Metabolic Rotation: Week 3

I'm loving this rotation but it is tough.  All the weights, for almost every workout, are already beginning to take a toll on my body. 

My eating needs to be better this week.  I also need to find a way to increase my protein on the weekends - when I don't use protein powder.  

Oh, well - let's see how this week goes...

Monday: Cathe's Low Impact HIIT Plus Upper Body Live + walk + YWA

I was still hurting from yesterday's workout.  Sigh.  The thought of more arm work was not appealing.  I got through the first portion of this workout - the HIIT, which I shortened to 25 minutes - and it was good!  Not too traumatic.  Then, the weights were actually really well done and effective - through the pain.  Cathe never disappoints!  At work, I walked, and learned that my legs were super achy.  Yay.   And after work, a nice release with YWA.

Tuesday: Cathe's Totally Toned Legs + walk

My legs were still achy from Sunday so this workout did not sound appealing.  But I made myself do it.  And my legs were screaming.  Ha!  It feels kind of good, in a crazy way, to know that you're really doing something to cause change.  But it hurts.  At lunch, I walked to get steps and then I stretched - because my legs were still unhappy.  Sigh.  No yoga because I sat outside, instead.

Wednesday: Cathe's LIS: Afterburn + YWA

Low impact sounded so good this morning - but my bum still hurt!  Ha!  I used 6 pound weights for this video and still got a great workout.  "Low impact does not mean low intensity," Cathe always says.  This one doesn't spike my heart rate like some but it comes close!  After work, this YWA was really good - it's one of my favorites and one that I'll keep coming back to!

Thursday: Cathe's Total Body Giant Sets 

I wasn't feeling good this morning so I did a rare thing and postponed this workout until the evening.  And I'm glad I did.  This one took a lot more energy than I anticipated!  Giant sets are broken up by upper body, lower body, and core.  You do a set of exercises and then repeat them before moving on to lower body.  Each part of the body gets two rounds of exercises. This was fast-paced and very metabolic....though I wish my heart rate had been higher.  I liked it - except for having abs in the middle.  I prefer to save that torture for the end.

Friday:  Dozois' BodyFit 360 Vol 2: Dance Conditioning

Time to get my Michelle Dozois fix!  And I love this workout!  This one is just so much fun and so very different from Cathe.  Michelle's cardio/dance and bodyweight strength moves are just wonderful - perfect for a day of recovery.  I kept it all low impact and had fun.  I did all the cardio and then went straight to the stretch.  So, so lovely!

Saturday: Cathe's ICE: Metabolic Total Body + Strong and Sweaty Core

I didn't quite know what to expect from this metabolic workout but I ended up loving it!  This workout was all about compound exercises.  My heart rate went up and stayed up.  I loved some of the new and different moves in this "intermediate" workout.  Cathe's weights were lighter, to make it less advanced - but I went as heavy as I could...and my heart was pounding!  It was great!  That lasted for 45 minutes.  I then did this core workout, which I didn't remember doing before.  Then, a nice stretch.  Whew!

Sunday: Cathe's Crossfire + YWA

Last night and this morning, I was dreading Crossfire. I hate this workout; I dread it like nothing else.  I thought I would die.  Instead, I did great!  Maybe my fitness level is getting better but this workout didn't kill me like it usually does.  It was tough and my heart rate was the highest it's been all week - but I made it through and felt great.  I added on a bit of a cool down which meant I worked for 50 minutes.  Nice!  After a stretch, I did Adriene's newest video, posted today.  It was the perfect finisher!

Calorie Counts:

Monday - 1197
Tuesday - 1188
Wednesday - 1281
Thursday - bad
Friday - 1667
Saturday - 1456
Sunday - 1289

I got on the scale first thing Thursday morning....I got off and got on again.  The number didn't change and I was astonished.  I'm down to my pre-cruise weight.  I've now lost the five pounds I assumed I gained on the cruise.  I can't believe it.  I haven't been eating that great.  Maybe it's all these metabolic workouts....but I'm ecstatic!   And then I had a horrible day of eating on Thursday.  Sigh.