My Transition from High-Intensity to Low-Impact Workouts

As many of you know from following me on Instagram, I transitioned from high intensity to low impact workouts a few years ago. After constant soreness, daily aches & pains, uncontrollable stress levels and an insatiable hunger, I decided it was time for a change.

Spin and bootcamp classes were a priority for me and I religiously went 5-6 times a week along with days I was possibly squeezing in a double. I thought that if I wasn’t dying during a workout, I wasn’t getting enough out of it. If I didn’t get my heart rate up or walk out fully drenched in sweat, then I deemed the workout a failure. 

I found myself insanely hungry throughout the day and eating more calories than I was burning —not that I count calories, but it definitely effects weight gain. I was always reaching for more food to compensate for the sweat and sometimes it was just what I could get my hands on- so not always the healthiest options if you can imagine.

I noticed my body was constantly aching, my stress levels were always high (I was always on the edge), and I had developed plantar fasciitis (an insane foot pain), which I then realized stemmed from spin classes. I could never fall asleep at night, needed melatonin or other natural remedies to help with insomnia, which was bizarre because I felt like I was always crashing mid-day and my energy levels were consistently low.

Sometimes I found that these high intensity workouts were a form of stress release in the moment, but what I didn’t realize was that putting my body through those stressful sweat sessions actually increased my cortisol levels. There were definitely days when I woke up for my 7am classes and would have much rather preferred to stay in bed (I’m sure you can all relate)!

My Transition

It was slow and I took my time until I felt comfortable in my routine. At first, I cut down to 2-3 spin classes a week and started incorporating more pilates, barre, and sculpting workouts. I also incorporated forms of dance to add in some cardio but in an enjoyable way. After a few weeks of developing a solid routine that worked for my body and schedule, I finally cut out HIIT, bootcamps, and most cardio completely.

Learning to do these low-impact sculpt classes correctly became just as great of a workout as the ones that made me feel like I was dying, but in a different & better way. I noticed positive changes in my body, sleep and overall mood. It honestly changed the way I felt about working out and I was actually excited to go!

My Appetite & Lifestyle

Before my transition, I found myself snacking all day, everyday and craving carbs immediately after a sweat session. While there’s nothing wrong with snacking or hunger, I know my body well enough to understand that these were my hormones taking over and these cravings weren’t what my body actually needed to feel good. After my transition, I was able to eat more intuitively and was able to feel satisfied with my planned meals. I was reaching for more greens and less carbs, which was v important to balance my PCOS and hormones.

I was also way calmer (goodbye cortisol spikes!) and could actually fall asleep naturally. My energy levels finally made sense throughout the day and I was more in tune with my body. I felt like I wasn’t trying to control it anymore. I didn’t notice random aches and pains anymore, but that’s not to say the muscle soreness wasn’t there- it was different and felt good. I found that the low impact workouts focussed on different and more targeted muscle groups that led to the results I was initially looking for! Hello booty & six pack! 

I’m a huge advocate of finding what works best for you and giving yourself permission to change and adapt to different kinds of workouts at your own pace. Toning down my workouts has provided me with so many benefits and is so much more sustainable than the draining workouts I used to do. So, while I thrive on low impact, you may feel just as energized doing those high intensity workouts. Remember to listen to YOUR body and no one else’s rules… find your custom routine and stick to it!