Cathe, I Work and I am in Grad school! Help!

B

bernajo

Cathlete
Cathe,

I have been a Cathe-Convert since early 2004! Your workouts have helped me melt way my last stubborn 15 pounds and look quite good, I might add. :D BUT, I started grad school last month, and I feel like I'm losing everything I worked so hard for. I have so little time...I work 40+ hours a week and I also study 40+ hours per week. My workout schedule has really suffered. Can you offer me a daily 30 minute (or less) rotation that I can squeeze in right after I wake up?? That's the only uninterrupted time I have! And I'm willing to wake up at 4:40 AM to do it! I thought at a minimum doing one upper body 10 minute segment of Cross Train XPress each day and legs on the weekend would be better than nothing at all! Do you agree?

My goals are to stay toned and tight. Fat loss isn't so much an issue, but I do need some cardio.

Thanks!
 
I AM NOT CATHE . YOU HAVE CTX. IN CTX YOU HAVE SIX LITTLE WORKOUT WITH 30 MINUTES OF CARDIO AND YOU WORK ONE MUSCLE(BICEPS ONE DAY, TRICEPS OTHER DAY... )AND YOU HAVE ABS TOO.WHEN I WANT A LITTLE CARDIO I DO THE CARDIO PREMIX OF CARDIO AND WEIGHT OR THE CARDIO PREMIXES OF BOOTCAMP. YOU HAVE THE TWO PREMIXES OF IMAX 2 (ONE WITH THE INTERVALS 1-5 AND THE OTHER WITH THE REST)AND THE PREMIXES OF SB, SJP AND KPC OF THE BODY BLAST SERIES. I HOPE THIS HELPS TO YOU.:) :) :)
 
Hi, not cathe, but I just finished law school. I didn't gain any weight or any of the stuff your worried about, so relax! I was freaked a bit about losing fitness when I first started school but then I decided that law school was a chapter in my life that I had committed to and I needed to focus primarily on school. That said, I started back running a couple of days a week for whatever time I had available. I walked at lunch when I could, the added benefit was that this kept me awake for all of the reading. Also, I did "real" workouts on the weekends, usually total body strength training. I kept my sanity and my fitness gains! Good luck!
 
I also just obtained my doctorate, and have a lot to say about this. Although i agree with the previous post that putting school as a higher priority (along with acknowledging that you cannot do everything) is important, its also important not to let school take over your life. It IS your life right now, but I had times where I felt like I had to spend all my time at it, and if you think like that, it can take all your time. But, if you learn to work efficiently and recognize that you'll be more effective if you take care of yourself and have other things (like fitness) that you're working on.

With that said, what about the time issue? I found that I had to get really really creative. Maybe I could walk around UGA's huge campus rather than take the bus. Some days I'd have just enough time during the day to sneak home for a run or to the gym, then come back and work a little later into the evening. Maybe I could use a walk during studying to quiz myself about what I'd been reading studying (you really can study while you work out!). Weekends were big times for getting in the workouts I really wanted to do - it felt better just to be doing them on the weekends than not at all. ANd some weeks, when you're slammed, exhausted, and you honestly don't have any more effort you can put into anything - you let it go and remind yourself that its not forever, be realistic about what will really happen as a result (i.e. nothing - you're not going to become a slob after a week or 3 of not working out), stay with nutrition so you're at least covering that one, and find ways to replenish yourself and your energy.

Wow, I could write a book! Hope this helps, and good luck. My biggest advice is to really take a look at how much you actually NEED to do in grad school (believe me, this comes from the experience during my first couple of years of studying or working all the time. I came to realize that I was doing this to allay fears rather than because I really needed to. MY performance got better when I relaxed and I actually started having fun with it!)

Ok, I'll stop now!
 
The CTX workouts are great for when you are short on time, but also a couple of workouts I've done ~ Bootcamp cardio only and Slow Heavy (choose one body part and give it your all). Cathe has some excellent premixes in the Push Pull and Supersets DVD too!
Susan C.M.:D
 
Hi@

First off, you should be so proud of yourself and all that you are doing. This is no time to beat yourself or stress over things. (you will have plenty of time to do that, when finals come!)
When I was in grad school, I concentrated my long runs/workouts for the weekends. So, through the week I had mandatory rest/recovery days. So, just a few days through the week I would have to get up at 5am to workout. The weekends were my time and my body's time to really push it. That worked for me.
One more thing, do not feel pressured to do full body weight sessions through the week. Do a couple of body parts a day, which will be less time consuming on a daily basis.

Good luck in school!
 
I just wanted to mention that the Timesaver DVD would be great for you during the week.

Have a great day!

Beverly
 
Hi, thought I'd chime in here. There are some great ideas mentioned above. The Timesaver DVD is a wonderful idea. I might add that you could mix and match some chapters of other DVD's to fit your timeframe for variety. And of course, nothing beats walk/jog/running when you can't do step or weight work.

I just enrolled back to school this summer. I have a job working for my husband's corporation, going to school, housework, and exercise as well.I also have to schedule rest time as I have SLE. The one thing I wanted to share with you is something I just learned from my school study instructions. This is a thought I had never heard of before; but it made perfect sense to me. They said to study in ONLY 50 min increments.
Why? Because the brain can only assimilate information in that length of time.
What that means is, if we study for hours and hours on end, cramming way up into the night, the only thing the brain will retain is that 50 min increment.
The advice is to study for ONLY 50 min, get up and do something else (this is your reward time) for 30-40 min or so. Do not think about your schoolwork during this timeframe. Then go back to your study for 50 min. The brain is now refreshed and ready for more information.

This concept has sure took the stress of my going back to school. I am able to enjoy my Cathe's because this is "MY" reward for studying so hard.

I wish you great success in your endevors. Sounds like you are on your way all ready. :)
 
WOW! Thanks to you all for all of your great feedback! My MBA program is very challenging, and I spend most of my evenings and into the night studying. This not only makes it difficult to have energy to workout, but it greatly impacts my muscle recovery. I wish I could afford 30 minute breaks inbetween 50 minute increments, but I simply can't. I get up and take a 5 minute break from time to time - maybe I can squeeze in some abs or calves, or leg floorwork, but more than 5 minutes and I'll never get all of my work done! I'm getting the hang of it, and I know I shouldn't sacrifice my health !

My plan of attack based on your feedback is to:
1) Sneak in runs or powerwalks on a few of my lunchbreaks during the workweek
2) Reward myself with a Cathe workout after a session of studying!
3) Focus on intense, longer workouts on the weekends
4) And when push comes to shove, and I have very little time, at least get out of bed and do the 10 minute CTX upperbody segment and some abs for a super, duper 15 minute workout!
5) And last but not least, don't beat myself up if I miss a week or 3! Just get back into the swing of things as soon as possible!!!

Thanks to ya all! I love you guys!
 
You will get the hang of it. I also work full time and am pursuing my masters in computer engineering. Because I'm not a morning person, i prefer my workouts in the evening. I go into work early (by 7:30) so that I can leave a bit early and get in a full hours workout without creeping into standard "study" time. Usually the workout right after work and before studying helps re-charge my brain and my body, and IMO, that mental and physical break makes your studying MUCH more productive and efficient!

Best of luck to you!
-Leslie:)
 
When I was doing my coursework for my doctorate, I did shorter workouts. I kept that up and felt great. When it came time for my exams and the study period leading up to it I suspended my workouts for a month prior to taking the exams. For me, I needed every bit of energy for my studies. I was also teaching at the time as well. I did get right back into it after they were over. (I passed, by the way!)
Do what your body needs! Enjoy - it's a GREAT time.:)
 
I admire your ambitions. I cannot relate, but keep in mind this is a temporary situation. Your schooling is important you will get back into it when you are able. When I had small children and working, I thought I would never be able to stay in shape. I accepted what little workout I was able to squeeze in at the time. Do what you can and don't burn yourself out. Good Luck with school!:)
 
I can relate. I just finished two 6 week anatomy classes that are normally 16 weeks each - talk about not having a life! I feel so good that they are all over. Here are some of the things that kept me sane:

1. making sure I got some sort of exercise everyday, even if it was just a quick walk with my dog. The timesaver dvd was always a popular choice with me, along with doing the "up" portions of the pyramid w/o's. The exercise will help relieve that school related stress.

2. I recorded all the lectures from class so when I would walk or run I would plug in the earbuds and just listen to it over and over. Not exactly entertaining but it really helped my exam grades.

3. Coffee! :9

Good luck - don't beat yourself up if you miss a few workouts here and there.
 
I solved this the easy way--when I was in grad school I worked at a gym.:p

It was definitely rough though--I worked the 5 to 9 am shift Monday through Friday, was up at 4:15 every morning. Then I'd come home & study, write my papers, go to class, whatever. I looked great but I was always asleep. I had an Xmas/end of semester party & after shopping & prepping all day I fell asleep on my couch at 8:00. Needless to say the party continued without me.
 
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