workout schedule

[rainbowmoon]

The other day I was watching Oprah, and she is doing this super get fit challenge.
The eating rules that accompany it are somewhat sensible, until you get to the part where she tells you to give up all whole grains. But thats not really what my post is about.
She tells you to work out 8 times a week- yes, count em, 8. My Mom and counsin have started this rountine, and seem to be doing fine on it, but for me its just too much. Neither of them work a great deal of hours and there is childcare at the gym; but I feel like my schedule is somewhat busy. Beyond that, my workouts usually consist of 45 minutes of cardio and weight training, and I don't know if I really want to do that twice a day. I could always take a class at night, but sometimes I'm just tired by the end of the day.
Is it really necessary to work out this frequently? I am really trying to lose weight and I am really dedicated to doing it this time, so if 8 workouts is that it takes, then so be it. Here is a gym schedule that I was looking at trying:

Monday, 10:15 AM- 45 minutes of cardio, chest and back
Tuesday, 7:30 AM- 45 minutes of cardio, legs and core work
Wednesday, 10:15 AM- 45 minutes of cardio, biceps, triceps, and shoulders
Thursday, OFF
Friday, 10:15- 45 minutes of cardio, chest and back
Saturday, legs and core work, possibly some swimming
Sunday, 45 minutes of cardio, biceps, triceps and shoulders

To make this 8 workouts, I'd just go back and do kickboxing on Monday or Wednesday, or possibly go back Friday night.

Ok, I see one innate problem with this, and that is my cardio. I can't run, so all I do is bike and do the eliptical. I can do the stairstepper a bit, but it hurts my knees if I do it often. Is it alright, at least to being with, if I just alternate between those three machines? I am somewhat overweight and running is too much pounding on my knees and feet.

[Draekyn]

How about adding some step aerobics once in a while to break up the routine? If the stairstepper aggravates your knee, some of the step moves might too, but you can modify all the moves to fit your needs. Plus the classes are an hour long (which fits your time goals) and usually has a weight lifting / toning segment at the end.

[CaptainSwab]

8 workouts a week? I could never do that, I'd end up burnt out. I could see 8 if you do something fun with friends or something such as playing frisbee or basketball or raquet ball or something, but 8 gym workouts? Boring.

I think it's fine if you alternate between those three machines. It's a good mixture to keep your body guessing between that, weights, and swimming.

I need to add more variety to my workouts...

[xrodolfox]

Monday, 10:15 AM- 45 minutes of cardio, chest and back
Tuesday, 7:30 AM- 45 minutes of cardio, legs and core work
Wednesday, 10:15 AM- 45 minutes of cardio, biceps, triceps, and shoulders
Thursday, OFF
Friday, 10:15- 45 minutes of cardio, chest and back
Saturday, legs and core work, possibly some swimming
Sunday, 45 minutes of cardio, biceps, triceps and shoulders

Interesting.

If you plan on sticking to the workouts, I would make sure to put workouts that fill all your needs.

I need to be social, so I make sure that I workout with a team or while doing team sports. I just can't do things alone, like running.

I work out about 9 times a week;4 of them for 90 minutes or longer. Almost all of it is social in some way, or else I just couldnt' do it. I could not do your workouts.

What I am saying is that it is better to do something which is fun, or else the workouts will become work, and the will be very hard to do for the long haul.

[CaptainSwab]

Running can be social. I belong to a running club and we do all of our long runs (10+ miles) together. We are a very social group. :yes: We just start discussing different races and before you know it we are done with 10, 15 miles.

[rainbowmoon]

Interesting.

If you plan on sticking to the workouts, I would make sure to put workouts that fill all your needs.

I need to be social, so I make sure that I workout with a team or while doing team sports. I just can't do things alone, like running.

I work out about 9 times a week;4 of them for 90 minutes or longer. Almost all of it is social in some way, or else I just couldnt' do it. I could not do your workouts.

What I am saying is that it is better to do something which is fun, or else the workouts will become work, and the will be very hard to do for the long haul.

I understand what you are saying, but I am not a team sport person at all-volleyball, baseball, basketball- Ahh, I'm so bad at them!! . I usually feel somewhat shy about working out with other people and often just intimidated by those who are in superior shape to me, which at this point, is everyone! Lol. So I tend to be a bit of a lone wolf when it comes to working out, unless its a good friend or something. :)

[rainbowmoon]

Running can be social. I belong to a running club and we do all of our long runs (10+ miles) together. We are a very social group. :yes: We just start discussing different races and before you know it we are done with 10, 15 miles.

When I get in the shape for it, I'd love to try something like this. But for now, I couldn't keep up with the group!

[rainbowmoon]

Drae- Step aerobics is a good idea, but there actually aren't any classes at the gym here, well, the one I belong to. I can take them when I go home for weekends, though!

Captain- Yeah, I think 8 gym work outs is exessive. I'm not big on team sports, as I said, and I don't much play physical games, either. I got made fun of a lot of when I was a kid, especially in gym class because I wasn't very coordinated and couldn't keep up, so now I generally don't do stuff like that. Its just impossibly hard for me. I think working out six times a week is probably enough, and I might drop in for kickboxing on Monday or Wednesday nights when I'm not tired and I have time.

[CaptainSwab]

When I get in the shape for it, I'd love to try something like this. But for now, I couldn't keep up with the group!

I understand that you want to loose weight before running again, but my club has pace groups from 7min/mile all the way up to 17min/mile (which is the walking group) so if you ever want to do something like that in the future, not to worry about keeping up. You just start with the pace group you can keep up with. :)

I know there are several running clubs that have the same concept. Of course this is Southern California, not MI so it may be harder to find that by you anyways.

[zoebird]

i don't know what oprah's work outs consist of, but some people need more exercise and some people need less--just like people's dietary (macronutrient) and caloric needs are different.

for instance, my husband works out on this schedule:

M: 45 minutes of functional weight training; 35-45 minutes of running
T: 30 minute walk
W: 30 minute walk
R: 30 minute walk
F: 45 minutes of functional weight training; 35-45 minutes of running.
Sa: 30 minute walk
Su: maybe walk, maybe not.

He eats about 3500 calories a day and is very muscular and lean. he eats a lot of protien (from meat and eggs mostly), veggies, and healthy fats.

Here's my work out schedule:

M: 30 minutes walk; yoga for however long (30 mins to 2 hours); perhaps some other activity like dancing for 30 or 45 mins.
T: 30 minute walk; 30 mins weights; yoga for however long; whatever else i may want to do
W: same as monday
R: same as monday
F: same as tuesday
Sa: whatever
Su: whatever

I eat about 1800-2000 cals a day. i eat a lot of simple carbs (veggies and fruit), protien (nuts, legumes, eggs, raw cheese) and fat (olives/olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, nuts, eggs, raw cheese). i don't eat a lot of 'complex carbs' because these tend to make me lethargic and gain excess weight. i don't know why.

my sister's work outs go like this:

M: weights; group fitness class at her gym
T: weights; group fitness class at her gym
W: off (bible study nite)
R: weights; group fitness class at her gym
F: weights; group fitness class at her gym; going out dancing
Sa: whatever or nothing
Su: whatever or nothing

My sister eats about 1800 calories a day. she eats mostly complex carbs (whole grains, legumes, potatoes and yams--no white flour, sugar, etc), 'heavy' veggies such as root veggies and squash, and protien (eggs, chicken, and turkey). she's mostly 'low fat' and gets her fats with her protien, sometimes with a bit of olive oil on her veggies. she's dairy free (lactose intolerant).

So, different people need different kinds of exercise, different kinds of diets, different caloric needs. It's based on the body, the metabolism, the activity, etc.

For my mother, for me, 8 times a week is easy (we easily get more than 8 workouts a week). For my husband, that would be way too much. For my sister, it's more than she's interested in doing.

Of course, one of the other questions is, what did oprah mean by "8 workouts?" did she mean 8 30 minute sessions? did she mean one hour long session and one 30 minute session? did she mean 8 hour-long sessions?

When i trained for triathlons, it was quite simple to work out 12 or more times a week. there was a morning training (45 minutes) and an evening training (45 minutes). On top of this, i would do 1.5 hours of yoga. So, that was "three workouts" totalling 3 hours of exercise a day--which i did about 5 or 6 days a week. most people would say "that's excessive" and for some people it is. For me, it was fine. (also, my caloric intake was 2000-2200 at the time).

So, i think your schedule is fine, if it works for you (time wise, etc). there's no one magic formula for getting into shape. the main thing is a good diet, plenty of exercise, plenty of sleep, and consistancy in all of these things.

[xrodolfox]

When I get in the shape for it, I'd love to try something like this. But for now, I couldn't keep up with the group!

Like CaptainSwap said, there are different levels in good groups.

I my Master's Swim team, we have all sorts of level swimmers. We have people who just learned how to swim, to people who have represented their countries in International Competition. If you can float, you will find a level that fits you.

I just find it much easier to do exercise if you do it with other people: especially if you meet new people and make new friends and have common goals; like an upcoming meet.