NROLFW and Cardio
bethad5
Posts: 176 Member
Hi all-
I've skimmed through the NROLFW book and am anxious to start the program! I am a self-proclaimed cardio queen - currently doing 5, 65-minute cardio sessions a week. I'm 9 pounds from goal weight but am pretty much the definition of 'skinny fat' - I am soft and squishy. I want to start NROLFW because I've never lifted before and this seems like a great beginner program. However, I know the author says endurance cardio is counterproductive to NROLFW - I have a few races coming up that I need to continue training for, but I know my days of hour-long cardio need to end!
So, a couple questions: first, a lot of people say starting to strength train isn't about losing weight, it's about toning up. Do you not lose any weight doing NROLFW? If so, should I wait until I'm closer to my goal weight to start toning?
Second, what cardio do you do/is acceptable to do in stage 1? I love my cardio but know I'm overdoing it. Can I do 3 days cardio/3 days NROLFW a week? Should I do cardio on my lifting days? I don't want to to be counterproductive but don't know if I can give it up cold turkey!
Planning to start stage 1 Monday, when I get back in town and back to my gym.... I'm nervous!!
I've skimmed through the NROLFW book and am anxious to start the program! I am a self-proclaimed cardio queen - currently doing 5, 65-minute cardio sessions a week. I'm 9 pounds from goal weight but am pretty much the definition of 'skinny fat' - I am soft and squishy. I want to start NROLFW because I've never lifted before and this seems like a great beginner program. However, I know the author says endurance cardio is counterproductive to NROLFW - I have a few races coming up that I need to continue training for, but I know my days of hour-long cardio need to end!
So, a couple questions: first, a lot of people say starting to strength train isn't about losing weight, it's about toning up. Do you not lose any weight doing NROLFW? If so, should I wait until I'm closer to my goal weight to start toning?
Second, what cardio do you do/is acceptable to do in stage 1? I love my cardio but know I'm overdoing it. Can I do 3 days cardio/3 days NROLFW a week? Should I do cardio on my lifting days? I don't want to to be counterproductive but don't know if I can give it up cold turkey!
Planning to start stage 1 Monday, when I get back in town and back to my gym.... I'm nervous!!
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Replies
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Hi there..
I think during Stage 1, it's okay to do the cardio since the workout is short.... 30-35 minutes. So I was tacking on 20 min cardio just so I felt productive in the gym.
A word of caution--- if your goal is to lose weight (a specific number on the scale), this program will most likely disappoint you. There is a poster here named Beeps (I think of her as my mentor)... she always says this is about changing the shape of your body. I think most will attest that they look and feel much better - but the scale does not reflect the progress.
Good luck!0 -
During Stage 1 I followed the guidelines of the book and did cardio only on my off days from the strength training. And then no additional strength training on the cardio days. I always did 30 minutes of cardio. So on MWF I do NROLFW and then on TU,TH,SAT I would do 30 min cardio. It was hard for me too, since I was used to doing hour long bootcamp style classes. But, I am loving the changes that came from this program so far and I am just on Stage 2 this week. Try to focus more on inches than weight. IT's about getting stronger and feeling better.
Are you following the food guidelines in the book too?0 -
I still do cardio at least 3 days a week on top of lifting. You may find that even if you don't lose weight you will lose inches. I've been maintaining my current weight for about 6 weeks now and have gone down a pant size!0
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If you have your mind set on a specific weight, then you will probably be disappointed with this program. That's not to say that you can't or won't lose weight doing this program, but it is very slow. If you're going to commit to a lifting program, it's best to just throw the scale out and use measurements and pictures.0
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I'm pretty much my goal pants size and clothing sizes, I just want to get rid of some of the lumps and bumps. Cardio got me to where I am (down 50 pounds from my highest weight) but I think I need to strength train to really get the look I'm going for. I'm just so used to endurance cardio that I'm not sure how to still have an effective workout (or feel like I'm having an effective workout) without it.
So I'm hearing different things- some did cardio same day, others on opposite days? Did you do steady state or HIIT type stuff? Did you do cardio warmups before lifting, if so- how long, and again, steady state or intervals?0 -
Are you following the food guidelines in the book too?
I don't think I'm going to. I'm on week 8 of a metabolism reset, but at a higher activity level than I'll be when I start NR - so I'm going to stay at full TDEE for mod activity when I start NR for a couple weeks, and then do a 10% cut from there. So by NR standards I"ll be overeating - but throughout the whole reset I ate 2655 calories a day and maintained, so hopefully it'll work out for me? ha0 -
Here's what I'm doing - it may not be the best way but since I play roller derby 3x a week and because running/biking/hiking outside makes me happy, I'm attempting to balance all three without overtraining.
Monday p.m. - NROWL
Tuesday p.m. - Scrimmage
Wednesday a.m. - run (about and hour, steady pace)
Thursday a.m. - NROWL
Thursday p.m. - Team practice
Friday - rest or something easy if I feel like it
Saturday - long run or some kind of outdoor adventure
Sunday - League and team practice
I may not get the same strength gains as fast, but it's the only way I can envision doing it to fit my lifestyle!0 -
Hi there!
I am in stage 1 also and I do interval training after lifting (as in phase 2) plus one "extra" activity per week.
I have noticed the biggest changes in all my major leg muscles and my back and.shoulders.
If you do the workouts right, you will easily give up some cardio because after just 1 hour (or 30-40 mins without any intervals), 3 times per week, you will FEEL that unlike any cardio - I promise. I don't follow the eating plan per se, but I try to get the macros right, eat adequate calories, and always have a recovery shake/high protien meal. You'll find out what works for you :-)
Good luck and happy lifting!0 -
I'm about two weeks away from finishing stage one- and I'm not going to start stage two until after a 1/2 marathon I'm doing in October. I'm going to up the running and maybe doing the stage 1 exercises still between mid-August and the race. I've actually found that all of the lifting has IMPROVED my running time, so I don't want to start completely- but I think that moving to stage two is going to have to wait until after the race!0
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I am struggling with this too... I love the buzz of a good hard run.... so dropping it is hard. But I am also loving the lifting!
I am on week 3 of stage one. Sometimes (not always), I will get to the gym and do a hard 10 min. warm-up on the tread or elliptical to get my body buzzing... then I will lift. Then when I am done my lifting, I will do a 10 min. tread or elliptical "cool down". Gets me 20 mins of cardio and 35 mins of lifting. And I feel awesome afterwards!
No, not following the book exactly... but both my body and my brain are loving it, so that's all that matters to me right now!
I also do some cardio on my off days, usually interval running or "tri training" (10-15 mins on bike; 10-15 mins running; 10-15 mins rowing machine). And yes, the lifting is making my running better and stronger... it's awesome!
I just love seeing how far my body can go.... it's amazing!
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I'm currently almost finished with stage one (2 weeks to go I think). I was doing so much cardio prior to this so I feel your pain! I am still nervous about how much I have cut-out but my clothes still fit and I am seeing some great muscle definition in my arms and a bit in my abs. I also lost weight from cardio as well as a 1200 calorie diet. I've upped my calories to 1550 and 1770 (which is a still a cut from my TDEE) and I can't even express how nice it is to EAT! But I digress...this is my schedule:
M: 45 min TRX suspension training class
Tues: NROL and sometimes intervals after on the treadmill for about 15 minutes
Wed: Rest
Thurs: NROL and sometimes intervals after on the treadmill for about 15 minutes
Fri: Rest
Saturday: A 1 hour Total Body Workout class
Sunday: NROL
To give you an idea of what I was doing before, here's my old schedule:
M: 30 minute Spin class, 30 min. TRX suspension training, 60 minute Zumba class
Tues: 60 minute Zumba class, (sometimes a 30 min run afterwards)
Wed: Rest/60 min Total Body Workout class
Thurs: 60 minute Zumba class (sometimes a 30 minute run prior)
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 60 min Total Body Workout class, 60 minute Zumba class
Sunday: Rest
I was doing some strength training in there but it was definitely a case of "put down the barbie weights" so I look a bit skinny fat myself!0 -
I kept putting lifting off because of my race training. So, I can' t cut out my cardio, but I started this anyway. I am a stroller fitness instructor, so I have intruct classes. But, I'm not using my weights during class anymore. I am training for a half marathon & tough mudder in October. I wanted to start the program, but after October I plan to take a 2 month...gasp...running break.
Monday-Rest
Tuesday- short run (3-5 miles), 1 hour stroller fitness class, Workout A
Wednesday-rest
Thursday-short run (3-5 miles) 1 hour stroller fitness class, workout B
Friday-1 hour stroller fitness class,
Saturday-Workout A
Sunday-long run, 6-12 miles
I set it up this way so that I get true rest days, and that those mainly follow my weight training days.
Obviously I will do B, A, B this week.
I hope all my running doesn't slow the progress down too much, but I figure I won't use this as an excuse not to weight train anymore. It's better than not doing it at all, I say.0 -
bump for later reading0
