just started Cathe workouts

[teeny]

Hi,
I bought a step about 5 weeks ago and Cathe's video Cross Train Xpress All Step was in it. So for the last 5 weeks I have been doing it about 4 times a week. Ever since I had my baby I have been trying to get into regular exercise and have been on and off. Since I started this workout I have actually stayed at it for more than a month! I'm getting frustrated because I'm not seeing the results that I thought I would. I have about 10-15 pounds to lose from my pregnancy. I also want to get toned. HELP me! What am I doing wrong? Is this particular workout not hard enough or is it me?

 

[intensitylisa]

Doing the same workout 4 times a week won't give you the results you are looking for. You need to mix up your workouts. I would suggest purchasing the rest of the CTX series and then rotating your videos. Cathe has a variety of different videos to choose from and the CTX is probably the best to get you started!

 

[Pollytc]

Hi Teeny. Welcome to Cathe!! Along with your cardio regimine, you should also be very aware of your eating (which is the biggest part of the equation), and also try to include some strength training into your routine/rotation. Cathe has many wonderful workouts on the market. A great strength training workout to start off with would be MIS (Maximum Intensity Strength). I'm sure others will have great advice for you, too!!

Kim

 

[Carol122201]

First of all Teeny, WELCOME!! I think you need to do different things as well. Doing the same workout over and over again will not give you consistent results. You need to mix things up a bit to invoke the phenonmenon known as "muscle confusion". Your muscles get used to the same workout, and won't keep responding to it. Did you buy the entire CTX series or just one tape? Doing only step isn't really enough to get results either. You need to weight train. All Step has great shoulder work in it, but that's all you'll work. If you can get the rest of the series, I would do so, and alternate them. Otherwise, if you can get only one other tape, I would suggest something like Power Hour or Muscle Endurance, from Cathe's Intensity Series. That way, you have a good overall weight training tape to alternate with All Step. Hang in there! You will get results, but you have to do more than one tape all the time. And, CONGRATS on your baby, and on sticking with working out for over a month!! It's a true committment to stay with any fitness program, and you've proven to yourself that you can do it!! You should be very proud of what you've accomplished so far!!

Carol

 

[dutchgirl]

Hi Teeny,

Welcome to the wonderful world of Cathe and to the forums.

I agree with everyone else's suggestion to purchase some other videos (or better yet, if you have a DVD player, some DVD's) to shake things up. The ladies are absolutely correct when they say that the body quickly adapts to repetitive workouts and by switching it up you keep your muscles guessing and active. The CTX series has lots of variety when it comes to cardio, or, if you like step, any of Cathe's step workouts are fabulous. I also agree that strength training will help not only with muscle tone, but with eventually boosting your metabolism because muscle is far more active than fat and requires many more calories a day just to maintain itself. Full body workouts like Muscle Endurance or Maximum Intensity Strength are great places to start. I would also suggest that you may want to also purchase 'parts' workouts (my favorite is the Pure Strength series) where you work the muscles more intensely.

My last bit of advice is to be patient with your body and with yourself. You have recently given birth and your body has been going nutso for the past nine months in order to bring you this wonderful gift. And now your body is going nutso trying to recuperate from the whole experience! Give it time! I'm sure you have already experienced benefits (increased cardiovascular capacity, maybe the start of some definition in the shoulders maybe?), just not the benefit of the scale going down in pounds yet. It will happen. Try to stay focused on the idea that exercising with Cathe (and other videos) is going to be a lifestyle, not just a quick bullet. You have time on your side! Hang in there!

Congratulations on your little one and best of luck! You can do it!

 

[scm]

I was first introduced to Cathe just after my son was born. I needed to do something. We were so strapped at that time, but I purchased two videos. MIS and MIC. Those two workouts got me into a string bikini within six months. Your diet does play a huge part too. Like I said, we were pooo! I HAD to eat oatmeal for breakfast, and basically eat clean throughout the day. There was no $3 for cookies and chips.
You do have to stay focused and realize Cathe's workouts are tough. You may have to work your way up to her level. You'll be surprised when everything "kicks in". Workouts become easier, understanding motherhood a bit more, and balancing a family on top of that. You can absolutely do it!

Susan C.M.

 

[hippahips]

Hi Teeny, welcome to the forum. You have gotten very good suggestions. I agree with everyone who has advised you to vary your routines. Cardio will help you, but only to a point. If you want to tone up, you'll need to do strength training as well. Also, you can easily get bored doing one routine four times every week.

You say you need to lose 10-15 lbs. from the pregnancy. I don't want to be the voice of doom, but it's those last 10 lbs. that are the hardest to get off. I gained 42 lbs. during mine. I lost 7 lbs. as soon as my son was born and another 5 lbs. the week after. It took me about five months to lose the other 30 lbs. and get back to my pre-pregnancy weight of 103 lbs. Once I hit 110, the scale refused to budge for the longest time. Check out the links on how Cathe managed to get back in shape after each baby. If I remember correctly, she says that interval training and cross training helped her more than just cardio or weight training alone. She also said that she was giving her waistline a year to get back to normal after the birth of her second child.

Be patient. See if you can manage to fit in some weight workouts with what you already have. Also check the rotations part of this forum for more ideas on how to get to your fitness goals. Those have helped me a lot. Good luck.

Pinky