please share your weekly exercise routine :)

hazelground

hi all

just wondering whether I do something wrong in my exercise routine because on some days I end up completely out of breath and can feel pain either in one of my knees or foot sole or hip.

here is what I usually do - okay things can vary a bit if I get bored but mostly I follow this routine:

- 3-4 times a week I aim to be in the gym by 7 am, I do warm-up consisting of stretching and 10 min on treadmill. I then move on to either Jillian's 30DS (with 6/8 kg dumbbells) or a session of HIIT on treadmill ( I am a terrible runner and trying to work my way up, btw - currently I am doing 80 sec @6.1 kmh and 40 sec @11.2 kmh, 3.5 incline). The treadmill has a speed interval setting which helps switching speeds smoothly, so I am fine with that. Personally I find HIIT challenging (it is supposed to be challenging, duhhh...) either because I am still learning to breathe correctly or I simply lack the stamina. (For example today, I have managed 8 sets and was on verge of vomitting so I stopped.) I finish off the HIIT with a cool down of about 10-15 min.

Once the HIIT or Jillian's 30DS session is over, I move on to do one 45-60 min of steady-state cardio either on elliptical trainer(at various levels) or treadmill (this time it's brisk walking at various speeds - from 6.0-7.4 kmh and inclines - from 3.5 - 8.5.
Finally I do stretching and I'm done for the day.

The above happens 3-4 times a week and I burn on average 750 kcal. But boy, I am totally knackered! Also I have tried to mix one Jillian's and an HIIT session in the same exercise routine, result was a nightmare. I had to stop in the middle of it...

The days I do not go to gym, I walk (about 5-6km) or do a zumba/kickboxing session at home or opt for another Jillian's 30DS (with 6kg dumbbells). Mostly I do 2 of these activities in a row and burn on average 500 kcal. I have 1 day each week when I take things easy - eat without counting and do activities that I love (salsa or tennis).

Not sure if it's just fine to feel overwhelmed and completely knackered...I'm looking to lose up to 20 kg (roughly 40lbs) or so and also tone up well - I joined the gym 2 months ago but been tracking my food on MFP just for the past 3 weeks. My only concern is to be able to sustain the exercise in long term and not just do it for a while...Hence I feel I still need to work on my strategy...

what's your weekly routine - in terms of time, nature of exercise and average calories burned? Can you share some of your successes and drawbacks from your exercising experience? For me this all has been a steep learning curve thanks!

jayebennett

i love the group classes offered at my gym. they are all les mills. also there are levels in each one. classes are usually 1 hour but the cx works is 1/2 hour in addition to the 1 hour other class.

monday - cx works/body attack (200/500 cal)
tuesday - body combat (500+ cal)
wednesday - cx works/body attack (200/500 cal)
thursday - body flow (300 cal)
friday - body pump (300 cal)
saturday - cx works/body attack (200/500 cal)
sunday - off.

i used to get really winded doing the attack and combat. i have been doing these consistently for 1.5 months now and have noticed i don't get as winded and i can sometimes step it up to the next level.

i personally think you are doing too much to fast. but that is up to you. also what are you eating and when are you eating. that sometimes affects my performance.

roly14

Think you over doing the exercise routine 30 minutes a day is plenty Remember its to be enjoyable and varied

hazelground

Both of you are probably right...i guess I often tend to overdo in the gym. The problem is I eat at 1500 kcal threshold normally and to this I add the exercise calories. When i dont exercise, I get an enormous appetite and find it hard to keep within my limit. Exercising gives me more freedom about my eating choices. Depriving myself of something will make me binge on it later. This is a dilemma and I'm still trying to figure out what can work for me.

TavistockToad

being completely out of breath is fine, the pain, not so much...

my exercise at the moment is insanity.... so i am always exhausted when i finish, thats kind of the point!

deanconnors3

I think Roly may be right, it really sounds like you might be overdoing it some. I only do around 25 - 30 minutes total a day, but it's 25 - 30 minutes of non-stop high intensity routine.

Mon - Tues - Thurs - Fri
5 - 10 minutes Jump Rope
1 Minute Pushups
1 Minute Abs
1 Minute Lower Body
Repeat the Pushups - Lower Body cycle four to five times, take a one minute break, do them all again. The trick is to not stop at all and to get the absolute max you can do of each exercise in one minute. The only rest is the time it take to change exercises and the one minute break in the middle. Easily gets my heart rate up into the 140 - 160 range, and I'm not in bad shape. I'm using weights during the lower body exercises for additional resistance and also to get some bicep and shoulder work in, but you can do all of these totally body weight and still get a great workout in. I also vary the individual exercises as much as possible.

Wed - Sat
Elliptical machine 30 Minutes at 10
Yard Work (mowing, trimming, weeding, etc)

hazelground

I see that you alternate days of high burn with days of lower burn. .. Point noted

hazelground

i love the group classes offered at my gym. they are all les mills. also there are levels in each one. classes are usually 1 hour but the cx works is 1/2 hour in addition to the 1 hour other class.

monday - cx works/body attack (200/500 cal)
tuesday - body combat (500+ cal)
wednesday - cx works/body attack (200/500 cal)
thursday - body flow (300 cal)
friday - body pump (300 cal)
saturday - cx works/body attack (200/500 cal)
sunday - off.

i used to get really winded doing the attack and combat. i have been doing these consistently for 1.5 months now and have noticed i don't get as winded and i can sometimes step it up to the next level.

i personally think you are doing too much to fast. but that is up to you. also what are you eating and when are you eating. that sometimes affects my performance.

Alanhalil

Disagree. 20 minutes a day is a recommended minimum to try to be healthy. Athletes do over 10 times that.

hazelground

I think Roly may be right, it really sounds like you might be overdoing it some. I only do around 25 - 30 minutes total a day, but it's 25 - 30 minutes of non-stop high intensity routine.

Mon - Tues - Thurs - Fri
5 - 10 minutes Jump Rope
1 Minute Pushups
1 Minute Abs
1 Minute Lower Body
Repeat the Pushups - Lower Body cycle four to five times, take a one minute break, do them all again. The trick is to not stop at all and to get the absolute max you can do of each exercise in one minute. The only rest is the time it take to change exercises and the one minute break in the middle. Easily gets my heart rate up into the 140 - 160 range, and I'm not in bad shape. I'm using weights during the lower body exercises for additional resistance and also to get some bicep and shoulder work in, but you can do all of these totally body weight and still get a great workout in. I also vary the individual exercises as much as possible.

Wed - Sat
Elliptical machine 30 Minutes at 10
Yard Work (mowing, trimming, weeding, etc)

Your intensity routine sounds like Hiit to me. When I do my Hiit, my heart rate goes into 170s... Initially it was in the 180s but it's dropped now.
Thanks for sharing.

athenasurrenders

I'm training for a 10k and loosely following Hal Higdon's novice programme.

Monday: 20-30min resistance circuit plus 1hr yoga
Tuesday: 30 mins swimming, moderate effort
Wednesday: 3 mile run at slightly challenging pace
Thursday: rest or exercise dvd (depending on how I'm feeling)
Friday: 2 mile run with intervals or hill work, 30 min yoga
Saturday: rest
Sunday: Long run day - currently up to 4.5 miles increasing half a mile each week. Sometimes another easy yoga session just to loosen up any tight muscles afterwards.

Wow, that actually sounds quite a lot when I type it out!

TRD66

I'm training for a 10k and loosely following Hal Higdon's novice programme.

Monday: 20-30min resistance circuit plus 1hr yoga
Tuesday: 30 mins swimming, moderate effort
Wednesday: 3 mile run at slightly challenging pace
Thursday: rest or exercise dvd (depending on how I'm feeling)
Friday: 2 mile run with intervals or hill work, 30 min yoga
Saturday: rest
Sunday: Long run day - currently up to 4.5 miles increasing half a mile each week. Sometimes another easy yoga session just to loosen up any tight muscles afterwards.

Wow, that actually sounds quite a lot when I type it out!

I'm doing something similar, for the same reasons. I cycle to and from work Monday to Friday (about 40-45 in total), with 3 to 4 runs as a week and a half hour swim on a Wednesday.

The hardest bit for me is the weekends when i don't cycle as that's about 500-600 exercise calories I don't get back. Time is a premium at the weekend with two kids, so I really only have time for a run. All in all, works out at about 7 hours a week which is plenty to raise my fitness level from my previous state of 'couch potato'.

nknjansen

Alternate between:

A - Squats, Rows, Powercleans
B - Squats, Benchpress, Deadlifts

3x per week. I stretch before and after and might do some light cardio if I have to wait for a rack!

simsburyjet

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday body pump one hour strength training
Sunday Thursday Saturday Spin class cardio
Push ups m-fr about 500 a day
Walk the dog daily at least 1 mile... Tuesdays 3 miles.

Tuesday is my day off except push ups.. ...

ingeh

Now its;
daily - ripped in 30 (20mins)
m/w/f - 20-40mins kettlebell circuits
m/w - Leslie Sansone 5 mile walk (60mins)
I try to make sure I hit at least 200mins a week exercise and I enjoy it alot and will keep it up, I have a stationary bike and I can go at a fast pace for 60mins now but havent for a week as I have new workouts to try to fit in!

SadFaerie

Cut schedule:

Monday/Tuesday: 90-120min full body volume, 45min steady cardio or 30min HIIT
Wednesday: 60min steady cardio or 45min HIIT
Thursday: 60min HIIT, 60min full body tension
Friday: rest (or light stretching if I feel like a bum)
Saturday: 60min full body power
Sunday: 60min HIIT

lynnk1971

i agree .. i think you are doing too much :-(

I am doing Jillian Michaels ripped in 30 and eating around 1200 cals

good luck x

bluestarlight19

M,W, F- Full body strength routine: Push-ups/bench press, Squats, Deadlifts, Bicep curls, Bent over rows, etc.

T,Th- 30 mins of exercise bike on climber (incline up then down) setting.

I'm struggling myself, not usually with time so much anymore now that my youngest is older, but with tiredness because she still isn't sleep through the night (almost 11 months and counting....). Teeth have been the issue lately. Sigh. She hasn't slept through since birth and my husband and I are really struggling with it.

I think you are going too intensely for just starting a couple of months ago. Maybe slow down on some of the things, or do some more strength training of your lower body to build up your knees. I am pretty weak right now and I have to go super light on squats and do extra things like leg lifts to build up my bad knee before I go heavier.

Also, you might want to check your shoes. Are they old? have you been fitted for running shoes? That could be causing some of the issue. The only other thing is maybe some extra stretching of the sore areas after your work out. Make the stretches good though, at least 30 seconds per stretch area. Don't over strain it though, just a nice stretching.

sugarysweet110

I do Jillian Michael's Ripped in 30 (5 days a week) and I keep my calories around 1300. However, sometimes I find that I'm just not hungry enough on the days that I exercise, so I have a hard time meeting those calorie demands. But I find RI30 VERY effective

astange83

6 mornings a week I follow a 12 week treadmill plan (currently on week 4) which varies what you do each day. MWF is a cardio walk which is just a strict 30 min 3.5mph+ walk. On Tues its a walk with 3 "sprints" of a minute each started at 4.5 mph, but up to 5.5 now. Thurs is incline day walking on 1 for 5, then 5 for 5 and back and forth for 35 minutes, although I've started doing 2, and 5 inclines. Saturday is a mix of them all in one neat package. I usually take a break on Sunday.

5-6 nights a week I do 30-60 minutes on a recumbent bike, if its an off day from work its 2 20 minute preprogrammed workouts with a 5 min warm/cool ride, if I work then I do it just once.

Of course I finally get in the groove of things and vacation starts Saturday, where I will be out of town no where near my bike or treadmill, hoping for cooler weather so I can walk/jog outside!

HollieDollieeeex

Try and get a balance with the gym, set small goals at first, rather than thinking I have loads of weight to lose and I want to lose it fast, so I am going to hammer the gym.

This is what I did and it did me no favours. I was doing cardio everyday for 2 hours, intense classes such as BodyCombat, Spinning, BodyAttack etc. In the finish I felt so weak and literally like I'd ran myself into the ground.

I now have amended my gym routine, I still go everyday but don't smash the cardio everyday.

Monday - Pilates & Les Mills BodyBalance
Tuesday - Spinning
Wednesday - BodyBalance
Thursday - Spinning & Yoga
Friday - Pilates
Saturday - Les Mills BodyStep
Sunday - Pilates & Balance

This week I've lost 3lbs, following a 1400cal a day programme, eating back some exercise calories, depending on how hungry I am.

Try and encorporate some lower intensity exercises, I used to think unless I'm dripping it's not a good workout, I was mistaken, I am noticing changes in my body still.

Listen to your body xx