“I’m rarely motivated to exercise so I schedule exercise into my calendar like meetings” says an expert trainer as she reveals her weekly workout routine

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.

Former model Nancy Eagle is a certified personal trainer for health and fitness app RWL and RWL luxury wellness retreats, which run across Europe. Her love for fitness began as a kid when she tried every sport she could, including athletics, netball, soccer, basketball and horse riding.

She initially signed up for the RWL app as a customer and was later inspired by its co-founder Cecilia Harris, whose son Eagle went to school with, to become a personal trainer.

But despite being a fitness coach for the last six years, Eagle says she is “rarely motivated” to exercise, so she schedules workouts into her calendar like meetings.

She tells Fit&Well: “Considering health and fitness is what I do for a living, the last thing I generally want to do is actually exercise myself!

“Like many women, juggling the demands of everyday life can be exhausting, so it’s no surprise that sometimes the motivation to work out just isn’t there! On top of that, dealing with the ups and downs of hormones can make it even harder to feel consistently energised enough to train. But that’s exactly why I choose to exercise!

“For me, working out is an escape. It gives me space to step away from everything on my to-do list and focus on myself. It’s a reset. Something that brings me both energy and a sense of calm.

“Short term, it gives me the strength and mental clarity I need to take on each day. And in the long term, it’s about investing in my future. It’s about giving my body the best chance to stay strong, healthy and capable for years to come!”

Eagle does a mix of strength training at the gym and home workouts on the days she’s really busy, as well as brisk walking. “It’s a great way to get in some cardio to keep my body fat down without burning myself out on the cardio machines,” she says.

She aims to do five workouts a week, generally in the morning, and sessions last from 45 minutes at the gym to 25 minutes at home.

“During my strength sessions, I make sure I’m loading my body with enough weight to build muscle,” says Eagle. “But rest days are also super important so that I can push myself and get the very most out of my workouts during the week.”

She says listening to your body is essential. “If I’m not feeling up to it on a particular day, I try not to be hard on myself! Instead, a short 10-minute workout from home is fine or going on a leisurely walk with my dog Leo.”

Nancy Eagle’s weekly workout routine

Monday 8am
45-minute lower-body workout

Tuesday 7.30am
25-minute RWL Power Pilates online class

Wednesday 9am
Active recovery, one-hour dog walk

Thursday 8am
25-minute RWL Total Reset and five-minute core blast

Friday 7.30am
45-minute upper-body workout

Saturday 9am
Active recovery, one-hour dog walk

Sunday 9am
45-minute full-body strength workout

Nancy Eagle’s top three workout tips

1. Any movement is good

Small and often is a good approach to workouts, especially if you struggle with motivation, says Eagle. “Ten minutes is better than nothing. Find a workout plan that you can follow. A lot of the time, people give up because they lack consistency and routine. Having guidance is key!”

2. Plan your workouts like a meeting

Often people have the intention to exercise, but when it comes to the day they can feel overwhelmed with other tasks or like they don’t have time to fit it into their busy schedule. “Plan your week of workouts ahead of time,” she advises. “Then book them into your diary like a meeting.” This is a strategy that really works and one that Eagle uses herself to stay consistent.

3. Don’t try to out train a bad diet

Exercise is important, says Eagle, but if you are filling up on junk food and high-calorie, low-nutrient foods then you won’t see results. “Ensure you’re nourishing your body. Remember, it’s 70% diet, 30% exercise. You can’t out train a bad diet!”