The Shift Shop

Good morning blog friends!

Did you read my last post, about making time for a 30ish-minute workout?

Well, The Shift Shop is perfect for my new scaled-down-but-still-doing-it workout plan.  From the Beachbody website:

What makes the SHIFT SHOP unique?

The SHIFT SHOP uses a revolutionary “ramp-up” method that starts you off

slow—then gradually increases the intensity week by week—all while refining

your nutrition. In Week 1, you start with 25-minute cardio and strength workouts

you can really do, and a nutrition plan you can stick with. Starting in Week 2,

you’re pushing a little harder, for 35 minutes, and consuming more protein to fuel

the burn. But it’s nothing you can’t handle. Then in Week 3, your shift has kicked

into high gear, with intense 45-minute workouts and clean eating. The results

when you cross the finish line? Stunning.

I did The Shift Shop after returning from the Beachbody Coach Summit in New Orleans last summer (and got the tee shirt!).
The trainer, Chris Downing, really left an impression on me. Sometimes celebrity trainers make their workouts seem too tough for regular people, but this guy is determined to make his workout – and thus fitness itself – accessible to everyone.

The set up of this program is pretty simple – the first week is a 25-minute cardio workout and a 25-minute weights workout, alternated for 6 days. Repeat the sequence the second week with 35-minute workouts, and repeat the sequence the third week with 45-minute workouts. Oh and there’s abs workout thrown in there too You only need one set of dumbbells for the weights workouts (I use 10-pound dumbbells), and the cardio workouts have a modifier. Easy to follow, and really motivating because you can actually see how you improve as each week progresses.

ANYWAY! While I’m still working two full-time jobs, my plan is Couch-to-10K Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; and the 25-minute weights workout from the Shift Shop on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I’ll do my long ab routine on Saturdays, too. Sitting for 16 hours a day is NO BUENO, especially at my age. It makes me feel like crap and look even worse, so I think this routine might be a good solution until I have more time again.

Wish me luck! Have you started a new workout routine for the new year?