Challengers/Shrinking Violets Check-in
Boot Camp started my day with a blast Tuesday morning. This is one of my favorite Cathe workouts and one of the few athletic workouts that I love this much. The core work is challenging, and the terminators kick my butt. After that cardio cycle, it is downhill from there. I love the fast pace and variety in this one. High Step Training is on my rotation for this Tuesday, so I need to start mentally preparing for that one.
I did Step Fit Wednesday after work and enjoyed every minute of it. Cathe has some fun choreography in this one. I love the flying angels! I did the workout for the first time the previous Wednesday and enjoyed it even more this time. I am so glad I bought the Cardio Hits DVD. I am looking forward to trying Step Works this Wednesday. After my Cathe workout, I met my friend Kathy at the lake and walked for 90 minutes on the hike and bike trail. That was unplanned. We were distracted by the beauty of the lake and lost track of time and distance!
After my marathon workout session Wednesday night, I was too tired to take on Circuit Max Thursday morning. I slept an extra hour and did it at night instead. I am missing my morning workouts. I was hoping to get back on track last week. Boot Camp was my only morning workout last week. I soared through Step Fit Wednesday night but struggled through Circuit Max Thursday night. I simply do not have the energy to give my all to intense workouts in the evening hours.
I did Cardio Kicks Friday night as planned and Cardio and Weights last night. Cardio and Weights is one of my happy workouts. My new rotation has a nice balance of challenging workouts and fun workouts with some weight work every other day. I started with Cathe’s easier workouts (with the exception of Boot Camp) and plan to work my way up to her more challenging ones. I am starting the next 2 weeks today.
I made a commitment to complete 5 Cathe workouts every week for 8 weeks of this rotation. I may add other workouts when I have the energy and desire, but I am only committing to this one thing. My planned workouts for the first 2 weeks of this rotation starting on the 4th of July were:
Boot Camp
Step Fit
Circuit Max
Cardio Kicks
Cardio and Weights
My planned workouts for the next 2 weeks of this rotation are:
Low Impact Step/Total Body Sculpting (cardio and weight circuit premix)
Kick, Punch, & Crunch
High Step Training
Step Works
Step, Jump, & Pump
The plan is to do these workouts on consecutive days in the order listed. This is working for me so far. I am alternating between circuit training and cardio this month. I am planning to add a total body weight training workout and an interval workout to the mix next month with a circuit training workout once a week. I put a lot of thought and prayer into planning this rotation, and I am loving it so far.
I have a new approach to this fitness journey now. I am learning that small but permanent changes are more effective in the long run than more radical changes that are only temporary. Instead of trying to radically reform my eating or exercise overnight, I decided to choose one thing to change and do that one thing consistently and with excellence. I have a real tendency to overwhelm myself with too many choices and changes. I have a history of starting a radical rotation, sticking with it for a few weeks, burning out, losing my focus, coasting and going through the motions for a few more weeks, crashing and burning, recovering, and starting the whole process over. I made a commitment on the 4th of July to do 5 Cathe workouts a week for a year (with 4 rest weeks or active recovery weeks during the year as needed). My transformation may be more gradual by just doing 5 Cathe workouts a week, but I am content with that now. I am free to do extra cardio when I have the energy and desire, but I am not planning anything else. I have some favorite non-Cathe workouts that I will enjoy during my active recovery weeks. I packed up my scale on the 4th of July, so I am free from concern about what I weigh. If I had been content to shed a pound a week when I started my fitness journey 3 years ago, I would have reached my goal last year. Live and learn!
I am hoping to get back on track with morning workouts this week. I am a morning glory girl all the way, and that is part of putting first things first. Cathe is waiting for me. Have a blessed day!
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).
