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Credit: Courtesy Dr. Christina Schiavolino-De
Welcome to Workout Diaries, a series where we ask expert trainers to talk to us about what a week of exercise would look like for them, helping you figure out how to develop and maintain an effective workout routine.
Dr. Christina Schiavolino-De is an internal medicine physician who also shares workout and mobility videos online. She is a proponent of daily activity, whether it’s short walks, balance training or strength exercises at home and in the gym, with the goal of staying strong enough to live life to the fullest for as long as possible.
“My priority now is longevity and not how I look when I was 20,” she explains. fit and fine. “I want to preserve muscle, protect my bones, support my metabolic health, and maintain balance and mobility as I age.
“I don’t train to become smaller – I train to become stronger and capable. Especially for women over 40, strength becomes protective medicine.”
Walking is a big part of Schiavolino-De’s weekly activity. “I walk about three miles three or four days a week, and I love being outside because the fresh air and natural light makes a difference for me mentally and physically.
“If the weather or time doesn’t cooperate, I’ll walk on my walking pad while working out indoors.”
She also does strength training five times a week, dividing the sessions between the gym and home. “I go to the gym once or twice a week so I can use heavy weights and machines. I value my gym days because progressive overload – gradually increasing resistance – is essential to preserving muscle as we age.”
When she works out at home, Schiavolino-De focuses on “simple, functional activities that support balance, coordination, and muscle strength.”
Here’s a look at a typical week.
Christina Schiavolino-Day’s Weekly Workout Routine
monday 8 am
60 minutes, three miles walk
tuesday 8 am
30 minutes of walking on the treadmill while working, plus 20 minutes of strength training at home
Wednesday 7.30 am
60 minutes of strength training in the gym
Thursday 7 am
30 minute bodyweight workout at home
friday 8 am
60-minute three-mile walk, plus 20 minutes of mobility work at home
saturday 5 pm
15 minutes left to work at home
sunday 10 am
20 minute home strength training at home
Christina Schiavolino-Day’s Workout Tips
Start your day with movement
“My biggest tip is to get it done as quickly as possible when you start your day,” says Schiavolino-De. “The longer you put it off, the more likely it is that it won’t get done.
“Set your alarm clock across the room so that it forces you to get up to turn it off. Once you get up, exercise.”
start small
“I always encourage people to start small and build up slowly,” says Day. “Even a 15-minute walk followed by strength training is a powerful place to start.
“(Strength training) can look like doing a few repetitions of bodyweight exercises and then increasing the weight as you get stronger.
“I remind people to create a routine based on what’s sustainable, not what’s trending. If your routine feels overwhelming, it won’t last long. If it’s sustainable, it will be easier to be more consistent with it.”
Try the habit of stacking
Schiavolino-De says she uses habit stacking — where you tag one activity over another — for example, brushing your teeth and standing on one leg to improve balance.
“I exercise at appropriate times, like when the microwave is counting down or I’m brushing my teeth,” says Schiavolino-De.
“Motivation to begin the weight loss journey was an issue for me, but by making it part of my daily routine, it became so easy and possible. It became so automatic, like brushing my teeth.
“After gaining weight in midlife and losing nearly 70 pounds, I learned that stability comes from structure and routine, not from waiting to ‘feel like it’.”
