Having difficulty figuring out how to arrange my workouts

MissGamerGirl

I have workout ideas in mind that I want to do to kickstart my weight loss journey and overall fitness health. My problem is, I'm not sure how to arrange them in the week that makes sense. I want to stack my workouts in such a way that they're most effective without burning my body out.

I want to rotate Jillian Michaels DVDs, do a yoga workout on DVD that I have, and work on C210k outside as well as running HIITs on the treadmill in my apartment offices' small gym from time to time. From all my various research and advice I have been given, I am told not to run consecutive days, not to strength train more than two consecutive days at a time, and to at least have one full rest day. I am a full time nursing student so I'm looking to work out a maximum of 1 hour sessions. When I'll do the workout in the day isn't the issue, I'll make it fit. But what are good ideas for a plan of action during the days of the week? I'm type A - I must always attack with a plan! I can't go in blind! And if I have a solid schedule that isn't very lenient I am more likely to stick to it because I thrive off of order.

Monday: C210k
Tuesday: Jillian Michael's DVD (probably will be No More Trouble Zones for a while as I just got it and havn't tried it yet. I also have 30DS and want the Killer Buns and Thighs. I would rather be doing serious strength training and heavy lifting but I can't afford a gym membership, I can't afford a program like P90X, I don't know anyone personally who could teach/show me what to do (and I certainly can't afford a personal trainer to show me, even if it's just for a few sessions) and I can't get in a weight lifting class at my college because the times conflict with my school schedule. I'm hoping this plan will be enough for me to focus on until I get the opportunity to do something more)
Wednesday: C210k
Thursday: Jillian
Friday: C210k
Saturday: Yoga
Sunday: Rest

Maybe? I don't know. I don't know where the HIIT training fits in there, or maybe even another yoga session which I'd like to do. I just want to keep things mixed up - I don't want to just do Jillian Michael's DVDs, or just running or just yoga.

Can anyone think of any creative arrangement ideas? Or am I simply shooting for too much?

DavPul

You may be Overthinking this

AJ_G

The basic guideline is to not work the same muscle group in strength training on back to back days, but it's perfectly fine to strength train on back to back days, just rotate between different muscle groups. As far as running, you can definitely run everyday, depending on how much you're running. You're weekly running distance is more important than running on back to back days. As far as the other workouts, I'm not familiar with what's involved in the Jillian Michael's program, or the C210K program, so I can't offer advice there. What DavPul said, don't over think it, as long as you feel like you can still work out and you don't feel beat to hell or completely spent, you're fine working out. Good luck

Pixt

Were I you, I would try doing exactly what you have listed for a week and then evaluate for myself where to squeeze the HIIT training in, or whether it's even necessary.

C210k has intervals built in. Many of Jillian's programs have intervals built in as well. You might make it through a week and find you've got the perfect setup already. Or, you might find that the Jillain workouts that are more strength/flexibility focused (as opposed to cardio) leave off just as you're ready to really get going ... which would make adding a HIIT on the treadmill that same day ideal.

I'd really just try what you've got laid out already, and then adjust to add or subtract depending on how you feel.

Also, if you really want more strength training and can't afford a gym membership or P90X type programs you could try googling the "7 minute workout" and throw one to three 7-minuters on to the end of whatever Jillian's having you do on the Jillian days. Every single one of the exercises you'll find there is present IN ABUNDANCE in P90X.

kagevf

instead of fitting everything in a week. why dont you do two programs a week? being a full time nurse student, whew! thats lots of reading and studying.

for example
Mondays - strength train w/hiit
Tuesdays - cardio (c210k)
Wednsday - rest
Thursday - cardio (Jillians)
Fridays - Strength trainw/hiit
Saturday - Yoga
Sunday - rest

But if that was me, I will drop the cardio since I will be doing HIIT's. But since you love to workout, I wonder if that split works out for you.

MissGamerGirl

Thank you for all the input. Great ideas!

Another idea I had was to focus more on strength with Jillian and to cut the cardio down. I could do:

Mon: Jillian
Tues: HIIT
Wed: Jillian
Thurs: HIIT
Fri: Jillian
Sat: Yoga
Sun: Rest

Looks like something I'll have to play around with.

I hear conflicting advice about cardio. Too often I'm told to be more cautious with how often/much you do cardio as it actually stresses the crap out of your body and can get in the way of you building muscle. Then again, I'm not striving for the kind of body where I can see my abdominal muscles or anything of that nature. I'm not looking for the 6-pack or cut, defined muscle groups upon flexing. So I'm not sure how far that advice applies to me.

Yes, school for me is quite demanding! But I'm determined to not let it get in the way of my health. That would be an interesting demonstration of irony considering my field of choice, ha.