Exercise, Nutrition, WLS & Cooking Q&A - 10/21/2013

I tried interval training this weekend and it didn't exactly go the way I thought it would.

Just to start off I did a 5 minute warm up and a 5 minute cool down and 3 minutes of a recovery interval and then one minute of a high intensity interval for a total of 30 minutes.  I walked about 1.30 miles in that time.  I don't run really (yet) but basically my heart rate on average for the entire 30 minutes was 143 the first time and 150 the second (I use a heart rate monitor with a chest strap).  I felt like my heart rate never really came down under 140 except during my warm up, I feel like I would have had to practically walk at like 1.1 on the treadmill to get my heart rate under that (I was walking at 2.2 and it was still way up there).  I was tired and sweaty when done but I felt fine.  Do I keep doing this and just keep watching for improved heart rate recovery?

Also

I am trying to go all in in getting my weight under control.  Can you tell me the idea days of cardio, weight training, etc for me to do the best I can to really take advantage of the honeymoon period?  

Thank you so much for always helping me.

As your cardio capacity improves you will see those numbers changes significantly. I have noticed this recently at my HIIT training classes where everyone's heart rate is displayed throughout the class. The new people's heart rates are crazy high through the whole class. After a couple of classes their heart rate starts to come back down like it is supposed to. Make sure during your walking intervals that you are working to control your breathing. That will help your heart rate come down. Also make sure while you are running your are breathing as well. Some people have a tendency to hold their breath when they do the sprinting part, that will keep your heart rate abnormally high.

If you are just starting out I would do 2 days of weights and 3 days of cardio with 2 rest days. On one of your 2 days of weights do your upper body and on the other do your lower body. Do a rest day after you do lower body because cardio on sore legs sucks.

If you do cardio and weights in the same day make sure to do weights first. You want the available energy in your muscles to go to muscle building and strengthening and then exhaust the rest with cardio. 

Cardio burns fat when you are doing it, more muscle burns fat when you are resting, so the more lean muscle you have, the more fat you will burn when you are just sitting around. So both are important.

I really want to do more.  Since I started going to the gym my weight loss has took off again like I just had surgery and it keeps me very focused on my eating, too because I'm not going to ruin my work in the weight room with a bad diet.  Right now I do weights 4-5 days a week and piloxing (cardio) twice but would like to incorporate some HIIT cardio either first thing in the morning and then weights in the evening or HIIT cardio immediately after my workout.  I just don't want to overdo it, that is my main concern so I don't know how much cardio to add.  

I think you are on the right track, just add cardio as you feel you can handle it. If you over do it you will know. Just try to keep your rest days to 2 and you will be good to go. I try to get 10 workouts a week and one of my rest days is actually staggered and then I take one day a week that I do not do anything. I wouldn't jump right into 2 a days it took me some time to get there and I don't always get 10 in pet week. You have to learn to listen to your body and take time off even when you don't want to. I've gotten to the point that I really do not like my rest days but I also realize how important they are.