SirenSongWoman
Cathlete
My buddy, Dave, a former power lifter, chides me all the time about my chronic dissatisfaction with whatever type workout I'm doing at the moment. I lost a lot of weight doing The Firm (circuit) when I hit a plateau and moved on. I began doing Cathe's 3-day split (HEAVY weights) and was thrilled with my upper body progress, but the jury was out on my legs. With the exception of Low Max, I couldn't do Cathe's cardio but, because I'd always thought I hated cardio, and because all the literature at the time suggested cardio wasn't that effective for losing weight, I felt okay just blowing off cardio altogether. Meanwhile, I'd started to notice the 3-day split I'd RAVED about to everyone (especially HERE) was making my still chubby legs look even bulkier. So now I'm heavily into Cardio Coach. My legs are finally starting to (slowly but surely) slim down and the high incline I use is at last giving me the kind of calf definition I really want (defined but not bulky). I'm continuing with heavy weight upper body work and I'm really looking forward to trying all the upper body and ab sections of STS. Still, I'm not focusing enough on my core and my diet is probably a huge chunk of my problem. I'll get that straightened out soon. At any rate, all this has made me realize that, before you get serious about any exercise program you should keep in mind where you are now and KNOW WHERE YOU WANT TO GET. If you're skinny and sick of it, the 3-day split with heavy weights is probably your dream come true. It will give a skinny girl shape and substance everywhere. A real dream sexy body. But if you're heavy nothing about the 3-day split is going to slenderize you. You just end up looking like a muscular version of what you already are. I'm learning no "program" works for me and that I have to be really proactive in designing my own system for the results I'm after: long, lean legs and a "cut" back, arms and abs. More than anything, I'm focused on getting the fat off so I'm re-tooling my diet, gradually ridding myself of the junk (again... this isn't the first time) and RE-focusing on foods that sustain me throughout the day. I don't want to go back to counting calories and, with planning and discipline I know I don't have to. The issue for me has always been planning and discipline; falling back into comfortable habits that, if I'm not careful, will undercut all the exercise and take me right back to where I started. I keep thinking about a post here awhile back wherein someone quoted an acquaintance who said something to the effect that you can't workOUT a bad diet. Sage advice.
I just can't believe how many false starts I've had on this journey and am anxious to get the ball rolling again. We're all different and we all don't desire the same thing for ourselves. Sometimes, I read the Letters to the Editor in Oxygen and get irritated with all the serious weight trainers who look down on the women who don't want to be muscular from head-to-toe. They look down at fitness magazines geared toward those Other ladies. And, of course, those other ladies remark negatively about the muscularity of the women in Oxygen. I'd really love for women to support each other in reaching whatever goal they're after. I may not want what I've called bulky muscularity in my legs but I think it looks AWESOME on the right woman (usually someone who isn't starting out fat). In fact, me and a bunch of my co-workers were passing around the recent issue of Muscle and Fitness Hers because of the photos accompanying an editorial about great glutes. The muscles on the 23 year old figure competitor, while not exactly right for my body or where I want to be, were amazing enough on her to cause everyone at work to stare at the pictures. You all should check it out. She has UNBELIEVABLE legs and she tells how she does it (one thing: Walking fast at 15% incline on her treadmill). I figure, once I get the fat off my lower body I might decide I want more shape, the type of which heavy weights will give me (I do think that will happen but there's so much fat now it's kind of hard to say), to counterbalance the upper body I'm working on. I may be down (now!) on the three-day split FOR MYSELF but I was just telling a super-skinny co-worker that I thought she would benefit greatly from that particular routine. I may not need any more curves but, brother, she sure does!
Now, for a funny story to illustrate why I should have never blown-off cardio: The other day I was really running late for work. With seconds to spare, I pulled up in front in the building, hit my blinkers and RAN clear from the building (stopping to swipe my badge) all the way to the time clock. Everyone just stopped and stared. I moved FAST and after I clocked in I was smiling and laughing. My friend, Patty had just starting walking away when I appeared in a cloud of dust. For the first time I can EVER recall I wasn't even a little out of breath. I looked at Patty and said "Thank God for Cardio Coach." I had to go and park my car and I was smiling all the way. Maybe it's true that muscle turns you into a fat burning machine and cardio doesn't build (much) muscle but cardio does offer its own rewards. Trust me, not being out of breath is pretty cool, too.
I just can't believe how many false starts I've had on this journey and am anxious to get the ball rolling again. We're all different and we all don't desire the same thing for ourselves. Sometimes, I read the Letters to the Editor in Oxygen and get irritated with all the serious weight trainers who look down on the women who don't want to be muscular from head-to-toe. They look down at fitness magazines geared toward those Other ladies. And, of course, those other ladies remark negatively about the muscularity of the women in Oxygen. I'd really love for women to support each other in reaching whatever goal they're after. I may not want what I've called bulky muscularity in my legs but I think it looks AWESOME on the right woman (usually someone who isn't starting out fat). In fact, me and a bunch of my co-workers were passing around the recent issue of Muscle and Fitness Hers because of the photos accompanying an editorial about great glutes. The muscles on the 23 year old figure competitor, while not exactly right for my body or where I want to be, were amazing enough on her to cause everyone at work to stare at the pictures. You all should check it out. She has UNBELIEVABLE legs and she tells how she does it (one thing: Walking fast at 15% incline on her treadmill). I figure, once I get the fat off my lower body I might decide I want more shape, the type of which heavy weights will give me (I do think that will happen but there's so much fat now it's kind of hard to say), to counterbalance the upper body I'm working on. I may be down (now!) on the three-day split FOR MYSELF but I was just telling a super-skinny co-worker that I thought she would benefit greatly from that particular routine. I may not need any more curves but, brother, she sure does!
Now, for a funny story to illustrate why I should have never blown-off cardio: The other day I was really running late for work. With seconds to spare, I pulled up in front in the building, hit my blinkers and RAN clear from the building (stopping to swipe my badge) all the way to the time clock. Everyone just stopped and stared. I moved FAST and after I clocked in I was smiling and laughing. My friend, Patty had just starting walking away when I appeared in a cloud of dust. For the first time I can EVER recall I wasn't even a little out of breath. I looked at Patty and said "Thank God for Cardio Coach." I had to go and park my car and I was smiling all the way. Maybe it's true that muscle turns you into a fat burning machine and cardio doesn't build (much) muscle but cardio does offer its own rewards. Trust me, not being out of breath is pretty cool, too.
