How do you fit it all into each week?

[Beth-B-Fit]

Hi, all,

I'm starting to rethink my pattern of working out. All I've read about aging and muscles and fat loss on the blog has got me thinking that I need three things:

(1) more cardio (for the fat loss)
(2) less time spent on heavy leg weights (maybe once a week heavy?) since at home I don't have a squat rack or machine to go as heavy as the workout manager says I should go for squats anyway
(3)more upper body-fairly heavy weight days (4x per week?) to widen the shoulders for the upcoming ligament spread of my hips (that I can hardly wait for) and the bat thing that happens to your triceps.

My question is: How do you fit it all into each week? Is the CTX program effective? How much cardio is enough? Do I do weights then cardio or vice versa? Can I keep it to an hour a day?

Thanks for any insight.

Beth

 

[melagras]

It seems overwhelming but I just plan on working out Monday thru Saturday and take a break on Sunday. Right now, I'm finishing up STS and will start P90x in about 10 weeks. Each of those workouts average between 45-60 minutes. If you feel like you need more cardio, just add one of the step dvd or kickbox premixes that are little shorter to the days you work out with weights.

Personally, I don't like doing step or high intensity workouts along with weight training (CTX, 4 Day Split, etc.). My body just can't handle it. M/W/F are weight days and T/T/S are cardio.

You didn't mention it, but do you have a family? I don't so I have a lot of free time which makes a big difference in getting my workouts in each day.

It helps me to keep a calendar and a notebook (to keep track of the weights I use) so I can see what I have done on paper.

Don't give up and bury your face in a gallon of ice cream. LOL

 

[jacmar]

Hi Beth:

I work out 6 days a week, between 60-70 minutes in the AM, alternating cardio and weights. Depending on the rotation, I will either do splits, total body or parts.

At night 3 to 4 times a week, I walk for 30-40 minutes.

My kids are teenagers, so they are pretty self-sufficient. I also have a pretty flexible schedule at work, so this is very doable for me.

For reference, I am 44. While I do not lose weight with this routine, I least am not gaining.

 

[MadnNatsmom]

Hmmm, that's interesting you would choose to increase your cardio. I've gone the other way - decreased my cardio, lift heavy and have been able to keep my bodyfat in check with minimal effort, even though my daily activity has DECREASED (have a full-time desk-jocky job now).

My weekly workouts go like this (ideally):

2X heavy upper body of compound exercises: chest press, rows, pushups and shoulders. Rarely do I do separate tris, bis.

2 - 3 X running for 30-40 mins (usually 30, and usally 2X, haha)

at least 1 lower body workout (squats, lunges, stepups).

I turned 45 this year and in the past couple of years have learned to eat smarter (increased protein) and not kill mysef working out 60+ mins per day, 6-7X per week and have been able to maintain my (close-to) ideal weight.

If you are maintaining, and you watch your calories, IMO you really don't have to do a whole lot.