Just getting started - any advice?

acrowder99

Hi All,

I just finished Workouts 1A & 1B this week & boy is my bootay sore! So far I really like the workout. Is there anything that you all wish you had done diffrently or anything that I should watch out for?

Before I started NROL4W I was going to the gym 5-6 days a week, 3 body sculpt classes, 1 kickbox cardio, 1 spinning and 1 yoga or pilaties. I enjoyed the body sculpt classes but there was something telling me that lifting those smaller weights for all those reps wasn't going to help me tone up much; it felt like I was working harder than I needed to if that makes sense. It was surely burning a lot of calories but I didn't seem to be getting definition. I started this whole new life in February. I know that it hasn't been very long & I have actually seen good weightloss results but I still feel like I need to find my groove. The body sculpt classes aren't my groove.

So here's what I have opted to do:

Sunday NROL
Monday Kickbox
Tuesday NROL
Wednesday Spin
Thursday NROL
Friday Yoga
Saturday Rest

I figure that if I need the rest after the weighlifting & will just skip the cardio classes those days - I'll just listen to my body & see what she says about it. I will have completed the first week on Sunday - so far the cardio worked in great, I even did an extra 45-min eliptical session with my husband on Tuesday evening since he didn't want to go to the gym alone. Yoga was perfect yesterday and today I definitely needed a rest day.

Here's my real concern, my diet. Some days I have hit 2000 cals but most days I am at 1400 gross calories. That's about what I can eat & not be hungry. I should be at 1870 for workout days & 1440 on non-workout days. So I am fine on the non-workout/yoga days but yeah not so much on the weighlifting days.

I eat when I am hungry and I do try to supplement with protein shakes & green smoothies for extra calories but honestly I am so busy during the day I don't even think about it. By the time I do it's too late and it's just time for a meal. I think I am going to try to grab some premade protein shakes to take with me to the gym, like the Slimfast Protein shake in the book. I would take the protein powder to the gym and mix it there but I can't stand the taste of any of them just mixed with water.

Thanks to all who offer any advice! Double thanks to everyone who have posted success stories & pics - I would have given up last month if it weren't for you guys!!

LuvtheCubs

My 2 cents.... You won't be able to do all the cardio between the weight lifting. You need to recover. I tried what you are talking about and it didn't give me enough muscle to lift. The lifting is strenuous. What did work for me was to do one spin class on a non lifting day, after a total rest day. I do walk most days but I just couldn't do the other cardio classes. I had a problem getting "ok" with not doing cardio but I found the lifting to be so touch and so empowering I didn't need to do the cardio. And I've been really happy with my results so far. Trust the lifting!

acrowder99

Thanks for responding. Yeah, I kinda had the feeling that would happen once I found my challenging weights. I am actually already thinking about not lifting today, skipping kickbox cardio and lifting Monday instead, taking Tuesday off & spinning on Wednesday.

Kickboxing is by far my favorite, but the instructor that I like is out for a few weeks and the new one isn't great so I am not so motivated for that class right now. Maybe I should ditch and only hit spinning until the other instructor comes back then switch.

lobo_a_gogo

I'm near the end of stage 1 and I've been thinking about trying C25K in my off days (Tues, Thurs), but I honestly haven't been up to it because I've been sore.


As far as stage 1 advice, for step-ups rather than increasing the weight, focus more on increasing the height of your steps (I've gone from 3 blocks under the step to 5 blocks varying between two 15 lb barbells and two 20 lb barbells) and make sure you're focusing on lifting yourself with your leg on the step, do it slowly so you're focusing on lifting yourself with that leg (shift your weight forward) rather than pushing off with your trailing leg (when you do it right you can tell the difference, its much harder!)

I'm super impressed by your motivation!!!

acrowder99

Thank you - yes the step ups seemed more like cardio than lifting the first time. I had four steps but only used 7.5 lb dumbbells - I did push off a lot with my non-working leg. I will try your advice for tomorrow's session on those. The first workout went really fast so I can afford to slow down on the step-ups.

Your progress is awesome by the way!

rduhlir

I am actually one of the ones it seems that kept doing cardio. I did C25K along side NROL, and have now starting increasing my mileage. My current schedule looks like this:

Mon: 3 mile run
Tues: NROL +2 Mile easy run
Wed: Off
Thurs: 3 mile run
Fri: NROL + intervals on elliptical (15 min tops)
Sat: 4 mile run
Sun: Off

The running will be increasing steadily over the next few months until I am at this:
Mon: 6 miles
Tue: NROL + 3 miles
Wed: Off
Thurs: 6 miles
Fri: NROL + interval
Sat: 8-10 mile run
Sun: Off

acrowder99

I am just going to listen to my body & if I am tired (and it's not just a lame-o excuse) then I will bump the cardio - otherwise I will go.

I didn't go today & so I will definitely lift tomorrow and not do the kickboxing class. I will call Tuesday by ear. But now I got my schedule all whacky. The spinning class I like is on Wednesday, which would be a lifting day if I lift every other day. Hmmmm...I am sure I will get this all figured out by week 3.

lobo_a_gogo

Oh, and be sure to take "befores"! I'm so excited I did, I'm not even done with stage 1 and there's already a HUGE difference (even though the difference on the scale is minor)

acrowder99

Oh yeah, I got my before pic done a few days ago. Can't wait to finish Stage 1 and see the difference.