Good morning everyone! I need encouragement today, I am coming from the BFL program and did well but too much "bulk" with some bodyfat that doesn't seem to want to move, anyway I want to get back to Cathe but I can't lift anywhere near what I could with BFL therefore I am getting that "gel" look in my legs, butt, etc. What am I to do? I am losing muscle and the fat on the top is going south and turning to flab? I want to stay with videos, Cathe and the Firm, but I can't lift as much weight and then panic and go back to lifting heavy and end up looking like SpongeBob Squarepants!!!! Help!!! Sandy in Maine
help, need encouragement!!
- Thread starter Mainemom
- Start date
Aquajock
Cathlete
RE: Encouragement is on the way
Hello, Sandy In Maine! Don't panic!
I've heard some pretty mixed reviews of the BFL program, but in any case, a combination of Cathe and judicious Clean Eating (with some treats as grace notes!) is the way to go. I've also heard some pretty mixed reviews of Firm videos (I've never used them myself, so I can't say what they're about), and Cathe works for me!
Before we offer any suggestions for your new exercise program, it would help if you described what your exercise program was during the BFL program, both for cardio and strength/resistance training, as well as what exercise videos, Cathe and otherwise, you own. Also, whether you'd be willing to get others.
Cathe workouts work! Give us more of your info, and we'll give you ours!
Welcome to the gang! (Warning: we're all very gifted at spending your money for you!)
Annette
Hello, Sandy In Maine! Don't panic!
I've heard some pretty mixed reviews of the BFL program, but in any case, a combination of Cathe and judicious Clean Eating (with some treats as grace notes!) is the way to go. I've also heard some pretty mixed reviews of Firm videos (I've never used them myself, so I can't say what they're about), and Cathe works for me!
Before we offer any suggestions for your new exercise program, it would help if you described what your exercise program was during the BFL program, both for cardio and strength/resistance training, as well as what exercise videos, Cathe and otherwise, you own. Also, whether you'd be willing to get others.
Cathe workouts work! Give us more of your info, and we'll give you ours!
Welcome to the gang! (Warning: we're all very gifted at spending your money for you!)
Annette
RE: Encouragement is on the way
Thank you Annette for responding so quickly! On the BFL you rotate upper and lower body, alternating days, one week lower 2ce and upper 1ce, the next week, upper 2ce and lower 1ce. The other 3 days were cardio, high intensity for 20 mins. It is based on a intensity level system, whether lifting or cardio, you start at level 5 and work your way to an all out 10 for YOU! With lifting, you do 5 sets of 1 exercise, then 1 set of another exercise for your 10. For instance, bench press, level 5 was 50lbs. for 15 reps, increase 5lbs. for 12, another 5 for 10, stay for another 10 and 70lbs for 8, with 1 min. inbetween each set. The second exercise, you do not rest, quickly pick up your weight, for me it was incline flyes with 20lbs for a set of 12-15 reps. Wait 2 mins. and move on to delts, then back, bis, and tris, done. On my leg days, squats, I could lift upwards of 100lbs for 6 reps for an all out 10! (again, gradually increasing) lunges, 10lbs in each hand. Am I explaining this well? I am 42, have had many trainers and I just am tired of all the heavy poundage and this "square" look I don't know any other way to explain it, I don't want to spend more than 1 hour a day working out, I have 4 daughters and a husband, you know a life! The Cathe vids I have are the PS series, MIS, Power Hour, Step Heat, and Step Jam. I hear the S&H series is quite in line with gym style training which don't get me wrong, I like, but I like variety even more, and I love doing Cathe, but don't want to lose the muscle I've worked darn hard to get, while shedding some fat, and I'm tired, I want to lower the bar no pun intended, if you will, and poundage. For my cardio I was running on my treadmill, Cathe, nordictrack, I do own quite a few Firms, Karen Voight but I mostly stick to Cathe and running/walking. So what do you think, bottom line, I want to maintain the muscle, lose the fat, as I'm learning to decrease my poundage! Can you help? Yes, I am willing to invest in more vids, I love to spend $ I have 4 dtrs (20,17,16,11) Need I say more?!!! Looking forward to hearing from you!!! Sandy in Maine
Thank you Annette for responding so quickly! On the BFL you rotate upper and lower body, alternating days, one week lower 2ce and upper 1ce, the next week, upper 2ce and lower 1ce. The other 3 days were cardio, high intensity for 20 mins. It is based on a intensity level system, whether lifting or cardio, you start at level 5 and work your way to an all out 10 for YOU! With lifting, you do 5 sets of 1 exercise, then 1 set of another exercise for your 10. For instance, bench press, level 5 was 50lbs. for 15 reps, increase 5lbs. for 12, another 5 for 10, stay for another 10 and 70lbs for 8, with 1 min. inbetween each set. The second exercise, you do not rest, quickly pick up your weight, for me it was incline flyes with 20lbs for a set of 12-15 reps. Wait 2 mins. and move on to delts, then back, bis, and tris, done. On my leg days, squats, I could lift upwards of 100lbs for 6 reps for an all out 10! (again, gradually increasing) lunges, 10lbs in each hand. Am I explaining this well? I am 42, have had many trainers and I just am tired of all the heavy poundage and this "square" look I don't know any other way to explain it, I don't want to spend more than 1 hour a day working out, I have 4 daughters and a husband, you know a life! The Cathe vids I have are the PS series, MIS, Power Hour, Step Heat, and Step Jam. I hear the S&H series is quite in line with gym style training which don't get me wrong, I like, but I like variety even more, and I love doing Cathe, but don't want to lose the muscle I've worked darn hard to get, while shedding some fat, and I'm tired, I want to lower the bar no pun intended, if you will, and poundage. For my cardio I was running on my treadmill, Cathe, nordictrack, I do own quite a few Firms, Karen Voight but I mostly stick to Cathe and running/walking. So what do you think, bottom line, I want to maintain the muscle, lose the fat, as I'm learning to decrease my poundage! Can you help? Yes, I am willing to invest in more vids, I love to spend $ I have 4 dtrs (20,17,16,11) Need I say more?!!! Looking forward to hearing from you!!! Sandy in Maine
Aquajock
Cathlete
RE: Let me spend your money for you . . .
Hi, Sandy! Boy, that sounds like one rigid program! I don't often say this, but it sounds to me like you could use more cardio in your routine. ACSM guidelines advocate accumulating at least 150 minutes of cardio each week, and it is important to note that these minutes do not include warm-up or cooldown. It takes the body about 8 minutes to warm up thermally and aerobically, regardless of the intensity level that it takes to get you there.
My suggestions would be to incorporate at least 30-45 minutes of cardio into your weekly program 4-5 times per week, and utilize the PS series, MIS, Power Hour and the Slow and Heavy Series (CATHE: KA-CHING!) for your strength training.
Further suggestions for Cathe vids you'd love are:
Interval Max (cardio)
The Cross-Train Express series (cardio and strength)
Cardio Kicks (kickbox)
Circuit Max (cardio with light muscle conditioning)
Body Max (cardio and strength segments)
(CATHE: KA-CHING! KA-CHING!)
I think one of the things that has been missing, as you've noted, is variety in your cardio routine; the vids I've listed above include step, step circuit, step interval, hi/lo and kickbox, and I do think you should increase the duration of your cardio sessions. I also think with the input of others here, you could design a strength rotation that includes PS, S&H, and gym work for ultra-heavy weights like the BFL program you've listed.
Hope this helps - let me know what you think! And I'd be interested in what others have to say!
Annette
Hi, Sandy! Boy, that sounds like one rigid program! I don't often say this, but it sounds to me like you could use more cardio in your routine. ACSM guidelines advocate accumulating at least 150 minutes of cardio each week, and it is important to note that these minutes do not include warm-up or cooldown. It takes the body about 8 minutes to warm up thermally and aerobically, regardless of the intensity level that it takes to get you there.
My suggestions would be to incorporate at least 30-45 minutes of cardio into your weekly program 4-5 times per week, and utilize the PS series, MIS, Power Hour and the Slow and Heavy Series (CATHE: KA-CHING!) for your strength training.
Further suggestions for Cathe vids you'd love are:
Interval Max (cardio)
The Cross-Train Express series (cardio and strength)
Cardio Kicks (kickbox)
Circuit Max (cardio with light muscle conditioning)
Body Max (cardio and strength segments)
(CATHE: KA-CHING! KA-CHING!)
I think one of the things that has been missing, as you've noted, is variety in your cardio routine; the vids I've listed above include step, step circuit, step interval, hi/lo and kickbox, and I do think you should increase the duration of your cardio sessions. I also think with the input of others here, you could design a strength rotation that includes PS, S&H, and gym work for ultra-heavy weights like the BFL program you've listed.
Hope this helps - let me know what you think! And I'd be interested in what others have to say!
Annette
RE: Let me spend your money for you . . .
Hey Annette, I would love to invest in those vids, BUT can you really see good results working a body part once a week? Of course I ask that knowing the poundage would not be as heavy as I have been lifting once a week. Intensity is bottom line yes? Go as heavy as you can to muscle failure? I agree that my cardio needs to be longer, I also have the original TaeBo which I enjoy as well. My eating by the way is fairly clean, we eat alot of veggie burgers, fish, morning star chik nuggets, oatmeal with choc. soymilk, banana, with a T. of nat. pb, the best!!!!! The BFL program encourages 6 small meals a day, equal protein, carb. and veggies, size the portions to your palm or fist-great plan. I usually get 4-5 meals a day, protein drinks come in handy alot!They encourage also one day a week as a free day, eat what your heart desires! That usually wanes because come Monday morn, I always felt ill, so my free day was very limited as to the junk I put in my body. I will continue the eating plan. You sound very knowledgable, and I appreciate the time you are giving me. How do you incorporate that much cardio and lift and keep it under an hour, or do you? Well I guess you can now that I think about it, If you lift your chest, tris, delts, that should only take 30-45 min. well, ok your pushing it....I suppose I could give another 10-15 at the most! lol So in maintaining my muscle, while increasing cardio, use as much weight as I can on the vids I have? Again it isn't anywhere near what I was lifting, due to the cardio aspects of the vids. also. Power Hour, my lungs are screaming!!! So will I lose some muscle initially and have to go through a little "flabby" time? Oh say it isn't so? But it does make sense if I'm dropping the poundage? Yes? I will do what I have to to be the healthiest I can be without killing myself anymore! Even if summer is here, I can take it!!!! Thanks Annette Sandy
Hey Annette, I would love to invest in those vids, BUT can you really see good results working a body part once a week? Of course I ask that knowing the poundage would not be as heavy as I have been lifting once a week. Intensity is bottom line yes? Go as heavy as you can to muscle failure? I agree that my cardio needs to be longer, I also have the original TaeBo which I enjoy as well. My eating by the way is fairly clean, we eat alot of veggie burgers, fish, morning star chik nuggets, oatmeal with choc. soymilk, banana, with a T. of nat. pb, the best!!!!! The BFL program encourages 6 small meals a day, equal protein, carb. and veggies, size the portions to your palm or fist-great plan. I usually get 4-5 meals a day, protein drinks come in handy alot!They encourage also one day a week as a free day, eat what your heart desires! That usually wanes because come Monday morn, I always felt ill, so my free day was very limited as to the junk I put in my body. I will continue the eating plan. You sound very knowledgable, and I appreciate the time you are giving me. How do you incorporate that much cardio and lift and keep it under an hour, or do you? Well I guess you can now that I think about it, If you lift your chest, tris, delts, that should only take 30-45 min. well, ok your pushing it....I suppose I could give another 10-15 at the most! lol So in maintaining my muscle, while increasing cardio, use as much weight as I can on the vids I have? Again it isn't anywhere near what I was lifting, due to the cardio aspects of the vids. also. Power Hour, my lungs are screaming!!! So will I lose some muscle initially and have to go through a little "flabby" time? Oh say it isn't so? But it does make sense if I'm dropping the poundage? Yes? I will do what I have to to be the healthiest I can be without killing myself anymore! Even if summer is here, I can take it!!!! Thanks Annette Sandy