Stick With The Plan
Posted: February 8, 2011 at 8:43 pmThank you so much for all of the congrats! As you can tell, I’m excited for it all.
Yesterday I completed my first full strength training workout. I have been doing Slim in 6 as a light circuit workout, but it didn’t do too much in the weights department. For my first session, I turned to my favorite instructor – Cathe Friedrich. I have many of her DVDs, so it took a bit to decide on which one I wanted to try first.
After thinking it over I decided to err on the side of caution and picked one I remember being more basic and slow-moving. Cathe’s Push Pull workout.
Basic and slow-moving are good things when starting back with weights. I also made sure to choose much lighter weights than normal. At the end of my workout I felt as though I could have gone heavier on most everything. It made for a good workout to ease back into weights, but I can already tell I will be ready for slightly more of a challenge tomorrow. Today I hit up the treadmill for my next C25K workout – alternating 90 seconds of jogging with 2 minutes of walking. While completing the intervals, I rocked out to my new best friend: my playlist (which syncs up to the treadmill). And don’t worry…I stepped on the sides to snap this picture before ending my cool down.
I can see how working out with music is addictive. Right now, I have around 170 songs in one massive playlist. Each new song that comes on gets me all pumped up. Aerosmith revved me up this afternoon. In fact, I felt so great the temptation to do longer running intervals snuck up on me. I do feel like I could have handled it physically, but I also believe in sticking with the plan.
I am physically fit. I believe I have a strong base in fitness knowledge, especially related to topics such as strength training. I also recognize that I fall into the novice running category. Even though I feel good, I don’t want to push things too fast. Couch to 5K is a successful program for a reason. I’m not going to mess with it. I can have a hard time sticking to plans. I like switching things up and coming up with my own versions. When I know what I’m doing, I’m cool with that. I don’t know enough about my running abilities yet to do that though. So I will keep it simple and follow along. No need to jump the gun!
Question of the Evening – Do you like having a plan to follow?
Tags: fitness, strength training, workout DVDs
I love having a plan. I think it helps me to stay on track when I have something planned ahead of time for me. I’ve heard about the couch to 5k, but haven’t actually seen the plan. It’s definitely something that I want to look into.
When it comes to running, I really like having a plan to follow. I can be flexible and change things up, but I do like having something to follow. I think it comes from my college days and always having a coach tell me my workout. (I was a runner in college)
I like having a plan because it helps me keep me motivated. At the same time, I love being flexible and allow myself to veer off plans if that’s what I want on that particular today!
I think having a plan, including scheduling rest days keeps me going throughout the week! Make it a priority and you wil stick to it!
Yippee for strength training! That’s what I did today, too :).
Workout plans are definitely a great idea… without a plan, I just wind up doing whatever at the gym, which probably isn’t as effective as knowing what cardio I’m going to do and which muscles I’m going to work out.
But, it’s still nice to be flexible and not plan every single workout- sometimes you have to just have fun with it. I’ve gone to the gym to lift, but saw a Zumba class I wanted to do- well, I did Zumba :). Sometimes it doesn’t really matter what workout we’re doing, as long as it’s something fun for us at the moment!
Love me a good Cathe workout, especially for weight training, as you know. 😉 I think it’s smart that you’re sticking with the plan even though you feel physically ready for more. Give it a couple more weeks of this and you’ll feel more and more “like your old self” and you’ll have done so safely and smartly which is awesome. Good for you girl, you are so inspiring, as always!
I have to have a plan to follow, but I keep it pretty basic and really just change up what I am doing each day so I don’t get bored! I love the push pull with Cathe. Great workout Tina! I am glad you are feeling well and getting back to normal!
I was going to say that maybe I can let you borrow some of my cathe workouts when Im doing more of my weights stuff at the gym too.
Yes, I love having a general plan, but like you I tend to switch it up. Flexibility can be a good thing!
I like having a plan or schedule to follow some what… But I like to only plan ahead for one week. I also like to switch things up a bit so I don’t get bored.
I usually plan ahead for a month…but the specific moves or cardio choices each week. I cant do too far in advance either.
i always throw in my own mix of workouts when I follow a plan. Keeps it entertaining. Schedules are too restrictive sometimes, for me at least, haha.
I haven’t done that Cathe workout in ages. It’s a good one though. I’m trying my best to stick to my half marathon plan. Sometimes I do think that you do have to listen to your body and make changes if needed. I finally did that this past week by skipping one of the scheduled short runs b/c I was sooooo done with it for the week.
Truthfully I need a better “plan”. I’m so all over the place with my work outs and nothing is motivating me as of late to truly push myself. Argh.
Sounds like you are getting into a great groove! I LOVE weight workouts and obviously, love Cathe. I don’t have Push/Pull though. Must get it. I like planning out my workouts each week. Sort of fun. Is that weird?!
Not weird to me at all. I LOVE planning out workout routines. It makes me happy. 🙂
I love Aerosmith. 🙂 It makes me happy to see that you were rocking out to them. 😉
I love training plans…. and have mild spaz attacks when I have to deviate from them due to injury….not that I would know how that feels or anything. 😉
I like having a plan as a guideline and then having flexibility.
I do, however, think that since you felt you had a little more to give today, you will have energy for an awesome workout tomorrow! Sometimes I have had to force myself to do that with running plans too, it makes for more consistency.
I love that you can sync the songs INTO the treadmill… super rad!
Definitely makes it easier to change the song or volume than fiddling with the iphone.
I love having a plan to follow – whether it’s a plan I develop or a plan developed my someone else. My personality loves to follow specific instructions and tasks and I enjoy to cross things off lists!
Yes I like having my marathon training plan — without it I’d probably continue to workout 3x per week randomly and not with much direction. I need a plan to show me what I need to do!
I’ve thought of getting some Cathe dvds — do you have any recommendations? I’m looking for something full body.
I really like the Boot Camp and Muscle Endurance combo DVD for full body. Muscle Max is another of my favorite full body workouts. As well as Pyramid Upper/Pyramid Lower. I will say that Cathe videos (especially weights ones) use a good bit of equipment.
Okay…that’s it– I need to get some Cathe dvds!!!
She seriously rocks!
Congratulations! What a wonderful pair of pieces of news. It’s ages since I’ve been to a conference, but I always try to go as a volunteer: it’s so much more fun, you get to feel more a part of it, and the price is great too.
love
Ela
i like to have a plan in mind when i go into a workout, but i don’t usually make any long term training plans (i’ve never trained for anything, though!).
i think a plan is important when you have a longer term goal other than getting in a good sweaty workout!
That treadmill is awesome. I want one…in my basement! 🙂
I just read your earlier post…congrats! It sounds like you’ve had an awesome day!
That tredmill looks SOO legit! WOW! Awesome 🙂 Good for you sticking with your plan & knowing your boundaries, especially in things that you consider yourself to be a novice. I wish I knew more about weight training.. I know to come to you for answers 😉 Have a great evening!!
I will be sharing weights routines I start up with in the next couple of weeks. I’m excited. 😀
I do like to follow a plan. But, there is nothing like winging it and having one of my better workouts! 😉
I am such a plan person. I have to have a plan before hitting the gym, that way I am not walking in circles wasting precious time. Let me know when the new bloggin starts!!
I will have to check out Cathe for weights!
I like having a basic plan for almost everything – but I definitely adjust my expectations based on how things are going. I’m more of a long-term goal person – and I like to achieve my goals 🙂
Just now catching up on your blog — but YAY for having such a great day full of such great news! Congrats!
is tha tmusic programmed on your tread!??! thats so awesome! i havent ever seen that before!
OMG I love cathe! personal trainer to personal trainer, her workouts and DVDs are awesome I love her style and that she acutally believes in lifting somewhat heavier weights.
CONGRATS! I just read your previous post, that is such amazing news you will rock that conference!!!
I feel the same about Cathe. She is the main instructor I have found that cues well and is always balanced with moves. She also does things with such quality. I can’t rave enough about her.
I do love having a plan to follow for running… I get so excited to make my training plans for races! But for strength, I like to be able to wing it.
Tina you never fail to inspire me! I have totally fallen off the workout wagon and definitely gained some unwanted lbs in the past 6 months. I am trying to hard to get myself into a routine again but I always go back and forth between wanting to be on a training plan and wanting to do my own thing. I like to be able to say I can do it on my own (which I have in the past) but right now I feel so stuck 🙁 Any advice??
I would say for getting back into a groove finding a plan somewhere to just get your momentum going again would be best. That’s what I would choose at least. Then once I got back into the swing of things, I would have more motivation and be able to motivate myself with my own plans. Make sense? Either way…you can do it and deserve that time to care for yourself with exercise! 🙂
I love having a plan, I don’t think I would be successful without one!
Yay, I’m glad your running plan has been working & you’re liking it! I made a ‘tentative’ half-marathon plan, which starts soon, and a plan for these weeks before it with lots of spinning & yoga and some running to help me build back endurance. I love seeing my plan and sticking to it!
Oh yeah, music for workouts is BOMB. However, today when I was doing a 5-miler, I put my headset on and realized… oops, out of batteries (don’t know how… just charged the darn thing on Friday!).
The run actually didn’t go too badly, but I could imagine how much worse it would have been if I were out longer.
I’ve never really followed a plan, because I’ve never had a goal other than health. But I definitely started out slow and didnt push too hard. Then, when I started getting over confident and running too long, and too often, I got injured. I definitely think you’re making the right choice by sticking with the plan.
That’s exactly what I don’t want to happen. So with running…I am going by the books! LOL
I have to admit that after the 4th week on C25K I just kept running when I was told to walk 🙂 I just couldn’t stand it!!! I didn’t over do it though, I felt ready and was. I ran for the 30 minutes and that was it!!
Yay for adding in light strength training today!
i do like having a plan, and it really makes things like taking a rest day easier. it’s great that you feel you were physically strong enough for the workouts you’ve been doing though!
I love a plan!! Plus, you know they’re designed that way for a reason – to get to your goal without injury. Best of both worlds. 🙂
Good job on the 2 miles in 15 minutes! That is fast! I have to admit that I like having a basic plan but the ability to move around. I don’t like not being able to change things up, like on my playlist, sometimes I like to just listen to the radio for the randomness. Or my runs I like knowing I need to run so much, but if I can’t I just do what I can and if I can do more, I do a little bit more.
Oh no. It was 2 miles in 25 minutes. The 15:00 was the pace when I was cooling down. I think I would have keeled over running 2 miles at a 7:30 min/mile pace. LOL Don’t think I’ll ever manage that one.
It depends what my goals are! I love having a cardio plan or the Fitnessista’s Winter Shape Up to do, but some days I just kinda want to get on a machine and zone out.
Aerosmith always reminds me of my high school BF… I had my first kiss to “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing”!
There must be something with that song. My big ex said “I love you” for the first time at his prom when that song was playing. Wow how long ago…and crazy we dated on/off ALL through high school and college! That memory could almost ruin the song for me now…but I love Aerosmith too much for it to. LOL
I love premade plans- I stick with them so much more than ones I come up with myself.
And I loved Couch to 5k! I’ll probably be doing it again in a few months, too 🙂
I love Cathe Friedriche, too! She is the best. Screw Jillian Michaels and Jackie whats her name.
Also, I love to make my own plans and then maybe follow them, maybe change them 🙂
Haha. That comment made my day. I’m very loyal to Cathe too. I don’t mind trying other things…but I always have it in my head that it will NEVER compare to Cathe. And it never does. 😉
Having a plan is really helping me with my Marathon training. Otherwise I don’t think I would be able to put in the mileage that I do.
I’d wimp out or get lazy.
If it’s on the schedule, I do it.
When I’m training for a specific even I’ll make a plan for myself, but will mix-up the workouts if I can/want to – really just switching which day I do which workout. that way I’m getting in the “prescribed” workouts, but doing it in a way that fits my schedule. That helps me feel like I’m the one in control of it, and not some piece of paper or internet program. (Mind games work for me that way!)
I do the same things!
I’ve been tempted with slim in 6. is it worth it? or you would recommend stocking up on cathe’s videos? I have neither and denise austin isn’t cutting it anymore.
For a true beginner or someone starting after a long time off or really needing to ease back in, I think SI6 is great. Otherwise…Cathe all the way!
Well I’m doing 30day shred right now and I haven’t progressed past the 2nd phase. So do you think Cathe?
I would say Cathe based on what I’ve heard of the Shred workouts. They might be something you have to work up to in certain parts but that way they don’t get too easy or boring for you over time. Cathe’s website has preview clips to all of her DVDs. If you want, you can look over those and see which ones you like. Then email me what you are looking at and I can let you know a bit more about each, whether they are more or less challenging or easy to modify, etc. 🙂
I never have a plan. As I get in better shape and am able to get to the gym more regularly, I would like to be a bit more structured. But right now, it’s so hard to find the time that if I get to the gym, I just run for my life on the treadmill.
I like having a plan too! It helps you acheive your goals, and stick to your targets I think 🙂
And I got lamely excited when I saw that your treadmill is the same as the treadmill I use at my gym! Haha I’m so sad! 😛
I get excited over strange things like that too. 😉
I love having a plan. I’m really new to exercise so I got very overwhelmed trying to figure out what I should do on my own and ended up doing way too much or skipped it all together.
I’m going to stick very closely to a plan when I’m able to run again next week. I did way too much in January and that was most certainly the cause of my ITB pains. I can’t wait to get back to it though. The second half of February will be great 🙂
I typically don’t make plans but have an idea of what I’m going to do at the gym. Congrats to you for all the wonderful news yesterday!
That is a GREAT dvd! I own quite a few of her DVDS also. my favorites tho are her Gym Series!!!
Actually, you’ll be jealous (LOL!) but i lived in the town her gym is at for YEARS. (now im just 20 mins away) Yes, I took her classes. Actually, at one point, she and I had the same personal trainer! She’s just as FABULOUS and TOUGH in person!
Yep. Totally jealous!!!
I’m a plan girl myself! Otherwise I tend to wander aimlessly in workout lala land.
Cathe is on Exercise TV and I’ve yet to try her workouts!
You should give her a shot!
[…] living. I also share my REAL journey back to fitness! Powered by WP Greet Box WordPress PluginSticking with the plan isn’t the only thing that took up some of my thoughts while at the gym last night. I also found […]