Okay... I've always been a cardio junkie (when I'm in the groove of exercising, that is ). In the latter part of August and beginning of September, I was back in "the groove" (but fell out in mid-September :( ). Anyway, I was getting up and either doing my Stairmaster for a good 25 minutes or taking DD for a walk (pushing her in the stroller) 4 to 6 times a week. It felt so good. But, here's my question... would I be better off doing the cardio only 3 days a week and then doing some sort of toning the other 3 days? This is foreign to me. Cardio just seems like the way to go... you know, burn fat and all.

My original plan was to do the cardio in the morning and the toning at night (after putting DD to bed), but I can easily see this is not going to work out. So... plan B - cardio 3 days and toning 3 days. What do you think?

I have no money for a gym membership or to buy any other videos, so I will be working w/what I have...

• my Stairmaster
• my WATP tapes
• my Abs/Legs/Lower body/Upper body of Steel tapes

What do you think? Suggestions? I probably need to break my "cardio junkie" mentality, but it's difficult.

TIA for any thoughts/suggestions/inspiration.

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Debby

i'm interested in the responses you'll get, debby. i am also a cardio junkie - i have the mindset that you won't see toning until you burn away some/most of the fat on top of the muscles, ya know?
i do incorporate a lot of weight training, but i never underestimate the benefit of a good sweaty cardio workout!

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Carrie
156/154/135

Hi Debby!
From all my research into it, the current advice is to vary your routine to keep different muscles working. So, don't do the same cardio workout all the time, vary it. If you use the stairmaster one day, run the next or do an aerobics class etc. The current wisdom also recommends mixing in some level of weight or toning exercises, either in conjunction with your cardio, or on non-cardio days. Have you ever read Oxygen for Women magazine? It's got great advice. I also regularly read Shape and/or Fitness for other ideas and latest news.
Do you drink protein shakes when you're done? Oftentimes after I exercise I'm not very hungry and a protein shake can replace a meal, yet give your muscles the best of what they need to rebuild themselves after a good workout. I like the EAS CarbSense packets. The taste is very good when mixed with water, which seriously keeps the carb count down. My goal is to up my muscle tissue, NOT bulk up, just really tone what I have, so I can raise my resting metabolic rate, or how many calories I burn just sitting around. Remember it is very difficult for women to 'bulk up'. Just make sure you're doing the exercises properly. The more muscle tissue you have, the more calories you burn just doing nothing.
So, the bottom line is: Shake it up wherever you can. Don't let your body get bored! That will also keep you interested in staying with your exercise kick!
Good luck! I'm on my own quest with this and I have seen some results in the past few weeks. I also have in the past, but I usually quit before I get the results I want. I don't yet have a six pack stomach (after three kids, is that even possible?), but I can see maybe the faint beginnings of a nice 2-pack! Now, I just need the scale to catch up!

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Michele
Halloween challenge: to lose 6 lbs! 163.5/163.5/157.5
Overall stats: 179/163.5/152

The health fitness guru that I am--I graduated in 1992 with Health/PE/Sports Medicine and I know a lot has changed since then--but they NEbraska football program still uses the same basic program we did then--Cardio can be every day, but not the exact same workout every day--do aerobics one day, stairmaster, jogging, whatever; then add in weight training and that needs to be the same each time but not every day--light weights or other strength training needs to be done on alternating days--legs one day arms another--with the abs--work them directly one day and indirectly the next--you can weight train every day if you are not using the same sets of muscles--IF you happen to be a crunches junkie--do your sets of crunches one day then do reverses the next--kills the abs, but does not directly work them. Crunches one day then reverses( lay on your stomach and lift your chin as far off the floor as you can--do NOT crane your neck back but lift the chin keeping your eyes focused on a point or object on the loor in front of you--with your hands up behind your back or head--depending on which in most comfortable for you)--In yoga it is called the alligator. It is called a reverse crunch--if you are in a weight room--LOL! Extra protein is OK--but not totally necessary, if youa re eating LC and eating your protein with each meal you are getting more than enough to rebuild those muscles as you use them.

IF for some reason youa re cutting protein then youi would need to include some extra with weight traiing, but otherwise, just eat your normal meals and enjoy your evolving new you!

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Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130