I first bought Red Carpet Ready three months ago for my mom. She hasn’t been using it much, though; she stays on for almost a week at a time, but then falls off.

Well, at the beginning of October I lost my job, so I sit around a lot now as I internet-surf for another one. I needed something to get me moving for a little bit every day. At first I’d take hour-long walks, but then winter came in, and I don’t like walking in cold. So I started doing RCR myself, 2-3 days per week.

There are 3 circuits for each day, and you’re supposed to do each circuit 3 times. I can manage 2 times per circuit, and then I’m toast. Believe me, you’re glad to be using only 5-lb dumbbells! Even doing only 2x/circuit, though, it’s still taking me an hour to do each workout.

And though the circuits are intense enough that you’re breathing hard and even really feeling some muscles working hard, when it’s all over you’re not exhausted and ready for a nap. A post-workout shake and shower later, and you’re ready to keep going.

I didn’t do the cardio days, mostly because I can’t stand to walk on a treadmill for that long (and there’s no TV down by our treadmill). But then again, I was only doing it to get off my butt and do something that wouldn’t wear me out before BJJ classes.

So, thumbs up. Wish I had great news to report on my Mom’s success, but again, she hasn’t stuck with it long enough or made a real effort to change her eating habits. She comes around slowly…

Photo by extranoise

I’ve had my mom on NROLFW, Stage 1, since April. She keeps dropping off the program for a few weeks and hasn’t really wanted to move on and learn new moves with more weight. She’d never really lifted before I put her on NROLFW; she usually just walks on the treadmill. And she works out in the morning, in the basement, by herself. So she really needs a program that she can do without supervision.

I first really noticed Valerie Waters’ Red Carpet Ready a while back when Skwigg blogged about her experiences with the program. And anything that gets Skwigg’s recommendation is worth trying out. I bought the RCR e-book last weekend and read through it with the intention of putting my mom on the program. (Ha! My own personal guinea pig!)

Goals section. The first part of RCR is about setting goals, preparing for the program, and really committing yourself to following the program. Because, obviously, if you don’t follow the program, you can’t expect the results of the program. (Don’t just say, “Well, duh,” because too many people think that just because they’re kinda sort “on” a program that the program should magically work.)

Nutrition section. Valerie makes it clear that “Nutrition accounts for about 80% of the program.” Eat every 3 hours, eat protein at every meal, drinks lotsa water, plan out your meals: all that important stuff is there. Valerie’s not a calorie counter, so instead she gives recommendations on sample meals, portion size, and plate coverage (the % of your plate that each macro should cover). (If you do need to calorie count, as some of us do, or need to know why you’re “hardly eating” but not losing weight, then check out Leigh Peele’s Fat Loss Troubleshooter for more nutrition advice. RCR would probably work well with FLTS.)

Workout section. There are two workouts, A & B, that are alternated, and the workouts themselves change after 3 weeks. Each workout has 3 circuits that you repeat 2-3 times, doing most moves 12-15 times per circuit, for a total workout of about an hour. The highest weight listed on the movements is 10 lbs; however, movements include single-leg Romanian deadlifts, planks, Y & T (from the YTWL), step ups, lunges, single-leg squats, and push ups. In other words, most of the movements are challenging enough as body-weight exercises, so having lighter weights isn’t hindering your progress. A few exercises require a resistance band or the “ValSlide” (it’s kind of like a pad that slides across any surface, so whatever limb is on the ValSlide is having to work harder to stay in place). All exercises include a description of where you should be feeling the work.

Cardio: In addition to the weight exercises, you do cardio on your “off” days (with one day a week completely off). There are 3 cardio workouts to choose from, all of them an interval workout. The first cardio workout is the easiest, the second is medium, and the third is more advanced. All cardio workouts are presented by “perceived exertion,” and a chart is included to help you figure out each level.

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So who could benefit from RCR? (Obviously Skwigg did, so right away that means that everyone can.) If you’re not focused on gaining much strength, don’t have access to heavier weights, or only have 6 weeks, then give this a go. And/or if you’re following fat loss advice like Fat Loss Troubleshooter and so need a program that doesn’t drain you and doesn’t need lots of recovery, I think RCR would be a good complement.* (As many of us trying to do NROLFW and follow FLTS found out, NROLFW is too much on fewer-than-maintenance calories.)

My mom was actually very excited when I first told her the name of the program. She kept bugging me until I finally downloaded it, and she had it in the page protectors and in a notebook within a few minutes of getting the hard copy. She’s buying a small step today for the step ups (I use the weight bench) and is looking at resistance bands. This week is her prep week: making sure she has everything, getting used to eating lunch again, and going to bed earlier/getting up earlier. She’s been through Workouts A1 & B1, one time through each circuit; her first response was, “I have to do those more than once?!” She’s never tried intervals before, but she was up to jogging on the treadmill, so she should be alright with those.

Mom update, 08-08-08: She not only bought a step, she also found the actual Valslides at Target and bought them. (I haven’t played with them yet.) Couldn’t find the Valband, though. I’ll try a few other places for a resistance band for her.

_{*To be fair, I haven’t tried the RCR workouts myself yet, so I don’t know how draining the workouts might be. If they leave you completely wiped out, wanting only to crawl back in bed and unable to go on with the rest of your day, then okay, they’re intense and probably wouldn’t work well with an extreme deficit. (For the record, the previous description is how I felt on NROLFW when I did it in the morning on maintenance calories. Tired, sluggish, and grumpy all day.)}