Getting back into it and confused!

[reiher95]

Ok, I havent really been into a program for about a year (moved to a new state and had major adjusting to do) but now Im ready and really dont know where to begin. Im NOT new to fitness, I have been a yoga, pilates and cycle instructor, but I keep flip flopping about where to begin. I need to lose about 10 lbs. can work out 5 days a week, but I dont know whether I should focus more on weight training or cardio, I mean I know I need to do both, but should I do more of one or the other? I really want to transform my body and now I have the time to do it. I need a beginning point. I have my own spin bike and elliptical, as well as a probably about 10 Cathe dvds.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

 

[kariev]

to transform your body i would suggest focusing more on heavy weights and a clean diet of course. i'm not sure what videos you have or how much time you have to spend working out each day so i will just give you a generic breakdown of what you could do.
monday:weights
tuesday: cardio
wednesday: weights
thrusday: cardio
friday: weights
sat and sunday: off
if your not new to weight training i would suggest a 3 day split such as cathe's gym style, slow and heavy, or pure strenth series. you would do one of those workouts on each of the days. each of the workouts focus on different muscle groups. on cardio days do whatever type of cardio you like. if you are new to weight training you can do 3 total body workouts for your weight training days or you can do one upper body, one lower body (the pyramid workouts work great for this) and one total body workout per week. does this help?

 

[maddiesmum]

I would amend the above suggestion by offering instead that you split the "off" days up and stick one in the middle of the week where you and your muslces will need it since you are new to this kind of program.

Mon: weights
Tues: cardio type 1
Weds: cardio type 2
Thurs: day off
Fri: weights
Sat: cardio type 1 or 2
Sun: day off

The choice about whether to do three days of cardio or three days of weights is yours, but I would recommend three days of cardio over weights because I believe keeping the cardiovascular system healthy is more important than the definition of your muscles. I think "health" rather than "aesthetics".

I also think you need more than one type of cardio so that you cross train and thereby avoid over-use injuries.

For the weight training, total body workouts work well as you get familiar with weight training and strengthening your muscles. As you get stronger you can switch to the 3 day split type or 4 day split type and combine working a muscle group or two with your cardio days.

Clare

 

[pjval]

Lift, Lift, Lift....i agree with the prior post about using cathe's Slow & Heavy or Gym Style. I found the greatest gains re-shaping my body was with lifting 5 days/wk - 3 days heavy and 2 days cardioblast legs or butts & guts (something where you use lighter weights with less rest time so my heart rate stays elevated).

Not to negate cardio...but you can always squeeze a quick run in there a few times/wk.

The truth is a clean diet is really gonna get you to you goal, which you know well from all your past involvement in the fitsness arena.

 

[SirenSongWoman]

The truth is a clean diet is really gonna get you to you goal,
>which you know well from all your past involvement in the
>fitsness arena.
>

I read about a "clean" diet here all the time and, though I can guess what you mean, I'm not 100% sure. What do you mean by "clean" and are there specific books/resources on which you rely and recommend that I should check out? All the weight training is REALLY helping but I think my less than stellar diet is creating a three-steps-forward/two-steps-back situation. Advice?

 

[mrsmel]

When I was trying to get back on the fitness bandwagon, I bought the Cross Train Express series. It's 6 days per week, 5 days of short, but intense, cardio plus one body part, and an all leg workout. But, if you only have 5 days per week to exercise, you could easily do 4 cardios and on one of those days add a second upper body part.

That series got me back into shape and increased my strength like nothing else. I still use it regularly, just not as designed any more.

After I did that for a month, I was ready for some of Cathe's newer stuff.

Just my $.02!

anne

 

[kimyenchu]

SirenSongWoman,

Clean means eating a healthy balanced diet that has all the essentials nutrients like proteins, carborhydates, iron, minerals and vitamins. These nutrients can be found in fruits, vegetables, grains and meat. That is the essence of it but people will eat diets depending on their nutritional requirements.

For me personally, I always try to eat fresh foods as much as possible and avoid frozen ready made meals, snacks like crisps, chocolates, fast foods, high fat foods, sugary foods, fizzy drinks. It doesn't mean that I never eat them, just that I don't eat them very often, maybe once or twice a week.

I think the best way to eat is to learn to cook and make your own. If you like cake, making your own cakes are better than buying shop bought ones because they don't contain additives, preservatives and extra salt and sugars. Try to buy produce that are from your local area and in seasun. Cook your foods with less butter, fat and oil as much as possible.

That is the gist of clean eating that I read about most often.

Yen