[Tonyia]

I am really new at this whole exercising thing. I've been doing it for over a month now. When I started I could barely get 15 mins on my Elliptical without being tired and quitting. So I have started to really enjoy it now but I need guidance.

I have arthritis in my hips, back and hands so I try and be as gentle as I can.

Currently I have been coming home from putting my daughter on the bus, eating breakfast and going on the Elliptical for 45 mins to an hour and then into stomach crunches (20 of those) and then right into weights for about 10 minutes..usually 15-20 reps each for bicep curls, presses and chest presses (I am not sure on the lingo I just know I do several arm groups) and I do that everyday even on weekend with no days off.

What I need to know is am I going to ever see any results to my body doing it this way? Do I need to tweak my program any? What should I be doing and for how long? Should I take days off? If so when?

I have read so many contradictions online from "Only exercise 3 days a week" or "You have to workout every single day for at least 2 hours to see results".

I don't know when to take breaks, if my muscles need to rest or not. I have been told to eat protein after I work out but I don't even know if that is true or not.

[gardenerjoy]

You're doing great! And, you've already found out that you're going to get different answers depending on who you ask. So, be prepared for that here, too. Ultimately, you'll want to keep experimenting until you find what works for you. The experimenting itself seems to help -- changing things up keeps me more interested and tricks my body into a different response.

I have arthritis in the knees, hips, and shoulders and exercise, as well as weight loss, are the best treatments I've found. I like the elliptical but don't currently have access to the gym. I like walking (outdoors or on a treadmill) and I love working out to DVDs.

My initial strength training regimen was to follow the 10 Minute Target Toning for Beginners -- 10 minutes a day with a different muscle group each day. Now, I do more whole body strength training like Jillian's 30 Day Shred or bootcamp DVDs, and I only do them three days a week.

Today, I ordered a Wii Fit, which should also help with my variety.

[stella1609]

I know that I personally can tell when I need a day off. My alarm goes off, and my body is just still sore and tired. When that happens, I skip the exercise (I have 8 hours on my feet to look forward to for work anyways).

[Tonyia]

ok..Today I was super exhausted and just tired all over but I pushed through anyway but I still feel very tired and sluggish this evening. Maybe I should take tomorrow off.

[thesame7lbs]

Hi Tonyia,

First of all, congratulations on adopting a great exercise program and jumping in with gusto! And also for your signature -- eating better, drinking water, and feeling great!

Like gardenerjoy said, you will get as many different answers as people you ask... so here's my $.02.

Yes, you need a day of rest. Maybe elite athletes train 7 days a week, but we are mere mortals. I would suggest resting at least one day a week, and maybe consider a "light" day, especially if you are getting fatigued.

As far as results, what kind of results are you looking for? If you are hoping to improve your cardiovascular fitness, strength and toning, you are probably already seeing results (i.e., you can go faster on the elliptical or use more resistance, you can do more crunches, you are not sore after doing your weight work).

If you are looking for lower numbers on the scale or inches off your measurements, you will have to take eating into account. Our bodies are very good at demanding more fuel when we exercise more. This article describes the dilemma very well (you may have to register at the NY Times website to read the article but it is free -- and they frequently have interesting health/wellness/exercise/weight loss articles). One of the 3FC members has a great signature line: "You can't out-exercise bad eating habits." That includes eating too much of even the healthiest foods.

I had a workout today like you described: I felt horribly tired and hoped my workout would perk me up, but instead it just ran me down more. I'm taking tomorrow off and will be back in action again on Wednesday!

[Tonyia]

Oh yes, I have def. been eating better. I was eating less than 1000 calories a day and working out but not losing and realized I need to up my calories so now I am at about 1300 to 1400 calories. Whole foods, veggies, whole wheat, brown rice, beans and lean turkey, chicken breasts. I have also stopped eating for an hour and a half before bed and no longer eat any sweets. And I am drinking 64oz of water everyday..all things I learned from 3FC!

I am noticing some difference in my arms and legs toning, I guess I was just wondering if I can lose weight this way or not. I understand it takes time but I just feel like I have been at this for a good amount of time and it seems like I haven't lost anything but about 6 lbs and that was all done a few weeks ago.

I want to really build up my cardiovascular health because my father died at 43 from a massive heart attack and my mom at 63 from heart failure so I am doing things that they never did. I no longer smoke (2 yrs smoke free) I am exercising, and I do not eat red meat and try and stay away from bad fats as much as possible. I'm 36 and every yr I get closer to the age my father was I see myself gaining the way he did and it is very scary.

Thanks so much for your advice guys!