Making the time for non-riding exercise? Inspire me!

kc100

kc100

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Next discussion provoking post.....rider fitness!

In a nutshell I need you lot to inspire me with how you fit in non-riding based exercise in your incredibly busy lives to make me feel bad for not doing anything and give me a kick up the bum!

How do you fit it in? I work 9-6pm mon-fri, also have a weekend job where I'm sometimes working both days (if not one of the 2 says) and thats on average for 6 hours. I then have bonkers to ride where I aim for a minimum of 4 times per week, ideally 5. I get to yard around 6.30/7pm, ride and turn out, then by the time I'm home its 8.30pm and time to eat, collapse for an hour then go to bed. Add to the horsey mix that friend/bonkers' owner has new maxi cob thing arriving on Sunday which she needs help with, plus husband wants me to teach him how to ride said maxi cob (he's had 3 riding school lessons and is now planning on stealing friends very handsome new cob). And then there is the not so small matter of baby yearling who I should occasionally say hi to otherwise he will forget who is mother is! Oh and possibly riding YO's horse as she's injured and all her staff are crocked too so somehow volunteered myself for that fun as well....

I'm really noticing how unfit I am when riding at the moment, in my lessons with dressage trainer I'm gasping, come off poor old bonkers sweating more than he is and that's not a good look! I also want to get myself up Ben Nevis in Feb in winter conditions so need to sort myself out, but to be honest the only time I can spot in my schedule to run or go to gym is first thing AM (i.e. out of bed for 6AM....aargh!). I'm the first to admit I hate mornings, especially getting up before 7.30AM. I can snooze my alarm unlimited numbers of times, and even lay in bed awake for 45 mins rather than getting out of it to exercise. Quite possibly the laziest person alive!

Someone inspire me with your superhuman abilities to work-out, do proper job, ride horsies and probably have children and a clean house all at the same time......

Or perhaps (in my dream world here) someone tell me I'll be fine riding like I am at the moment and the weight is just going to magically fall off me, and I'll climb Nevis in record time with no problems! Ha!
 
I could have written this thread!! I'm in similar situation. Not a mornin person at all. Home if I'm lucky by 9:30pm. I don't work weekends normally like you but i catch up on sleep, housework and spend loads of weekend time getting ready for and going to shows!
 
m1stify said:
I could have written this thread!! I'm in similar situation. Not a mornin person at all. Home if I'm lucky by 9:30pm. I don't work weekends normally like you but i catch up on sleep, housework and spend loads of weekend time getting ready for and going to shows!
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Lucky you doing housework! My house generally resembles a pig sty until husband shouts at me, then I spend a manic 2 hours glossing over the majority of the dirt before giving up and going to the yard!

Hopefully someone will inspire us with their superhuman fitness regime and put us to shame.....
 
I struggle loads but after being shouted at for going as red as a tomatoe in a lesson and being told to get fit, I've made some effort! I don't have an awful lot of time, so my lunch hour at work, 40 minutes of it is spent walking round the block. Then I have a circuit at home which is 20 sit ups, 20 pliae squats, 10 side planks with dips to each side, 20 normal squats, 10 laterall leg lifts to each side, 20 bicycles, 10 bicep curls to tricep extensions, 10 oblique extensions with weights to each side and then 10 of the laying down leg lifts. It takes me about 15 minutes. I tend to do it why the ovens heating up of an evening and whilst I'm waiting for my OH to get his butt out the shower of a morning! And if I have plenty of time do more than 1 lot of it. There is a set of exercises by the equine athlete fitness plan which is just a 20 minute workout specific to riders. There are also LOADS of videos on youtube. I found Mosssa groove so much fun as well, but can only bring myself to do that a couple of times a week as it knackers me out! haha
 
Such a tough time of year to be getting fit!

I am very good in the summer when it's not pitch black I get up at 5.50 four times a week and go for a run before kids are awake and hubby leaves for work. It's now so dark and cold I'd rather stay in bed! I'm down to only going out twice a week. I do try to do some hula hooping and core exercises at night. Should really do some work on my bingo wings too. I work part time 8.30-2 and fit riding in after work before I pick kids up most days. My house comes lowest priority and I try to clean it properly around once a month. However with two young kids it's a pointless task! I just about manage the day to day clean ups/laundry/ironing/cooking before collapsing into bed.
 
I work 9 to 5 monday to fri.
4 ponies. 1 is nearly 30 so she hacks 1 to 2x week. Others work 5 to 7x week.
I try to work 1 in morning plus 2 in evening. I also have a fab 2x week sharer so I can work all 4 for a good hr hack 2x week on half the time!
In winter usually 5x week....
They have a winter holiday too where they go on my 10 acres for 13 weeks and just do 2 or 3 x week, but its hilly so dont get too unfit. During their holiday I swim a lot more plus 1x week I try to force myself to run if my ankle can cope with it.
3x week I aim to go swimming. Usually 2 late week nights 8.30pm til 9.30, plus weekends around lunch time.
Basically theres no time for much else!lol.
 
I am in a similar situation in that I work long hours so don't have time for any exercise before work or after getting home from the yard at night. Instead I try to take a lunch break at work two days a week and instead of working through lunch as I would normally do I go out for a run of about 3.5 - 4 miles. Luckily there are changing rooms and showers I can use at work.
 
I go for a walk at lunchtime when at work and do pilates in the evenings. I only work part time but looking after a toddler the rest of the time the only other exercise I can do is walking at toddler pace which is so slow I probably burn more calories putting my shoes on. Its frustrating but I find the pilates really helps
 
Get up earlier!

I get up at 5:30 and either ride or go to a crossfit session before work. I then get to work between 8 and 9, work til 5 (I do incident response so it can be much later which throws my whole plan!)

After work I then go up and ride if I worked out in the morning, or if I rode in the morning I will go to crossfit or train at my aerial stuff (pole and hoop training). Weekends I will try to either go climbing or go for a run, I can fit a 10k into an hour but usually would only do 5. The pony needs working 6 days a week to keep a lid on his bounces, so I don't have much choice but to work him, but if im really knackered I will lunge or work him free.

I have to admit that I am loving crossfit, I have never worked out that hard when at the gym alone, so in a small space of time I am getting great results. The one thing I do struggle with is fitting in flexibility training as its a bit more tedious for me.

I think I only manage it as I only have one horse, no kids and my house is a mess! but I am fit healthy and happy so I don't mind a little mess!
 
I now drive to stables and then on to a park and ride and then bike the rest of the way to work. Added bonus of being quicker. I do a Pilates and yoga class in my lunch hour once a week (very lucky to have these on site). I keep a mat in the office cupboard and I sometimes shut the door at lunchtime and do a ten minute Pilates or yoga video off YouTube. Sometimes run for half an hour at lunch or early in the morning, or to shops or stables at the weekend. My house is filthy though.
 
I work 7.30-5.15 mon-thur and usually 7.30-12.30 fri overtime

I have two horses and help my mum with hers (DIY). Work is a fair drive away; need to leave the house well before 7am and even still end up using flexi so stay late to make it up. I go straight to yard from work but never get there before 6pm and am never home before 9pm (usually 10).

One of my boys has been very broken so I've had lots of work to do daily before work trying to fix him so mentally as well as physically exhausting. My other boy is only 2 so going with my "little and often" methods he's not time consuming as such.

So yeah, I struggle for time and energy!

Basically I do ridiculous things that I always get embarrassingly busted for! For example when the broken was being hand walked I used to lunge alongside him and when he stopped to graze I'd squat (totally got busted by a jogger!). When I lift full water buckets I squat and then do lifts as I walk along the passageway. When mucking out (the broken one is disgusting!) I make sure my core is engaged.

I'm fortunate that YO does daily turnout during the week and now that broken one is on the mend and not requiring as labour intensive care I attempt to run/jog/not due going faster than a walk in the mornings. Alarm goes off at 4.15am (& then at 2min intervals until I finally drag myself out of bed!) and once I'm outside it's fine... Well apart from the obvious pain of running!

I've found that eating right makes a huge difference to my energy levels abd drinking loads of water. I'm not a "cooker" by any stretch. Left to my own devices it would be nutrigraibs for breakfast, white bread lunches, pot noodle or pasta dinners all washed down with irn bru and finished off with LOTS of chocolate.

Doing my best to be organised and shop fresh massively helps. Having porridge and a banana in the morning makes a big difference to energy levels. Salads/soups for lunch, fruit for snacks, light chicken &veg dinners with at least 2l of water keeps me full and less sleepy. It's just finding the time to shop and prep.

I lost 1st and dropped a clothes size after 3wks of this. Completely fallen off the wagon since Blair but have maintained the same weight so plan to get back on it this Monday.

Not motivational or inspiring but it can be done and quick results do help keep you going!
 
TPO said:
I work 7.30-5.15 mon-thur and usually 7.30-12.30 fri overtime

I have two horses and help my mum with hers (DIY). Work is a fair drive away; need to leave the house well before 7am and even still end up using flexi so stay late to make it up. I go straight to yard from work but never get there before 6pm and am never home before 9pm (usually 10).

One of my boys has been very broken so I've had lots of work to do daily before work trying to fix him so mentally as well as physically exhausting. My other boy is only 2 so going with my "little and often" methods he's not time consuming as such.

So yeah, I struggle for time and energy!

Basically I do ridiculous things that I always get embarrassingly busted for! For example when the broken was being hand walked I used to lunge alongside him and when he stopped to graze I'd squat (totally got busted by a jogger!). When I lift full water buckets I squat and then do lifts as I walk along the passageway. When mucking out (the broken one is disgusting!) I make sure my core is engaged.

I'm fortunate that YO does daily turnout during the week and now that broken one is on the mend and not requiring as labour intensive care I attempt to run/jog/not due going faster than a walk in the mornings. Alarm goes off at 4.15am (& then at 2min intervals until I finally drag myself out of bed!) and once I'm outside it's fine... Well apart from the obvious pain of running!

I've found that eating right makes a huge difference to my energy levels abd drinking loads of water. I'm not a "cooker" by any stretch. Left to my own devices it would be nutrigraibs for breakfast, white bread lunches, pot noodle or pasta dinners all washed down with irn bru and finished off with LOTS of chocolate.

Doing my best to be organised and shop fresh massively helps. Having porridge and a banana in the morning makes a big difference to energy levels. Salads/soups for lunch, fruit for snacks, light chicken &veg dinners with at least 2l of water keeps me full and less sleepy. It's just finding the time to shop and prep.

I lost 1st and dropped a clothes size after 3wks of this. Completely fallen off the wagon since Blair but have maintained the same weight so plan to get back on it this Monday.

Not motivational or inspiring but it can be done and quick results do help keep you going!
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Not motivational.....you get up at 4.15am, that is bloody amazing in my books! And to have lost 1st in 3wks is fantastic, dont put yourself down - that is a huge inspiration.

I am such a lazy toad I really am....I dont have to leave for work until 8.15/8.30am to get there for 9am - so getting up at 6.30 to do a quick 5k wouldnt be too hard, especially compared to 4.15am! I am just the WORST morning person, I struggle getting up before 8am (queen of snoozing the alarm!) and need to get a grip on this if I want to get fit. Must try harder!
 
Could you go for a run on your lunch break? I wouldn't say I am the most motivational, as I currently haven't done any exercise for the last week or so having done a 10k on the 4th Oct :) however I do try and do 3 or 4 miles on my lunchbreak just a couple of times a week...I prefer doing it then as like you I just can't get up in the morning and once I have been to stables and get home the last thing I want to do then is go out again, I am usually home by 7.30pm - so it isn't even that late!
I did try the morning to run, once just once...I hated it! I was slow on my run and I felt like crap for the rest of the day, so given up on that idea!
You may find that with the extra horse to ride it might be enough... youtube is probably quite good for a quick intensive half hour!
I am typing all this hoping to get inspired to do it myself :)
 
So those that run in your lunch hour? What is your routine for that? You must have facilities on site for shower/changing? I have thought about it but have no changing or shower facilites. So not sure how I would fit that in! Would like to though for half hour run.

I used to do the following (one horse in full work and single) Up at 6am. Half hour run. back home showered out the door by 7.15am. To the stables for an hour then on to work for 9am. leave at 5pm. straight to the Stables leave at about 8/8.30pm. back to the Gym for an hour, Home dinner and bed at around 11pm.

I want to try my best to get back to that routine as do miss the exercise and how much better it made you feel. I struggle to fit it all in now.

Now (two horses - one in full work. Boyfriend - we do not live together) Alarm goes off at 5.30am, although struggle to get up at this time and ends up being after 6am. So really need to kick myself to get up at 5.30 when the alarm goes then may beable to fit a half hour run in, in the morning. Out the door by 6.30am. Stables for an hour to work for 8am. leave at 4pm. Back to the stables normally leave around 7.30/8pm. Then to the Boyfriends house.

I just do not have the motivation to do anything in the evenings like I used to. I could be in the Gym before to 10pm some evenings and it never bothered me. I have been to the gym of the evening when BF is working away but i don't seem to enjoy it as much as I used to, i am struggling with the fitness that I no longer have and it does now make me tired very quickly so i tend to give up after a week! But I do really need to stick at it a bit more, The motivation for it has just gone. My clothes are all getting tight as i used to be fairly toned now it is all just turned to flubber, lol. So i either set up on the exercise again or be prepared to have to pay out for a whole new wardrobe of clothes!
 
I have no idea how people manage to fit it all in! The thought of routinely getting up at 5am makes me shiver!

ATM I work from home and horse is out 24/7 from April to end of Oct which makes life easier. When I was competing and training a lot over the spring and summer, as well as being out at customer sites 3x during the week (which can involve driving 250 miles a day, each day), I found that non-horsey exercise took a bit of a back seat. I paid my YO to school horse once a week which meant I had a day off horses, so I would go out on my (push) bike. Weekends when I wasn't competing I would also try to make sure I got out on my bike at least once. I have a road bike and a turbo trainer so I can usually manage a couple of 30 min sessions after work on that too. On my working from home days I can often get out for either an early swim or bike ride before work. Sometimes I will pay the yard to hack him once a week too, or school an extra day, as this frees me up to do some exercise because I don't have to go to the yard.

I'm starting a new job soon which is office based, and I have a 45 min each way commute to the office. So horse is going out on holiday for 2.5 months while I settle into the new routine. I won't go up at all in the week which means I'll be free to exercise in the week day evenings. I'm hoping that if I can get super fit over winter, I won't need to do too much in the summer to keep myself ticking over. Once horse comes back into work in the new year, I will have him on full livery at least 3 days in the working week plus paying the yard to hack him a couple of times. The other days I'm hoping to be working from home or at customer sites - on those days I can usually get back at a reasonable enough time to manage a quick lunge/ hack, muck out then home for half an hour on the bike. Or I will do my 30 mins on the bike before I leave for customer visits. Once horse is back in full work then I will do less exercise myself until we get lighter nights, then I can squeeze in bike rides.

It is hard to fit it all in though and I know that changing to being office based is going to be a massive culture shock for me!
 
If it wasn't for a gym and fitness instructors in the building at work I wouldn't :o
Thankfully I do have access to them otherwise with a small human, messy house, dog to walk, horse to exercise and full time job it wouldn't happen. I can't do too much of an evening especially when the small has been at nursery as it means keeping him up too late when he's exhausted so nursery days I struggle even to ride unless I can do a sneaky one via a work skive for an hour or so.
 
Neptune said:
I used to do the following (one horse in full work and single) Up at 6am. Half hour run. back home showered out the door by 7.15am. To the stables for an hour then on to work for 9am. leave at 5pm. straight to the Stables leave at about 8/8.30pm. back to the Gym for an hour, Home dinner and bed at around 11pm.
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Urmmm...WOW!! That was one hell of a routine, seriously hanging head in shame now! I dont even have to go to yard in the morning (my baby lives out 24/7 with other yearling and friend's horse I ride is on livery so all chores done), really must drag my lazy backside out of bed to run in the morning!
 
I probably could do something in my lunch break as we do have showers on site, my main issue is how god damn long I take to get ready! I could do half an hour run or something like that, but would need at least another 45 mins/1 hour to sort myself out after, even a quick shower I'd have to wash my hair (nothing worse than sweaty hair), and I've got so much stupid thick hair it means it takes a good 10 mins to blowdry on a good day, then another 10-15 mins to straighten so it doesnt resemble a cavewoman/birds nest. Then 10 mins to throw some makeup back on my face....1 hour wouldnt be enough!

Oh how I wish I wasnt so high maintenance haha....
 
kc100 said:
I probably could do something in my lunch break as we do have showers on site, my main issue is how god damn long I take to get ready! I could do half an hour run or something like that, but would need at least another 45 mins/1 hour to sort myself out after, even a quick shower I'd have to wash my hair (nothing worse than sweaty hair), and I've got so much stupid thick hair it means it takes a good 10 mins to blowdry on a good day, then another 10-15 mins to straighten so it doesnt resemble a cavewoman/birds nest. Then 10 mins to throw some makeup back on my face....1 hour wouldn't be enough!

Oh how I wish I wasnt so high maintenance haha....
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We have showers on site, so obviously makes it easier...I can be done in an hour though 30mins run/walk back to office as cool down...I have quick shower, don't normally wash hair...I don't get a particularly sweaty head though! I am great at the messy hair look too :) dry shampoo is your friend in most cases!
I wouldn't do it at lunchtime if no showers though..I shan't be going today..weather is horrific! :(
 
kc100 said:
I probably could do something in my lunch break as we do have showers on site, my main issue is how god damn long I take to get ready! I could do half an hour run or something like that, but would need at least another 45 mins/1 hour to sort myself out after, even a quick shower I'd have to wash my hair (nothing worse than sweaty hair), and I've got so much stupid thick hair it means it takes a good 10 mins to blowdry on a good day, then another 10-15 mins to straighten so it doesnt resemble a cavewoman/birds nest. Then 10 mins to throw some makeup back on my face....1 hour wouldnt be enough!

Oh how I wish I wasnt so high maintenance haha....
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This is why I do inside / non mega sweaty activities at work, shower from the neck down and pray my makeup hasn't moved TOO much... thank fully enough people work out in our building that a certain degree of disheveled in the afternoons is easily understood :D
 
Insanity is fantastic to improve your fitness, I've found it helped doing it 3 times a week. Each week gradually gets worse and you feel like you are going to die at some points but it helps you build your muscle tone and fitness. To be honest though with your schedule I would struggle to fit much in. You could do it weekends And one or two evenings a week?
 
How do you get to places? You spend time travelling anyway, so could you cycle or run instead of getting train or car? I cycle about 17 miles a day, going to the stables and work. Even in the coldest, wettest weather, just bung on woolies & waterproofs. And lights! If it's over 20-odd miles a day, I'd get a race bike.

For shorter distances, run. When I was on mat leave, I ran everywhere, pushing the buggy, rather than take the bus. Ran to the shops, to meet friends for lunch, to baby groups.... You do have to develop a certain resiliance to being seen in sweaty lycra in public...!

It will take a bit longer than driving/training, but it's not a "thing" that you're also trying to incorporate into your life! Need to have systems in place about where your hairdryer lives and whether you have clean pants with you.

Are you going up the front or back of Ben Nevis? I went up the back one winter, it was awesome! Also did the front one summer. I don't think it's super-hardcore, I didn't do any specific fitness training before I did it. I wasn't the fastest in the group, mind!
 
HotToTrot said:
How do you get to places? You spend time travelling anyway, so could you cycle or run instead of getting train or car? I cycle about 17 miles a day, going to the stables and work. Even in the coldest, wettest weather, just bung on woolies & waterproofs. And lights! If it's over 20-odd miles a day, I'd get a race bike.

For shorter distances, run. When I was on mat leave, I ran everywhere, pushing the buggy, rather than take the bus. Ran to the shops, to meet friends for lunch, to baby groups.... You do have to develop a certain resiliance to being seen in sweaty lycra in public...!

It will take a bit longer than driving/training, but it's not a "thing" that you're also trying to incorporate into your life! Need to have systems in place about where your hairdryer lives and whether you have clean pants with you.

Are you going up the front or back of Ben Nevis? I went up the back one winter, it was awesome! Also did the front one summer. I don't think it's super-hardcore, I didn't do any specific fitness training before I did it. I wasn't the fastest in the group, mind!
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The only way to get to work is motorway for me which is a shame, dont think it would be wise to try and cycle or run the hard-shoulder of the M42 and M6! Haha!

Generally dont go to the shops (very well trained husband does all food shopping), actually I've just realised I dont go anywhere other than to work, then to the yard, then home....what a sad life I lead!

Not entirely sure what the plan is for Nevis...we hire a guide who tries to kill us marching us up mountains in the snow each winter, we've done the Cairngorms a few times now so trying the other side of Scotland instead. I'm hoping its not too hardcore, the rate I'm going I wont be mega fit so could do with it being reasonably easy (ish!) - Cairngorms last year was knee deep in snow, and year before that was frozen snow but minus 15 degrees and incredibly windy which made life very hard....so I'm hoping as we are on the less windy side in Feb it wont be such hard work, as long as we are not wading through knee deep snow I should survive!
 
I Have 3 horses on DIY, work full time 9-5 Mon-Fri. Compete one or both days on the weekend.

I get up at 4:30, Go for a run (Usually about an hour) Come back for 5:30ish, get ready go muck out horses, come back home from stables and get ready for work to get to work at 9am. Then do the boring days work,leave at 5 go ride the 3 and finish off jobs at the stables. I finish there about 8pm come home, have tea and go for another walk/Jog but this time with the dog. Sleep and repeat. It gets difficult in the winter,but these things are sent to test us! It is quite tiring and repetitive, but nothing feels as horrid as sitting at work all day knowing i've not done anything in the morning!
 
ljohnsonsj said:
I Have 3 horses on DIY, work full time 9-5 Mon-Fri. Compete one or both days on the weekend.

I get up at 4:30, Go for a run (Usually about an hour) Come back for 5:30ish, get ready go muck out horses, come back home from stables and get ready for work to get to work at 9am. Then do the boring days work,leave at 5 go ride the 3 and finish off jobs at the stables. I finish there about 8pm come home, have tea and go for another walk/Jog but this time with the dog. Sleep and repeat. It gets difficult in the winter,but these things are sent to test us! It is quite tiring and repetitive, but nothing feels as horrid as sitting at work all day knowing i've not done anything in the morning!
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Ok wow....you are superhuman and I bow my head in shame! Getting up at 6.30 is nothing compared to 4.30 really! I think the mornings are the way forwards for me, just need to get into the routine I guess and stop pressing snooze on my alarm!
 
kc100 said:
Ok wow....you are superhuman and I bow my head in shame! Getting up at 6.30 is nothing compared to 4.30 really! I think the mornings are the way forwards for me, just need to get into the routine I guess and stop pressing snooze on my alarm!
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I always used to snooze! Then i got so fed up of feeling poop and lazy! After about a week it just becomes habit :)
 
For those having difficulty getting out of bed I would highly recommend the wakie app. A real life human wakes you up and you have a little chat......I think this works because your brain actually has to function instead of hitting snooze on autopilot.

This has really worked for me and I have pretty much tried everything such as alarm clocks placed around bedroom, sunrise lamps, alarms where you have to do maths puzzles before it will switch off and wakie is the only alarm that has consistently worked!!

(Promise it isn't as weird as it sounds and I am not employed by them!!)
 
I think the issue lies with the fact you're not a morning person! Can you try getting to bed earlier and getting out of bed an hour earlier? I find if I've got an especially early start - and my standard alarm call is 6am, earlier if I'm riding or gymming - it helps to have everything set out the night before so I can just throw clothes on, brush teeth and go.

I rely on 6.30am spin or Body Pump classes, or being able to get out during quiet periods at work to do a quick pilates class. Also started riding later on Saturdays to do a quick spin class on the way to the yard. And Boris Biking whenever I have the opportunity! (this is slightly London-restricted admittedly :p ) And making running into an opportunity to meet up with friends for a chat as we run.
 
I'm up at 6, do 30 mins step aerobics infront of the TV, then go to the gym on a lunchtime (luckily for me, is based in my building at work) where I alternate one day 30 min run, with 1 day 30 mins sustained cardio effort + 40 mins weight training.

I go straight to the sables after work, though what I do depends on if my pony has already been ridden (I have a lovely friend who is schooling Tartine for me at the moment, while I lose enough weight to ride her)
 
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