Exercise! Love it or hate it, let's motivate each other to just DO IT!

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Old 05-24-2011, 04:14 PM   #1  
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Default When you started your weight loss journey, what exercise did you do?

So first I must say exercising is much harder for me than eating right in many aspects. I don't have much motivation in this area and I really need it!!

I was wondering what everyone did when they first started to exercise? What types of exercise? Did you do it everyday or a few times a week? etc.

I know that it is very important to mix cardio with weight training/resistance to get the maximum weight loss and muscle tone.

I'm just now beginning and I'm very out of shape!!!! I'm 24 and weigh 190 right now and am very flabby per say, I want to be about 140-150 and toned.

I just started exercising yesterday and I am beginning the 5k couch thing. I am walking for 5 mins at 3.0, jogging for 2 mins at 4.5, and walking for another 5 mins at 3.0. I did this yesterday and today (hadda force myself lol) and it does bring up a sweat, which is sad that is all it takes for me

I am also doing a 10 min kettlebell workout along with it. I haven't done it yet but know I need to do something besides 12 minutes a day. I plan on doing it after dinner.

The 5k plan increases as time goes, but for me starting out, does the 5k cardio and 10 min kettlebell dvd seem feasible or do I need to step it up?
Oh and I am eating 1300-1800 calories a day.

Thanks all! I've already got some very good advice here, i love this place! you guys rock!
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Old 05-24-2011, 04:32 PM   #2  
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boatgirl16-
Kudos on the calorie count! Many times people will start a diet consuming too few calories, get hungry, and then eat everything in the house! It will be much easier for you to adjust your calories down as you're losing weight bc you are starting out at 1300-1800 instead of 1200.
As far as the exercise: Kettlebell routines are FUN! You will sweat bullets if it's intense enough. The great thing about them is that you never know how much work you did til the next morning! Lol! I've tried the couch to 5k program before (gave up only a couple wks in), and it seems like a good way to ease yourself into running. If you burn out, try walking. Or, if you hate folding laundry (like me), put on your mp3 player and dance while you do it. I mean seriously get down. It takes longer to fold and put the laundry up, but it's perfect for the multi-tasker! I do it where no one sees me (so I don't hold back) and make sure to go at least 20 mins. This could also be a quickie workout to add to your regular routine.
Hope this helps. Have fun on your weight loss journey and you will stick with it longer!
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Old 05-24-2011, 04:36 PM   #3  
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First off, I would say do what you can stick with and what you enjoy.

What you have sounds reasonable to me if it's something you can stick to. If not, try something else. Exercise won't do much in terms of shedding pounds, but it'll make your body toned and you'll be healthier and stronger for it.

I began by working out on a rower and then an elliptical. At first, I had to push myself to do 15 minutes, but now I can do 45. Since I've started exercising more, I've begun taking classes at a local gym and doing the 30 Day Shred dvd.

For me, working out relieves my stress and I find I truly do enjoy getting the burn.

In the end, see my first sentence.
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Old 05-24-2011, 10:01 PM   #4  
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I must admit that when I started my journey, I really didn't exercise. Instead I focused on my food choices. But, I did start walking. As the pounds dropped off, I increased my walking. I try to increase my walking every week.
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Old 05-25-2011, 11:48 AM   #5  
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For the first month, I didn't exercise. For the second, I rode a stationary bike every other day for 10 minutes. After that I increased things gradually. Now I work out quite a lot and have a variety of things that I do. On average I would say 1-1.5 hours/day for 5-6 days a week.

I agree with some others here - stick with what you like. Swimmer? Swim. Runner? Run. Hate running? Walk or ride a bike. Don't force yourself to do what you hate, particularly in these early stages.
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Old 05-25-2011, 12:20 PM   #6  
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I started with something as simple as 30 minutes logged on WiiFit 3 days a week. Then I put a step on risers in front of the TV and stepped while watching a show. Finally, made it to the gym and 5 months later I put in 5-7 miles 6 days a week doing something - walk/jog or eliptical and if i don't make it to the gym, I still step away for an hour on those steps Start slow and as your fitness improves, you will begin to crave exercise, or at least I do.

Last edited by NTexas; 05-25-2011 at 12:22 PM.
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Old 05-25-2011, 12:49 PM   #7  
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I started walking ... then slowly started including hills ..

I then joined the gym and gradually got back into weight training ....

Now I jog plus weight training and do other cardio at the gym ....
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Old 05-25-2011, 01:32 PM   #8  
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I walked. Outside. In all weather.

Then I developed plantar fasciitis, from doing too much too soon, and got tired of worrying about weather affecting my plans, so switched over to the stationary bike at the gym.

I also tried a beginning yoga class.

Eventually I tried an elliptical.

Then I started lifting five-pound weights during the commercial breaks on "The Biggest Loser."

Finally, I dared a spin class, which was a very, very big deal for me, since grade school & high school gym classes had traumatized me& I didn't want to do anything where other people could see me fail & be klutzy or not be able to keep up.

This all happened over time. Each time I tried something new, and didn't fail utterly, I gained a little more confidence, which helped me try the next thing. It was -- what do you call it? A virtuous cycle.

Last edited by saef; 05-25-2011 at 01:34 PM.
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Old 05-25-2011, 02:02 PM   #9  
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I worked out and did weight training from day one. Started slow on the cardio -- used a recumbent bike at first, and walked on the treadmill. Worked up my tolerance on those machines and eventually got on the elliptical, which is my one true love.

As for weights, I started small - 5 or 10 pounds, maybe. Then worked up to higher weights every three to four weeks.
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Old 05-25-2011, 03:55 PM   #10  
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When I first started (Dec. 2001), I would PUSH myself to do 10 minutes on the elliptical. I can't remember how often I did it. 3 - 5 times a week, maybe? Then, when I could do 10 mins easily, I worked up to 15 mins.

Now, I am signed up to do a 10k on Monday (that is 6.2miles). I am figuring I can do it in under an hour and a half. I am eager to see what my time is. (I will probably be last)

SLOW and steady. There is no need to start off with an hour of cardio and an hour of weight lifting. Seriously - 10 mins a day is awesome. I really felt, ESPECIALLY at the beginning that developing the HABIT of working out was probably even MORE important than what I was doing or how long.
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Old 05-25-2011, 03:57 PM   #11  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SCraver View Post
I really felt, ESPECIALLY at the beginning that developing the HABIT of working out was probably even MORE important than what I was doing or how long.
I can't second this enough.
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Old 05-25-2011, 03:58 PM   #12  
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I had started out with the 30 Day Shred. I completed the 30 day challenge without skipping any workouts. After that I became addicted to fitness.
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Old 05-26-2011, 11:13 AM   #13  
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I just started working out at a gym and I am quite heavy. I warm up on the treadmill for 15 minutes, then 30 minutes of strength training and then follow up with another 15 minutes on the treadmill for an hour workout. I do this 5 days a week and I already see such an improvement in my stamina. I started about 3 weeks ago.
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Old 05-26-2011, 02:14 PM   #14  
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I started walking, and I also increased my NEAT. I almost never sit down at home anymore, I stay on my feet. It keeps me from lazing about out of habit, and I've been keeping my house a lot cleaner! Walking to the store instead of driving 3 blocks, walking to my SIL's house instead of driving 2 blocks, parking farther away, taking the stairs, pacing while on the telephone, taking frequent breaks at work and walking around the building (sometimes I go upstairs just to use the bathroom!) and a bunch of random stuff I don't even think about anymore.

Walking (indoors/outdoors/slow/fast/weights in hands or unweighted/hills or flat/whatever!) is fun, free, and enjoyable. When it became less challenging, I joined a gym at work just to use the weight room, but still walk for cardio. Maybe someday when I'm smaller I'll try running again, but for now, I'm too awkward and hurt my hips when I tried it.
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Old 05-26-2011, 03:38 PM   #15  
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I hate exercise. I always will. My doctor told me to take it like medicine, so that's what I do.

From the beginning of my most recent weight loss journey, I have done circuit training on an old BowFlex I found on craigslist and picked up for cheap. I do it every other day. To the circuit training workout, I added abdominal crunches and calf raises. I started out doing 8 reps of everything with really light resistance. Over the course of 5 months, I've worked up to respectable resistances doing bench press, shoulder pullovers, lat pull-downs, quads, hamstrings, triceps, upright rows, minimum 12-15 reps, 1 set only. I can do 200 ab crunches and 200 calf raises. It takes about 20 minutes for me to get through a circuit.

On off days, I turn on the Pump Workout music on my tv and dance like an idiot for a minimum of 20 minutes. I aim to break a sweat but not get totally out of breath.

I recently hauled out my bicycle and have started riding for 20-minute stints here and there. I look forward to doing more of this with a friend when she returns from being out of town.

It's all been slow and steady, just trying to accept this as part of what I must do in my new life.

Good luck with it! You've gotten a lot of great advice in this thread!
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