Thursday, February 28, 2008

Crazy Cardio Got You Down?

This is for everyone who had been following along with my original incline workout. I was all set to lay a few new workouts on you but I do want to remind everyone that you need to be your own guide. If you are bored or your workout doesn't feel hard than you need to work to change that. After watching the Biggest Loser last night and thinking about my own loss of motivation I have really been thinking about the importance of challenge in our weight loss and fitness quests.

Watching last night I was reminded of how hard it is to challenge yourself. I used to have a trainer and I would leave my pilates workouts wobbly and sore... guess what? I NEVER feel that way when I train at home. And not because I don't want to but I think because it is just really hard to push yourself that far on your own. So I'm going to try and workout with that in mind and try to do a little more than I WANT to do. Do a few more rep, use higher weights, and walk at higher inclines for longer times.

Everyone's body is different as is everyone's fitness level. I want you all to look at these incline workouts with that in mind. I'm going to list what I am doing. You might not be there yet... or you might be but just haven't pushed it that far yet. If you aren't working out for longer than 30-45 minutes because you don't think you can, well, I urge you to try. I think you'll find that you can and that your fitness level is higher than you think. Those folks on Biggest Loser are working out for 6 hours a day. A. Freaking. Day. And they aren't passing out... oh... and they are doing that 100 pounds overweight. So think about what you are doing and think about how you feel afterward. After a hard workout I feel very differently than I do after a mediocre one. I am sweatier, my sinuses tingle (yes that might be weird but it always happens if I really push myself), and I feel GOOD. Getting to that point isn't always easy and doesn't itself always feel good... it is the reward you get from making yourself a little uncomfortable.

So keeping all that in mind... and the importance to change it up and trust yourself to be able to do that.... here are my current interval workouts:

I am still walking on the treadmill at 3.0 mph for the duration of the workout.

I like to change my interval based on the track display on my treadmill's monitor and not by the clock. I typically change it either every 1/12th of a mile (about 1.75 minutes) or every 1/8th of a mile (about 2.5 minutes). So the workouts are listed by 1/4 mile increments which will be divided by commas.

Workout #1 0% 9% 0%, 9% 0% 9% (that is an incline change every 1/12th mile) repeat for 60 minutes

Workout #2 0% 7%, 0% 8%, 0% 9%, 0% 10%, 0% 11%, 0% 12%, 0% 12%, 0% 11%, 0% 10%, 0% 9%, 0% 8%, 0% 7% (1/8th mile changes) this takes 60 minutes

Workout #3 0% 9% (1/8th changes for 1 mile), 6%, 9%, 0%, 9% (1/4 mile change for 1 mile), 0% 9% (1/8th changes for 1 mile)

Workout #4 0% 12% 0% (1/12th changes) repeat for 60 minutes

Workout #5 0% 10% (1/8th changes for 1 mile) 0%, 12%, 0%, 12% (1/4 mile changes for 1 mile) 0% 10% (1/8th changes for 1 mile)

All these are written for 60 minutes when I have the time and energy I'll just continue the pattern for 70 or 80 minutes. Sometimes when I'm doing a long one I'll throw in a long 1/4 mile interval at the highest incline and then give a 1/4 mile rest at 0% for my last 1/2 mile.

Hopefully this makes some sense. If not ask away...

16 comments:

Amy said...

I'm curious about how many calories you're burning for one of these 60 minute workouts? When I was doing it, i was burning about 350 calories. then I tried the interval workout that came with my treadmill and found myself burning about 100 more doing that. anyway, just curious how i can get more calories burned in a workout. incidentally, as an occupational therapist, i've made those weighted vests for certain kids who need that "extra weight". all you need is little bags full of rice or beans (something heavy) and put it in the pockets of any vest (buy it at the thift store). super easy: super cheap! i think i'll try that too!

Elizabeth said...

I so need my speakers to get fixed. LOLOL. I can only listen to your posts on my work computer in the back. :(

Julie said...

I have been trying to do the jazzercise consistently and on off days, i do an hour on the treadmill w/your intervals. I agree that once you hit 60 minutes another 10 minutes does not seem as much.

I am curious as to how many calories you tried to stay within when you were in the serious losing weight period?

Also, who won the Martha thing? Did Alexis win????

Mrs Furious said...

Amy,
well I can only go by what the treadmill says which is not going to be entirely accurate. I just did 80 mins and it put me at 620 for that. For 70 I'm usually around 525 and about 420 for 60 minutes. It changes a little depending on the inclines I do that day.

I've got programs on mine but they end up going to fast for me. Whatever you use don't forget to change it up every so often.


SFG,
I'm going to write something in a minute. :)

Mrs Furious said...

Julie,
I was eating 1650-1850 BUT I was/am breastfeeding. Once I was doing 5-6 hours of cardio a week I was sticking to 1850 because I didn't want to lose more than 1-2 pounds a week since the fat stores toxins and those entire the breastmilk. But lets say the b'fing was 300-400 of that so I would have been in the 1350-1450 range w/o the b'fing.

Mrs Furious said...

Julie,
Yes she won. She won the popular vote and the MSL team also wanted to do the pet mag so they both got the 1st prize.

eurydice said...

mrs. f. is your treadmill the kind that you input your weight into before each workout?

Mrs Furious said...

eurydice,
regarding the calories burn? I haven't changed it in a long time so I know that burn isn't accurate I don't weigh much. I actually have to go back in and reset it with my full stats you don't do it each time. I really want one of those arm heart rate monitors that are separate from the machine to get a better reading. My heart rate does get pretty high. I just go by the monitor I have though as at least it lets me see which workouts burn more than others.

Heather said...

I wonder what I'd burn doing this type of working. Let's pretend for a minute that I have the energy. On Corinne's interval treadmill workout (50 mins.) I was burning 471 calories. I think it's safe to assume around 700 for 70 mins. Crazy-ness.

Mrs Furious said...

Heather,
hmm... your figures make me think that maybe I'm not totally off of what my treadmill is saying. Yay! I think it does burn a lot because when I'm doing it consistently I really can eat whatever I want.

eurydice said...

i wish i had a heart rate monitor. when i input my weight (120) and walk at 3.7 mph changing my inclines every 1.5 minutes from 0% to 10% i'm lucky if i burn 500 calories in 80 minutes. or so my treadmill says. i've heard the rule you burn roughly 100 calories for every mile you walk or run - i would assume changing the incline increases that.

and i looked up weighted vests and they seem pretty steep in price. the one i saw was $165 which to me is a lot! for some weights in a shirt haha.

ps that shirt you are wearing is very cute on you - flattering colours! :)

Mrs Furious said...

Eurydice,
I found weighted vests just like the ones I've seen them use on BL for $80 (that actually seemed expensive to me but it sure beats what you found). I think they were available at Dick's... do a google.

I think without one of those monitors (how much are those?) we'll never really know how many calories. I only weigh 110 so I'm fearful I may indeed only be burning 100 or so per mile I can't find one consistent set of data and it is impossible to figure out what intervals does since it seems to always be listed by set conditions... but who knows? I think the intervals burns more than one speed one incline... or at least it is supposed to.

angie said...

You are my hero. Thank you dear.

Robin said...

Hey Mrs. F -
You can get a nice heart rate monitor from Polar that will tell you calories burned for less than $100. Look here.

I have a similar model and I love it. Unfortunately, I had to get the more expensive model because I use it at the gym. If you are going to be around other people with HRM's you need a coded one. The one in the link is not coded, but you shouldn't need that.

angie said...

Mrs F

If you want to try our polar heart rate monitor let met know. We have 2...1 that goes with our treadmill and then our polar...i lvoed the polar, used it a ton especially during my first pregnancy. When I start running again (in a couple of weeks) I look forward to bringing out the treadmill one.

Mrs Furious said...

Thanks Robin!





Yes Angie I'd like to borrow it so I can compare it to the one on my treadmill.
I'll exchange your pedometer for it ;)

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