My weekly schedule usually looks a little like this... M/W/F I do Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred - I alternate the levels every day, so essentially I do each level once per week. Tu/Th are my heavy weight lifting days and sometimes I will sneak in an ab floor routine these days, as well. Fridays are my "optional" workout days and weekends are always off - no exceptions! I do try to take a week off of weight lifting approx once every 6 weeks take or give - this usually works out pretty well for me, as I try to time it during a time when we are away from home. Occasionally, I will take a nice walk with my neighbor - if I feel like it.
I started out weight lifting by reading the book New Rules of Lifting For Women - an excellent starter book - with so much more information than just lifting stuff. This book really was a gateway for me to learn how to eat to fuel my body - rather than pointless eating and snacking. It opened my eyes to a whole new world of caring for myself, rather than my continuous fallback of "losing weight"... There is so much more to it than that. It's a wondeful read - even if you never have any interest in lifting weights.
Even though I only worked through stage 3 of the NROLFW - the book gave me a nice base layer to work from. In all honesty, the lifting routines became too long for me, and I knew I would completely give up lifting all together if I didn't find a shorter routine to follow.
So, I kind of went off on my own at that point. I do many lifts... Squats, shoulder presses, bicep curls, bench presses. I used to do dead lifts too - but I injured my back doing those in June - and I am too chicken to try them again. I know I need to - and I will, but not just yet.
The key to all of my workouts - whether it's a lifting day or a JM day - I need to devote as little time as possble to it. Weird, I know. But it's important to me - I am a huge procrastinator - HUGE... And I can talk myself out of just about anything at any time. So, my routines must be done in the morning - before I can go to work... and they must be no longer than 30 minutes. I have seriously fallen off the wagon completely - for months at a time - even years by doing "Chronic Cardio" and burning out. I refuse to do that to myself this time. So, again, I had to find something that worked for me. Another reason why I insist on my strict days off. It's important.
If I lose size slower because I only work out 30 minutes per day/4 days per week - than so be it. But I will still be here making my body stronger next year, vs. sitting on the couch, eating potato chips and giving up because I couldn't keep up with myself.
This was a huge road block for me - and finding something that worked with me, rather than worked against me was hugely important to my success.
I encourage anyone and everyone to find what works for them. It may be what I do, it may not be what I do - but if it works for you - then that's your key to success.
D~
Great information and reassurance. Thanks for posting Dorine.
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