Getting Fit After 30: Adding the Extra Set!



Well I started off these weeks fully committed to the next phase of my get-in-shape plan, only to have the inevitable hit me like a mack truck on a highway.  Hello hellish winter virus #2.  It started last Friday evening with that sickening, in your throat, am I achy or just tired feeling that tells you you’re about to get sick.  I took medicine, drank my Airborne, put myself into bed at 8 pm and hoped for the best.  Unfortunately I woke up feeling like my throat had a balloon in it and my sinuses felt swollen shut.  Anywho, it has 100% knocked me off of my exercise game this week.  

I am always so jealous of those people who just have a little sniffle or are sick for only a day or two.  I feel like that never happens to me.  I’m blaming it on the asthma for turning each of my “little sniffles” into a full blown respiratory infection, although I truly have no idea if that is the case.  Today we have over a foot of snow and are clearly not going anywhere, so I’m hoping these last few days will be exactly what I need to back on the workout wagon.  

Despite my unfortunate setback, I’m sharing what I had started for at least a few days, and plan to continue in the weeks to come.  See, being a month into this whole workout regimen, it’s time to step up my game when it comes to lifting.  Three sets of 12?  Not gonna cut it anymore.  Time to throw in that FOURTH set to really start seeing results and push my muscles to work harder!  I’m still going through the same rotation of upper and lower body exercises, but by the fourth set, I am really starting to struggle and feel that burn that I know is making the difference in my body!  

Now here’s where I had to change my plan.  With work and commuting and keeping the rest of my responsibilities in order, I truly only have an hour tops to spend at the gym.  When I’m doing 4 sets of each exercise, I find that I have almost no time, if any, for cardio.  Since I don’t want to cut out cardio altogether, this is where I change my gym routine to a 3 day rotation:  upper body day, lower body day, and cardio day.  

On the days that I am getting my 4 sets of strength in, I am not doing cardio except for maybe 10-15 minutes in the beginning.  Would it be better to do more?  Absolutely.  But I have a scarcity of time, so something has to give.  I’m just being realistic.  On cardio days, I am doing 45-50 minutes of cardio followed by some core exercises since I probably am not fitting that into the other days.  

Since I’ve been sick, I’ll be sticking to this plan throughout the next few weeks.  But stay tuned... I’ll soon be adding something “extra” to focus on a particular area I’ve been concerned about.  

Stay safe in the snow everyone and remember that a month from now will be mid-March and that spring is just around the corner!  

WEEKS 6&7 RULES IN A NUTSHELL
3 day rotation: upper body, lower body, and cardio
4 sets of 12 for each exercise (both strength days)
45-50 minutes of cardio and core (cardio day)
Stretch and hydrate!

Fitspo find of the week!  via @onedaniella

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6 comments

  1. Hey Michelle! I hope you feel better! Thanks for the workout motivation!

    Pam @ www.alittleglitter.com

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  2. I've decided I need you to move to WV and crack the whip at me to even do a set! I don't know if my metabolism is just a snail and have absolutely no energy or if it's my lack of moving it that makes me so sluggish. What comes first? The chicken or the egg? ugh.

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    1. lol well you definitely have to force yourself some days, but usually if I just remind myself that summer is coming and I will have to wear a swimsuit ready or not, I can get motivated real quick! The constant snow storms are definitely not helping though!

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  3. Looks like you got a good routine going. Makes me wonder if I should change up my routine and add another set. I hope your feeling better soon!

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    1. I feel like switching it up every now and then keeps it interesting, but that's just me! And thank you, I finally am!

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