#184 - The Workout Videos of 2025

Getting back in shape is really annoying and difficult.

But << Galinda voice >> I'm determined to succeed.

And while I know there will be days I miss or forget to write things down, I think it's important to believe in my ability to...try! Because that is, after all, the first step.

So, I'm going to try something a little different and attempt to record a log of what (if any) workouts I do on any given day. I don't think I'm going to track my steps on here because this isn't turning into a Fitness Goals Tracker it's just more of a log and hopefully some attempt at self-accountability.

I did a good job starting my (late in life but shame will keep you trapped forever so we must move forward) positive life habits these last few years, but where I've always struggled is consistency and that's the goal for this year. Hence, this diary/log thing of free workouts I do off of YouTube with commentary that I will add to throughout the upcoming year (the specific challenge to myself is going to be logging them right after I work out because I always have an awkward cool-down before shower period anyway that I never know what to do with myself during!) and yes I am riding that overly-ambitious high of the New Year but so what we'll never know what's possible if we don't allow ourselves to tryyyy!

Okay here we go!

January 1

This is one I did a lot last year, but since learning more about my actual form and how to engage my core, doing it again was fresh and far FAR harder!

I give a lot of credit to this one for helping me regain my sense of balance after a foot injury really threw me off for over a year.

While this instructor doesn't give a lot of queues or describe proper form, I like this one because I can put it on low volume, listen to a podcast, watch it in the mirror, and still hear the beeps for when to stop.

(I also walked a bit but I have two very bad blisters on the soles of my feet and the walk made it clear I need to give them time to actually heal so I'm staying low tomorrow!)

January 2

I found this instructor via a viral TikTok video about her 30 minute pilates ab-workout. I did that video last month and uhhhh it took me like 3 days to be able to laugh again without being in pain, so I thought a 15 minute version would be friendlier.

And WOWZA does she really kick your ass without making it seem like the moves are going to be that hard. I do think you get out of Pilates what you put into it, and oooooh babes ouchy wowchy I am a-smartin' but I feel ALIVE and I felt every single second of this workout in my lower ab region and I got so sweaty that my mat had to be wiped down yaaaay 15 minutes of absolute bangers in terms of body usage. Pilates is incredible! Our bodies are so weird!

I feel very weak and simultaneously noticed just how strong my arms are compared to last year. I may not have been consistent throughout the entire year but my random bouts of weight workouts definitely added up. The "easiest" part of this for me was the pushups which would have definitely not been true last year!

The feeling weak thing is also just an out of shape thing. I'll get it back faster than I realize if I stick to Doing Things but it's also one of the major reasons I know I don't push through – because feeling weak sucks. Having a grudge form against your past-self for their lack of care??? Lame! A series of feelings that are necessary but ultimately must be gotten over/left behind in order to proceed in any real way!

January 3

Ouch ooch ouchy yowch!
- My thighs & glutes every time I sit

This workout rules, I did it last year the first time I ever used the kettlebell and it really helped orient me to how to use it and what my body should be doing throughout the workout, plus she's got a fun Aussie accent and that's always a fun sonic experience.

I don't use my kettlebell the entire time I do this, I switch to an 8lb dumbbell for some of the floor stuff because I am not prepared for holding 15lbs above my body at that point in the workout.

Between re-learning how to breathe and realizing that I had never not once properly engaged my core until like August of last year, workouts have gotten both easier and harder. I understand how to breathe, what to focus on, and to be very much in the moment throughout the movement, so that makes it easier. It's harder physically now that I'm actually doing it correctly and not just getting away with whatever form I thought I was supposed to be achieving.

My squats are not nearly as deep as hers, but that's uhhhh fine! I'm not a pro! And hey that's something to work towards so that's great too. Mark that down, me!

January 4

When in doubt, stretch it out!

After the Great Thigh Aches of yesterday, this one felt really good. I always forget how much of it is spent on all-fours but it's a great one to keep in rotation while I'm rebuilding wrist strength.

Another fun side bonus of working out is not being able to look at my phone during it! I will break my phone addiction via having a full life this year if its the last thing I do!

January 5

Well it's already working I definitely forced myself to work out at 8:30 because it was going to be annoying to me if I didn't fill this out we did it gang we annoyed ourselves into consistency!

Today: dance! Specifically this dance livestream but since there's every chance I won't continue to subscribe to the membership (it's good I just don't do this as my Main Form Of Exercise as often as I used to) I'll also link one of their free dance videos below.

I like this group because they choreograph to modern music, what I don't love is that they often keep the exact same choreo throughout a song regardless of if it heavily baises one arm/leg/side and I think for dance workouts that's actually unacceptable. Gotta switch it up! I don't find their friend banter as charming as a lot of commenters but clearly that's a personal taste thing and I enjoy following along so really, nothing to complain about! Oh except sometimes they include Chris Brown songs and like, ew, skip!

I'm so sweaty and it's 9pm but the good news is: I did this to myself!

January 6

This is the first video on my YouTube playlist that I save workouts on so it feels like a default to throw it on when I'm not looking for anything too difficult. I do it with 8lb weights and have enjoyed getting noticeable better at keeping my elbows in place when I do the overhead stuff.

Fun! I didn't really feel like doing anything because I was exhausted today emotionally and a little physically but then I remembered one bicep curl is better than none so I did 10 minutes which is exponentially better, yay!

January 14

Sometimes you buy a couch and it gets delivered six months later and you spend a week moving your apartment around and taking walks and get so sore you splurge on a massage and then your body feels brand new so you start doing videos again because it's cold outside and your walks are great and incorporating muscle building into the routine is awesome because posture has become really important to you especially now that you're trying to use your standing desk to practice not rolling out on the edges of your feet.

Just me?

Back with our girl Mic and her twisty ab workout that makes me feel engaged but not dead in the core! I h8 when laughing hurts the next day even if it does bring me some sick joy to have gone for it.

January 20

Oh no today is terrible for concentration and feeling good about the world let alone oneself but I felt like doing Something but I had no patience or concentration so we're whipping out the covid-era "dance" workouts I used to do!

It's not really dance so much as rhythmic squatting but oh BABY if you're looking for a short-but-intense workout this one still rips!

January 22

My thighs are still a tad achey so that meant it was time to dance! My all-time favorite form of movement AND the one that allows me to best tailor it to what parts of my body I want to feel into because if there's one thing I know how to do, it's dance!

I really like these follow-along dances (I did this exact paid-membership one today) because when the move is boring/not challenging enough/too challenging based on soreness levels, I just...dance around. Contemporary pop music played in full allows you to do that! There are no rules! March in place who cares!! Everything counts and no ones watching so if you're not going to dance then when can you?

January 23

I'm trying this new thing where when I can't concentrate/my anxiety threatens to swallow my day whole, I do a workout instead.

So far, it's working! Again, can't link the video I did above but it was this one today! To be completely honest it was a mix of that one and the intro to a 60 minute one that seemed to have some technical glitches. Oh well! We move!

While talking with my best friend who doesn't dance yesterday, I said some things that feel worth repeating in a slightly more public forum because I think dance is so much fun and can really be an incredible way to connect with your body, your sexuality, your enjoyment of music, etc. and ALL of that feels worth cheering for!

• If you don't get a dance move right away, do not panic. Pick some part of it you can do and focus on that until you have it (say, take the arms first and then do the feet) (or take just the punchy part of the arms and do some step touches if that feels more fun there are no judges)!
• The nice thing about following along to these videos is that they'll repeat the moves in the second verse and chorus so you can spend the first 1/3rd of the video trying and 2/3rds of the video having fun nailing it.
• There's a lot in dance that goes unsaid, particularly where your body weight is supposed to be. In modern hip-hop a lot of it is very deep plies with your weight directly in the middle of your foot, or high on your toes. "Light on your feet" is mostly referring to the fact that you should have the ability to pick up one of your feet at a moments notice because you always know where your weight is and how to shift it. Try doing a jump and landing how you normally would. Then jump and try to land lightly. If you didn't take the oppurtunity to get up out of your seat right now and do it, I'll spoil it for you: you are able to do that when you're thinking about it. You already have the skill, dancing just requires a varied application of it. The fundamentals (good posture, holding your ribcage, balance) you have! I promise!

January 26

Another day, another dance workout.

This time I worked out at 9:00pm and didn't let my fear of maybe annoying my neighbor stop me because I'm trying to be less anxious about my actions in general, but particularly when it's like...totally appropriate even if I jump around a little to workout at night.

Anyway! Today I did one that I think is free for everyone and it was okay. I don't know that I'll do this one again but I am thrilled to have worked out because I got a lot of other fun stuff done today too waheyy!

And my blow dryer being easy to use and drying my hair so effectively makes it easier than ever to make the choice to workout I'm so glad about this unforeseen side effect of spending too much money on a blow dryer. And AND my super greasy hair is getting less greasy what is happening how is that possible have I never actually dried my hair before or something???

January 28

Yesterday I didn't do a video but I did randomly lift some weights while I watched something on TV and that counts but doesn't count on this list and for some reason, since this list is turning into a thing I've actually kept up with, I just want to make it clear to my future self that I was doing other stuff on the days I wasn't posting here it just wasn't...workouts to follow along to.

Anyway! Surprise surprise I'm still on a dance kick!

Today's actual videos were a mix of this one and this one because I wanted to do an hour but ended up doing 45 minutes because I did 15 from the first and then a half-hour. If the playlist isn't hitting for me, I've been changing to older streams-. Idk why but it's keeping it interesting.

I got so fucking sweaty and then I had to pee and then to distract myself from how much I had to pee I texted my friend about being too sweaty to pee. Just too scared of slidin' right off the seat!

January 29

We're doing it we're in the groove I did a ton of laundry this morning because when you work out in the middle of the day you wear a minimum of three outfits!

Once again, we're dancing! To two different playlists for some reason. This one & this one. Neither I'd particularly recommend?

I also ended up just choosing some of their dances from the playlists they make because idk I was feeling both impatient and picky! But I cooled down to this one and while I think the album this song was on is, uh, a choice, it's a good end-of-workout dance!

February 1

Well, it's another "dance" video that's really more of an aerobic squatting exercise, but this time it's to One Direction.

I hadn't done this video since Liam passed and that may have contributed to the unhappy thoughts that really took over for me during this workout. I used to really struggle with working out because my inner critic often became the loudest and I would spend an hour just feeling...awful about myself, past choices, mistakes with no solutions, y'know just the general highlight reel of things we use to make ourselves feel bad about every possible facet of life!

That had stopped happening for a while, and I doubt it will be a regular thing because I've battled/conquered the habit once before (I make myself say nice things about myself out loud and list things I've done that I can be proud of) but uuuuuuugh this is the part of Life that I'm really not enjoying in general right now. Progress should be a fixed point. Backsliding should actually be impossible there should be safety mechanisms in place around this kind of thing.

But! Butbutbutbutbut. The important thing when dealing with depression & negative thought overwhelm is to keep going and keep pushing and get outside and do things in the world because even if you're sad while you do them, they're still done and you still get to feel good about that part!

February 2

Another dancin' day! I worked out to this dance playlist but only did about half of it and then I switched on the Nintendo Switch and danced to Rasputin for the first time in a long long time. A thrill!

Last year I had a secret challenge to myself to get a 100% perfect on this song but there's a move in the middle I literally cannot get the timing right on and I drove myself slightly batty trying so I stopped (also the network connectivity issues were really frustrating to deal with mid-workout so it stopped being worth it). Anyway I kind of want to do it everyday again, just to see if I can without it being A Thing since I probably won't use the game as my main form of workout this time.

February 4

Do I even need to say it at this point?

Dance party time babeeey!

I did about half of that video and then once again tried my hand at Rasputin because...well I'm a simple girl when you unlock a past fixation it will inhabit my body for a minimum of four weeks.

And THEN I was working out at like 8:30pm so I decided to actually commit to doing a cooldown and did an old bedtime yoga routine and laid (sweatily) on my mat and enjoyed rolling around on my back for a while.

Also I haven't done chill yoga in a while and I forgot that one of Goob's favorite pasttimes is flopping down next to me and rubbing her head against my head really hard while I do it and its SO CUTE I love her so much she's been such a chill cat recently.

February 6

When in doubt/moments of high anxiety, why wallow when you can move your body vigorously enough to forget about it for a little while?

Dance playlist of the day here! Dance video of the day below!

And and and I'm still on my Rasputin kick and somehow getting worse before I get better but that's okay life is about repetition not perfection!

February 11

You know the deal by now!

I did this playlist today and liked the majority of the songs! No skips this time! That cool down still hits! I got really fucking sweaty!

And then I did two rounds of Rasputin because it's clearly stuck in my craw at this point and I'd like to get myself back to consistency in terms of scoring. Also maybe one day I'll actually bother to figure out the math behind these scores because they really don't make sense to me and this is a perfect 1x + 4y + 124z = ? scenario!

February

I've never done something like this before, but I do think adding some sort of practice to this routine is important, if nothing else because I like looking back at lists and seeing evolutions and I am tired of feeling like I can Get It Together but I can't Keep It Together.

I won't be sending this out as a weekly post. I thought about just posting it and not sending it, but there's an added layer to making a the intention public. I'm honestly just much more likely to follow-through! So that feels worth it!

What I will be doing, is updating it regularly! And if you'd like to pass along any free video suggestions, please do!

I will be getting back into longer zen yoga for the next few days but I almost always try and end every workout with stretching and this Yoga With Adrienne one is a faaaave:

Reworking my relationship to Working Out by understanding it as a greater Life Thing instead of keeping it in a weight loss category that–frankly–I still don't know how to healthily engage with and therefore won't be! Numbers are a no-go for me and therefore won't be introduced to this process this time! Step counts are already something my brain really latches onto (the average tabs are mean don't let me play with math I WILL become competitive with my past self in a way that makes me feel weird!) so beyond "I feel good/exhausted/satisfied/sore" I don't plan to analyze Myself. (or, more importantly, my body!)

Okay well, here's the funniest Sweaty Selfie I've taken recently (it was after a pilates workout that I was INCREDULOUS about the difficulty of!)

And I'm out! (But will be back!)