How I Sweat: Meet Cara

Welcome to How I Sweat, where we catch up with members of the incredible Sweat Community to find out more about their lives and why they choose to Sweat. Today, we’re talking to Cara, who first joined Sweat in December 2017. 

Living in Canada as a Digital Director for a global financial services company, she is a proud mother of one, a wife, and when she can find the time, loves having her feet in the sand and the sun on her skin. 

She has a deep love of travelling and exploring new countries, cultures and food, but feels her true calling lies with people. “I am so passionate about helping others,” she says.

Whether she’s having her best day or her worst, Cara’s radiant confidence, kindness and positivity are a huge inspiration for the Sweat Community, and she says the feeling of inspiration goes both ways. 

“I truly connected with the Sweat Community in 2020 - two years after I started using the app. I can honestly say the women in this community are like none other – they have elevated my Sweat experience to a whole other level. They are the most supportive group of women that have become real friends. I am so motivated, inspired and empowered by their journeys.”

For Cara, Sweat is part of learning more about herself, making self-care a priority and growing every day. 

“I am on a never-ending journey of self-discovery,” she explains. “I live by the motto ‘Fill up your cup first, because you can’t help anyone if your cup is dry’”.

This is how Cara Sweats.

My fitness journey and why I Sweat

One of the biggest issues I’ve had with fitness over the years was not having a sense of what to do to get fit, the style of workout that I preferred or even how to do the exercises correctly. 

In December 2017, I came across a fitness profile @katricekeepsfit and I felt so inspired by her journey. She kept talking about this fitness app she was using called Sweat, so I decided to check it out on a 7-day free trial. I haven’t looked back since!

All those issues I was having with fitness before? The Sweat app changed all of that for me. It made me fall in love with fitness, I loved the variety of workouts, all the exercise demonstrations and how easy it was to use.

I’ve had so many changes, both physically and mentally, since becoming a Sweat member four years ago. I now know my journey isn’t linear and it’s okay to pivot or have setbacks, but amidst all that change, Sweat has remained a constant in my life - supporting me throughout all the different phases of my fitness journey. 

How I Sweat

As my fitness journey has evolved over the years, my favourite Sweat trainers and programs have too.

At the beginning, I started with Kayla’s High Intensity Program and then did Kelsey’s PWR program until Summer of 2020. That is when I tried BUILD and fell in LOVE with lifting heavy! 

Monday

Monday is always a busy day. I wake up around 7 am and get my daughter to school before I start my workday. My job is very meeting heavy, which is a challenge when it comes to staying active and getting my steps in. 

However, today I was super happy that I was able to squeeze in a 45-min walk outdoors (in the cold) between meetings. An outdoor walk really helps to clear my mind. 

Today was super busy at work, so I had to do my leg-day workout in the evening which is not my favourite time. But, I got it done and felt so good afterwards!

Tuesday

On Tuesdays I usually train my back & shoulders. I follow the planner in the Sweat app for my weekly workout schedule, but if on the odd occasion I can’t do the workout that day, I just switch it up in the planner – the app makes my fitness routine so easy! 

In addition to my day job, I am taking a course on Tuesday evenings, so I knew that I had to get my workout in earlier. I blocked an hour in my work calendar and got it done during the day. 

As soon as I wrap up work on a Tuesday, I make dinner for my daughter and hubby! We order pre-made great macro-friendly meals – I am all about convenience these days!

Wednesday

This is usually my rest day and I like to go for a walk, but today it wasn’t possible – too many meetings.

Thursday

In a usual week, I would go for a run and do an Express Workout on a Thursday, but at the moment my daughter is having issues sleeping at night, so I’ve been feeling beyond exhausted and have no energy to run. To rest and recharge, I just lay in bed and read Atomic Habits by James Clear for the second time – love this book!

Friday

I had a hair appointment today, so I took the day off from work and after a couple of days off did a double workout – Arm & Abs plus Glutes & Hamstrings. I felt so energized and strong post-workout – I added more weight to each exercise to challenge myself this week and it worked! On a Friday night, it’s usually family time or couple time and I also order our pre-made dinners for the following week.

Saturday

I was woken up by my daughter at 7:30 am and we had cuddle time on the couch before I dropped her to gymnastics at 11:00 am. Usually I do Arms & Abs on Saturday, but because I got my hair done yesterday there is no Saturday workout this week.

Instead, I made my grocery list and went shopping instead.  In the afternoon, I hung out at home with my hubby and daughter before dropping her to my Mother In Law’s for a sleepover and I headed out to a girls night with my friends!

Sunday

Sunday was my relaxing lazy day – I watched Netflix, prepped some food for the week and started a new fiction book.

How do YOU choose to Sweat? 

No matter what you’re juggling in your day-to-day life, what form of movement you enjoy the most, or what time of day you can squeeze it in, Sweat can fit into your lifestyle. 

There’s a large variety of programs, workout styles and trainers to suit any fitness level or goal, and an amazing community of women ready to cheer you on every step of the way. 

So tell us in the comments, how do YOU Sweat?