Working out when you have a physically exhausting job

neh02
neh02 Posts: 33 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm waitressing 50-60 hours a week right now. My job helps keep me active which is good, and will help with weight loss (I have 10-15 lbs to lose) but I really want to get some serious muscles, not just lose some fat. Between working so many hours and my feet KILLING me when I get home, it has become really difficult.

I've been doing circuit training before my schedule got like this, and I'm thinking about switching to just doing weights, not worrying about cardio to save time (and since I'm on my feet and sweating at work often).

Does anyone have any recommendations for maybe 15-20 minute videos I could watch for free or buy inexpensively that are really focused on toning and not necessarily calorie-burning as much? I'd been doing 30 Day Shred and will probably keep doing it and Yoga Meltdown once in a while, but I need a non-circuit option! Obviously I can do weights on my own without a video, but I find it much easier to do the moves I hate every time whether I like it or not with a video, so I'm really hoping to find something.

Replies

  • bearwith
    bearwith Posts: 525 Member
    Youtube is full of free videos. You need to do some resistance and combine it with some cardio. Even though you are on your feet, you may not be getting hot and sweaty and out of breath. You also need to look at how much food and drink you are consuming.

    I find that when I am on my feet all day, I eat more carbs and I also crave energy foods but you don't actually burn it all off.
  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,870 Member
    You can do the Shred and skip the cardio. Youtube is loaded with free exercise videos of all sorts, just do a search. Good luck!:flowerforyou:
  • neh02
    neh02 Posts: 33 Member
    I've managed to do fine on my diet, but I'm trying to be realistic here: after working 10+ hours on my feet, I'm not going to come home at 11pm and do cardio. I want something reasonable and focused on building muscle tone if I'm going to have to really prioritize how I spend those ~20 minutes/day. I might not get my heart rate going the same way I do doing 30DS at work, but it's up considerably higher than it would be while sedentary for a prolonged period of time, so TBH toning is really more of my focus right now. I don't really have a ton of weight to lose and have pretty good cardiovascular health and stamina already - not to say cardio is not important, jut that my schedule is temporarily really awful and it's just less of a priority to me than building muscle.

    And thanks! If any particular videos come in mind, let me know.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    I like Jari Love's DVD's for basic light lifting. She has a variety to choose from and it pushes me to keep going because I'm following the DVD so I'm less likely to give up.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    Can't recommend right now, but I suggest. If you don't like a particular exercise, don't do it. There is many alternatives that you surely fill find one to your liking. I do suggest that if you looking to build muscle, stick with the main larger ones. Simple bench press, squats, dead lifts(great for full body), shoulder presses maybe even some curls will work nearly every major muscle. Stick to like 4-5 set of 6-8 of reps in correct form to build mass. Should be hard to do last rep BTW. Then if you want to cut up later, just increase your reps and add other exercises that work on the muscles to want more definition.

    I agree if your on walking on your feet all day, you are probably getting a good amount of cardio, but perhaps do it on your days off to work off any fat.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    If muscle is your focus just lift weights...heavy, full body compounds lifts. Look into something like Starting Strength or Strong Lifts 5x5. Both phenomenal programs and there are other variations out there as well. Cardio is weight lifting for your heart...you're not going to build much in the way of muscle with a lot of cardio and you're already doing a lot of moving around at your job anyways.
  • niknokd
    niknokd Posts: 127 Member
    Try blogilates.com - this trainer also has a great youtube channel. It's pilates and will definitely help you build muscle. I really recommend it!
  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,870 Member
    Arms of Steel was recently suggested by another MFP member. I haven't tried it yet, but I plan to.
  • Cyclingbonnie
    Cyclingbonnie Posts: 413 Member
    When I'm lifting I like to do pyramids 3 sets of 10 reps of each exercise. I rotate body parts. Back/legs/abs one day, the next I do chest/shoulders/abs, and the next I do biceps/triceps/abs. Pyramids mean I do one set a certain weight, next up it by 5 -10 pounds (big muscles 10 pounds little muscles 5 pounds) and next set up again. Sometimes just for variety I will do reverse pyramids and start at the highest weight. Take a break from lifting at least once a week most people take two days off.

    When it becomes obvious that I'm not working hard enough then I up the starting weight (which ups all the rest). Record everything you do. I try to do 3 different exercises for each body part. A book I like for explaining the exercises is Hardbodies. Good luck.
  • willow_rb
    willow_rb Posts: 69 Member
    How about some pilates for toning? Here's a link to a 20 min video of winsor pilates:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YW2eRv4kC
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    zuska

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgs64gij3mw&feature=share&list=UUrd4Hfglr4EczsLXKdGvCLA
  • altinker
    altinker Posts: 173
    For strength, I'm loving barre exercises right now. You can get a Lotte Berk set (30 minute workouts) of 4 DVD's for about $25 or $30.
  • sunsnstatheart
    sunsnstatheart Posts: 2,544 Member
    Since you're already standing all day, I'd say focus just on heavy lifting. Waiting tables burns a fair number of calories. Low reps, heavy weight. Check out Strong LIfts and Starting Strength.

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