A few days back I have shared the first year of getting back into shape. This is obviously a longer journey. Elevating my exercise routine and health is my next step and the goal for 2025. Because I have big plans for 2026. Do you want to hear?
Alright, I am putting it out into the universe and hope things will align for me to make this come true. Here is the story.
As you may know the husband is working in advertising. For that he often has campaign shootings and he is using professional photographers. This one guy has started doing expeditions and keeps inviting my husband. My husband has no intention on going to the desert or the arctic sleeping in tents and not being able to shower for a couple of days. Or doing any sort of survival expedition and pushing his limits. I’m on the other hand am fascinated. So when by late December he received the infos for the upcoming tour I was again over the moon interested.
I asked for more info and what the required fitness level would be. The answer was you need to be able to jog 6km in under an hour. Well… that doesn’t sound too hard as I can walk 6 km in under an hour. But I didn’t really trust this was all. I started looking more closely into the packaging of the northern lights tour to Sweden which is really really speaking to me. It requires being on cross country ski 6-9 km a day. It is not too much – my first cross country skiing experience I did 15 km. But I was in better shape. And it was not -20 degree. I read the terms and conditions and looked at some more info and had to be honest with me that I would maybe manage the tour but would not enjoy it because I would constantly battle to keep up. I would not be able to enjoy the experience to the fullest.
And this is not the first time I am opting out of an adventure because I feel (know?) I will not be able to keep up. A couple of years ago I heard about a photography expedition into the glaciers of Iceland. Oh I really wanted to do this but there were 3 hour hikes to get to places included carrying all the equipment and stuff. I knew this would not be possible and I was sad and let it go.
But reading it this time I feel like no more. I want to have such an experience. So here is the deal. I will tell the guide I will be signing up for the 2026 adventure. That will give me one more year to get in shape. And then additional 3 month (tours are in March and April) to specifically get prepared for the expedition.
This is intimidating. And just thinking about this makes me (almost) cry of happiness. A big dream. And some goals to make it happen.
How to move forward and elevate my exercise routine
After sharing some basic numbers previously and having a benchmark I am ready to set some goals for myself and to elevate my exercise routine in 2025.
- I will be hitting a average of 7,000 daily steps – this is an increase of 1000 steps a day and will be taking some effort to achieve on a daily basis
- I will walk a total of at least 1,900 km – an increase by 189 km and an average of 5km a day
- I will do two yoga sessions a week and aim for three → minimum goal is 104 sessions
- I will do one weight lifting session per week and aim for three → minimum goal is 52 sessions
- I will go swimming in summer and aim for 20 swims in the river.
- I will do lunchtime walks on weekdays, join the Cool Bloggers Walking Club in April and October and will aim for one long walk (5km and more) every month.
- I will aim for six days of 10,000 steps per months – this will not be easy and I am rather sure I will fail this.
- I will aim for four days of closed rings on my Apple Watch (I set my limits high so this is not easy).
- I will be able to walk a 4 hour stretch without a break. Multiple days in a row?
- I will increase my muscle mass by 2%.
- I will increase my cardio cardio fitness by 2 points (according to my apple health app)
- I will increase my walking pace by 2 km/hour.
With the dream goal in mind these exercising goals may be too low. And I am missing some cardio goals here. However, I am starting with this and do a check in every three month to see where I’m at and how I may push it up. I will try to get the training plan from the expedition before officially booking. Maybe I am in luck. I may have to sign up to a gym or use a personal trainer. I am not yet sure. Things will fall in place but I need to get started. Now that I have this dream sketched before my eyes I know it will take shape.
Who has done something like this? What is taking you out of your comfort zone? How do you elevate your exercise routine and health? Have you ever used a personal trainer? Anyone wanting to come to this adventure with me?
14 comments
What a great goal and so nice to have a tangible reason to be working toward increased fitness.
You can do this, Tobia <3
Thank you for the encouragement. I am so excited so that will give me lots of motivation but it will still be tough. So far I am doing good on day 12. Ha!
Wow, exciting! You can totally do this. It will be a lot of work, but you can do it, you have realistic and challenging goals. Are there any hills, even small ones, in your area? I think walking up hills can really help your cardio. Which reminds me, there is a hill that I can reach if I leave early enough on my morning walk, and I haven’t done it in quite a while. Soon it will be light enough in the mornings I think, so maybe I can do that soon…
I’m excited for you!
Thank you Julie. I am excited myself. No it I rather flat where I live however I found a tiny incline in the woods (5 meters maybe – probably a palisade from the war) and I’ve been going that up and down in snow which made my heart beat a little faster. Also I have heard about a hike over end morraines somewhere around Berlin that people use to practice more alpine walks so I see if I can find that. I also have a friend who likes to walk and just did Camino and she is on board for some longer walking exercises. So I have option I just need to schedule.
You little hill sounds fun too. Hope you get to do that one soon.
Sounds like a great plan! Mine is:
20 min weights twice a week
A walk on Friday afternoons, after work
A long hike on weekends (Sunday)
Yoga for 60 min on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
That is all :))
That is a very solid plan too.
Fingers crossed you can do everything you have planned.
Having a goal or a fun adventure in mind is the best way to make sure you are hitting those fitness goals! Yes, you’ll want to eventually start working on cardio and endurance, but you can do this! I’m so excited to watch your journey.
Thank you so much. I am sure I need all the encouragement on the way.
Definitely need a more solid plan for cardio and endurance but I Start now and evaluate on the way.
Cheering you on! Walking at home and skiing/hiking is very different, isn’t it? But any movement exercise will help get your lungs up to speed.
Thank you Hanna. It is definitely different but I get started and then we see.
I love this goal for you! There’s something about having something to work toward that provides a new level of motivation. I can’t wait to see how you improve your fitness/endurance levels in 2025! Good luck!
Thank you so so much.
I am doing good so far but it’s only been two weeks so we’ll see. But I am very excited.
Oh exciting! A Northern Lights tour sounds fantastic. I love that you have mapped out a plan to get to where you want to be. We did our first multi-day hike in 2022 which definitely took us out of our comfort zones, but also opened up a whole new way to travel for us. I go to a 4:1 session with a personal trainer for strength training once a week and then go to the gym once a week for a second strength session. I’ve found I make better progress and am more consistent with the PT.
I am very excited. At one point I will have to look into a more professional approach and a possible gym membership but I reserve that for the second quarter. Right now I can push myself on my own and feel all the progress I make and muscles I use. Thank you for the insight to your exercise journey. It is inspiring.