Welcome to Workout Diaries, a series where we ask expert trainers to talk us through what a week in exercise looks like for them, helping you figure out how to develop and maintain an effective workout routine.
Jesse Ramos Jr. is an ISSA-certified health coach based in New York City. Before he became a trainer, he was working full-time in banking for 10 years. During this period, he lost 90lb while working full-time, through low-intensity strength training, dancing and everyday movement.
At first, his motives were aesthetic, but working out quickly became about something more. “I started loving the way I felt when I moved, and I realized I needed to do things for myself versus for other people,” Ramos tells Fit&Well.
He started with cardio workouts and discovered strength training in his late 20s. “At that point, I had already lost 40lb, but I didn’t really know much about strength training until I found the confidence to join a gym,” he says.
“I would see other people lifting weights, and so I would just go up to them and ask them what they were doing, and when they would show me, I started to replicate it myself.”
Now, strength training plays a crucial role in Ramos’ workout routine, alongside other types of movement. The variety in the trainer’s weekly schedule is key to his motivation and love for exercise. “I never set a goal to hit 90lb, I just fell in love with the activities that I was doing,” he says.
Jesse Ramos Jr.’s weekly workout routine
Monday 10.30am
Mobility work
Tuesday 11am
Full-body strength workout using kettlebells, plus core exercises
Wednesday 11am
Outdoor strength workout with a friend
Thursday 6pm
Spin class and swimming
Friday 12.15pm
Full-body strength training with dumbbells
Saturday 6.15am
Calisthenics workout
Sunday 9.30am
Hike, sauna and jacuzzi
Jesse Ramos Jr.’s tips for building a consistent workout routine
Avoid analysis paralysis
“You’ve just got to get started,” Ramos says. “A lot of people just envision themselves doing something and never act on it.”
“Start by learning movement patterns, so a simple squat, which can be just sitting on a chair to start,” he suggests.
Seek out joyful movement
“I lost a lot of my weight by finding something that was fun,” Ramos says. “You need to find something that they enjoy, so you stay consistent.”
“My joy was dancing,” he continues. “I love movement. I love to feel free. I would pretend I was Britney Spears in my back room and that helped a lot of weight come off because there was no pressure and I was in the comfort of my own home.”
Don’t compare yourself
“Try not to care what everybody else thinks about your routine—nobody’s judging you in the gym, everybody’s so focused on their own aesthetic,” Ramos says. “When I work with clients, it’s important they feel safe so I try to build up their confidence because I remember how it used to feel.”
Work movement into your day-to-day life
“Add a day of non-exercise activity,” Ramos suggests. By this he means incorporating movement that has a purpose other than getting your heart rate up or building muscle. “That could be something as simple as deep cleaning your home.”
“Cleaning exerts a lot of energy,” he adds.