Starting exercising...remind me to keep my head on straight!
 

I'm going to start exercising. I've been convinced. What convinced me was a conversation here at 3CF about two women both 5'0", both 155 lbs, one was in a size 8 and the other a size 12. Yep...that's why I need to exercise. Because I don't want to lose 40% muscle, I want to lose 100% FAT. But I have an all or nothing mentality, so I need some help keeping things in perspective. I do not want to go off the deep end! I went off the deep end before, hit a wall and quit. By deep end...I mean think training for the olympics.

I'm starting with:
3 days working with my exercise ball (strength training)
2 days nice long walk...to be determined. LOL!

This is not too much, right? And by how much should I increase my calories? I NEED to increase them. I'm at 1200 without the exercise. I'm really not trying to be stupid. :^:

Congrats on starting an exercise program. Yours sounds great to me. I am an all or nothing type person too. I think over exercising until I couldn't take it anymore is the reason I failed the last two times I tried to lose weight. For me I have "drawn a line I won't cross" to keep myself in check. I will not exercise more than 30 minutes a night. I also walk 2 miles a day with my kids. This is naturally limited because you can't just look at a 7 year old and say "let's do another 5 miles." :p

As to how much more to eat I think others can answer that better than I can. I think 1500 cals a day would be a minimum.

I think the exercise sounds good. I love to walk (though it has been a little artic here lately, makes me lose my enthusiasm for the great outdoors!). My bf got me a swiss ball a while ago, I use to use it more, I like it.

I think how much you increase your cals depends on what you want your deficit to be. You can certainly continue eating 1200 and then increase it if you feel yucki or aren't loosing any weight. I'd probably go up about 200 (to 1400) for the first couple of weeks and take it from there. 1500 sounds like a reasonable number as well

Liz, that does sound like me! Some people may not the understand the statement "I will ONLY exercise X number of minutes" but boy, I sure do! It must be sustainable. What I was doing before...so not sustainable!

Dragonwoman, it's been frigid here too! FRIGID! But today actually hit 45 so it felt really nice. The snow is melting.

SNMom, I already feel "yuck". I'm tired all the time! I know 1200 calories is too low and that's the reason I'm tired. It's just that it's working! 30 lbs in two months! It's going to be hard for me find a balance but I need to. And if I increase the exercise, I really need to increase the calories too.

30lbs in 2 months... wow! That's great. I think I need to start exercising now too. I gotta kick it up a notch... I was doing the mental battle over it on my lunch break today. Do I make myself exercise tonight... or maybe I should just start next week 'cause that sounds good.... LOL. Thanks for the motivation. I WILL workout tonight!

I toyed with starting next week, but then I though the best diet advice I ever give is to just start now. So I started today. :D I walked a half hour. I was surprised by how invigorating it felt.

Hooray Eliana!

I have done yoga and walking for a couple of years now, but have, just this month, added in some serious toning and weight training exercise.
I can already flex my upper back!! I am convinced I look firmer!

Do it. You'll love it. LOVE IT, I tell you! :carrot:

Well, I'm wearing size 10 jeans, in the interest of full disclosure, and I have a very small frame.

Having said that, no, that is not too much exercise to start with. I would try increasing to 1400 calories-ish and see what happens. Good luck! Obviously you're not going to regret adding exercise into your routine; it can only help, after all.

OK Eliana, it is really all your fault...You are responsible for finally getting me off my butt and doing... two sets each :

Seated dumbbell shoulder press
Wall pushups
Bicep Curl
Standing side bend
Low mount Seated rows
Crunches
Glute kicks
Lying Abduction
Lying Adduction
Scizzor Kick
Bridges.

I will alternate this (35 min) workout with walking every other day.
Thank You !

Umm...what's a swiss ball? thanks!

I just started back working out again since 4 weeks ago and of course once I start working out again I gain 2 lbs but since it happens all the time when I start exercising its no surprise to me. Just be prepared for the scale to go up a little when you do hit the gym. Also when you up your calories from 1200 to 1600 or more be prepared for the scale to go up a little. the pounds will start to drop again but just give your body time to adjust to eating more and working out. I am 5'4 and my nutritionist recommended 1800-2000 cals a day. I workout about 3 times a week. Since I just started back up I walk with interval hills for about 20 mins, and then I get on the elliptical for 10 mins and do intervals, and then I lift weights on about 3 machines. 3 machines is my goal. I try not to kill myself until I get in better shape.

Swiss Ball

Often referred to as a balance ball or exercise ball as well. :D

Whenever I see people say how cold it is where they live and talk about the snow and all that, I am reminded how lucky I am to live in AZ now. It's about 75 here. It's been absolutely beautiful out which is so lucky for me because my main exercise is walking and if it was fridged out there it wouldn't be so easy to get out there everyday. I can't afford a gym.

And I agree with all the others...exercise can only help. You won't regret it. And your plan sounds great.

Plus...30lbs in 3 months? That's awesome! That right there has inspired me! LOL

I'm so sorry. I fretted about this all night long thinking of a way to respond. When you responded that way I realized what I said probably didn't come across right. I'll start by saying I'm jealous of your size 10 jeans! I'm jealous of size 12 jeans and of 155 lbs! LOL! I guess that what I meant, and still probably won't say right, is that muscle weighs more than fat, and while I already know that, knowing that a woman can fit into a size 8 pair of jeans while weighing 155 lbs amazes me. And that's because she has some heavy muscle on her. I was 135 in size 10 jean when I graduated from college! I don't think there was any muscle stuffed into those jeans, which is probably why I wasn't happy with my body at the time.