What can I do to mix up my work outs?

leappleton
leappleton Posts: 29
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Hello there, I'm trying to slim down and tone up for my wedding in December, I'm doing well with losing inches but does anyone have any suggestions for me to give my work outs a kick up the backside in order to get the scales to move?
At the moment I am working out 6 days a week, and my schedule looks something like this -
day 1 - gym (3k on the treadmill, 20 mins cycling, 10 mins cross trainer) and 30 day shred
day 2 - run outside between 3 - 5k, and 30 day shred
day 3 - as day 1
day 4 - as day 2
day 5 - as day 1
day 6 - 30 day shred

I have a feeling people may suggest introducing some lifting and if so what's best for beginners as I have never done any lifting? With my treadmill I run at a steady pace for 20 mins, I think I should try some interval sprinting, again what kind of times and speeds are best to introduce?

Thanks in advance :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
    More information

    Do you only work out at home?
    Have you got weights or resistance equipment?
    Are you on a budget or is money no object?
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
    My latest obsession is barre 3 - you can check out some of the at home on line stuff for free, I signed up for my barre 3 so that the routines constantly change. It 's based on yoga, ballet barre and pilotes and is aimed at a long lean dancer look - I already stand taller and it is quite addictive.
  • MellowGa
    MellowGa Posts: 1,258 Member
    add some strength training
  • 2hobbit1
    2hobbit1 Posts: 820 Member
    strong lifts 5x5 three days a week, add your cardio/HIIT after your weight sessions, then stretching or light work on you rest days. It really works for fat loss/strength building.
  • kikicooks
    kikicooks Posts: 1,079 Member

    I have a feeling people may suggest introducing some lifting and if so what's best for beginners as I have never done any lifting? With my treadmill I run at a steady pace for 20 mins, I think I should try some interval sprinting, again what kind of times and speeds are best to introduce?

    Yes, I would suggest lifting but not if you are doing 30 Day Shred. 30DS might not exactly be heavy lifting because you generally use lighter weights with higher reps, but I think you should do one or the other. After you finish 30DS look into Chalean Extreme or New Rules of Lifting for Women.
  • PrimalGirl
    PrimalGirl Posts: 148 Member
    Hi
    If you're doing 30 day shred you're already doing some good weights - which level are you on?

    I would suggest less cardio, more weights, otherwise you'll lose weight but have no tone or shape. You need some muscle in order to have better posture, which in itself can make you look slimmer.

    How about once a week you drop the cardio altogether and do 30 day shred - twice? If you're on level 2, do that followed by level 1 as it's a little easier and you'll already be tired from level 2.

    Or ask an employee of the gym to show you some basic weights techniques and explain what you're trying to do - in my experience they're only too keen to help and would prefer to see you lift correctly and not risk injury.

    Another alternative is to increase the weights you are using during 30 day shred - that will significantly increase the difficulty of the programme.

    My weekly schedule is:

    Mondays - cycle sprints - 2 mins at 10mph followed by 1min at 20mph for 7 reps (21 minutes in total) followed by planks and sit ups

    Tuesday - upper body and abs training (weights, body weight resistance, machines)

    Wednesday - cardio - gentle run followed by lots of stretching

    Thursday - HIIT - 3 rounds of 11 pre-set exercises with a certain number of reps (a bit like 30 day shred but with heavier weights etc)

    Friday - lower body and back (weights, body weight resistance, machines)

    Saturday/Sunday - walking, slow jogs, badminton - something fun...
  • MellowGa
    MellowGa Posts: 1,258 Member
    read the book, "nee rules of lifting for women" it will give you good exercises to start and work with.
  • leappleton
    leappleton Posts: 29
    More information

    Do you only work out at home? - No gym is an actual gym and so access to all their equipment
    Have you got weights or resistance equipment? - not at home but access to at the gym
    Are you on a budget or is money no object? - I'm happy to spend money if I need to but ideally would like to get as much as I can from my gym membership
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    You are burning a load of caloies for sure but are you maintaining a calorie deficit? Do you log your food intake?
    Strength/resistance training would get your other muscles working and burning calories too.

    Book a session witth a trainer to start you off correctly would be my advice.
  • Jimmytreatingtons
    Jimmytreatingtons Posts: 128 Member
    I notice some timed sessions like 20 min cycle. Have you tried distance in the 20 mins? See how far you get and try and beat it next time.

    i get bored so if I haven't got a gym buddy I use my watch or Distance.

    I started out doing an hour on the X trainer and getting 7 - 7.5 miles in the hour I have managed 9 mile in the hour!

    I now try 3 miles in 20 mins at level 12 for one mile 14 for the next and 16 for the last, so I am not coasting. Really challenging to complete.

    Did it with the Rowing machine 500metres in 2 mins gone from 2.02 down to 1.41

    It might help you? Works for me.

    Good luck
  • leappleton
    leappleton Posts: 29
    Thanks kikicooks I will look into those.
    Primalgirl, thanks some very good suggestions, I'm on level 3 of the shred and if I dont feel like a run I do sometimes do 2 levels at once, will definitely be booking some time with an employee at the gym I think as I have no idea what to do with any of the weights!
    sijomial, yes I am logging all food and coming in at quite a deficit every day, I'm currently trying upping my calories slightly as I am not really losing anything in terms of weight.
    Would lifting in the gym be with the machines or the free weights or both??
    Some really helpful and quick responses, my questions answered all in my lunch hour! Thank you all!
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    Wow! Why so much cardio??? I'd suggest HIIT training 2-3 times a week for 20-30 minutes. Eat healthy, up your protein intake, and eat at about a 200-300 calorie deficit. Lifting wise, find a good full body routine. Do that 2-3 times a week...and lift HEAVY! Find a weight that challenges you for 8-12 reps. You should start really feeling it at the 8th rep and fight to finish the 12th rep, always with good form. Use free weights, not machines.
  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
    More information

    Do you only work out at home? - No gym is an actual gym and so access to all their equipment
    Have you got weights or resistance equipment? - not at home but access to at the gym
    Are you on a budget or is money no object? - I'm happy to spend money if I need to but ideally would like to get as much as I can from my gym membership

    There is a company called Synergy Fitness Camps in Liverpool. All the PT's are very well qualified and currently offering a "drop a dress size in 1 month" or your money back. If you can afford a PT that is the route I would go down, proper instruction 121 can save months of frustration at not getting results and it may just be as cheap as any of the beachbody or jillian michaels products.

    New Rules of Lifting for Women = old rules of lifting for everyone

    If you go it alone, then as you are fit do strength training to elevate heartrate and activate Type II muscle fibres. Meaning do not count reps, use time like being active for 1 minute and resting for 30 seconds and hitting weights again. Concentrate on compound movements and not isolation, unless you use an isolation exercise whilst resting (I do do this). A friend using this workout 4 times per week, with a diet of 1700 calories per day dropped from a 22 to a 16 in two months. You do the exercises with vigour but if you complete it too fast you need to add weight.

    25's
    BB - Bar Bell
    DB - Dumbbell
    LS - Left side
    RS - Right Side
    LL - Left leg
    RL - Right leg
    SB - Swiss Ball
    IB - Incline Bench
    B - Bench
    Going to start you on a 15 kilo BB and 7.5K DB - if too heavy then adjust to complete exercises in the time span

    For proper form - EXRX, Scooby on Youtube, Scott Herman You Tube, muscleandstrength.com

    Time to complete 25 minutes - rest when you feel you need it but "go when ready" ie: short breaks, things like the chest flye and bicep curls provide natural breaks from the intensity of full body moves.

    1 25 * LL Lunges holding DB at side
    2 25 * RL Lunges holding DB at side
    3 25 * BB SB Chest Press
    4 25 * DB SB Chest Flye
    5 25 * DB Front Squats
    6 25 * BB bent over row
    7 25 * IB DB Reverse Fly (most likely much lighter weights)
    8 25 * DB bicep curl (strict form - all the way down and all the way up and together not left side right side)
    9 25 * DB held in LS - squat, swing DB to overhead
    10 25 * DB held in RS - as above
    11 25 * BB Tricep Skull Crusher (although bar should go past head and not aimed at forehead)
    12 25 * DB High Step or onto bench with alternative high knee if you have the energy left.

    Cut out the 30DS, run less and for variation on above try ladders - pick 5 exercises from list to inlcude squats and lunges then start at 8 reps through each exercise, then 7 , then 6 and so forth until you get to 1 - still got energy go up the ladder 2, 3, 4 etc.

    Try it for a month, put some rest days into your current program. Take in more calories or hit at least 1700. And less is sometimes more in the weird world of weight loss.
  • leappleton
    leappleton Posts: 29
    vtachycardia - brill thanks, am looking into Synergy as we speak, thanks again
  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
    Good luck.

    Give my w/o a blast anyway, it is fun. Hard but fun.
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