Little back ground: I used to lift 5 days a week and swim six days a week. Then college, 2 kids 18 months apart, and 80-100 hour work weeks happened. Kids are now in school and I make my own work schedule so I have been thrilled that I can make it back to the gym! My goal is to tone up and drop some weight. I can thank my dad for my high metabolism, because even with taking almost 3 years off from the gym & being stuck behind a desk for 2 years I am the same size if not a little smaller than before I had kids.
I am 5’ 7" and 150 lbs. Goal is to get back down to 135 lbs and tone up. To do this I am doing cardio 6 days a week and weights 4 to 5 days a week. I say 4 to 5 days a week because I lift 4 days a week on my own, but also take a BootCamp class at my gym & sometimes the class includes lifting, but is mostly cardio.
Since I want to tone, I keep my weights a at 65-70% of my max weight and do 4 sets of 12. I do not rest between sets, instead I go from one lift to another and back again until all 4 sets of each lift is complete. For example: Squats, Bench, Weighted Calf Raises, Curls or Dead Lift, Shoulder Shrugs, Weighted Lunges, Head Bangers. I choose my lifts by what equipment is close together in the weight room and work my way across the room so I am not in anyone’s way and they aren’t in mine.
For cardio I do 2 miles on the eliptical with resistance as fast as I can trying each time to either meet or beat my previous time (4 times a week). I do the eliptical because I am not a runner never have been, but put me in a pool and I’ll swim all day. I also swim for 1.5 hours once a week, step aerobics twice a week, and as soon as my new bag is here I will also do kick boxing twice a week. (I couldn’t duct tape my bag up anymore so had to order a new one) I throw in cardio dvd’s during the week so I don’t get bored. I love lifting, but cardio to me is boring!
I am always looking for creative ways to make my muscles sore! Have a creative or wacky lift or cardio move let me know!
It has been a while so my weights are not where I’d like them to be, but I will get them back up where they belong.
I will start adding my workouts next Week.