Is there such thing as TOO much variety?

kerriBB37 · January 2011

Through out the years I have collected A LOT of fitness "stuff" and I am wondering if I have too many things to choose from and maybe that is causing problems for me! On any given day I have access to two gyms (one has amazing classes all day - spinning, kickboxing, yoga, pilates, bootcamp, latin dance, hip hop) and the other has an amazing weights center with circuits and stuff for women as well as typical manly heavy weights and machines. In addition to the gyms, my house is full of "stuff." I have the INSANITY programs, p90x programs, Jillian Michaels dvds, Wii Fit with games (biggest loser, wii fit plus, etc), Zumba-- as well as a Bosu, a variety of medicine balls, bands, free weights (5, 8, 10 lbs) and a treadmill! Ok now I know this sounds like an ideal situation BUT I feel so overwelmed every day. I don't know if I should start and stick to a program or do something different every day. I really like the variety that I have and I do try to do something different every day. I plan for 3 days of weight training at the gym or with p90x (I do back/biceps; chest/triceps and legs/shoulders/abs together) and then I plan for 6 days of cardio. Whatever I do I just try to burn at least 500 cals a day. I'm not sure where I got that number but it sounds good to me!

Anyone got any ideas or a schedule that has proven to be successful. I don't think I have it in me to commit to ONE program and I like the variety but I want some help planning out what to do! Should I plan the week ahead or take it one day at a time and see what I'm feeling that day?

Thanks and I appreciate the feedback (good or bad!

Kerri

polo571 · January 2011

You lost 26 pounds. I would say that is success. Keep doing what you are doing you are fine.

wrevhn · January 2011

hun, we are the same way at this house. i know a million types of diets, so many classes and dvds, etc. but i think as long as your following basic rules your ok. no overeating, eat right and workout regularly. unless you find its begining to be too much for you. then reconsider.

jeff_lee4 · January 2011

I would say think about several factors when trying to not feel overwhelmed. Decide exactly what type of fitness you are trying to achieve. It's obvious you are being successful with what you are doing. I mean heck, you have already lost 26 lbs and that's fantastic! I have been doing P90X for a while now and love it. A. Variety, B. Time, C. Intensity......Not necessarily in the order of importance. It sounds like you have everything a fitness person would love. Figure out what you want, and then plan out 3 months worth of workouts and put everything away except the equipment you will need for that day. When you are done, get the next days stuff ready and you are set for tomorrow.

trishadams · January 2011

I agree with polo571. Whatever you're doing it's working for ya so you may not need a change. Also, I think what works best for your personality is also important. I plan my workouts for at least a week, but it could be planned out for an entire month and that works best for me. Keep at it!

RunHardBeStrong · January 2011

I do the same thing...I have tons of variety in my workouts which I think is a good thing. I don't get bored, look forward to working out, keep my muscles/body guessing and keep losing fat while gaining muscle which is my goal so it's working for me and sounds like it's working for you. So I wouldn't change anything unless you really want to.

erikblock · January 2011

I think it kind of just depends on your personality. Personally, I like to have a variety and mix things up. If I feel like going to the gym on a particular day, I go to the gym. If I don't feel like going to the gym, I do a DVD at home that day. I don't plan anything out, and that works for me. (I even have occasional days where I bring my gym bag to work and fully plan to go to the gym after work....and then I decide at the last minute that I just don't feel like it. I don't beat myself up about it...I just go do some cardio at home instead. Not telling myself that I have to stick to a plan helps me to feel flexible and not to get down on myself for not sticking to the plan.)

This is how I approach it. Hope this helps!

thehobbyist · January 2011

I have a thing with buying books where I feel so much better if I can just buy all of them. I may never read them, I may only read a couple chapters, but sometimes I feel like, if I can just throw money at something, I'll have accomplished it. I bought all these cookbooks, now I don't have to learn how to cook. Maybe you have something similar?

I always suggest people do free weights, because they're such a great way to work all those wacky little stabilizer muscles that the machines overlook and also because building muscle make it easier to burn fat, so maybe three days of those with one of any of your other choices on the other days? That way you'd have a concrete schedule of a fixed full-body weight routine along with opportunity to be impulsive and ask yourself what you'd like to do every other day.

Keep it up, because you're kicking butt!

kerriBB37 · January 2011

I do the same thing...I have tons of variety in my workouts which I think is a good thing. I don't get bored, look forward to working out, keep my muscles/body guessing and keep losing fat while gaining muscle which is my goal so it's working for me and sounds like it's working for you. So I wouldn't change anything unless you really want to.

I agree, that's a good way to put it!

I totally agree.

RunHardBeStrong · January 2011

I do the same thing...I have tons of variety in my workouts which I think is a good thing. I don't get bored, look forward to working out, keep my muscles/body guessing and keep losing fat while gaining muscle which is my goal so it's working for me and sounds like it's working for you. So I wouldn't change anything unless you really want to.

I agree, that's a good way to put it! I totally agree.

Now if I could just get my husband to agree with me more....lol

sillygoose1977 · January 2011

I think whatever keeps you motivated. If it means switching it up all the time, that's great. I'm a firm beleiver that as long as you are happy with what you are doing, you should be succesful.

jjeckels · January 2011

Ha, this is a great post…I had that same question myself and this is what I found works for me!
Have you ever heard the story about the lion that was afraid of the three legged stool? Well, a lion is an animal that requires focus to accomplish his goals, so if you pick a chair up with three legs and point it at the lion, the three legs are too much for the lion to focus on and he doesn’t attack (don’t actually try this, it’s just a story/theory). However, the same is true for us. When we have too many things to choose from we get constipation of the brain and sometimes just don’t do anything…we want to, but we don’t know which way to go!
Here is what I found works: Plan ahead...and be prepared!
I’m the same way as you, I enjoy going to the gym, doing classes, cardio, weights, any Beachbody program at home, etc. So what I do is plan ahead for the entire week. For any exercise (cardio/strength training) I give myself a choice. For example, on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday I have a list of the 4 cardio workouts I want to do and I choose one each day from the four and keep picking out of my planned choices until there is only one left...the remaining one is what I do on Sunday. The beauty of doing this is that I get to choose the other days, because let’s be honest, sometimes we just don’t want to do some workouts on certain days if we don’t feel like it. This approach makes sure we don’t sabotage our goals.
All in all, the most important thing is to just do something, so keep up the great work; you’ve done amazing so far! Remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint!

superwmn · January 2011

I love variety! I do something different every day. I love being able to ask myself, "what do you WANT to do?" and then do it as opposed to always having to do the same thing.

Makes me enjoy working out becuase I'm doing what I want to do and what I love.

Charmagne

mamagooskie · January 2011

I think variety can be overwhelming but what I like to do as a lot of people have said is plan ahead. Right now I've made the commitment to do p90x then in april I might run for a month on my treadmill and mix in some of my random stuff like ball workout or wii etc.

I think for me though I like variety in calories burned. I don't know if you stop once you reach your 500 calories but I get great weight loss results by varying my cal burned. Somedays I burn 300 sometimes well over 1000 and everything in between and I like to eat some of them back so it really keeps things new.

Good job on your loss so far though.

kerriBB37 · January 2011

I think variety can be overwhelming but what I like to do as a lot of people have said is plan ahead. Right now I've made the commitment to do p90x then in april I might run for a month on my treadmill and mix in some of my random stuff like ball workout or wii etc.

I think for me though I like variety in calories burned. I don't know if you stop once you reach your 500 calories but I get great weight loss results by varying my cal burned. Somedays I burn 300 sometimes well over 1000 and everything in between and I like to eat some of them back so it really keeps things new.

Good job on your loss so far though.

WOW 116 # lost, that is amazing and inspiring!!!!!

I usually go for a burn of at least 500 calories, usually more but rarely under. I think it's a good idea too to mix up how much you're buring a day. thanks for the advice!

trud72 · January 2011

cor i wish i had more choise,a gym would be SOOOOO good right now!
use it to it's max girl thats all i can say!

Is there such thing as TOO much variety?

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