Do You Mix Your Workouts? Do You Have a Workout Plan to Share?

[Negin]

I love planning and organizing and would love your feedback on how often to do different types of workouts.

 

Unfortunately, I'm no longer able to or should run. Knee problems. So running is out.

 

I just ordered 2 Pilates DVDs and am waiting on those.

I love yoga. Love it, love it, love it.

Have many DVDs - Leslie Sansone walking stuff, weights routines, cardio, Tae Bo/Billy Blanks (hard on knees), yoga DVDs, and so on. I also have magazine routines that I've saved over the years and have organized into a folder.

Oh, I also love swimming. The only downside is that it increases my appetite temporarily. But it is fabulous for back fat and overall toning. To me, swimmers have the most incredible bodies. Swimming just feels good.

Rebounding is great also. Plus, I have a Bosu Ball for balance.

So, if you were me, what would you do? Would you do a completely different workout every day, or would you say, do pilates x number of times a week, and so on?

 

I read these and thought to share:

 

Mix your workouts. It’s easy to get bored with the same workout every day. Aim for variety. This prevents a weight-loss plateau because your body is never given a chance to adapt. And it prevents you from overtraining the same muscles by doing the same exact workout every day, and causing injuries that could sabotage your goals.

 

The more you vary the intensity, duration, and even type of exercise (walking, jogging, biking, swimming, hiking) the more physically challenging each workout will be and the more calories you will burn. Further, the more you alternate the types of exercise you do, the less likely you are to suffer from repetitive stress injuries.

 

Your body adapts to everything. This applies to your diet and exercise, or lack of it. If you start walking a route in your neighborhood and think you can just do that forever- wrong! Ever noticed you start on new cardio equipment at the gym and it is hard to get through 20 minutes, but after a month you are hardly out of breath? That means it is time to mix it up and do something new. Try rowing, or stairs.

 

Three days per week of cardio, in conjunction with three days per week of strength training and a conservative reduction in calories (while emphasizing optimal nutrition), is a great way to get started on your weight-loss goal.

 

3 KEYS TO SLOW DOWN AGING IN ALL YOUR BODY’S CELLS:

Exercise for half an hour a day - At least 20 of these minutes should ideally be spent in any activity that leaves you breathless. This will help you live longer and function better physically and cognitively as you get older. You will lessen your chance of heart disease, cancer, neurological disease, and infections. It will keep your immune system young.

You can get as old as you're willing to be. When you turn 60, exercise is doubly important, when you turn 70, even more.

I try (but don't always succeed) to do some form of exercise every day.

Whatever you enjoy – just do it. There is no one way to exercise. Just move most days.

Ideally, a variety is good- cardiovascular (bike riding, brisk walking, jogging etc), weight lifting and weight bearing, and stretching. But something is always better than nothing. Fresh air is also important.

 

Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains (and low in fat and refined sugar)

Eat well, mostly plants.

 

Spend 20 minutes to an hour a day taking part in stress-reducing activities

Something that helps you unwind: yoga, stretching, napping, knitting, praying, meditating, or reading

Yoga improves blood circulation to skin, feeds skin cells, and makes the skin glow. It improves skin’s elasticity, strength, and firmness and is also great for hair health.

 

Exercise is wonderful for preventing all sorts of diseases – heart disease, cancer, diabetes, protecting the bones, lifting one’s mood, boosting metabolism, and so on. But in general, for weight loss, I have found that exercise is not all it’s made out to be. Lots of research has shown this. In terms of weight loss, diet and aerobic exercise provide only a very marginal benefit when compared to diet alone.

I have numbers to prove it - since I weigh and measure on a weekly basis - the times that I have lost the most weight are when I exercise moderately (not for an hour or more a day, like I used to) and eat MUCH, MUCH less.

My body has changed. It's not the body I had in my teens, 20s, or early 30s. I used to be able to eat that slice of cheesecake AND run 4 miles the next morning AND not ever gain. I can’t do that anymore.

I have more recently found that that when I exercise intensely for 45 minutes or more per day, my appetite increases. I get the most results from eating much less and exercising moderately – for about 30-45 minutes per day, or at least most days. That's just my experience. Again, I have numbers to prove it.

For me, weight loss is pretty much 80% what I eat and 20% what I do. As with most things in life, the usual 80/20 Principle applies. My dh (and others have said this also), say that it may be more like 90% what I eat. I'm actually am agreeing with that more and more.

When it comes to weight loss, intake is the major factor. When it comes to overall health and longevity, exercise is essential also.

I no longer exercise for 90 minutes a day, and sometimes not even every day, since it’s not always possible.

I tell myself to exercise for health not necessarily for weight loss. Exercise is not a weight loss solution.

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. :)

 

Edited October 10, 2011 by Negin in Grenada

[lynn]

when weather permits I walk/run 5 miles on MWF

T TH S S I do a core workout, a light weight training, a 3 miles walk, swim or some other cardio dvd. I usually take 1 day off a week due to time restraints.

 

I have several Bob Harper and Jillian Micheals workouts that I rotate through on days the weather does not cooperate.

[kolamum]

I use to mix my workouts up big time to keep things fun, but know I'm suffering a major knee injury and I can't mix and match as much. Even my favorite yoga video can put too much strain on the knee. It's.HARD. I.HATE.IT.

 

So now I walk 4-5x a week and try to mix up my route, but I have to be careful about what I'm walking on and my pace or I can have mega knee issues. I keep my toning pretty much the same on those days and try to do a day of yoga.

 

Kinda boring, but it works.

[SeekingHim77]

Negin-I know what you mean about more exercise making you want to eat more. I have found that to be true for me as well.

 

I have no variety in my exercise routine other than how much I walk and where I walk. :001_smile: I try to get at least 30 minutes of fast paced walking in every morning. Sometimes I go up to an hour, depending on how much I am enjoying it. I walk in the evenings a lot as well-but usually only for a mile or so.

 

I love walking-it's great therapy for me. I get to enjoy nature and spend time in prayer and thinking how to best go about my day. An exercise video just doesn't meet all of these goals for me. I'll pull one out every now and then if I really need a workout and the weather is bad but otherwise, get me outdoors as much as possible!

[mchel210]

I always mix mine up. I am stuck at my weight right now...but I guess it doesnt help Ive been cheating with yummy pizzas and cookies! LOL

 

I have been using our cable systems on demand workouts from exercise Tv. Those have been great. Then I alternate the original Power 90 (not the crazy one) with Core and More with Gilad! I love those. He has a 3 dvd set which is wonderful to alternate. I get the fastest results with those. I also have thrown in the Bootcamp DVD. I do run on the eliptical as well. I stopped running outside.

 

I also ride bikes with my kids or hula hoop! Thats hard!

[Stacia]

I like the idea of this. I need to start!

http://www.theminimalists.com/18min/

[Parrothead]

I've been mixing workouts for a week now. This week I'm making time to double my time and do two different types a day.

 

Monday - run 30 min/ yoga 30 minutes

Tuesday - strength training 30 minutes/ qigong for 30 minutes

Wednesday - elliptical working up to 30 minutes/ yoga for 30 minutes

Thursday - qigong tai chi class for 90 minutes.

Friday - strength training 30 minutes/ yoga 30 minutes

Saturday - bike 30 minutes/ qigong 15 minutes/ tai chi practice 15 minutes

Sunday - off

[kwickimom]

My plan is cardio M-W-F and toning/weight training T-Th and Yoga every morning.

 

For cardio days I walk, jog, Zumba or do cardio dance.

For toning days- Any of my Biggest Loser videos or 30 day Shred or I just go down and do 20 mins of weight lifting.

 

I just pick whatever video I feel like doing and go with it.

[Negin]

Thank you all. :) Really appreciate your very helpful feedback. Copying and pasting all your great suggestions.

 

when weather permits I walk/run 5 miles on MWF

Lynn, I miss running so much.

You have a good plan. You're not running every day. Lots of variety. I also have some Jillian Michaels stuff, but she usually scares me :tongue_smilie:. I got a horrible ankle injury from one of her DVDs a few years ago. Took me a looong time to heal.

 

I'm suffering a major knee injury and I can't mix and match as much.

I hear you. Hence why I can no longer run. Wow, sorry that even yoga hurts your knees. Someone here mentioned this DVD for knees. There's also this one.

 

I have no variety in my exercise routine other than how much I walk and where I walk.

Melanie, I also love walking outdoors, but it's not very practical for me at this point in my life. I dislike walking in the dark. And during the day, it gets very, very hot here. If I don't workout early in the morning, and, I prefer uninterrupted time btw ;), it will likely not happen. I'll find a million excuses to not workout. :tongue_smilie: Dh and I do enjoy walking on the beach, but that's more of a rarity these days. We've been extremely busy.

 

I always mix mine up. I am stuck at my weight right now...but I guess it doesnt help Ive been cheating with yummy pizzas and cookies!

I do run on the eliptical as well. I stopped running outside.

I hear you with regards to pizzas and cooking :tongue_smilie:. Not good at all.

I love the elliptical. Forgot about that one. Just another one to add to my list. :D The elliptical is so kind to my knees.

 

I like the idea of this. I need to start!

http://www.theminimalists.com/18min/

Thanks, Stacia. Need to go and look at this. Is it 18 minutes of exercise? I love that idea. :)

 

I've been mixing workouts for a week now.

 

My plan is cardio M-W-F and toning/weight training T-Th and Yoga every morning.

Your plans are great. Very good mix.