What's Actually Worth It: My Real-life Wellness Non-negotiables
Simple habits, realistic routines, and what actually works in a busy, real-life season.

04/21/2026

Most wellness advice sounds good, but doesn’t actually work in real life. Between busy schedules, work, motherhood, and everything else on your plate, it’s easy to feel like you’re either all in or completely off track. I’ve been there more times than I can count. And what I’ve learned is this: you don’t need more routines, more rules, or more pressure. You need a realistic approach that fits your life. That’s what this space is about. Not perfection, not extremes, just what’s actually worth it when it comes to feeling better, getting stronger, and staying consistent in a real-life season. 

Balancing Wellness in a Busy, Real-Life Season
I wear a a lot of always-changing hats. I have a full-time job + I'm a content creator building my own brand from the ground up while working alongside hundreds of brands each year to help tell their story. I'm a mom to a toddler, who keeps me on my toes always. I'm very active and love working out. I go to the gym almost every morning and love starting my day that way. I've worked for years on figuring out what wellness means and looks like for me. And my idea of "wellness" has changed as I've gone through different seasons. I'm finally in a good routine and feel like I've got it figured out (most days), but it hasn't always looked like it does now. 

I remember years of training with no results. No noticeable changes in my body composition, but more importantly in the way that I felt. I was going through the motions in the gym and doing what I thought was right, but nothing was changing and I was so incredibly tired of spinning my wheels and getting nowhere. 

I stopped trying to follow perfect routines and started building a routine that worked for my schedule, my energy, my season of life, and everything changed. Here are a few things that I've done that are actually worth it and that actually WORK. 

What's Actually Worth It
I used to walk into the gym with no real structure. I typically had somewhat of an idea of what I wanted to do - upper body or lower body, but aside from that it was a free-for-all. I didn't know what a workout split was, I didn't know how to properly fuel my body pre-, during, or post-workout. I didn't know what progressive overload was. I didn't track the weights that I was using for the exercises I was doing. And looking back on that version of myself challenges me because I know how much time I wasted in the gym. Time that I can't get back. But 5ish years ago when I adjusted my method of training, everything changed for me. 

• My workouts are typically about 40 minutes long. That's it. No fluff. I'm not spending 30mins on a cardio machine. I'm in the gym for a reason, I get the job done, and I get out. I can realistically fit these into my day by either doing them first thing in the morning or in the afternoon on my lunch break. I don't have time to waste these days, and I'd be willing to guess neither do you. I've been doing the same workouts/lifts with minor variations for years. I change sets/reps or the order of the movements I'm doing, but only slightly and only when I have to (like when someone is using a machine that I need).  

• I track my weights so I'm actually progressing, not guessing. I use a method called "progressive overload," which is defined as the systematic, gradual increase of stress placed upon the musculoskeletal system during exercise to drive continuous strength gains and muscle growth. It prevents plateaus by forcing the body to adapt to new, harder challenges, such as higher weight, more reps, or better form, avoiding adaptation to a static routine. If you're walking around the gym and moving weight around, that's great! But if you don't know or don't remember what you did last week and you're trying to improve upon that, how will you ever know if you've actually gained strength? 

• I priotize protein without overcomplicating meals. I don't necessarily "track" my food or diet. But I keep things in our home that have good ingredients and I incorporate protein through the foods that I eat as often as I can. I don't skip meals, EVER. I fuel my body properly.  This is one thing that is so drastically different for me compared to 5-6 years ago when I wasn't seeing any progress or results. I take supplements, which I'll talk about another day, but one small bit of advice - drink a protein shake after your workout. Like immediately after. My favorite protein powders are from Clean Simple Eats, and you can use the code BROOKE at checkout to save 10%.

• I move my body every day. I mentioned my 4o-minute workouts. Those only work because I'm doing them CONSISTENTLY. I don't go into the gym every day. Sometimes movement looks like a walk to the park with our daughter, sometimes it's a weighted vest walk on the treadmill, & sometimes it's cleaning our house and going up and down stairs all day. Nevertheless, I'm getting in some form of movement every day and that's why I've been able to make and maintain my progress for as long as I have.

• I keep my meals simple, and repeat a lot of the same things over and over. And I'm okay with that. Some people (like my husband) need more variety in their diet. I can eat the same things over and over and over and be just fine. I view food as fuel and I don't restrict anything. If I want pizza and ice cream, I have it. But I primarily stick to the same meals and I always have a protein, carb, and veggie for lunch & dinner. I'm also a huge fan of Herculean Prepared Meals which is a local meal-prep company here in Indianapolis, but they ship nationwide, and they're under $10 a meal. Portion sizes are perfect, macros are great, and not having to do dishes is the best part. My favorites are the Smash Burger Bowl, Broccoli Chicken Alfredo, and Street Corn Chicken.

• I get my sleep! I get roughly 7 hours of sleep per night, with very similar bed time and wake times. My body is in such a good rhythm that I've figured out exactly how much sleep I need in order to perform at my best. If you're not feeling your best, prioritize sleep and see what happens. I wear an Oura Ring, so it tracks my sleep and tells me when something may be a little "off." Otherwise, I listen to my body and rest when I can. It's not always easy, especially with everything else going on in my life. If I know I need a night of deep, restorative sleep, I'll drink Beam Dream in the flavor Brownie Batter about 30 minutes before I want to go to bed and it helps me fall asleep, stay asleep, and I don't wake up groggy.

What's NOT Worth It
We all have habits or tendencies we wish we could let go of. Here are a few that I've let go of that have helped me stay consistent without getting complicated.

Starting over every Monday. I don't "slack" on the weekends. I use Saturday and sometimes Sunday to get movement in because it matters more than most people think. I work a typical weekday job, so the fact that on two days out of the week I don't have to focus my attention on my career and I can focus it on other things is a no-brainer as to why I should be utilizing my weekends and making the most of them, instead of falling further behind. If you're trying to fit in 4 days a week at the gym but only focusing on Monday-Friday, reframe that. 

Waiting until I feel motivated. There are times that I walk into the gym with little to no motivation. I'm not excited or looking forward to my workout. It doesn't happen often since I'm tracking my workouts and working toward getting stronger, but when it does, it takes a quick mindset shift. When motivation lacks, mindset has to step in. I think about how blessed I am to be able to move the way that I do. How blessed I am to have the resources like a phenomenal gym like Planet Fitness. How uplifting it is to see other people I don't even know working toward something and pushing themselves. How fun and exciting it is to see the weight I'm adding to the bar increase week after week. 

Overcomplicating workouts. I've said this before and I'll say it a thousand times again, your workouts don't have to be complicated. They don't have to be complex, they don't have to change every day/week/month, they don't have to be things you don't like doing. You can find something you enjoy while listening to your body, paying attention to your progress, tracking your movement and considering other factors like diet and lifestyle (this includes products you use for cleaning, beauty, supplements/medications, candles, etc. but we'll get into that more later). I promise you it doesn't have to be complicated, and I can help you figure out the best plan of action. You just have to ask for help!

Trying to follow someone else's routine perfectly. What works for me might not work for you. I do think that the method of training that I use will work for most people/women. But you could walk into the gym by yourself and absolutely hate it. Maybe you need a group fitness class like Shred415 or Orange Theory. Maybe you want to do more cardio-focused workouts like running, walking, or hiking. Maybe it's yoga or Pilates. Whatever the case is, I encourage you to find motivation from people who inspire you, but don't think your journey or your routine has to look exactly like theirs does. Everyone has so many different things going on. What's worth it to you might not be worth it to your friend or neighbor. And that's fine. 

Thinking I need more time than I actually do. It doesn't take hours in the gym. I've said that before and I'll say it again. It doesn't take multiple workouts a day. It doesn't take hours of meal prepping. It does, however, take days stacked in a row of movement in some way, shape, or form. If you work out three days this week and zero next week, then wonder why you're still in the same place you were two weeks ago, think about it. Our bodies crave movement and crave it consistently. Getting off-track or have time to rest is totally normal. But staying off-track is when you get frustrated, have to start all over again, and lose hope, usually causing you to give up altogether. You don't actually need as much time as you think, and I'm proof of that.
*If you need help figuring out timing, your schedule, gym options, and a workout routine, I encourage you to DM me on Instagram or TikTok, fill out the contact me form on this website, or send me an email (brooke@wellandworthit.com).  I'd be happy to set up a time to chat and help you get started.

What This Means For YOU 
If you’re in a season where you feel like you should be doing more, but you’re not sure what actually makes sense for your life, you’re not alone. And you don’t have to figure it out on your own. If you need help building a routine that actually fits your schedule, your energy, and your life right now, you can reach out to me. I can help you figure out what kind of workouts make sense, how often you can realistically show up, and what approach is actually worth it for you.

Because real wellness isn’t about doing everything. It’s about doing what actually works for your life. That’s what well & worth it.