Welcome to Workout Diaries, a 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.
Dr Cristina Sciavolino-Day is an internal medicine physician who also shares workout and mobility videos online. She’s an advocate for daily movement, be that a short walk, balance training or strength exercises at home and the gym, with the goal of staying strong enough to live life to the full for as long as possible.
“My priority now is longevity and not so much how I look, as I was in my 20s,” she tells Fit&Well. “I want to preserve muscle, protect my bones, support my metabolic health, and maintain balance and mobility as I age.
“I don’t train to be smaller—I train to be stronger and capable. For women over 40, especially, strength becomes protective medicine.”
Walking forms a large part of Sciavolino-Day’s weekly activity. “I walk about three miles, three or four days a week, and I prefer being outdoors because fresh air and natural light make a difference for me mentally and physically.
“If the weather or time doesn’t cooperate, I’ll walk indoors on my walking pad while working.”
She also strength trains up to five times a week, splitting the sessions between the gym and home. “I go to the gym once or twice a week so that I can use the heavier weights and machines. I value my gym days because progressive overload—gradually increasing resistance—is essential for preserving muscle mass as we age.”
When she works out at home, Sciavolino-Day focuses on “simple, functional movements that support balance, coordination and muscle strength.”
Here’s a look at a typical week.
Cristina Sciavolino-Day’s weekly workout routine
Monday 8am
60min, three-mile walk
Tuesday 8am
30min walking on treadmill while working, plus 20min strength training at home
Wednesday 7.30am
60min strength training at the gym
Thursday 7am
30min bodyweight workout at home
Friday 8am
60min three-mile walk, plus 20min mobility work at home
Saturday 5pm
15min balance work at home
Sunday 10am
20min home strength training at home
Cristina Sciavolino-Day’s workout tips
Start your day with movement
“My biggest tip is to get it done as soon as possible upon starting your day,” says Sciavolino-Day. “The longer that you push it off, the higher the chance that it does not get done.
“Set your alarm clock across the room so it forces you to get up to shut it off. Once you’re up, get the exercise done.”
Start small
“I always encourage people to start small and build gradually,” says Day. “Even 15 minutes of walking and then strength training is a powerful place to begin.
“[Strength training] could look like doing a few reps of bodyweight exercises, then adding weights as you get stronger.
“I remind people to build a routine around what is sustainable, not what is trending. If your routine feels extreme, it won’t last. If it is sustainable, it will be easier to be more consistent with it.”
Try habit stacking
Sciavolino-Day says she uses habit stacking—where you tag an activity onto another one—for example, cleaning your teeth and standing on one leg to improve balance.
“I slip in exercises at opportune times,” says Sciavolino-Day, “such as while the microwave is counting down or I am brushing my teeth.
“Motivation was an issue for me starting my weight loss journey, but by making it a part of my daily routine, it became so much easier and doable. It became so automatic, like brushing my teeth.
“After going through midlife weight gain and losing nearly 70 pounds, I learned that consistency comes from structure and routine, not from waiting to ‘feel like it’.”
