From Burnout to Balance: Finding a Fitness Routine That Works

It's no secret that fitness and health are in right now. Our culture has noticeably shifted from late nights and bad decisions to matchas, pilates classes, Alo sets, red light therapy, and a perfectly curated morning routine.

While the desire to feel healthy and confident isn’t new, the pressure surrounding it certainly feels amplified. Women have always faced beauty standards, but with the rise of TikTok and social media, those expectations are now constantly in front of us. Suddenly, it feels like everyone is waking up at 6 a.m., heading to Pilates, grabbing a $7 matcha, and ending the night with a perfect ten-step skincare routine.

And if you’re not doing all that, it can start to feel like you’re falling behind.

But how exactly are you supposed to maintain that kind of lifestyle in the middle of real life? Especially if you’re navigating a busy schedule, a full-time job, and the unpredictability of everyday routines. As a city girl working a 9-5 myself, trying to keep up with the “perfect wellness lifestyle” can oftentimes begin to feel less inspiring — and more impossible.

Before Pilates, there was the gym

Before Pilates, there was the gym. A place I had formed a relationship with long before I ever stepped into it on my own.

I remember going there as a young girl with my mom. Watching someone I loved so much struggle with body image and insecurities made an impression on me early. I didn’t fully understand it at the time, but I knew I wanted to support her in her journey.

To give you a better picture of me, I’ve been 5’8 since I was about 13 years old. Not only was I tall, but I was lanky too. I’ve been an A cup my entire life, and at the ripe age of 25, I’m still patiently waiting for my second puberty to kick in.

In high school, I hated PE. That was actually my first real introduction to the gym. I remember being forced to use the machines in front of my whole class and feeling completely ridiculous. I did the bare minimum to pass and tried to avoid drawing attention to myself. Looking back now, I think part of me was afraid of becoming even skinnier when all I really wanted was to be curvier.

Then came the King Kylie era and the rise of BBL culture. My insecurities only grew stronger.

It wasn’t until the pandemic that I finally decided to take action. With the help of my old roommate, who was already a regular at the gym, and encouragement from my boyfriend at the time, I started going consistently. I committed fully. I was going to eat high protein meals , train heavy legs multiple times a week, wear a waist trainer — everything I thought I needed to do to achieve a curvier body.

Within a few months, I was lifting the same weight as my roommate, who had been training much longer than I and naturally had the body type I wished I had. Seeing progress and having her motivate me only pushed me further. Every workout became about one more rep or adding more weight.

At my peak, I was leg pressing four or five plates on each side — more than double my body weight. I was doing single-leg RDLs with 50-pound dumbbells. I pushed myself hard, sometimes too hard. I remember pulling my back from the intensity of certain workouts, and one time, I was convinced I had seriously injured my knee because I could barely drive without stopping to stretch it.

Looking back now, I can’t even believe some of the things I was putting my body through.

Starting Over — But Differently This Time

After pushing myself to extremes for so long, my relationship with fitness began to fall apart. I had achieved my sole goal to some extent. And if you read my previous blog, “Soft Discipline: The Fitness Mindset That Changed Everything for Me,” then you know. Like a house of cards, everything I had worked so hard for managed to slip between the cracks.

It was during that period in my life that I was forced to take a step back and rethink not only my fitness goals but also how I approached my discipline and overall wellness.

Instead of trying to jump back into the same routines, I decided I needed to do things differently. This new approach would have to not only fit my new lifestyle, my new schedule, but also embrace this new healthy, long lasting relationship with fitness i was forming.

That's when I started rebuilding my routine from the bottom up.

Creating a Fitness Routine That Fits Your Life

Step 1:Decide Your Fitness Goal:

Like any other project you embark on, the first step is always the same: you need to decide what exactly your end goal is.

A simple way to figure this out is to ask yourself why you are doing this in the first place. There are many reasons why someone might want to take control of their health and fitness, and it's actually pretty common to have more than one motivation. That's why it is important for you to identify the key reasons that matter the most to you.

For some people, the goal might be feeling more confident. For others, it could be improving endurance, overcoming medical issues, or simply adding some structure and routine to your days. Whatever your main motivation is will help determine the direction your routine takes. Once you understand why you're doing it, the rest of the decisions — where you work out, what type of workouts you choose, and how often you train — become much easier to figure out.

Step 2: Consider the logistics

Once you understand your overall goal, the next step is to figure out the practical side of things. Even the best intentions can fall through if your routine doesn't align with your lifestyle.

Think about what environment will realistically support your consistency. For some people, that might mean finding a gym close to home or work so it’s easy to stop by before or after the day begins. For others, it might be less about location and more about the atmosphere — whether the gym feels welcoming, how busy it gets at certain times, or what equipment is available.

It’s also worth thinking about what type of movement you genuinely enjoy. Some people thrive in traditional gym settings, while others feel more motivated in group fitness classes like Pilates, yoga, or strength-based classes. The key is choosing an environment that makes showing up feel easier, not harder.

Sometimes consistency isn’t about motivation — it’s simply about removing the parts that make it hard.

Once you’ve figured out the environment that works best for you, the next step is planning how fitness will actually fit into your weekly routine.

Step 3: Plan your workout days

Once you have identified your goal and chosen the right environment that fits your lifestyle, the last step is creating a weekly routine that you can realistically stick to.

Something I realized is that many people bite off more than they can chew. You’re so motivated in the beginning and ready for change that you try to do too much too quickly, which can lead you to become overwhelmed and lose focus. Instead, take a look at your current lifestyle and build a routine that feels both comfortable and manageable.​

The key is consistency. With time, you can work on improving this routine and seeing what works and doesn't work, but in the beginning, it is ok to take it easy. This type of routine will ultimately become more sustainable than one that solely relies on motivation, because let's be honest, we all have those days where we can't be bothered with leaving the house, let alone getting a workout in.

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A Healthier relationship with fitness

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Like any relationship, the one you have with yourself - and with your fitness - is one that requires ongoing effort and care. There will always be good days, and difficult ones too. That is why it is important that you go into this journey with a clear, well thought out plan. Progress isn’t about being perfect or never missing a workout. It’s about building a routine you can return to again and again.

Taking a day for yourself doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It simply means you’re human. The difference is having a plan that allows you to reset, refocus, and continue moving forward.

Over time, those small moments of consistency are what truly shape your relationship with fitness.