Beginning Cathe but Intermediate level

[extrafor6]

This is my first post on these boards. I am an intermediate exerciser. I have four small children and am trying to get the "baby fat" off since we don't plan to have any more children (at least not from this body!)
I currently run 3 days a week and use a few FIRM and the 30 day shred dvd.
I've done BodyPump classes in the past and enjoyed them.
I am able to purchase, maybe 3 Cathe videos and am wondering about suggestions/rotations to complement my running. I know I need some strength training but wonder about circuit training and what to do on the days I run since I usually just run 4-5 miles which is only about 35-40 minutes.
My main goal is to decrease body fat! Oh, and I'm already on my way as far as my diet goes.
Thanks in advance for the help!
SAB

 

[Farah636]

Hi!
A few of my favorite Cathe dvds that might be good to start out with:

-Low Impact Circuit -- cardio + weights, and it's low impact, and the choreography isn't too hard to follow, but still challenging.

-Drill Max -- cardio + weights, much of it is high impact, but the plus side is that you do drills that are easy to follow, but still get your heart rate going

-Cardio Core Circuit -- Cardio drills, challenging, but easy to follow. No equipment necessary. Also, each cardio cycle is followed by a brief abs exercise.

-MMA Fusion -- Great if you like kickboxing. I just bought it and LOVE it. The 50 minutes goes by so quickly.

The first two require a step (as well as other equipment like weights, bands, stability ball -- for the toning portion) and the second two don't require any equipment, but they're cardio only, no sculpting.

Re rotations -- really depends on your schedule/how much time you have, your workout preferences and stuff. Maybe do circuit training the days you don't run, 2-3x a week? That way you'll get your weights in as well as a bit of cardio. On your running days...well, 35-40 minutes is still good. That's what I do usually but if you want to add on, maybe throw in a 10 minute ab workout (Cathe's Ab circuits, and Ab Hits are nice since they have a number of routines on there...plus Low Impact Circuit that I mentioned earlier has an abs portion)....or you can split your weights and do them every day -- alternate between upper and lower body. That's what I usually prefer to do. I tend to be more thorough if I'm focusing on only one part of my body in one day.

Anyway, hope those suggestions help! Let us know what you decide to get/how the workouts are going!

 

[tralaiven]

I also have had 4 children and I have found that one of the best ways to decrease my baby fat is to lift weights as well as run. IMHO I would keep on running...maybe increase to 6 miles and then get at least one of Cathe's total body weight lifting dvds. Her new ones are great such as:: High Reps or STS Total Body or Muscle Max (totally adaptable to intermediate). I think that if you could get 2 different weight lifting dvds it would fight boredom...and increase muscle confusion. I would do the weight lifting dvds 2-3 times per week to increase muscle and calorie burn, thus decreasing fat. I probably would also throw in one of the circuit dvds as recommended above.
Good luck.