consequences of mixing up a routine? help?

Hi This is a repost of a question i posted on the weight training board 9with no responses) hopefully someone here can answer my questions! thanks in advance!

Hi
My names Chrissy. I love going to the gym and woring out. my main motivation is overall health, however I would a) like to lose weight and b) eventually run a marathon. (i reallize doing a will inevitably help with b). I consider myelf to be an overall good athlete and enjoy diversified training.

for the most part i eat a clean 1200 cal diet. ( i do give myself permission to eat godies in moderation sometimes. I am excellent at tracking my daily food intake and exercise program and can log back.

My daily exercise routine is this
Monday
9-10 Weight training class w/ free weights (lighter--ie 5-8 lb shoulder& tris, 10-12 lb bis, 40 lbs barbell squats/lunges, back, lfts, etc). my classes use a lot of weights that target more then one area such as step up shoulder press with reverse lunge or plie squat with hammercurl and side abduction, etc).
10-1030 stair mill level 15
1030-11 efx level 15/ 12 incline
6-645pm walking 4.3mph on 15 max incline

Tuesday
9-10am step aerobics class
10-11 heavy lifting, whole body. usually machines, presses, some free weights (3 sets of 20 max weight--ie leg press 5 plates each side, calves 150 lbs, thighsolator 165 lbs, bench 45-50 lbs, tris 30 lbs (total) bis 45 lbs. etc.. I try to do at least 2 exerises per major muscle group, including breaking back into upper lower, legs into quads, hams, etc. and incorporate exercises that use more then one group.

Wed.
9-10 Boot camp --1/2 calisthenic stylr cardio--jumping jacks, jumping rope, line drills, plyometrics, etc. & 1/2 lighter free weights
10-11, 2 mile run then finish out on tradclimber Max or eliptical level 15
530-630-kickboxing class

Thurs
9-10 spinning class
10-11 heavy lifting like tues
7-8 yoga

friday
9-10 strength endurance training class w/ cardio intervals
10-11 running 6.3mph @ 2.5% incline

Sat-
9-930 yoga
930-10 toning class
10-1040 cardio, choice of running, cycling, stair, walking, etc,

all classes have ab sections in them.

I have been doing this same workout fo 6 or so months and i love it...i feel great. i love being "good" at lots of things. i need the classes for socialization/motivation. I based this workout not too overtrain, but because I CAN do these things. I feel fit and enjoy working out. I dont do it to lose weight though if i do, great... My weight training on my own on tues/thurs. is based upon a design i created based upon a "periodization" workout, training everyday but changing the stressors... (see: chemical // insanity » Periodization Simplified ) i believe im pretty knoweldgeable in "workouts", types, endurance, physiology, etc.

I have excellent muscle under my fat layers! it is noticable in my biceps, back, quads and calves, though id like to see it in my hams and TRIS (esp). and more definition in my quads.

I want to lose 30 lbs (the last of what i gained during my last pregnancy 13 months ago on bed rest). Ive already lost 40 lbs. so in that aspect i know im doing something right.

lately ive had some pain during running and stair milling. i was thinkig of hiring a trainer (who ive used for 3 years...every week the first year) to assess my running motion etc. but then I went to the ortho-surg and he said i have a bone spur on my hip (due to wear/tear, childbirth, etc). he said the best advice he can give is to limit activity to non impact loading exercises like walking, swimming, etc. as an athlete i find this impossible to do. plus..when do i get my endorphine rush? i dont want to lose the ground ive gained.

1) how do i modify my exercises to incororate my well rounded training while letting my hip heal? would i benefit from seeing a trainer again?
2) though i dont think im doing too much would i find benefit in altering my tues/thurs weights to upper body one day and lower body the other?
3) can i peak a weightloss plateau by decreasing exercise?
4) is there any harm in keeping up my workout just stopping when i feel pain coming on? i read somewhere that you can work through some of these pains by building more muscle etc. and yoru body just gets used to it.

my biggest fear is losing muscle and losing cardio endurance.

i know my heart health is great. i know that loosing weight is really the only way to be able to see the muscle ive built under my fat. but i want to be healthy first.

i want to reiterate i dont do all this exercise to lose weight though im ok w/ that outcome. i truly love it. going to the gym is my me time away from kids (stay at home mom) i feel im a beyter mom after, and more energized. at night my husband joins me and its fun time together. my kids see the fun and importance of fitness.

anyway, sorry for the long post but i needed to give a background. can anyone answer my questions? give other suggestions?
thanks!
 
First, you appear to be spending way too much time working out. That causes some problems:
1. you mess up your hormone levels, especially the hormones that tend to increase fat storage and decrease muscle mass (increased cotisol, decreased testosterone, decreased HGH, etc.)
2. your body thinks it needs to store energy to fuel your long, drawn out workouts, so it stores as much fat as possible to be ready for the next days expected 3 hours of workout
3. if you are working out for 2-3 hours a day you can't possibly be working with any intensity, if you are working at a high intensity level you should barely be able to move after the first 45-60 minutes and either feel too dizzy to stand or be throwing up after about 90 minutes of truely high intensity exercise.

Solution:
1. A good whole body workout 3 times a week, total duration 60 minutes or less, six compound free weight exercises, 2 isolation exercises
2. HIIT - 20 miutes 3 times a week on alternate days
3. another hour or 2 a day spent with family, friends, reading, shopping, enjoying life!
 
hello,
I am fairly new to all this and I am reading as much as I can on all the posts. Please clarify something for me.... Is HIIT cardio? (please don't laugh. lol)
 
hello,
I am fairly new to all this and I am reading as much as I can on all the posts. Please clarify something for me.... Is HIIT cardio? (please don't laugh. lol)

High Intensity Interval Training. You sprint for 30 seconds, then rest for a minute then start again. Of course there's variations to this. You can do it on track, treadmill or excercise bike.
 
1. you mess up your hormone levels, especially the hormones that tend to increase fat storage and decrease muscle mass (increased cotisol, decreased testosterone, decreased HGH, etc.)
2. your body thinks it needs to store energy to fuel your long, drawn out workouts, so it stores as much fat as possible to be ready for the next days expected 3 hours of workout
3. if you are working out for 2-3 hours a day you can't possibly be working with any intensity, if you are working at a high intensity level you should barely be able to move after the first 45-60 minutes and either feel too dizzy to stand or be throwing up after about 90 minutes of truely high intensity exercise.

Solution:
1. A good whole body workout 3 times a week, total duration 60 minutes or less, six compound free weight exercises, 2 isolation exercises
2. HIIT - 20 miutes 3 times a week on alternate days
3. another hour or 2 a day spent with family, friends, reading, shopping, enjoying life![/QUOTE]



Thank you for your post...
first, i dont think i spend too much time working out...what some people find enjoyable (ie shopping) I find bothersome...to me this is what i want to do with my free time...and how i enjoy myself...i find it social as well spending time with my friends who have similar intersts...as a stay at home mom...i dont want to be spending this time with my family...hence the reason to get away! :)

second, i feel my intensity level during my workouts is high...its not a HIIT by any means, but i am sweaty, get my heart rate up, huffy puffy when Im done, after my weights (and Im very focused-i lift heavy as well) I am sore...I knwo my intensity level is high enough to be productive and for the purpose of endurance training i think it is effective as well. I know I am working. Except for yoga, thats a down time focused on stretching my muscles. I have done HIIT when I run on saturdays (and especially as I come closer to my 10k's) but because I know I train everyday it isnt a smart thing to do daily.

I will though, try to incorporate HIIT more often maybe make that my regular saturday routine...

as far as the whole body workout, i do that on MWF so im already incorporating that...

btw, can you tell me more about this increased fat storage? I have had great success in losing weight the last few months, but if theres more to learn Id like to know. also I eat right before I exercise to "fuel" my workouts for example Ill have an eas protein bar in the morning and a glass of soymilk and an aple in the evening...


Thank you for the advice!
 
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