Regardless of research, known guidelines, and fancy book learning, you have to start from the beginning. And the beginning for each individual is different depending on lifestyle, time and family commitments, past medical history, etc., all the various life components.
When Cathy asked me about a program, my first question was...what has worked for you in the past? How many days do you want to commit to working out? How much time do you want to commit? What is your initial goal? Do you have any current aches and pains?
Cathy said 3 days a week sounded doable, and that walking was a good option. I wanted to take into account that she had been not in the practice of working out, and I want to prep and gradually introduce stress to muscles, ligaments, and joints to avoid injury and build success. This program was created a while back but we discussed the finer points and it is still appropriate and doable for Cathy.
Cathy said 3 days a week sounded doable, and that walking was a good option. I wanted to take into account that she had been not in the practice of working out, and I want to prep and gradually introduce stress to muscles, ligaments, and joints to avoid injury and build success. This program was created a while back but we discussed the finer points and it is still appropriate and doable for Cathy.
When you are getting started with a trainer, make sure you agree upon and start with a reasonable, doable plan. Here is the questionnaire I use with my clients, and your trainer should be asking these questions too. Also, your trainer needs to check in frequently to see if things need to shift into a higher gear or lower gear or if issues are coming up. I also check flexibility and strength, and balance prior to any clients first session. I have trained Cathy online in the past and know she is a super strong go getter!
Besides physical status, I also was hearing her say she was overwhelmed by the general flow of life. This program is a the starting point we chose because it is what Cathy felt she could roll into her life for right now. This program requires no equipment, no prep, and no financial investment. It also won't overwhelm Cathy's body so she is so sore she gets discouraged. Most importantly, this program will significantly decrease Cathy's risk of disease and seriously promote good things for her heart!
Besides physical status, I also was hearing her say she was overwhelmed by the general flow of life. This program is a the starting point we chose because it is what Cathy felt she could roll into her life for right now. This program requires no equipment, no prep, and no financial investment. It also won't overwhelm Cathy's body so she is so sore she gets discouraged. Most importantly, this program will significantly decrease Cathy's risk of disease and seriously promote good things for her heart!
The effort scale I introduced to Cathy is the Modified Borg Rate of Perceived Exertions scale.
The goal is for the individual to base effort on how they feel. This scale has good correlation to heart rate and VO2 max. More on this in future blogs.
Not sure if you are good to start exercising? Check out this Par-Q. IF you say yes to any of these questions, you need to talk to a physician prior to getting started.
The plan this month is to work on cardiovascular fitness and to try one new thing. We discussed a beginning yoga class. The American Heart Association and American College of Sport Medecine (ASCM) recommend adults get minimally 150 minutes of activity, and perform resistance exercise every week. The ACSM goes on to say flexibility and balance work are also key weekly parts of exercise. If you are feeling unsure where to start and have no "yes's" or concerns on the Par-Q or in general, gradually increasing time and effort on one aspect, perhaps cardiovascular fitness, and working up to 150 minutes will create a significant change in your body, as long as you are clear for exercise. Then pull in other aspects.
Here's Cathy's thoughts on getting started:
We all have that friend or coworker who is constantly on some crazy diet and swears they know someone who has lost "like, 50 pounds" eating nothing but [insert odd vegetable/fruit that could not possibly fill anyone up]. I've been there. I've tried them. There was the cabbage soup diet, the Atkins diet, the south beach diet, and so on. All they succeeded in doing was making me a pretty unpleasant person.
The goal is for the individual to base effort on how they feel. This scale has good correlation to heart rate and VO2 max. More on this in future blogs.
Not sure if you are good to start exercising? Check out this Par-Q. IF you say yes to any of these questions, you need to talk to a physician prior to getting started.
The plan this month is to work on cardiovascular fitness and to try one new thing. We discussed a beginning yoga class. The American Heart Association and American College of Sport Medecine (ASCM) recommend adults get minimally 150 minutes of activity, and perform resistance exercise every week. The ACSM goes on to say flexibility and balance work are also key weekly parts of exercise. If you are feeling unsure where to start and have no "yes's" or concerns on the Par-Q or in general, gradually increasing time and effort on one aspect, perhaps cardiovascular fitness, and working up to 150 minutes will create a significant change in your body, as long as you are clear for exercise. Then pull in other aspects.
Here's Cathy's thoughts on getting started:
We all have that friend or coworker who is constantly on some crazy diet and swears they know someone who has lost "like, 50 pounds" eating nothing but [insert odd vegetable/fruit that could not possibly fill anyone up]. I've been there. I've tried them. There was the cabbage soup diet, the Atkins diet, the south beach diet, and so on. All they succeeded in doing was making me a pretty unpleasant person.
When things started to go downhill in my marriage I started thinking/worrying/feeling self conscious about my weight. I subconsciously decided that if I just fixed my weight everything would go back to being okay. But the more pressure I put on myself the harder it was to do anything. Soon, everything was just way to overwhelming to deal with and the idea of implementing a basic health and fitness routine was way too much. So instead I started looking for a quick fix. I looked at diet pills and contemplated starving myself. I wished I had the discipline of an anorexic so I could be thin. Let me repeat that so you don't miss it, I wished I had a mental illness that could kill me so that I wasn't fat. That's not healthy and fortunately is not something you can just "do."
So I don't want to do that again. I don't want to approach this from an unhealthy, obsessive, weight loss will make everything sunshine and rainbows and puppies perspective. I also don't want to put pressure on myself that this is going to go perfectly. I'm pretty black and white in my thinking and that all or nothing mentality means that if I'm not working out six days a week for at least 45 minutes each workout, I just shouldn't bother.
So how am I going to get in shape? Up until a few years back and for many, many years before that I maintained at least a baseline level of fitness. I had times when I was really consistent with working out and other times not so much. But at a minimum I'd work out three days a week even if it was just light cardio. So where do you start when you get winded walking up the stairs? What do you do when you don't feel like your body is moving well? How do you start when you feel so weak?
Fortunately for me, my sister-in-law is the sole proprietor of Go Training (yes, nepotism was totally part of me getting this open forum to talk to all of you). And when your sister-in-law is the sole proprietor of a personal training business you can typically get her to give you some tips in exchange for writing about your personal journey online, at least that has been my experience.
So about a year ago when things were kind of falling apart, Beth created a walking program for me to try. I didn't use it. I am now. I am staying with my parents while I put my world back together so I'll be walking my parent's neighborhood in the suburbs of Detroit. The day-by-day action plan is outlined in the calendar and levels of exertion below:
- Level 1: I'm watching TV
- Level 2: I'm comfortable and can maintain this pace all day long
- Level 3: I'm still comfortable, but am breathing a bit harder
- Level 4: I'm sweating a little, but feel good and can carry on a conversation effortlessly
- Level 5: I'm just above comfortable, am sweating more and can still talk easily
- Level 6: I can still talk, but am slightly breathless
- Level 7: I can still talk, but I don't really want to. I'm sweating like a pig
- Level 8: I can grunt in response to your questions and can only keep this pace for a short time period
- Level 9: I am probably going to die
- Level 10: I am dead
Easy Pace means: walking at a 3-4, just move your body and enjoy. You can easily conversate!
On Interval Days: intervals at a 4-6, recovery 3. It's ok if you are slightly breathless during an interval.
Long Walk: 3-5, make sure your conversational and able to talk the whole time.
On Interval Days: intervals at a 4-6, recovery 3. It's ok if you are slightly breathless during an interval.
Long Walk: 3-5, make sure your conversational and able to talk the whole time.
3 Month Walking Program
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Month 1
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M
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T
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W
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TH
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F
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Sat
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Sun
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20 - easy pace
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20 - warm up for 5 min, alternate 1 min easy, 1 min effort pace for 10 min, cool down for 5
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30 Long walk - 5 min, warm up, keep a nice clip in the middle, 5 min cool down
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25 - easy pace
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25 - 5 min on, 2 min on effort pace, 1 min off easy pace for 5 rounds, 5 min cool down
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30 Long walk -
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30 - easy pace
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30 - 5 min 1 min on, 1 min off 20, 5 min cool down
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35 long walk-
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30 - easy
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30 - 5 min warm up, 2 min on,30 sec at a 4 for 4 rounds, 5 min cool down
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40 long walk
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Eventually, I'll add in weight training because I know that cardio is not going to provide the muscle mass needed to lose weight. This is where I'm starting because you have to start somewhere and I don't want this to feel so overwhelming that I don't do it. However, on some of the days that I don't have a workout, I may still try to go on a short walk at a more casual pace to get outside and enjoy the sunlight and spend time with my dog and my parents (parents need to be walked too). I really want to want to do that.
I'm also hoping that as I go I'll start to get interested in different types of exercise and try new things. I loved spin (when it wasn't pure techno music) and I loved, loved kickboxing and hitting a bag. I think yoga would be a good way to expand my workout repertoire as well. I super want this to be something that I start to want to do as I find my love of exercise again. NOTE: Since I don't really know that much that is around me here in Farmington Michigan, if you have any suggestions of gyms/classes/studios to try, please send an email to Beth at beth@gotrainingwithbeth.com or share them in the comments section.
I guess I can't say for certain that I won't have days where I am stressed and having problems with getting off the couch. But I am committing to you now that no matter what happens, no matter how hard this is, no matter how stressful other stuff becomes, that I won't go back to my neurotic, fad diet, obsessive, unhealthy thinking.
So the plan kicks off this week. I'm going to do a practice walk and see how it goes. I'm sure I'll have opinions/feelings about it and as promised, I will write them all down to share with you.
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