So I made an appointment with my favorite trainer today to see what new machines I could add to my weight lifting routine for some extra difficulty and variety. When she asked me what else I wanted to work on, I showed her the problem areas of my body I am most upset about and she told me that the only way I was gonna get those slimmed down was cardio. Fair enough. Trouble was that I can only do about 9-10 minutes of cardio before I'm wiped right now. She says I need at least 30. And that I need to be eating 10x my body weight in calories to lose weight. I don't know how many calories I am eating, but I'd be willing to bet that I'm not eating anywhere near that much. (But then, is that the amt you need if you're doing 30 min of cardio....which I can't do anyway?)
So I tried to do some cardio on some tougher machines...standing elliptical machines, which I've never been able to do. When I hit the wall on that, I went into this trainer's step/weights class (which she assured me that I'd be able to do).
Well, she was wrong. I lasted about 3 songs (including warm up) before I just had to leave.
I keep trying to tell myself that she meant to be encouraging, but it's hard to turn off the voice that says why the *&^) do I bother. It isn't enough. And I'm sad and I'm disappointed in myself and I'm angry. And I'm....I don't know what. And I really really want to go get a candy bar or something, but I am not going to comfort myself with that. I just wish I could stop berating myself about how ridiculously out of shape I am. I know it isn't hopeless, and that it is a process, but screw the process--I feel hopeless.
You will get better and quickly! Don't get discouraged, doing that first session was the hardest. Just go. Consistently. And do what you can do. You will be surprised how quickly you get to 30 minutes.
Fast walking helps, too and maybe you can fit that in later. Your 30 minutes don't have to be consecutive at first.
Don't wipe yourself out, just keep going. You're doing great you go there and started and that's the hardest part.
Roses: Hang in there! You'll need to work up to it little by little. When I started back to exercising, I literally counted it a win if I just made it in the door. I did very little at first. The next week, I started trying to increase my activity level... and the week after that, pushed a little more. Fast forward to now, I'm doing Spin 4 times per week, Body Pump (cardio plus weights) 2 times per week, and weight machines once per week. Sundays are my day off. I'm trying to do more resistance in spin, and higher weights in Body Pump and the machines.
My point is that you can build up to it!!! Just be patient and dedicated.
Motivation gets you started, dedication gets you to goal!
CindySunshine, it isn't my first day. I've been exercising at the gym and eating better for about 2 weeks now, and I've lost 6 lbs. I was trying to step it up so I could lose some more weight b/c I only lost a pound last week. And I have about 97 lbs to go to my goal. Probably a little more than that. I think what gets so depressing is that I have so far to go and I'm already doing everything I can do already.
Yeah I know that I should be able to do more later on. But I don't know if I really believe that that will happen right now.
I remember reading a story a long time ago where this lady couldn't walk to the end of her driveway at first but she decided to walk. After a while, she was walking miles every day. Endurance isn't built in a day or a week or a month, it takes a while and you have to work at it.
Hi Rose. I'm currently frustrated for different reasons but I wanted to take a moment to try to encourage you. When I started this journey, I am not exaggerating when I tell you that I couldn't last 3 minutes on the elliptical machine with no resistence. I am embarrassed to admit it because I was truly in horrible shape. I wanted to quit at 2 minutes. I really thought I was going to pass out or expire. Over the last 2 months I've built up to 45 minutes though I only do 30 minutes on the "mountain" setting by choice, (because I do an additional 30 minutes of weights and calisthenics). At about 9 minutes, like clockwork, I still feel that burn start that makes me want to stop. I've learned though if I can push thru that I can keep going. I'm not suggesting at all you push thru, what I am saying is that it takes time..... Everyday do a little more when you can. Even if its 20 seconds. Literally, there were days I felt like a champion if I added 5 seconds because it was so hard for me. You'll get there. Hang in there.
Last edited by CooCooCaChoo; 04-22-2014 at 12:28 PM.
It will only take two things for you to be successful at your cardio:
1) Start where you are.
2) Keep at it.
When I first started using an elliptical, I thought something was seriously wrong with me. Almost immediately, my legs felt like old, overstretched rubber bands. I was totally weak and could do next to no distance. But in time, I got where I could put on more miles than I'd ever thought possible. I can't begin to tell you how glad I am that I didn't give up.
Every minute counts! Please don't get discouraged.
Can you incorporate cardio in 10 minute sessions throughout the day? A 10 min. walk in the morning, 10 mins. at the gym, and maybe a 10 minute walk before bed? Something like that! Then eventually you can try to increase your sessions to 15 min. each and two sessions a day (or keep it at three if you can work it into your schedule). Or maybe 10 minutes of cardio, weights, 10 more minutes of cardio, weights, etc...give yourself a break inbetween.
But remember that 30 minutes of cardio isn't the magic answer and just because you can't do 30 minutes now doesn't mean you won't ever be able to do it, and it certainly doesn't mean you aren't improving your health even by doing 10 minutes, because you are!
That trainer should be ashamed to have put such frustrating guidelines down for you. A good trainer would work with what you can do, not insist you do something impossible for your current state of fitness.
That being said, how about setting a goal for ten minutes of walking? That's right, I said walking. And not fast either. Just what you can manage. If that happens to be half a mile per hour, then so be it. The fact that you have a problem with stamina means that your heart really needs that exercise to get stronger. You are out of breath and weak because you are not getting enough oxygen to your body. You aren't getting enough oxygen because your heart is simply not strong enough to pump that much blood. You have to remember, too, that your trainer would probably have a hard time exercising if she had to do what she does while carrying almost 100 lbs. So you are probably fitter underneath that than you realize!
Don't you deserve a strong, healthy heart? I am a huge fan of weightlifting. But please don't neglect your most important muscle, the one that works without stopping. You will be surprised how quickly your fitness improves. Please don't give up! Show that trainer what you are made of!
You are only hopeless if you stop hoping. And I know that you hope for a fitter, healthier body. You can have it. Just walk for five minutes twice a day, maybe around the neighborhood? I had a point in my life where my doctor told me I had to exercise for at least thirty minutes. Well, let me just tell you that it was nearly impossible just to stroll for twelve straight minutes. I thought I would die. I no longer have that problem. On my "rest" days, I walk three miles around my neighborhood. Briskly. Please don't give up!
Gotta remember many trainers don't know squat and the DEFINITELY don't know anything about nutrition - only what they learned for themselves. Depending on your gym, your trainer might have had a 2 hour seminar to become a trainer. That's it. Take what they say with a grain of salt. Want to learn more? Read New Rules of Lifting for Life (the newest one (I think). Great info. Start small and go from there.
As far as exercise goes, you will be amazed at how far and how fast you will get with just persistence. Just for giggles, write down what you can do now. Test yourself agaist that every few months and just see how far and fast you go!
Last edited by berryblondeboys; 04-22-2014 at 02:32 PM.
What is your cardio routine now? You sound like you're feeling hopeless but you're not doing yourself any favors. You say the trainer told you how many calories to shoot for buy you have no clue how many you're eating anyway. The trainer said 30 min of cardio but you set yourself up by going on the harder machines. You can't succeed if you deliberately set yourself up to fail. You only lost 1lb last week and you've labeled that a failure. Your post is very glass-half-empty. It's ok, we've all been there and it's ok to indulge in a little self pity. But that's over now and it's time to talk about what you CAN do.
Your trainer made some suggestions and they're not bad. She said 30 min of cardio which is doable as long as you do what you can or work towards it. But you shot that down. She suggests a caloric amount which is also far from drastic but you didn't like that either. She invited you into her class and encouraged you by saying she believed you could do it and that brought you down too. From what I recall of your previous posts you're not receptive of other suggestions either so who can help? You're not obligated to honor anyone's advice but anything you do consistently will work eventually. Just keep doing and working and it will work out.
Self pity is a real drag. Whenever I feel a shred of it I get my a$$ to the track in the mornings and watch the old ladies run circles around me and that gets my butt in gear. Even more so the old lady who walks completely hunched over with a cane doing her daily laps. If she can do it then I can do. Perspective is everything.
Last edited by Palestrina; 04-22-2014 at 03:10 PM.
I think I can do 30 min of cardio if I split it into 3 10 minute sets. I had been doing that at the beginning and got side tracked by weight lifting. Trainers told me that just cardio by itself wouldn't get me the results I wanted, so I kind of lost track of the cardio. The good news is I do enjoy weight lifting and I feel better about myself when I do it because I really didn't think I could. (But I'm making progress there; I had to increase the weight on some of the exercises I do because they were getting a little too easy to get the reps in that the trainers recommended.)
It's easy for me to see 1 lb weight loss as a failure because I am very hard on myself and very impatient. In reality, I had a hard week and I managed to lose a pound even though I had to get through holiday meals with my family. (I said in a previous post that Easter isn't a big thing for my family, and it isn't, but we do still do family get-togethers which means unpredictable meals.)
Does anybody have:
A) a resource whereby I can figure out how many calories are in the things I'm eating, at least a ballpark figure (better than not knowing anything)
B) maybe a book I could read on how to be more positive? Wannabeskinny, you're right---I do tend to be a glass half empty person. Hubby is a realist, rather than an optimist or a pessimist, and he's good for me b/c of that, but I really do need to balance my outlook.
Please don't give up on me here. I'm not quitting (much as I was frustrated earlier I did know there would be setbacks) and I do find being able to post here very helpful.
Nobody's giving up on you and you better not give up on yourself either. You still haven't given a clear answer on what your cardio is though, only that you can't do it. Can you walk on a flat surface at a moderate pace? Even if its slow, I think it's important to do it for at least 15 min without giving up. If you're being too hard on yourself physically your body will give up. If your being too hard in yourself emotionally you will give up altogether. Find a sustainable balance.
Must run now but I'll be back with real suggestions about a positive outlook.
Depressing day at the gym
