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An expert trainer and busy mom says this is the exact weekly workout routine she uses to build muscle, burn fat and save time
Welcome to Workout Diaries, a new series where we ask expert trainers to talk us through what a week of exercise looks like for them, helping you figure out how to develop and maintain an effective workout routine.
Rachael Sacerdoti is a personal trainer and wellness coach. She’s also the founder of It’s So Simple, a weight loss programme designed specifically for midlife women.
As well as running her own business, Sacerdoti is a busy mom, so she’s had to develop an effective workout routine that fits into her schedule.
“My workouts are anywhere between 40 and 60 minutes, sometimes even a little bit less,” she tells Fit&Well, adding: “I have young kids and I try to take Saturday and Sunday off training.”
Sacerdoti has shared what a recent week of workouts looks like for her, with details on her workout goals and how she’s trying to meet them, as well as tips for beginners looking to develop a workout schedule.
Keep in mind that this is the diary of a full-time trainer—if you’re new to working out, your exercise routine might look very different!
Rachael Sacerdoti’s weekly workout routine
Monday 08.30am
60-minute lower body gym workout
Focus: Hamstring and glutes
Tuesday 08.30am
45-minute upper-body home workout
Focus: Chest, arms and core
Wednesday 07.30am
30-minute mobility and cardio workout at home or in park
Focus: Low-impact movement
Thursday 08.30am
50-minute upper body gym workout
Focus: Back and shoulders
Friday 08.30am
50-minute lower body gym workout
Focus: Quads, calves and glutes
Saturday anywhere between 09-11am
Optional 30-minute light cardio or full-body workout
This is typically a walk, gentle run or dumbbell home workout
Sunday rest day
“This is non-negotiable. No guilt. No “earning” food. Just rest because recovery is part of the process. It’s what lets your body rebuild and your mind reset,” says Sacerdoti.
Rachael Sacerdoti Q&A
What are your priorities when it comes to working out?
“At the moment, my focus is muscle building. But it does keep changing. I want to build muscle and make sure my body fat doesn’t get out of control.”
What type of workouts do you do?
“I do dumbbell workouts and gym workouts as well with machines, kettlebells and bands. I do a very similar workout over four weeks with a little bit of change to keep things interesting and I try to progress with those exercises over the four weeks. Every four weeks I change up the exercises to bring in different muscle groups.”
“Two times a week, I’ll train my lower-body because they’re my largest muscles so that’s where I’ll get bang for my buck. Also because the lower body is very important in terms of mobility and stability.”
“I keep my cardio low-impact for the most part. I do uphill walking on the treadmill, the stairmaster or bodyweight HIIT workouts. I go out for a run sometimes but I don’t push myself. I’ll do 5K at a steady speed or go on a long walk – 80% of the time my cardio is low-intensity.”
How often do you aim to work out each week?
“On average, I train five days a week.”
Do you usually hit this target?
“My absolute minimum is four times a week. In the middle of the week if my body is too tired, then I’ll take Wednesday off and move my workout to a Saturday.”
What time of the day do you workout?
“I always workout in the morning because that’s my routine. If I had to do a late workout it would never get done, between my kids, pick-up, drop-offs, cooking, work – I’d never do it.”
What’s your number one tip for someone looking to develop an effective exercise routine?
“I have the 10-minute rule with my clients—even if you don’t want to go to the gym, just do 10 minutes and in 10 minutes if you’re still not convinced you should be there, then leave. But 99% of the time after 10 minutes you’ll feel like you should be there and you’ll want to carry on.”
