Rotation/Consistency Advice needed

[Stacy]

Mid-July I finished a 10 week (5 day per week) workout rotation from Beach Babe's Tone It Up site. I was able to stick to the rotation because the workouts were short, usually about 30 minutes, had on dread factor and were a bit less intense than what I normally do. I was so proud that I was so consistent despite some of life's obstacles along the way. However, when I was done I was also so glad to be done with the pressure/stress of following a routine. Since then I've done hardly anything, nothing sounds interesting and I can't seem to motivate myself to do anything. I've put on 5 lbs, feel mushy and in general I'm just down on myself.

I'm torn between following a rotation so I can be consistent and have a game plan or not following a rotation, but that leaves me with no game plan and I tend to either pick something too easy or find every excuse to skip my workout. (Granted, I also work full time, get up at 5am and get home at 6pm, BUT, I don't want that to be an excuse either!)

I think 6 weeks off is about enough and I want to get back into something even with my lack of motivation b/c I just feel bad about my body and life in general right now and I think working out will help.

I could use some advice here for where to go from here, even any instructors, rotations etc. My overall goal, besides just to get back into some sort of routine is overall getting rid of some mush and also gaining back some strength I lost doing the Beach Babe workouts (they were definitely lighter weight training)

Thanks for any advice you can offer me now.

 

[Jane Power-Grimm]

Hi Stacy,

I think so many of us Cathletes have wondered this same thing and have had to work through times when we are figuring out how to best get back at 'er. I personally am biased towards rotations and feel they can be good at those times. Perhaps a one month rotation would be doable as your commitment is just for 4 weeks and so it is not too overwhelming. But how about a combo that gives you the best of both worlds - a 3 or 4 day per week rotation combined with doing whatever you are in the mood for (if anything) on the other days? Here are a couple of options:
-STS Meso 1 three days per week and then combine that with whatever cardio strikes your fancy on the other days (an evening walk, jog or bike ride, a short spin, kickbox, step or hiit premix)
-4 Day Split (this way you are not overwhelmed as you feel you only need to workout 4 days out of 7 - perhaps on the weekends when you have more time and just 2 of the workdays (Sat., Sun, Tues. Thurs)

If you are feeling keen to take on a rotation that is 5-6 days per week, then you may like to pick shorter workouts and premixes so there is no dread factor. Here are a couple of options:
-a 15 min. Muscle Meltdown (from the ICE series) and then a short cardio workout on just a couple of days per week (X10, Tabatacise, a timesaver premix from Intensity)
-a Ripped With Hiit rotation (found in the Users Guide) - these workouts all come in around 40 mins. - I think they are Cathe's shortest workouts but because they are tough they are sure to get you the results you are looking for

Be easy on yourself for the 1st month back. Your rotation doesn't have to be the perfect ultimate plan, it just needs to be a plan - one that you want to do. Pick your favourite workouts, perhaps workout with a friend, record your progress on the Workout Manager and feel good about your accomplishments, blast your favourite music while working out, and focus on the FUN you are having. As long as you do some weight training (can't really get rid of 'mush' without it!) and something that gets your heart rate up, you will work toward your goals.

Good luck Stacy. Let us know how things go!

 

[Cafelattee]

Not sure if this will be helpful but this is how I stay consistent... I do not follow a rotation but I follow a monthly plan.

So each month I decide on my weight lifting plan that's my base. Then I decide how much cardio depending on my goal/time.

This a few I've done the past few months

Month 1 - 2 total body workouts, 2 metabolic, 1 leg day, 1 steady state and yoga ( I always use this to drop fat layer before swim suit)

Month 2 - upper/lower body training. Monday heavy upper body, Tuesday heavy lower body, Wed hiit. Thru Lower body circuit, Fri Upper body circuit, sat steady state/yoga

Month 3 this is the one I just started.

Monday 30 min hiit - chest, Tuesday 30 min spin- back, wed Metabolic hiit ( example crossfire) Thur Legs/shoulder, Friday Hiit/bi/tri, and as always I do a day of steady state which is usually hour walk and yoga

 

[Jane Power-Grimm]

I really like your 3 plans Cafelattee! I have jotted these down and plan to do them. They are nicely balanced so that by the end of each week you get in each body part, some hiit, some steady state and some some relaxing yoga.

I assume you repeat your weekly plan 4 times to take you through that month. Right?
The nice thing with these plans is that during each of the 4 weeks of the month you can change up the workout that you choose to target that area. Great way to avoid boredom and keep it fresh.

 

[Cafelattee]

I really like your 3 plans Cafelattee! I have jotted these down and plan to do them. They are nicely balanced so that by the end of each week you get in each body part, some hiit, some steady state and some some relaxing yoga.

I assume you repeat your weekly plan 4 times to take you through that month. Right?
The nice thing with these plans is that during each of the 4 weeks of the month you can change up the workout that you choose to target that area. Great way to avoid boredom and keep it fresh.

I do them for the month. The fun part is I can use all of cathe workouts. I can pick n choose from each series. I never get bored but it keeps me consistent enough I keep muscle definition.

I love STS but I've never been able to do the 3 month rotation. I did do it for 9 weeks but I used it very differently. I did a week of each meso and repeated 3 times. There is just no way I could do the same workout for a month. I don't know why i'm like that with video fitness. I ran for years which was never boring for me. Whats up with me

 

[healing11]

Not sure if this will be helpful but this is how I stay consistent... I do not follow a rotation but I follow a monthly plan.

So each month I decide on my weight lifting plan that's my base. Then I decide how much cardio depending on my goal/time.

This a few I've done the past few months

Month 1 - 2 total body workouts, 2 metabolic, 1 leg day, 1 steady state and yoga ( I always use this to drop fat layer before swim suit)

Month 2 - upper/lower body training. Monday heavy upper body, Tuesday heavy lower body, Wed hiit. Thru Lower body circuit, Fri Upper body circuit, sat steady state/yoga

Month 3 this is the one I just started.

Monday 30 min hiit - chest, Tuesday 30 min spin- back, wed Metabolic hiit ( example crossfire) Thur Legs/shoulder, Friday Hiit/bi/tri, and as always I do a day of steady state which is usually hour walk and yoga

I really like this. I find it hard to stick with a Cathe rotation. I have no problem doing a Beachbody rotations, but with my Cathe's I tend to fall off. I think the Beachbody calendars keep me motivated. I was thinking of doing the 30 day Xtrain rotation, for September but I may try this instead.

 

[maddiesmum]

Either the 30 day XTrain or an XTrain/ICE mix might be good right now, since you are coming off 'lighter workouts,' so some ICE mixed in would help bridge the gap between intermediate and advanced workouts.

Clare