Week 1
For those of you who are interested , I will be posting every Friday over the next 12 weeks a 12 week weight loss and exercise plan that I discovered that is full of valuable information and resources. I wll also post the night before the day to day part of the plan along with any tips that I have discovered with my own weight loss journey along the way. I am doing it on Fridays so that it will give you time to tweek the program for yourself and have prep time if you plan to start the following week. I have also provided a link if you want to read and move ahead with the program. Please share you progress and feedback. I am with you on that road to making daily fitness and nutrition a part of your lifestyle.
Welcome to Week 1 of your 12 Week Program. This week, you'll get started with a basic cardio and strength training routine and get a few tips for changing to your diet. Each day will have a different exercise focus, such as cardio, strength training and/or flexibility, but please modify or change the workouts according to your fitness level and the equipment you have available. Don't forget to check out the daily motivational tips. If you're ready, Keep reading!
|
Getting Started
Your first step in getting started is to set your goals and get yourself ready for your new exercise program with the right shoes, clothes and equipment. You'll also want to get some basic measurements down (weight, measurements, etc.) so you can track your progress.
This week, your assignment is to do three cardio workouts for as long as you can manage, whether that's 5 minutes, 10 minutes or more. Although I've posted specific workouts for both beginners and intermediate/advanced exercisers, these workouts are just suggestions. If you're already doing your own workouts, feel free to substitute those and add more days of cardio if you're advanced. If you are a beginner and the workout I've given is too difficult, please shorten the workout to fit your fitness level. Your focus is simply to show up for your workouts. It doesn't matter how fast or how long you go.
The workouts involve different levels of RPE - Rate of Perceived Exertion. You'll use an RPE scale between 1 and 10 like this one to monitor your intensity. For most workouts you'll want to stay around 5-6 RPE, although some later workouts may take you up to 8-9 RPE. You can also use a heart rate monitor to monitor intensity.
Strength Training
Your assignment this week is to do two full body strength training workouts with at least one day of rest in between each workout.
Your focus is to become familiar with different strength training exercises and to work each muscle group. The beginner workouts include an exercise ball and various weighted dumbbells (from 3 lbs - 12 lbs, depending on your fitness level). Use a workout log to track exercises, reps, sets and the amount of weight you use so you can continue to progress.
Flexibility
Stretching should be part of every workout you do. This week, you'll be learning stretches that work each muscle you'll be working this week.
Nutrition
This week, you'll be learning some basics about figuring out how many calories you need each day to stay healthy, satisfied and lose weight. Our goal this week is to take an objective look at what you're eating by keeping a food diary and discovering how many calories you're really eating each day. Keeping a food diary forces you to be aware of what and how much you're eating. It also holds you accountable--knowing that you have to write something down makes you think twice about eating it.
The articles, calculators and resources each day will help you figure out where you are so you have a clearer picture of where you need to go. You can visit some of our other experts' sites for more ideas on nutrition and healthy recipes (see below).
If you're ready to get started, move on to your Day 1 assignments. For more, read on about some safety precautions you should take before you get started.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Full Weekly Calendar |
Safety Precautions and Form Pointers
Keep in mind that the workouts offered are not one-size fits all programs.
Your first step in getting started is to set your goals and get yourself ready for your new exercise program with the right shoes, clothes and equipment. You'll also want to get some basic measurements down (weight, measurements, etc.) so you can track your progress.
- Setting Goals:
- Recording Measurements: Vital statistics
- Clothing and Equipment:
- Everything About Getting Started with Exercise: Beginner's Corner
This week, your assignment is to do three cardio workouts for as long as you can manage, whether that's 5 minutes, 10 minutes or more. Although I've posted specific workouts for both beginners and intermediate/advanced exercisers, these workouts are just suggestions. If you're already doing your own workouts, feel free to substitute those and add more days of cardio if you're advanced. If you are a beginner and the workout I've given is too difficult, please shorten the workout to fit your fitness level. Your focus is simply to show up for your workouts. It doesn't matter how fast or how long you go.
The workouts involve different levels of RPE - Rate of Perceived Exertion. You'll use an RPE scale between 1 and 10 like this one to monitor your intensity. For most workouts you'll want to stay around 5-6 RPE, although some later workouts may take you up to 8-9 RPE. You can also use a heart rate monitor to monitor intensity.
Strength Training
Your assignment this week is to do two full body strength training workouts with at least one day of rest in between each workout.
Your focus is to become familiar with different strength training exercises and to work each muscle group. The beginner workouts include an exercise ball and various weighted dumbbells (from 3 lbs - 12 lbs, depending on your fitness level). Use a workout log to track exercises, reps, sets and the amount of weight you use so you can continue to progress.
Flexibility
Stretching should be part of every workout you do. This week, you'll be learning stretches that work each muscle you'll be working this week.
Nutrition
This week, you'll be learning some basics about figuring out how many calories you need each day to stay healthy, satisfied and lose weight. Our goal this week is to take an objective look at what you're eating by keeping a food diary and discovering how many calories you're really eating each day. Keeping a food diary forces you to be aware of what and how much you're eating. It also holds you accountable--knowing that you have to write something down makes you think twice about eating it.
The articles, calculators and resources each day will help you figure out where you are so you have a clearer picture of where you need to go. You can visit some of our other experts' sites for more ideas on nutrition and healthy recipes (see below).
If you're ready to get started, move on to your Day 1 assignments. For more, read on about some safety precautions you should take before you get started.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Full Weekly Calendar |
Safety Precautions and Form Pointers
Keep in mind that the workouts offered are not one-size fits all programs.
- See your doctor if you're a beginner or if you have any medical problems, old injuries, etc.
- If you feel pain in your joints during any exercise, stop. Rest the area and if you still feel pain over the next several days, see your doctor
- If you feel lightheaded, nauseous or dizzy at any time, slow down or stop. You may be working too hard.
- You may experience soreness after doing new workouts and this is normal. If you can't get out of bed the next day, you did too much. Rest a few extra days and lighten up on the workouts
- If any of the workouts feel too hard or too easy, feel free to substitute your own workouts, videos, exercises, etc.
- During strength exercises, never swing the weights. Perform slow and controlled reps
- Use good posture during exercises--keep the abs contracted to support your spine
- During squats or lunges, keep the knees behind the toes
- When picking up weights, bend the knees and squat to pick them up--don't bend at the waist as you might strain your back.
No comments:
Post a Comment