Just wanted to add a link to the 'Official Cathe Beginner Rotation' that is listed in the Rotation forum. It would be very good for a beginner, and would definitely help you start to reach your goals and improve your fitness.
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http://69.0.137.118/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=7&topic_id=5117&mesg_id=5117&page=
If you are new to working out with me and are fairly new to fitness, I suggest you use the following DVD's along with this posted 3 month fitness program to prepare you for my more advanced workouts.
These workouts are Basic Step and Body Fusion (both on one DVD), Low Impact Step and Total Body Sculpting (both on one DVD), and Total Body Stretching. The equipment used in these beginner DVD's is as follows: 3 to 5 pound handweights, an exercise tube (preferrably with handles), and a stability ball.
Side Note:
After doing the 3 month break in period, I think all other tapes will be more comfortable for you (however, I suggest Cardio and Weights as the next stepping stone). The workouts that you should hold off on for a good few months are all of the Imax workouts (ie: Interval Max, Imax 1, 2 or 3) and any workouts labled using the words "Extreme or Terminator" in its title.
Here is a three month starter workout plan:
Week 1,2 and 3:
Mon: Basic Step plus Lower body hand weight add on (it is one of the workouts on the tape)
Tues: OFF
Wed: Basic Step plus upper body hand weight add on (it is one of the workouts on the tape)
Thurs: One Segment from Total Body Stretching (a good idea to start with the segment that uses no equipment)
Fri: Basic Step plus Abdominal routine add on (it is one of the workouts on the tape)
Sat: Upper AND lower body tubing routine (it is one of the workouts on the tape)
Sun: One segment of Total Body Stretching plus the the abdominal add on from the Basis Step DVD
WEEK 4, 5, and 6
Mon: Body Fusion
Tues: Lower Body add on with hand weight from Basic Step DVD
Wed: Body Fusion
Thurs: The abdominal add on from the Basic Step DVD plus One segment from total Body stretching
Fri: Brisk walk outside for 40 minutes and a segment from Total Body Stretching
Sat: Upper and Lower body add on with tubing plus abdominal segment from Basic Step DVD (they are all on the DVD)
Sun: A segment from Total Body Stretching DVD
Week 7, 8, and 9
Mon: Low Impact Step
Tues: Total Body Sculpting
Wed: Low Impact Step
Thurs: Abdominal Add on from Basic Step DVD plus one stretch segment from Total Body Stretching
Fri: Body Fusion
Sat: OFF
Sun: Total Body Sculpting
Week 10, 11, and 12
Mon: Low Impact Step
Tues: Lower Body Add On with hand weights from Basic Step DVD
Wed: Body Fusion
Thurs: Brisk walk for 40 minutes plus abdominal add on from Basic Step DVD
Fri: Total Body Sculpting
Sat: One segment Total Body Stretching
Sun: OFF
As far as what to eat....
Eat a wide variety of veggies, especially dark leafy green veggies, a wide variety of lean protein sources, a wide variety of complex carbohydrates, and keep all your foods in their more natural form (without cream sauces, or frying, or without swimming in oils). Eat a wide variety of healthy fruits too and be sure that you have citrus sources as well. A daily multi-vitamin is a good idea too.
Good luck and always listen to your body along the way. Gently push harder on energetic days. Strive to maintain your best effort on stressful or "not fully into it" days. Take a day off on days that you have lead legs, fighting a bad cold, feeling mentally or physically run down, or experience an overall sense of "I just can't do this today"
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