STS--Sleeping, Training, and Shrinking!!!!

BelovedHeather

BelovedHeather

Cathlete
Cathe and STSers:

Oh, it would be fun to start over in the morning with you! It’s too late for that because I started the second week this morning with Disc 4, and I will be nice and sore by then. Not to mention, I want to stick with the 5-month rotation because I am seeing awesome results! I believe STS stands for Sleeping, Training, and Shrinking because that is what I am doing! This is thankfully not making me extremely hungry like the Slow and Heavy Series. My body is needing around 7-8 hours of sleep at night and an afternoon nap on STS days when possible. (I have always slept 4-5 hours a night, so this is very unusual for me.) Good news! While I am sleeping, the Fat Fairy is visiting me and hauling off wads of fat! I looked smaller when I saw myself in the mirror this weekend before my bubble bath and decided to check my measurements and see if my imagination was playing tricks on me. It appears that STS is shocking the stubborn fat off my body! I have already lost 2 inches in my waist, 2 inches in my abdomen, 2 inches in my hips, and an inch in each thigh after 2 weeks of Mesocycle 1, Week 1 (with only 3 days a week of cardio)! I am getting stronger every week too.

I did not change my diet at all when I started this. I wanted to test these workouts and see what they would do for me apart from food restriction because I love to eat and would prefer to shock off this stubborn fat with exercise! So far, so good!

I am not hungry. I am not feeling deprived. I am not wiping myself out with hours a day of exercise. I am having fun and savoring the journey! The workouts in the first mesocycle are very enjoyable. I was so surprised this morning to discover all the new exercises in the second week. I was expecting a “premix” that simply changed the sequence of exercises. Disc 4 felt like a whole new workout! I love, love, love the bow and arrow with a band. Oh, that burns!

Here is a word of encouragement for everyone who is starting this amazing journey tomorrow. Commit wholeheartedly to this journey. Focus on these STS workouts and give your all to each one. You can do anything for an hour 3 times a week! Do what you want on cardio days, but rock STS! It works wonders! For those who are planning to start the 5-month or 6-month rotation, I am looking forward to checking in with y’all. The first experience with each workout is good, but I am getting a much better workout the second week when I revisit each one.

Best wishes! Be sure to put your epsom salt next to the bathtub tonight. You will need it! Sweet dreams! :)

Blessings,
Heather B.

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV).
 
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Congrats on your inches lost, Heather!!!!! I too, am noticing early successes with STS and hoping they continue. I told my self I'd record my weight every Sunday and measure btwn Mesos. I cheated and measured today, I couldn't help it. I came in 1/2 in on each thigh and 1 in on my waist. Everything else was the same. I lost 4 lbs the 1st week, was looking like another 1 this wk, but when I weighed this morning it was a lb more than last wk, and 2 lbs more than I weighed on Weds. We did eat salty Mexican food last night for Vday, so I am chalking up the mysterious pound to the salt. Hopefully it'll be gone in a day or two, as my eating gets back and things get flushed out.

Lots of good snoozes with this one, too. The 1st week I was completely wiped out, but the 2nd week was much better. And I'm not starving hungry, like weight training normally makes me. If I get into a full body rotation, I can and will eat everything that is not tied down!!!! Splits seem to help alleviate the munchies for me. Of course, DH made me a choc heart cake w/ raspberry filling and heart sprinkles on top for Valentine's day, so that is not helping:):):eek::D:p I had a piece yesterday, a piece today, and just snuck another sliver. I have now made up my mind to be done with it, but it sure was tasty.

Also, I wanted to add, that I always enjoy your posts. Even if you seem to be having a down time, you always seem to find the sunshine and drive to get the happiness back. :):):)

Enjoy your STS,
Nan
 
Heather,
Wow! your results are fantabulous! I am in the second week of doing the STS but leg portions only. I will start the regular 3 month rotation in 2 weeks. I don't know if I am having a senior moment but am I understanding from your post that you are doing each 3 day cycle for a second week? Does that make sense? I ask this because you state you are getting a much better workout the second week when you revisit. So for example you do M1 W1 D1, 2 & 3 and the following week instead of starting D4, 5, & 6 you actually repeat D1, 2 & 3? I ask because I would like to obtain the fabulous results that you have. Please give the fat fairy my name so she will make sure to visit me and relieve me of some body fat:)

thank you
booboo
 
Booboo - I will answer for Heather until she answers tomorrow, or whenever she gets a chance too, since you just posted your question. She is doing the 6 month rotation so she does week 1 and repeats that on week 2, as I understand it. Certainly get clarification on that, but just wanted you to have a quick idea :)
 
Heather!
I'm so happy for your success! I'm back and forth with STS and can't wait to read the check-in notes when some of my fellow CLXers begin STS to help me in my purchasing decision. Anyway, I'm THRILLED that STS is working for you and that you are loving it so much. What are you doing for cardio if you don't mind my asking? Keep up the GREAT work...woo hoo!
 
Congratulations on such awesome results!
I was enjoying the band bow and arrow too, but I think DH was crying :p.
 
That is so awesome about your great results!!! :) You have finally convinced me to do the 6 months rotation as I have been debating back and forth which one I should do, 3 or 6 months rotation. Thank you for sharing!:)

Stephanie
 
Shana,
thank you so much for responding. I am now going to switch over to that 6 month rotation. Now if I could just clean up the eating :)
Booboo
 
STS Success!!!!

Nan, congratulations on your early STS success! It is interesting that both of us are sleeping more and not experiencing the desire to eat, eat, eat. When I did Slow and Heavy in the past, I had an intense desire to eat anything that could not outrun me. I am not a big meat eater, but I craved protein like crazy during that rotation. There was not a cow in Texas that was safe in my presence. LOL!

spyrosmom said:
Also, I wanted to add, that I always enjoy your posts. Even if you seem to be having a down time, you always seem to find the sunshine and drive to get the happiness back. :):):)
Click to expand...

Thank you for the kind words. I was on an emotional roller coaster for years. By the grace of God, I discovered the root of my problem and kicked it to the curb on Christmas Eve. It is much easier to see the sunshine and focus on STS when I am not walking around in a mental fog! After 7 weeks, I can testify that I am free from depression and mood swings and have been through 2 cycles with no PMS symptoms! The mental clarity I am experiencing is amazing, and it feels great to have my feet on solid ground!

Cindy, I completed the 4-star and 5-star one-rep max tests for upper body. I did not test legs because most of my weight is attached to my body, not my barbell, and I am not planning to do the optional squat rack routines this time. It was a small investment of time that is paying off in big ways. It sounds like a daunting task, but it is really simple once you print the chart Cathe provided and get started! There are less than 40 of the 4-star and 5-star exercises to test, and the results make it easy for me to choose the right weight for similar exercises that were not tested.

Booboo, I am following the 5-month rotation Cathe recommended: Week 1, Week 1, Week 2, Week 2, Week 3, Week 3, Week 4, Week 4. I am planning to enjoy a recovery week after 8 weeks and follow this game plan for Mesocycle 2. According to Cathe and my preview, Mesocycle 3 is more traditional and simple, so I am planning to do each of those weeks once. One of the benefits of this rotation is getting familiar with new moves, taking notes, and fine tuning my weight selection the first week and experiencing a smoother and more effective workout the second week. I learned the first week that a pound makes a big difference. As a result, I went to Academy and bought a pair of Fitness by Cathe weighted gloves before I revisited Disc 1. Previewing the workouts did not fully prepare me for the experience. I learned a better way to organize my equipment so I did not have to pause my DVD player the second week. Not to mention, I am savoring the journey and making it last longer because I am having fun and enjoying every workout! By the way, I started this STS journey at 274 pounds. It is possible for me to lose weight faster than someone who is closer to a healthy weight. :)

Shana, it is good to see you!

Angela, I am enjoying the STS workouts on Sunday morning, Tuesday morning, and Thursday morning with no other workouts on STS days. Wednesday morning is a Cathe step workout plus a segment of Ab Circuits and the extended stretch. Saturday morning is a Cathe kickboxing workout plus a segment of Ab Circuits and the extended stretch. Monday night is a Zumba class at the club. Saturday afternoon is 30 minutes of water jogging in the pool. Cardio the first week was Zumba (45 minutes), 4-Day Split HIS cardio premix (30 minutes), 4-Day Split Kickbox cardio premix (30 minutes), and water jogging in the pool (30 minutes). The second week was the same but with 4-Day Split LIS instead of HIS on the step day. I usually do 5-6 hours of cardio a week. This is a little over 2 hours of cardio a week since I have been choosing shorter premixes. I am saving my energy for STS days and giving those workouts my all!

Dragonfly, those bow and arrow band moves are fun!

Stephanie, have fun with the longer rotation!

Blessings,
Heather B.

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV).
 
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I am SO motivated reading everyone's posts! How wonderful for you Heather. You make me want to try even harder!

I'm hoping I'll see some major changes also. For the last 6 months prior to starting STS I basically was on a Barre/Pilates/Yoga/Cardio workout with one strength workout a week. Before that I bounced around doing basic cardio/weight rotations (ie: two days of cardio, 3 days of weight lifting).
I have never commmited to a specific rotation ever. Even with P90X I only did it for about a month.

This time I am sticking with the 3.5 month STS rotation. Certainly in 3 months I should notice something!

I'm trying to eat better, watching portions, not gobbling junk. I didn't measure or get on the scale (too afraid of what I'd find out), but I do have a particular pair of jeans I'm aiming to fit into by summer. I'll be back here for more motivation!

Thanks!!
SHOCK IT! :D
 
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