wake up eager
Cathlete
I've use to visit here quite a bit and I own every Cathe video she's made!
Last October I broke one wrist and sprained the other while roller skating on my birthday! Bummer... (A birthday we will all remember!) Workouts came to halt and then the holidays came and then... more excuses.
At the first of the year I was working out some... eating clean some... but half-ass just doesn't cut it when you know what it feels like to feel strong, fit, clear-minded and full of energy from fit habits.
I wanted my "this is just what I do" fitness groove back - I am happy to share that I now have "it" back. Yea! Here's a little bit about how I got it back:
- In the Spring I found a local bootcamp group to go to in the park 2 days week. Even though I have all those fitness videos and a complete home gym, I needed a scheduled time and group of people expecting me to be there, to get some forward movement going again. In just a few weeks, though not as in shape as before, I started re-remembering how much I actually like movement and exercise and all this fit stuff!
- Bootcamp got me moving again, and so I felt more inclined to do workout videos and cardio equipment in the home gym on the other days. Did the lower-key workouts first - my stamina was just not there - I patted myself on the back for just getting back to being more regular. (A focus on self encouragement for what I WAS doing was much more helpful and forward movement focused than beating myself up for what I use to be able to do...)
- After the first 6 weeks of bootcamp - I felt stronger and was starting to feel a little more like an athlete again (yea). I started cleaning up my diet more - was doing okay before - but not as clean as I have been in the past. Once I made the food clean up commitment - WOW - energy in the gym and everywhere else sky rocketed. Even slight changes in diet help.
- Could feel my wrists strengthening and circuit training videos were getting more manageable - still tough, but I was no longer "dying"
Was ready to get back to STS - but could not bear the thought of STS 1 with all the pushups - with my wrist issues. Decided to start with STS 2 - I LOVED it.
Saw immediate strength gains and along with bootcamp in the park by the end of STS 2, week 4 wrist aches were no longer an issue. I'd fully recovered from the weaknesses from the break by going gradual and strengthening. (Amazing how quickly your body and mind responds to what you use to know and be about - coming back - felt pretty quick...good to know.)
- After active recovery week and with 5 weeks of eating clean - completely 100% - I felt ready to do STS 1. (I know out of order, but it was the best order for me this time). I just finished STS 1, Week 1. It is wonderful! NO problems with the wrist and the pushups - yea they're hard - but are actually do-able. I had forgotten how great the variety is in the workouts. Really fun and hard in a good way. Still doing bootcamp in the park 2 days, which gives me cardio, group fun & being outside. And I've added Cardio Coach (love those audios) or another Cathe Cardio (love everything she's done - even her very 1st cardio workouts -ALL are great) on day 6.
Recapping this and recalling where I was early in the year and where I am now is good for me - a reminder that a gradual and consistent process of working my way back by adding in changes along the way, in the form of more exercise and cleaner diet, has worked for me.
At 45 I've healed my wrist - there is no weakness there that I can feel - I've quickly gotten my fitness groove back and I feel like an athlete again, keeping up with much younger friends at bootcamp - and sometimes I can even keep up with Cathe! (I never really gained much weight - I just felt puny before - but I have lost weight, tightened up every where and my clothes all look and feel better, again.)
STS really works and it feels fun and interesting. While I am working hard - the combination of weight training on certain days and impact cardio on others feels good on my body - no joint aches, etc.
And I have to say, to remind myself and share with others, the eating cleaner part is a BIG part of all of this. I cannot just eat any old thing and expect to go into the gym and have a strong, challenging workout OR expect to look and feel lean like an athlete.
To me the equation is healthy eating, weight training, cardio and mental and emotional encouragement from myself and from my bootcamp support group.
Had to share how great STS is and to encourage anyone who's on the fence about it or who has aches from something like what I had @ my wrists (which broken twice as a child and once as an adult) that it is possible, with gradual focus and listening to what's right for you and your body, to regain and build stamina and strength again.
Been thinking all this while I've been working out for awhile - feels good to get it down and share it!
Thank you Cathe and team for the high quality videos and example you bring...
All the Best, and More!
Suzie
Last October I broke one wrist and sprained the other while roller skating on my birthday! Bummer... (A birthday we will all remember!) Workouts came to halt and then the holidays came and then... more excuses.
At the first of the year I was working out some... eating clean some... but half-ass just doesn't cut it when you know what it feels like to feel strong, fit, clear-minded and full of energy from fit habits.
I wanted my "this is just what I do" fitness groove back - I am happy to share that I now have "it" back. Yea! Here's a little bit about how I got it back:
- In the Spring I found a local bootcamp group to go to in the park 2 days week. Even though I have all those fitness videos and a complete home gym, I needed a scheduled time and group of people expecting me to be there, to get some forward movement going again. In just a few weeks, though not as in shape as before, I started re-remembering how much I actually like movement and exercise and all this fit stuff!
- Bootcamp got me moving again, and so I felt more inclined to do workout videos and cardio equipment in the home gym on the other days. Did the lower-key workouts first - my stamina was just not there - I patted myself on the back for just getting back to being more regular. (A focus on self encouragement for what I WAS doing was much more helpful and forward movement focused than beating myself up for what I use to be able to do...)
- After the first 6 weeks of bootcamp - I felt stronger and was starting to feel a little more like an athlete again (yea). I started cleaning up my diet more - was doing okay before - but not as clean as I have been in the past. Once I made the food clean up commitment - WOW - energy in the gym and everywhere else sky rocketed. Even slight changes in diet help.
- Could feel my wrists strengthening and circuit training videos were getting more manageable - still tough, but I was no longer "dying"
Was ready to get back to STS - but could not bear the thought of STS 1 with all the pushups - with my wrist issues. Decided to start with STS 2 - I LOVED it.Saw immediate strength gains and along with bootcamp in the park by the end of STS 2, week 4 wrist aches were no longer an issue. I'd fully recovered from the weaknesses from the break by going gradual and strengthening. (Amazing how quickly your body and mind responds to what you use to know and be about - coming back - felt pretty quick...good to know.)
- After active recovery week and with 5 weeks of eating clean - completely 100% - I felt ready to do STS 1. (I know out of order, but it was the best order for me this time). I just finished STS 1, Week 1. It is wonderful! NO problems with the wrist and the pushups - yea they're hard - but are actually do-able. I had forgotten how great the variety is in the workouts. Really fun and hard in a good way. Still doing bootcamp in the park 2 days, which gives me cardio, group fun & being outside. And I've added Cardio Coach (love those audios) or another Cathe Cardio (love everything she's done - even her very 1st cardio workouts -ALL are great) on day 6.
Recapping this and recalling where I was early in the year and where I am now is good for me - a reminder that a gradual and consistent process of working my way back by adding in changes along the way, in the form of more exercise and cleaner diet, has worked for me.
At 45 I've healed my wrist - there is no weakness there that I can feel - I've quickly gotten my fitness groove back and I feel like an athlete again, keeping up with much younger friends at bootcamp - and sometimes I can even keep up with Cathe! (I never really gained much weight - I just felt puny before - but I have lost weight, tightened up every where and my clothes all look and feel better, again.)
STS really works and it feels fun and interesting. While I am working hard - the combination of weight training on certain days and impact cardio on others feels good on my body - no joint aches, etc.
And I have to say, to remind myself and share with others, the eating cleaner part is a BIG part of all of this. I cannot just eat any old thing and expect to go into the gym and have a strong, challenging workout OR expect to look and feel lean like an athlete.
To me the equation is healthy eating, weight training, cardio and mental and emotional encouragement from myself and from my bootcamp support group.
Had to share how great STS is and to encourage anyone who's on the fence about it or who has aches from something like what I had @ my wrists (which broken twice as a child and once as an adult) that it is possible, with gradual focus and listening to what's right for you and your body, to regain and build stamina and strength again.
Been thinking all this while I've been working out for awhile - feels good to get it down and share it!
Thank you Cathe and team for the high quality videos and example you bring...
All the Best, and More!
Suzie
