[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Nov-18-02 AT 03:06PM (Est)[/font][p]Hi Cathe and the Educated Crowd
I have been lurking for years. Have been pretty much confined to bed for the last five years due to illness. I am well now, but really out of shape. I gained a lot of weight (25 lbs) while sitting on my tush all that time and I also was under a lot of stress so I ate a lot, plus a full tummy just made me feel better when on those nasty meds. I have really improved my stamina in the last several months in that this last week I was able to stay on my feet walking nearly 18 hours in Las Vegas seeing the sites. And my girl friend seemed to get out of breath more than I and she is ten years younger. So I am not a total wreck. LOL Here is the problem -- one of my school friends just located me to tell me that there is a reunion in mid January. EEEK! I have only nine weeks to get ready. I have nothing to wear, I don't think my two pair of pants that fit (jeans and cords) are going to cut it somehow. I cannot afford to buy a new wardrobe, Cathe -- you have all my money. LOL
I need to lose size, if I could reduce my size by a full size or a full size and a half, I would have clothes to wear. I always get confused about endurance vs strength training. Would I get smaller and firmer doing say MIS or PH or would it be better to do PS or S&H? I know I have lost lots of muscle, I am very weak and flabby. I had started training two weeks ago before I even knew about the reunion and I am using 1, 2, and 3 pound weights and am sore the next day -- oh how I love that kind of soreness. I started with Body Pump which can best be described as PH-Lite. Same approach as Cathe, but shorter time spent on each body part. I thought that would be a good way to get acclimated plus the music rocks. I am at a point where I feel safe to raise my weights and move onto a Cathe workout. I have all of your tapes/DVDs that incorporate weights including CTX. I am so excited to finally be able to do Cathe workouts, I have been buying them regularly as they came out even though I was confined to bed. Looking forward to the day I could do them really helped me get through those dark days.
I have worked up to 20 minutes on the treadmill steady state. I cannot do anything that is high impact due to permanent foot injuries. These last two weeks I have been doing treadmill three times a week and BP twice a week. Before I became ill, I had worked out with weights extensively off and on and was experienced with aerobics and know how to modify. I do not put on muscle easily. Even when at my lowest weight and strongest, I have shown very little definition, but back then the rule of thumb was working the whole body 3 X's a week and I was probably overtraining. I might be an overweight ecto, or ecto/endo. I was skinny when younger, especially my legs. With age I gained weight like a pear, and with illness I became an apple. I have an unusually small frame and bones.
Most of the weight I put on seems to be at my waist and tummy, my illness seemed to bring on menopause. It has been such fun. And also for the first time I have put on weight on my upper body. I have about a size 12 waist and size 8/10 hips. If I could just get my waist down, I would have clothes to wear. I know this sounds so petty, but what can I say. LOL I rather have new Cathe DVDs than new clothes. I have my priorities.
This is not just about the reunion, I had already begun training because I wanted to regain my strength, endurance and my figure (so I would have clothes to wear again) --- I want my life back.
I have unlimited time during the day. It is not out of the realm of possibility that I could work up to two aerobic sessions a day, like 20 min in the morning and 20 in the afternoon until I get my stamina up to the point that could do one longer workout. If this would help. I can also do some limited floor/step aerobics if I am careful.
The doctor had given me the green light weeks ago. So that is not an issue. Treadmill work seems to work best for me in terms of my foot problems, it has height adjustments. So I can vary workouts on that once I am fully acclimated. I know to listen to my body, so no worries there. I sure as heck don't want to get injured, so I will be careful. So Cathe and the educated crowd -- any ideas? Your expert help would be very much appreciated.
You guys are the greatest. I truly admire all of you and think this is the most special place on the internet. You are all so supportive of one another. And I am absolutely blown away how Cathe takes the time to help us. And thank you all for keeping me company during those dark days. I have learned so much from all of you.
Forgot to say, I have Yoga tapes and Pilates tapes as well. If you all think they might help. And I will start eating more sensibly of course. Sorry for such a long post.
Cathe and the Educated Crowd you are the best,
I love you all, Kachina
I have been lurking for years. Have been pretty much confined to bed for the last five years due to illness. I am well now, but really out of shape. I gained a lot of weight (25 lbs) while sitting on my tush all that time and I also was under a lot of stress so I ate a lot, plus a full tummy just made me feel better when on those nasty meds. I have really improved my stamina in the last several months in that this last week I was able to stay on my feet walking nearly 18 hours in Las Vegas seeing the sites. And my girl friend seemed to get out of breath more than I and she is ten years younger. So I am not a total wreck. LOL Here is the problem -- one of my school friends just located me to tell me that there is a reunion in mid January. EEEK! I have only nine weeks to get ready. I have nothing to wear, I don't think my two pair of pants that fit (jeans and cords) are going to cut it somehow. I cannot afford to buy a new wardrobe, Cathe -- you have all my money. LOL
I need to lose size, if I could reduce my size by a full size or a full size and a half, I would have clothes to wear. I always get confused about endurance vs strength training. Would I get smaller and firmer doing say MIS or PH or would it be better to do PS or S&H? I know I have lost lots of muscle, I am very weak and flabby. I had started training two weeks ago before I even knew about the reunion and I am using 1, 2, and 3 pound weights and am sore the next day -- oh how I love that kind of soreness. I started with Body Pump which can best be described as PH-Lite. Same approach as Cathe, but shorter time spent on each body part. I thought that would be a good way to get acclimated plus the music rocks. I am at a point where I feel safe to raise my weights and move onto a Cathe workout. I have all of your tapes/DVDs that incorporate weights including CTX. I am so excited to finally be able to do Cathe workouts, I have been buying them regularly as they came out even though I was confined to bed. Looking forward to the day I could do them really helped me get through those dark days.
I have worked up to 20 minutes on the treadmill steady state. I cannot do anything that is high impact due to permanent foot injuries. These last two weeks I have been doing treadmill three times a week and BP twice a week. Before I became ill, I had worked out with weights extensively off and on and was experienced with aerobics and know how to modify. I do not put on muscle easily. Even when at my lowest weight and strongest, I have shown very little definition, but back then the rule of thumb was working the whole body 3 X's a week and I was probably overtraining. I might be an overweight ecto, or ecto/endo. I was skinny when younger, especially my legs. With age I gained weight like a pear, and with illness I became an apple. I have an unusually small frame and bones.
Most of the weight I put on seems to be at my waist and tummy, my illness seemed to bring on menopause. It has been such fun. And also for the first time I have put on weight on my upper body. I have about a size 12 waist and size 8/10 hips. If I could just get my waist down, I would have clothes to wear. I know this sounds so petty, but what can I say. LOL I rather have new Cathe DVDs than new clothes. I have my priorities.
This is not just about the reunion, I had already begun training because I wanted to regain my strength, endurance and my figure (so I would have clothes to wear again) --- I want my life back.
I have unlimited time during the day. It is not out of the realm of possibility that I could work up to two aerobic sessions a day, like 20 min in the morning and 20 in the afternoon until I get my stamina up to the point that could do one longer workout. If this would help. I can also do some limited floor/step aerobics if I am careful.
The doctor had given me the green light weeks ago. So that is not an issue. Treadmill work seems to work best for me in terms of my foot problems, it has height adjustments. So I can vary workouts on that once I am fully acclimated. I know to listen to my body, so no worries there. I sure as heck don't want to get injured, so I will be careful. So Cathe and the educated crowd -- any ideas? Your expert help would be very much appreciated.
You guys are the greatest. I truly admire all of you and think this is the most special place on the internet. You are all so supportive of one another. And I am absolutely blown away how Cathe takes the time to help us. And thank you all for keeping me company during those dark days. I have learned so much from all of you.
Forgot to say, I have Yoga tapes and Pilates tapes as well. If you all think they might help. And I will start eating more sensibly of course. Sorry for such a long post.
Cathe and the Educated Crowd you are the best,
I love you all, Kachina
