Monday, July 24, 2017

STS Rotation #1: Mesocycle 2 Week 3

After a weekend of overindulgence, I'm feeling fatter than ever.  I know you're tired of hearing this. So am I, quite frankly.

This week was the start of an 8 week wellness program at our university to see who can lose the most weight.  I know it won't be me but I signed up anyway.  What the heck, right?

Monday: STS Back and Biceps + walk + YWA

I woke up not feeling great, after a very rough night of sleep.  But I did this workout and I'm so glad I did.  It was different - Cathe keeps changing up the routines - and I love it!  I never know what to expect from week to week!  And hopefully my muscles are as confused as my brain.  Ha!  At work, I weighed in for the wellness challenge - and did not look at the offensive number - and then walked the track.  After work, this YWA was a great way to stretch my arms, legs, and back.  Lovely!

Tuesday: STS Legs


Time for some pain today!  I'm still surprised at how high my heart rate gets during STS Legs.  And how much I sweat - dripping.  These are tough workouts.  And, my arms were aching just from holding weights.  My most dreaded move in these workouts: paper-plate slide back lunges.  HATE. THEM.  Second most hated move: single leg sit and stands.  I actually have a really hard time with these using weights.  Cathe sure knows how to make my legs burn.

Wednesday: Cathe's Ripped with HIIT: Low Impact HIIT Two + Low Impact Step + YWA

Yay, cardio!  Today's HIIT used a weight for added intensity.  It was good, though I didn't appreciate the mountain climbers and burpees at 5:30am.  Ha!  My heart rate didn't stay quite as high as it did with Low Impact HIIT One, but that was fine.  Next up, this step workout was actually doable - the moves weren't crazy convoluted.  Only a bit convoluted. After work, this YWA was a great way to open up my shoulders after all they've been through the last few weeks. 

Thursday: Cathe's HIIT 30/30 + Low Impact Step + weights + YWA

As I started the warm-up for this HIIT, it did not seem at all familiar.  But I did it last month!  Then the HIIT had me huffing and puffing within three minutes, I think.  Dang!  It really is incredible how hard these work you.  Next up, a different portion of yesterday's Low Impact Step - which is like step for beginners, which means I can follow it!  At lunch, I did weights at the rec center - not fun but effective!  I also got some ab work in.  After work, I really needed to calm down after stressful traffic and this YWA helped a lot!

Friday:  Cathe's Stretch Max One + Ab Circuits #2 Pilates-Based Abs

A good, light morning today!  I started with this older Cathe workout, called Stretch Max.  It was a good stretch, focusing on every part of the body. My shoulders and arms got a nice stretch, which was greatly appreciated.  After that, I did some ab work with this 15-minute routine based on pilates.  There was one move I just couldn't do, period.  And I hate that.  I feel like my abs never gain any strength - very frustrating!

Saturday:  STS Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps + Cathe's Crossfire + ICE Cardio Blizzard Burn

Wow, this was a long morning.  I started off with Crossfire, which got my heart rate up in no time!   Those drills lasted - high and low impact - lasted for 20 minutes.  I then tuned into the ICE bonus cardio workout - Blizzard Burn - which was straight, sustained cardio.  Yes!  I love the Workout Manager on Cathe.com, which allows you to mix up different segments of workouts.  Very cool!  After that 35 minutes of cardio, it was time for the longest STS video yet, clocking in at 70 minutes.  Sigh.  It was long but I got through it, with some burning shoulders and shaking triceps by the end!  

Sunday: Cathe's MMA Boxing + 200 lunges +Pauline Nordin's Butt Bible Lower Level 3 + YWA

Yay, boxing!  I like doing something other than drills and I love Cathe's kickboxing!  This one was a lot of fun with a good mix of punch circuits alternating with cardio.  My heart rate stayed up and I sweated like crazy!  Fun!  After that 35 minutes of cardio, 200 walking lunges - oy.  And then what I was truly dreading today: Butt Bible.  Level 3 was a lot easier today because I knew what to expect - and what to dread.  I mastered the chair step ups - finally - by taking away the weights.  I need to do them without weights first, apparently.  My legs were shaking by the end of the workout so I rewarded them with some YWA - and a stretch and ab work.  Ha!

Calorie Counts:

Monday - 1404
Tuesday - 1421
Wednesday - 1341
Thursday - 1292
Friday - bad
Saturday - 1481
Sunday - 1454

No change in weight.  Totally depressed.  And I've lost all hope.

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