Help With Couch to Cathe Road Trip Rotation!!!!

[BelovedHeather]

Road Trippers:

I need help! I have fallen off the workout wagon and can't get back on to save my life. The thought of facing a Cathe DVD is a bit intimidating after being a couch potato for weeks. The Road Trip is 4 weeks from today. Oh my! I need a couch to Cathe Road Trip rotation! LOL! I really do. The last thing I need or want to do is return to another super intense rotation, but I cannot afford to play around with her rotation for beginners either. I need to be Road Trip ready in 4 weeks, and I need a good game plan to get ready! My energy and endurance have gone down the toilet. Eek! What was I thinking when I decided to take a recovery month? Two flights of stairs wipe me out now. Ugh! One of the Road Trip coordinators shared the rotation she uses to get back in the game after being sidelined for a season. Her response inspired me to create one of my own. A Texas Road Trip friend sent me a CD with her favorite Cathe workout songs. When I listen to this, I can imagine the segments of Cathe’s workouts that go with those songs. This CD brings back warm memories of my reunion with a few Texas Road Trippers Memorial Day weekend. My heart is still smiling.

Listening to songs on this CD from the Body Blast series has me craving those workouts. I am thinking that Supersets and Push Pull (as filmed and not the tougher premixes) would be a great start for weight training. I have not touched a weight (not even a light one) since Memorial Day weekend. I could start with a few combinations from Cathe’s less intense step workouts (with no risers) and her fun kickbox premixes for cardio. It would be wise to start with jogging in the pool and bouncing on my rebounder to warm-up for any kind of Cathe rotation. LOL! I started my first Cathe rotation 3 years ago on the 4th of July after 2 years of the FIRM plus Pit Bull’s super intense cardio knockout classes and personal training sessions. Even then, Cathe’s workouts were a shock to my system when I was a few years younger and 40 pounds lighter than I am now. I cannot imagine how my body will respond after a one-month vacation from workouts. I have not been doing light workouts this month. No, this all-or-nothing girl has not being doing anything other than walking around downtown for work-related errands, shopping, and mopping up water after floods.

I have gained 10 pounds this month, my hormones have gone haywire, and every ounce has gone straight to my chest. Oh my! I need a recommendation for a good sports bra that is rated for high impact. I do not care about cleavage as I will be wearing a tee shirt on top of it. I want these babies strapped down for maximum comfort. My regular sports bras are choking me, and my chest is suffocating me otherwise. Pray that my chest will return to normal before the Road Trip. If God can part the Red Sea and raise the dead, He can surely shrink a couple of mountains. LOL! I realize that women pay surgeons good money for this, but me no likey at all!

Please share tips and your favorite rotation for getting back on track with workouts after a long hiatus as well as recommendations for good sports bras with strong compression. I have less than a month to find my endurance again, so I need a rotation that increases in intensity every week.

Jerry, if you want to skip the boot camp class, I will keep you company during that one. Wild horses could not keep me away from Cathe’s step classes. I read the check-in and agree with Allison that you should stay in the room with us and take pictures.

P.S. I have not joined the July Road Trip check-in yet for obvious reasons. I have no workouts to report!

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).

 

[eaglobo]

Heather,

I do plan on doing the Boot Camp class, it's the step class that I'll be sitting out.

In my opinion, there is no need for you to avoid posting on the check in forums...you are coming on the RT, right?? You've obviously been on a prior RT, so you have knowledge of what they are like, maybe posting there as well will get you motivated to get started on a one month rotation.

Why not try Cathe's July rotation??? I'll be doing it as well, we can keep each other going.

Hope to see you on the check in board, and can't wait to meet you in one month!

 

[auntiebev]

Hi Heather,

I wish I had a magic rotation to give you but I'm not too good at creating those. But I can tell you what has always worked for me when I am getting back into the groove after some time off. I have been working out for the past 9 years and doing Cathe for about 5. I very rarely take time off but 2 years ago had some surgery and then last year tore a calf muscle (doing Imax2) and that meant that I had to take 6 months off from all cardio. I worried that entire time that I would lose my love for cardio and my drive to do it. And the first few weeks were tough because my stamina was way down. So the first month I did my step workouts without the step. Then I moved up to the platform and no risers. It took a while but I got it back and honey, I am 54 years old!

But I think what helps me the most is to ALWAYS think of how great you feel when you are done with your workout. It might be hard to get up off the couch or to come home and work out but just keep telling yourself that in one short hour you are going to feel like you climbed a mountain! Don't think of how hard it is to get started. Think of how you are going to feel when you are done. It's like your heart has wings and you could do anything!!!!

And since you are lucky to have already been on a Road Trip what if you do the workouts that remind you of that trip and how wonderful it was? I think I recall you saying that you love Rhythmic Step because it reminds you of Cathe's Friday morning class. Well I am doing that one today because I know that in exactly 4 weeks I will be lucky enough to get to do that class with Cathe herself! How many people can say that? We are so very fortunate that she gives this time to us just to get to spend time with her. So how about doing Rhythmic Step with me today and have some fun????

We are always so hard on ourselves and want to be in peak physical condition anytime we go on an adventure like this. And why do we do that? I know that I too will be worried about keeping up or looking stupid. But I really should be concentrating on the wonderful people that I am going to meet, like yourself. You inspired me so much last year and that is why I am going this year.

I really wish you would join our daily check ins because I love reading your posts! I very rarely post on here because I don't often feel that I have anything to add but I just felt in my heart that I had to reply to your post today.

So please, Heather, tighten those laces and let's have some fun!!!

 

[trixie42]

Hi Heather,

My only advice is start slowly and build up. You may want to do the beginners rotation for a week, then the intermediate and then a week of the July rotation. Another option is to do the workouts in the July rotation and just stop when you get tired.

I too want you to post in the RT forum. Even if you don't workout, you could just let us know you are taking another rest day My post yesterday was my rest day.

So double knot your laces, pop in a Cathe DVD and workout for 20 minutes today. I know you can do it!

Colleen

 

[eskiemom]

Hi Heather,

May I make a suggestion and recommend that you forgo any formal rotation? I think it might work if you just focus on the fun factor (at least for 2 weeks) and just do what your body tells you to do. I know from previous posts that you are a cardio lover, so maybe don't worry about the weights and just do your favorite cardio workouts - just to recapture your love of exercising and why you do it. I think if you force anything and try to be too regimented it might backfire.

I always admire your spirit in your posts (and love your humor in this one!) so I have no doubt you will figure it out.

Have fun and I look forward to meeting you on the July RT!

Laura

 

[elliemom2]

Hi Heather,

This is my 1st road trip and I am so not ready. Last year I was in shape and could do all the step routines and IMAX's. And then I was # 113 and couldn't go. I still kept up my routine until about December. Once I found out I made the cut for this years trip, all doo doo hit the fan. My husband had surgery and recovered for 5 weeks, Now my 4 year old is having surgery July 2nd. Needless to say, I am no where near ready. But I am doing a little bit everyday and planning on going and having a great time.

From an earlier post of yours I remember you saying that the trip itself was worth it. I can't worry about weights and rotations right now, but I can look forward to meeting everyone and enjoying myself. I am so excited to just be there around other Catheites!!! I'm also looking forward to gaining inspiration from others like you.

Don't worry, just try to enjoy the ride.

ellie

 

[tnewbrough]

Hi Heather,

I would like to introduce myself, my name is Terri and I am from Indiana. I am also trying to get back in shape for the road trip, due to a little unexpected emergency surgery that took place on April 21st. I am very nervous about attending my first road trip, but your post about your experience last year made me feel much more comfortable about going. My plan has been to print out the Cathe rotations and then modify them to suit my needs. My surgeon has told me to stay away from heavy weights, so I tweak the workout for what works for me. Having the rotation gives me a starting point and helps me avoid wasting time. (Without a rotation, I tend to spend a lot of time staring at my DVD's just wondering which one to do. ) If the rotation calls for a day with heavy weights, I simply pick a step workout that I like and go for it. I just cross out the suggested workout and write in my own. I like to look back over the workouts that I did over the month and see how I am progressing. If my schedule was crazy for some reason, I make a note of that and count it as a rest day. For now, I am trying to focus on the accomplished feeling I get when I finish a workout and how blessed I am to be healthy enough to work out at all.

I chuckled about your sports bra issue as I have been exercising with my large, post-surgery white velcro brace around my mid-section. My two teenage daughters think that I look ridiculous and have enjoyed teasing me each time they see me in my workout outfits with this big white brace on over my clothes. I told them that the brace was needed to keep my insides from falling out and that they should be proud of their mom for working out at all! My plan is to ditch the brace in time for the road trip. I will pray for your chest to shrink, but if that doesn't work out, you may feel free to use my brace as a back-up sports bra as it will surely keep you strapped in tight! LOL
Hope you have a great weekend and I look forward to meeting you on the road trip.
Terri

 

[jthornton]

Heather -- you'll be just fine. You and I were both at the road trip last year and you know that we just do what we can do, no one judges us or cares if we can't do a certain move, etc. For the next few weeks, I would start out slow and then work your way back up -- it will probably be a lot easier than you think! We have about 3 1/2 weeks -- a LOT can be done in 3 1/2 weeks! You will be okay -- trust me!

Julie

 

[elliemom2]

Hi Again Heather,

After reading your post and responding, I got up the strength to do 30 minutes of StepFit. An oldie but goodie without alot of jumping. And a nice 12 minute warm up. It got me back on the I LOVE to exercise road. So your post worked. It inspired me all over again. I am still not ready for BM2 or Imax 3 but hey, I'm gearing up.
Thanks
ellie