Cathe, please help re: over exercising

[Boybert]

My basic question is, how do you know when you've had enough exercise for the day or when to let the muscles rest. I know this sounds dumb (like stop when it hurts, etc) but I have always had an awful habit of working out until I feel some sort of burn though I pay for in days to come. There are days when I finish a workout and I don't feel much, though I know soreness can be delayed, yet I do more until I feel it. Just to give a little background, I lost 150 lbs back when I was 16, I'm 29 now (kept it off since), and have always been obsessed w/ not regressing and pushing myself even harder. Can you give me some advice an tips on how to discipline myself a bit better? Thanks so much.


Debbie
mommy to Aiden Mackenzie 4/8/04

 

[karenvictoria]

Iam not Cathe but I felt a need to reply to this not because I have any advice, just that I can to understand your fear of obsessing and regressing. I have lost about 120lbs and now if I don't workout to best that I have in the time that my kids allow me. I don't feel like I did enough that day. For instance if when working out abs they do about 5 min. (well) I at least have to continue through the stretch because I know that it isn't enough for me. My workouts consist of 90 min six days a week. When I first started to lose weight I would exercise twice like one hour in the morining and 30 in the pm to get my metabolism going. Then I went to the straight 90 in one session. I hope that what I am saying doesnt sound crazy to you but I equate it to some one who had a food addiction and now it has turned into an exercise addiction for fear of what will happen if you don't do it. The food obsession is now displaced to a exercise obsession. I enjoy my workouts and don't do them to the point of sorness, my problem is that I don't know when enough is enough. Like some people can do 40min of cardio in one day. In my mind I would do the cardio ,plus abs ,plus 30 min of yoga to feel like I did enough. It is on the order of what you are saying but in a slightly different way. I dont know if I got this way because of the weight loss of for fear it may return. I do eat healthy and have no eating disorders but I fear that I will never be satisified and I would love for someone to tell me how to be. I would love to be satisified with 45 min of cardio only but I know if I have time left before the baby gets up I am going to do abs instead of relaxing. I really do hope there are others who understand this instead of thinking I'm nuts. Karen

 

[clareMc]

Limit yourself and be disciplined about it. Do your hour's exercising, whether it's weights or cardio, and then get out, shower and go have fun elsewhere. Really an hour is all you need. After all, the example is set by the CTX series. In under an hour, Cathe manages to provide a fabulous and intense workout for the whole body over the space of the 6 days, since the cardios get your heart rate up extremely quickly and keep it there for the 25+ minutes. So, here's the proof that you do not need to exercise for hours to get the results you want and achieve happiness and peace with yourself.

Clare

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Debbie! Establish a workout routine that covers each major muscle group one to two times per week. Also do 4 to 5 days of cardio per week. Finally, remember to eat clean. If you are faithful to these three things, and give all of them your highest and most efficient effort, you will not need to do more.

Try not to let your workout sessions go longer than 60 to 75 minutes on a regular basis (we can all enjoy a really long one occasionally) because after that amount of time you will start to burn out and not be as focused and effective.

Good Luck and congratulations on that outstanding weight loss accomplishment. While it is highly commendable to lose 150 pounds, it is even more inspiring to know that you have kept it off. Wow, I am so proud of you