cardio question

shev16

shev16

Member
I'm new to open discussion but I posted this on "ask cathe" and was told I might get more ideas here. I've been reading all the posts on "ask cathe" regarding more weight training and less cardio. Is this still true if you are trying to lose a considerable amount of weight/fat? I noticed the earlier posts were people that were already pretty fit and just looking to tone and lose fat in "trouble spots". I had always heard you need a lot of cardio to lose the fat covering the muscles. Currently I do KPC Mon,Wed,Fri., L&G Thurs.& Sun., PUB Tue.& Sat. and treadmill Tue.& Thur. Basically it is cardio + weights/toning Mon-Fri and weights/toning on the weekend. As far as eating, I try to eat more protein on the days I do L&G and PUB and a few more carbs on the days I do mostly cardio. I have a lot of trouble losing weight and was wondering if what I am doing is completely wrong or if my body just takes more work to lose. Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

Shev16
 
Shev16. Welcome! How much are wanting to lose & how long have you been working out with that routine? I am not experienced to answer but I thought a few more questions might help someone else a bit more for you. In the meantime too what videos do you currently own?

ANYONE?????

SOMEONE!!!!!
beth6395

"Double Knot your laces and let's move on"
-Cathe Friedrich
 
Thank you! I am looking to lose close to 40 pds but according to all the weight loss tools you find online I should lose more like 60. :( I started to do the beginner rotation about 6 weeks ago and I have worked out with Cathe videos and others on and off for about 4 yrs. The beginner rotation didn't seem to challenge me enough(barely broke a sweat) and I didn't lose anymore than 2 pounds and didn't notice a change in my body. Since I started doing KPC, L&G, and PUB I have noticed a VERY slight change but I don't know if I should be eating differently to really shock my body. My stepmother works with a trainer and he swears by as much protein and as little carbs as possible. I tried this about 2 yrs ago and it worked great until I couldn't take it anymore and stuffed myself with any carbs I could find!!:) I want to eat as clean as possible for energy if nothing else but just today someone said I might not be eating enough to compensate for the exercising. Sorry for all this background but hopefully it will help for any suggestions. Thanks again for responding!!

Shev
 
Shev,

This is with reference to A-Jock's reply to you at Ask Cathe and your response about convincing DH who feels a treadmill is good enough.

You can vary up your treadmill routine quite a bit with interval training (high intensity bursts followed by lower intensity recovery). That might shock your system into responding, if your usual workouts are steady state cardio.

Some wonderful treadmill workouts that are just audio can be found at Cardio Coach. The drama, music and experience of Cardio Coach workouts are quite incredible. I feel like the hero of my own little fantasy when I workout with them. For instance, before a high intensity burst, you get a countdown (10,9,8,7...1, GO) that makes me feel like a rocket launching.

http://www.cardiocoach.com

Also the itread treadmill workouts at itrain are a lot of fun. iTread gives you speed guidelines as options for walking, jogging or running so based on your fitness or mood for the day, who can get a good workout from any one of these three options from the same workout. The music is very peppy too.

http://www.itrain.com

The iTread library has some workouts with intervals of sculpting work off the treadmill (like iTread ballet or iTread Circuit ski) that are a blast. After every few minutes you shut off the treadmill and do some resistance training before getting on again.

Finally Tracey Staehle has a treadmill workout (although just walking on the treadmill, is as tough as a running workout) on DVD. It has lunge walking sections on the treadmill, intervals of walking with weights, and high-incline walking (climbs). Fun, a total sweat fest and a calorie burner without any impact.

http://www.fitbytracey.com

All these are quite popular, so you will find more threads discussing them if you do a search here. Hope this helps.

~* Vrinda *~
 
You sound like you're in much the same place I am. I can tell you clean eating and HEAVY weight training have given me great results ridiculously fast, in a way all the cardio and circuit I used to do never did. However, I know I need to add cardio now and have actually been reading a lot of what Vrinda has to say about this (I really need to check out Cardio Coach...). I'm at 173-175lbs/size 14 right now and am looking to get down to a size 10 and around 135 so I hear you. I can tell you I try to get protein every 2-3 hours but I go fairly heavy on carbs early in the day (oatmeal with protein powder in the morning, a rather large sandwich of natural peanut butter on sugar-free whole wheat on my first break at work) to keep me filled-up and prevent hunger from even happening AND I'M STILL building muscle and losing weight. Needless to say, I'M not anti-carb, as long as I'm getting good tummy-filling, energy-making, fibre-filled carbs. and I try to get the big carbs in early in my long day.

I was doing the Gym Style 3-day split, trying to hit my abs once a week. Got very good results from my lame efforts so I've started pushing it a bit. Now I do:
-GS Chest/Triceps once per week,
-GS Back/Shoulders/Biceps once per week,
-I work lower body twice per week (GS Legs once and the BUTTS part of Butts & Gutts)
-I work core 3 times (Core Max 1 & 3 and the Gutts part of Butts & Gutts)

I got Slow and Heavy and will probably get The Pyramiids soon and will try incorporating those until STS arrives. I've found it easier to work abs on upper body or off days because I usually can't take anymore after working my lower body (part of why I now hit the lower body twice a week)! I always do the above workouts after work but I think it's time to start getting in two or three high intensity interval treadmill routines (before work) each week for cardio health. My stats and stress tests are excellent but feel REALLY feel drained whenever leg routines get my heart pounding hard and heart disease runs in the family so it's clearly time to reevaluate cardio.

I hope something here helps you. I tend to ramble when I write. Sorry.
 
Shev: My opinions:

BALANCE BALANCE BALANCE!

We "need" cardio & heavy strength training for a variety of reasons... you know all takes on that I'm sure....

Clean Nutrition is KEY in actually losing the weight (BF%) - I see lots of people who have lost weight & are not happy at all w/ how their bodies look because they did the calories in/ calories out version of losing weight...If you want to lose weight + shape your body nicely you have to eat healthy...Healthy is not carb free but it is eating healthy carbs & taking note of how much your body can handle with each meal.... Personally (& this varies person to person) I cant consume large quantities of ANY carb at one "meal".... I eat 2-3 clean starchy carbs a day - never eat them without a protein & never late in the day.... - I also workout in the AM so I dont need the energy starches provide... Simple things like reducing the amount of a carb per meal can do the trick..... 1/2 cup vs 1 cup brown rice, 1/2 sweet potatoe vs a whole one .....

Just my added .02 cents
 
Thank you thank you thank you to all that replied!! I am going to check out every website you gave Vrinda right after I reply. I'm trying to figure out a better eating schedule for my day. I heard you should eat the majority of your good carbs earlier in the day but I babysit in the day and work a part time job in the evening. I do my workouts when one of the kids goes to kindergarten in the afternoon then I quickly shower and pick up my son plus two other kids after school and eat my dinner before I go to work. I tend to eat the most carbs at this time (4-4:30) so I have energy for work. I am also bad about "picking" at my daughters leftovers during the day. A bite here and there adds up so I really need to work on that. My friend works for WW (tried it-didn't work for me):( and wants me to write down everything I eat for a week so she can look it over. I've tried keeping a food journal before but when I was the only one seeing it there wasn't much accountability. I notice I pass over my daughters leftovers more now when I know someone else will be seeing what I ate! Anyway, I am going to try all of your suggestions and I will let you know how it goes--to sirensongwoman--I hear ya!! I am a full 14 right now (5'4 187) I am assuming you are a little shorter. About 2 1/2 yrs ago I was at my thinnest of 150 and I would be overjoyed to be back there. All "experts" say I should be between 135-141 but I don't even know if that is possible for me!! My DH calls 150 my "delicious" weight--I told him he needs a different term-it makes me hungry:) Anyway, (I am really rambling!!) I want to get to a happy weight before my 30th bday (next Feb. Oprah once said she regrets her 30's because she was so obsessed with her weight and I don't want that to happen to me!! Thank you to anyone who actually made it through this whole post!! I'll stop now! :)

Shev
 
Hey Shev,

I made it through your post - every word.

Do keep posting, or talking to us at other threads. :)

~* Vrinda *~
 
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