It’s no secret that the Princess of Wales has an innate affinity for health and fitness, and has given royal fans a glimpse of her athletic and competitive abilities at many sporting events.
Former rugby player Mike Tindall, who is married to Prince William’s cousin Zara, even described Duchess Kate as an “engine” and claimed the 40-year-old royal would be a wingman on his dream rugby team. Run all day long! ”
I wanted to strengthen my exercise habits, so I decided to take on the challenge. Duchess Kate’s 14-day workout and health routine We set out to see if we could emulate the royal’s enviable toned physique and glowing skin.
Check out the highs and lows of my take on the sporty royal cardio, strength training, and stretching routine below.
What is the Princess of Wales’s training routine?
The royal is known for incorporating an active mix of cardio and weight training into her lifestyle. From running to weightlifting, cycling to rowing, yoga to HIIT, the sporty princess’ workout routines are certainly not for the faint of heart.
I decided to follow a 14-day workout plan that incorporated as many of Princess’s favorite exercises as possible.
Day 1, Day 3, Day 5
- 3km run
- 45 minutes weight training
Day 2, Day 6, Day 7
- 45 minute spin class
- 1 hour yoga
Day 8, Day 10, Day 12
- 10,000 steps walking
- 45 minutes weight training
Day 9, Day 11, Day 13
Day 14
How did you find each exercise?
weight training
Before delving into weight training, I wanted to seek some expert advice, so I spoke with the following people: juliana leonardiSenior Personal Trainer david lloyd kensington Someone who has considered (understood?) what you need to know about weight training as a woman.
©Getty“The key to achieving a toned body like the Princess of Wales without bulking up is to do a few repetitions of a low weight,” Juliana explained.
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“I definitely believe in Princess of Wales weight training,” says Juliana. “Weight training has so many benefits, from getting leaner and stronger to improving the fate of your bones, burning fat and improving your posture.”
As a beginner weightlifter, I found Juliana’s exercises to be fun and surprisingly easy. But the next day’s burn proved that you don’t need to lift heavy weights to feel a difference.
running
©GettyBoth Duchess Kate and her sister Pippa Middleton are avid runners.by daily mailIn Norfolk, the Princess found time to run as often as she could, and before her death she enjoyed long runs with her dog Lupo by her side.
I’ve found it surprisingly difficult to keep running every day, as I think that’s where I need the most motivation. I consider running to be one of those love-it-or-hate-it exercises, and I definitely fall into the latter category. I always started my workouts with his slow 2km jog or worked up a sweat on David’s Lloyd’s curved treadmill. According to Juliana, this is great for increasing your endurance and strengthening your core.
cycling
©GettyI don’t think Princess Kate will be cycling to Taylor Swift’s pumps at 7am like I did for spin class, but I do know that she’s an avid bicyclist. Before becoming a princess, Kate regularly cycled near her family home in Bucklebury, and was also spotted using a London Cycle Scheme bike in her Hyde Park neighborhood.
I don’t know if it’s just the London bike scene, but spinning is scary. The instructors were intimidating and the weird cult-like atmosphere where everyone in the place seemed to automatically know the choreographed bike graphics (yes, that’s a thing!) was overwhelming and the Tsia Club’s playlists are often a little too much for Monday mornings. However, sweat is real, so it must do something.
yoga
I expected to use yoga as a rest day activity to give my body a break from weight training and cardio, but I often left classes feeling exhausted.
Princess Kate loves comprehensive exercise. Duchess Kate invited a Mustique yoga instructor to her wedding in 2011, and she also had her prenatal yoga session in preparation for the birth of Prince George in 2013.
What did you learn by working out like Kate Middleton for a week?
Regular, daily exercise can do wonders for your mental health
© Thomas Lovelock – AELTCOnce I established a solid routine of waking up, exercising, working, and sleeping, I started to see big changes in my focus, motivation, and mental health. I started craving post-workout endorphins, and knowing I accomplished my fitness goals for the day before I even started work was much more rewarding than the usual struggle of waking up in the morning and dragging myself to my desk to start work. It was an emotion (hmm).
I was also starting to feel tired around 9pm, so I went to bed much earlier and logged at least 8 hours of sleep each night. This is a much longer time than before.
It’s not worth hurting yourself
To avoid injury, I had to really listen to my body as the final day of the challenge approached. At one point, I felt like I was doing too much cardio, so I replaced my weight training sessions with slow yoga at home. And I know my body thanked me.
Finding the right balance between exercise and rest is always difficult. This is especially true if you suddenly increase your physical activity.
food intake must be increased
We often hear about how a “calorie deficit” is the key to weight loss, but we rarely hear about the importance of eating enough calories to maintain energy for exercise. If he had tripled his daily exercise for this challenge and continued eating the same way he always did, he would have definitely passed out by the third day.
Around day 4 of the challenge, I started waking up feeling extremely hungry and found myself going to bed hungry. That’s when I realized that my body wasn’t getting enough fuel to continue training. On some days, her Apple Watch would let her know that she had consumed more than 3,000 calories in a day, so it’s no wonder she started feeling weak and lightheaded when she wasn’t eating enough.
I added more protein and lots of fresh vegetables to give my body energy while keeping my diet healthy. And when I wanted to treat myself to a treat (or two), I never refused.
Don’t underestimate the power of yoga
Weight training may have made me feel tired and sweaty, but it was always after yoga that I felt like my body was working the hardest. Not only was my core burning after every class, but my upper back and chest muscles were sore after a sweaty session of chaturanga she dandasanas (low plank holds).
Yoga has been proven to benefit the core, posture, and stability of the body, so it’s no wonder the princess incorporates it into her lifestyle as a way to loosen and promote muscle strength.
Everyone’s body is different
Although I wanted to wake up on the last day of the challenge with the slender, toned physique of a Princess of Wales (a girl can dream), I needed to be realistic about my goals.
Fitness is a lifestyle and requires a lot of effort and dedication. So despite my disciplined approach to this challenge, the physical changes in my body were minimal, but that doesn’t mean it was a complete failure. I explored new styles of workouts, braved the dreaded weight section at the gym, and completed my first 5K in months.
The change in appearance may be small. Mentally, you’re ready to tackle your next workout and continue exploring the possibilities of your fitness goals, just like Kate Middleton.
