I also use the foam roller.

Yoga would also be good, but I find that many of the positions put stress on my knee joints.

Let’s Be Fit Together in 2025!

I know many people find it hard to stay motivated to keep an exercise routine going. Here is what I have found works for me!

• First and foremost, find something you love to do. If you don’t enjoy it, you won’t want to do it.

• Set aside a designated workout space in your home. It doesn’t need to be a fancy home gym. Just someplace that you enjoy spending time. I have my Peloton bike, a cushioned mat, and weights tucked into a corner of the waterside guest room. You won’t find me complaining about his ad hoc space, though, because I have a spectacular view of the water from the bike!

• If you are working out with an instructor — either in person or virtually — make sure it is someone who inspires you. It is so important to have someone who encourages you to work harder or to keep going when things get rough.

• Make exercise a priority in your day. If need be, put it on your calendar. I don’t schedule my workouts, but each day I ask myself when, not if, I will work out that day. Evenings are usually best for me. But, depending on my day’s schedule, I might have to squeeze something in in the morning or afternoon.

• Even if you feel tired or unmotivated, just try doing something, no matter how short or small. Chances are you will feel better than you think and might even be inspired to move a little more. I almost always feel more energized after I move a bit.

• That said, some days you do need a break. If you are sick, it is definitely okay to skip a workout. And if you just need a day off, allow yourself the grace to take it. But then get back into your routine the next day.

• Use goals and metrics to keep yourself moving ahead. That is one thing that I love about Peloton. They have monthly and annual activity challenges. Plus, the bike itself provides you with all kinds of metrics — cadence, resistance (tension on the wheel), output, and more! When I get a PR (personal record) on a ride, I feel great about myself!

• At the same time, don’t expect that your fitness journey will always be a positive one. You will go through slumps. And there will definitely be days (or weeks and even months) that you just don’t feel as strong. I have noticed since I moved to Maine that my body really slows down in the winter. From January into April, no matter how hard I work, I can’t get the output on the bike that I do in the summer. I have learned to take this time to focus more on weight training.

• Get a friend or family member involved! This does not mean you need to work out together. But have someone that you are accountable to or with whom you can share your workout experiences. For me, this is usually my daughter Zoë. We share favorite workouts, take classes together virtually, and I check in on her profile to see what she has been up to. And I definitely let her know when I complete a workout I am particularly proud of!

If you need it, I would love to be that person for you! Let me know in comments or email, how you are moving, getting strong, and stretching this year! Or join me on Peloton for a ride! I am MollyinMaine there too!

Let’s be fit together in 2025!

This Week Into Next

It was a busy week, with all my usual activities, plus the appointment with the orthopedic doctor down in Portland.

I took advantage of the trip to the big city to go to a Joann’s Fabric to get materials for Jamie’s 2nd birthday crown! He loves any kind of vehicle (or “toot-toot” as he calls them), so I picked out a fabric with cars and trucks on it. I can’t say the colors are my favorite, but he certainly won’t care, ha!

So I have sewing plans for this weekend — the crown plus a birthday gift for my daughter Zoë. She was a Groundhog Day baby!

We have snow in the forecast Sunday into Monday! I need to remember to put my jammies on inside out when I go to bed on Sunday night!

Monday is the MLK Day of Service. Think about helping out in your community or giving to a charity that means something to you. It is the day the food pantry I am associated with holds a big fundraiser. You can read all about Fill The Strand here. (Or even donate!)

Thursday I am headed back down to the doctor for a cortisone injection in my left knee. It has been flaring recently, so I am giving this a try for the first time. If any of you have had this procedure done, I would love to hear about your experience. I am kind of nervous!

That’s it for this week!

Be well and stay active, friends!