A Breakthrough (Finally!!!) and Recovery Week Questions

[BelovedHeather]

Last month, I was stuck in a holding pattern. A generous Ya Ya blessed me with the gift of Hardcore Series DVDs. After getting through my friend’s cardio boot camp class for the first time, I got fired up and planned a 16-week rotation with an active recovery week every 4 weeks. I am using the Hardcore Series for these first 3 weeks and seeing amazing results. I am still blown away that I can see visible results in the mirror after 2 weeks. I pulled out my scale Monday morning and was delighted to discover that I dropped 10 pounds in 2 weeks! :7 It took me 9 weeks to drop 6 pounds between the 4th of July and Labor Day. This brings my total to 16 pounds in 11 weeks. I realize that some of it is water, but it is still extra weight my feet do not have to haul around. Bring on Drill Max!!! :7

I estimate that I am eating 1,800 to 2,000 calories a day with around 60 percent carbs/20 percent protein/20 percent fat. I am definitely not on a low-carb or low-calorie diet. I weighed the day before my cycle started, so I am really impressed. The only change I made to my eating when I started this rotation was switching from Breakstone’s cottage cheese to Horizon Organic cottage cheese. I am still not weighing or measuring food or restricting my calories at all. Just clean eating and hard work!

Now for my questions. I have always read that it is not good to shed more than 1-2 pounds a week. Should I be concerned about dropping weight too fast? Should I eat more even if I am not hungry?

I have never planned an active recovery week before and have no clue what to do. I am a little hesitant to take one now that I am on a roll, but I think I need one. I have been doing the super high impact blasts on my rebounder, but my knees still need a break from all the intense step work. Can I keep doing Core Max? I do not like yoga, but I love the second and third segments of Stretch Max. How about gentle (non-Cathe!) cardio like Kari Anderson’s DanceWorks or jogging in the pool? I love Strength and Movement and Better Burn Better Buns but never do them because they do not fit into my rotations. Would these be good for a recovery week (one time each)?

In addition to doing the Hardcore Series workouts for the first time, I switched from alternating cardio days and weight training days to a 4-day split format similar to Cathe’s next planned series. My general game plan for morning workouts is 30-40 minutes of cardio plus 30-40 minutes of weight training Monday through Thursday (alternating between lower body and upper body), 45-60 minutes of cardio Friday, and 60 minutes of circuit training Saturday. Instead of tackling whole workouts at one time, I am using premixes to split the workouts in half. I only do half of IMAX3 plus half of Gym Style Legs or a Muscle Max upper body premix plus the blast challenge segment of Kick Max. My body seems to respond favorably to a 50/50 mix of cardio and weights. By doing shorter cardio workouts, I am able to give it my all instead of pacing myself. By doing shorter weight training workouts, I am able to lift heavier. I have a short attention span too and really enjoy the combination. It is more fun for me than alternating cardio and weight training days. Needless to say, I am looking forward to Cathe’s next series (a 4-day split like this plus another Rhythmic Step). My general game plan for evening workouts is a Core Max segment or premix twice a week, 20-30 minutes of gentle cardio (like jogging in the pool) when possible, and a segment of Stretch Max at bedtime. Sunday is a total rest day. With the exception of jogging in the pool at the club once or twice a week, all my workouts are Hardcore Series workouts.

If my eating remains clean, am I going to lose a lot of ground by slowing down for a week? I am fitter and stronger after just 2 weeks. I am okay with maintaining my weight and fitness level for a week. I just do not want to start backsliding.

Blessings,
Heather B.

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV).

 

[mspina]

Heather,

First of all, CONGRATS!!!!! It sounds like you are doing GREAT, are really enjoying it, and are getting fantastic results!!! You should be really proud of yourself! Woo Hoo!

It doesn't sound like you are doing anything whacky at all, so I wouldn't change a thing. The weight loss will slow down a bit, and given a 5# loss in a week, much of that must be water. I've been reading a number of responses on the BB boards from the Fitness Advisors over there, that it's common when you start training intensely that you may gain a bit at first, then lose quite a bit - this is all from the muscles retaining a bit of fluid from the increased activity. Could be what you are experiencing.

As for the recovery week, I think you are SPOT on for ideas! The TLT's are great recovery week workouts (challenging, but not wiped out, killing yourself challenging), as are stretching and lower impact and lower intensity cardio days. Try putting together a week from the things you mentioned, and see how that feels to you. The recovery week shouldn't be totally trivial, but it should be restorative. You'll come back after that week with a BANG, and will be able to continue to hit your higher intensity workouts hard. This is GOOD stuff - you are NOT going to suffer for it. On the contrary, this will only benefit your efforts! I think most people overlook recovery weeks, and that's when/why you plateau and/or burn-out or get into overtraining. You don't want that to happen. Perhaps, if anything, cut back your calories during this week a tad, but I wouldn't obsess over it.

Good luck and keep with it! You are doing great - I love reading your posts - they are always so upbeat and motivational.

m.

 

[bethj]

I have found the recovery week to be essential to preventing overtraining and injury. Don't worry about losing progress-the first week back on hardcore you may feel a little "off" but by the third week you will be at a higher fitness level than you were on your previous 4 week cycle. People get in trouble when they try and push, push, push the hardcore series and then end up injured. Your recovery plan sounds great-I would add that its nice to add an extra long stretch every other day-like two segments of stretchmax or all three of total body stretch (I also really like Karen Voight yoga for that.)
I've been doing a 4 week cycle where each week get a little more intense and longer the first 3 weeks then the fourth is shorter and less intense. I'm using a template from "Serious training for serious atheletes" by Rob Sleamaker. It has been working great for me-I have only had to miss 2 workout days in 10 weeks for being tired or too sore and that is very unusual for me! And I've lost 3 pounds without even trying after being plateued for months, assuming I was at my stable weight.
Beth

 

[carrie123]

RE: A Breakthrough (Finally!!!) and Recovery Week Quest...

Wow, your routine sounds amazing...


I have been plateaued for way to long...it's driving me crazy

Could you possibly tell me a little about what you eat? How do you count your calories? Weight Watchers, or do you just keep a journal...

Also, you mentioned
<doing the super high impact blasts on my rebounder>

What is a rebounder?

I wonder why Cathe doesn't have a recovery week in her rotations?

Thanks


Carrie

http://www.3fatchicks.net/img/bar072/slider-but5/lb/209/145/191/.png[/image][/link]

 

[BelovedHeather]

Clean Eating, Rebounding, and Recovery

Carrie:

How do I count my calories? I don’t! I gave an estimate in my post (based on years of calorie counting), but I stopped weighing and measuring food on the 4th of July. I am not a numbers person, so all the counting and tracking drives me nuts. I kept a food journal for years, but I am eating more intuitively now and listening to my body. In my opinion, this is the most beneficial way for me to eat because caloric needs change from day to day. It keeps me from obsessing over food too. I eat when I am hungry and stop when I am satisfied. I am also listening to my body by getting to bed earlier and taking naps when needed. Many people seem to do better when they keep food logs, so you may need to experiment until you find what works for you. As for my personal eating style, I like to keep it simple. I usually eat 5 times a day with a whole grain or a starchy veggie, fruit and/or non-starchy veggies, and protein for my meals. My staples are steel-cut oatmeal, Uncle Sam cereal, brown rice, whole wheat pita bread, whole wheat pasta, corn tortillas, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, lima beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, raw almonds, natural peanut butter, hemp protein powder, all kinds of fruits and veggies, organic eggs, organic cottage cheese, and organic Smart Chicken. For treats, I eat organic popcorn (air-popped with a touch of sea salt), dry-roasted (unsalted) cashews, Larabars, Maya bars, and Thinkorganic bars. Raw honey is my favorite sweetener. I use a tablespoon of raw honey mixed with a tablespoon of yellow mustard for salad dressing. I use almond milk instead of dairy milk on my cereal. I buy organic when possible (including spices). My eating is not perfectly clean, and I definitely need to eat more veggies.

A rebounder is similar to a small trampoline. I have a Needak half-fold rebounder and love it:

http://www.needakrebounders.com/

Cathe has shared that she personally rests one day a week and takes a recovery week every 4-5 weeks:

http://69.0.137.118/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=2&topic_id=48197&mesg_id=48197

The rotations she posts are short ones (for just a month). If she planned 12-week rotations, I imagine that she would include recovery weeks. When I started posting here in March, she encouraged me to slow down. I have read enough of her responses to know that she believes in rest and recovery.

Thanks to mspina and Beth for your responses! I am actually looking forward to this now!

Blessings,
Heather B.

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV).

 

[kathryn]

Sounds like you're doing great!

And your macronutrient breakdown is much healthier, IMO, than a low-carb/high-protein diet.

As for losing more than 1-2 pounds/week. It depends on how much you have to lose (the more you have to lose, the more you may lose at first), and 1-2 pounds is just the standard recommendation for sustainable and lasting weight loss. If you are eating when you are hungry, and going about it sensibly, losing a bit more at first isn't bad.

I also agree that taking a recovery week (the way P90X does) after every 4-6 weeks of a tough routine is oh-so-beneficial.

The TLT workouts would be great for a recovery week (kind of like a prehab/rehab mini-rotation that will help you come back stronger for the next round).

Maybe two of those during the week, and one or two yoga/stretch days, along with some moderate cardio.

Don't worry about backsliding. The week will go by quickly, and your system will appreciate it.