Welcome to Workout Diaries, a series where we ask expert trainers to talk us through what a week of exercise looks like for them, helping you figure out how to develop and maintain an effective workout routine.
Britany Williams is an NASM personal trainer and Sweat fitness app coach, based in Portland, Oregon.
Williams does a combination of strength training, Barre and running for her “goals and sanity,” but sets a hard time limit on these sessions because she simply doesn’t have the time to exercise for any longer.
“I want my workout to work and I want it to be done in 45 minutes max,” she tells Fit&Well. “I’ve stripped away a lot of the unnecessary distractions and if it doesn’t serve my goal of getting stronger for baby number two, or simply make me happy, then it’s not happening.”
Williams says her approach to exercise has changed since becoming a mom. “It doesn’t sound flashy, but right now my focus is efficiency and effectiveness. As a working mom, I simply don’t have one-and-a-half hours to give to my workout anymore—even as a fitness trainer.”
And now she is trying to get pregnant, she says exercise is more about preparing her body and mind to be as strong as possible. She says: “Right now I want to gain strength and feel energized as I’m trying for baby number two, and I’m in the weird limbo of anticipating a lot of emotional and physical change.
“I’m not spending a lot of time chasing personal bests, I’m just trying to gain consistency in strength training and using running as a mental release.”
Williams says she finds workout motivation by reminding herself how she feels after exercising. “I simply feel better when I’m in a good workout routine,” she says. “It reminds me that I’m capable, strong and confident.
“I think some women are motivated by other people or by being a role model for their kids, but I find that I just want to make myself proud, and having consistency in my workouts—even if they aren’t perfect—motivates me to continue.”
Britany Williams’ weekly workout routine
Monday 5.30am
45min lower-body strength
Tuesday 5.30am
45min upper-body strength
Wednesday 12.30pm
30min walk (rest day)
Thursday 5.30am
30min Barre
Friday 5.30am
30min full-body strength
Saturday
2pm
30min run
Sunday
All day “playing with kiddo” (rest day)
Britany Williams’ top three workout tips
1. Fit exercise in when you can
“I recently started waking up early to work out at 5.30am and I was so against this for so many years,” says Williams, “because I see so many parents sacrifice precious sleep to fit in a workout and I am very against that decision.
“But I promised myself that I would start going to bed at 9.30pm—instead of my previous 11-11.30pm—and it’s been a really nice new routine that I’ve done for a few months now.”
2. You need a plan
“I think a lot of people waste a lot of their time trying to string together random exercises and workouts, and are left wondering why they aren’t getting the results they want,” says Williams. “Following a set plan built by a trainer is going to help progress you forward and is going to minimize injury risk.
“With that said, I think any plan should have some wiggle room. So if you want to work out four days a week, maybe find a plan to follow that is three days a week and use that fourth day to just have some fun. If you aren’t enjoying what you’re doing, it won’t work.”
3. Allow yourself grace to skip a workout
“My goal is to exercise up to five times a week and I usually do four unless I’m sick or super busy at work. Yes, I will skip a workout if work is just too demanding. Sometimes that hour is better spent feeling productive, not exercising. I know that may come as a shock from a trainer who is supposed to tell you to always make the time, but I don’t think that’s realistic.
“Some days, my alarm goes off and the call to get work done is stronger than the call to work out. Now that’s rare, but it does happen. And if I’m sick, I’ll use the extra time to sleep instead of working out.”
