Okay, so I'm really pushing myself to get moving and I'm definitely motivated. My schedule is hectic right now, so I'm trying to work in things where I can. I am a full time teacher, run an online teacher related business, and I'm working on my masters (graduating in December). Monday-Friday I wake up at about 4:45 and I'm out the door by 6am. I don't get home from work until about 5-5:30. Three nights a week I have class after work and I'm not home until 9:30. Working out has been a struggle and I'm squeezing things in when I can (taking the stairs at work, walking around more, etc.). I have a treadmill at home and some hand weights. I use my treadmill on nights I don't have class and on the weekends in between trying to finish projects for my business. I really struggle with drinking enough water during my day. As a teacher, the bathroom is like a paradise I can never get to so I really have to watch it and it is AWFUL.
I'm really struggling. Weight is coming off slowly, my thighs and arms are massive and I want to find ways to really work those areas at home. Once summer arrives, I'd like to join a gym if I can manage the time. If anyone has any tips, tricks, or help I am VERY open to it! Thank you!
There is some research that shows that weight training is most effective if it is done to burnout (meaning heavy weights in shorter sets -- as many as you can without hurting yourself normally). For this reason, I find that owning weights at home is tricky, since you need to buy heavier weights as your strength increases.
I like to do exercises that use my body weight -- for instance, planks, push ups, squats, and other pilates and yoga style exercises. I also try to do a fair amount of walking, fitting it in whenever I can.
Those would be my suggestions. Maybe look up pilates videos online or exercise plans involving a lot of squats etc.
First, you don't have to exercise in order to lose weight. Exercise is excellent and great for your health, and helps, but realize that your diet is where your weight loss will be made. You can't spot reduce by working out especially hard the areas you dislike. You can shape them by working the muscles, but the fat will come off wherever it feels like coming off.
I think the treadmill and hand weights are an excellent start and you should be able to build a good beginning program with that...a nice combination of cardio and weight training. Personally I hate the gym and like lifting heavy, so I purchased a barbell, plates, and some other equipment from a second hand sports shop and follow the New Rules of Weightlifting For Women program. Right now it's about 30 min including a short warm up in the early stages, but once I move on it's more along the lines of 45 min to an hour, depending on how much weight-switching I need to do.
As seize the day mentioned, you can also do a variety of body weight workouts and tailor the amount of exercise you do to the time you have available. There are many programs online. Fitnessblender has some good videos. I've used 30 day shred in the past and enjoyed it.
Really, it sounds like you have a good start with your treadmill exercise and some hand weights/bodyweight exercise abilities. Accepting that weight loss is non-linear and we cannot spot reduce (easier said than done I know!) will help. Weight loss is really about eating a sufficient caloric deficit, and your arms and legs will reduce if you continue to keep in one (whether you use calorie counting or any other diet method).
If you'd like an option that does not add too much to your current budget, I would recommend FitnessGlo ($18/month). There are plenty of free videos on YouTube, but I appreciate the organization of the site (easy-to-use), the different types of exercise (everything from strength to HIIT to dance [my favorite!] to step aerobics and so on), and the multiple organized programs (Beginner Strength, Busy Bride, No Equipment, etc).
I recommenced my exercise regime using the No Equipment program. Though I had to respect my body and modify the exercises as appropriate, I had a lot of fun and experienced significant differences in my energy, mobility, and strength. That program was a perfect launch point for me to build myself up, then start c25k and a lifting program. I liked it because I couldn't have any excuses when all I had to do was wake up, put on shorts and a sports bra, and get going. Most of the videos were 20-35 minutes and got incrementally difficult as you moved through the program.
Thank you guys for the advice and tips! It really helps! My doctor had me start the South Beach diet at the beginning of the year, and while I don't follow it strictly, I am definitely low-card living for sure. I've just changed my diet entirely and it has helped a lot! I am finding that I like to move a bit faster each and every time via my treadmill...who knew? I will definitely check out some online activities to see what I work with. It would be nice if I could do something in the evenings after work. Morning work outs have always been a struggle, plus tbh, getting up at 4am is a REAL push when I'm not in bed until 11pm or later. Hopefully it's my last year of this crazy schedule! Thanks again!!!!
I'm similar to you in that I find it very very difficult to make time in my super busy schedule to work out. I'm lucky because I had my fiancee take over making dinner five nights a week, with the agreement that I will work out during that time. It was the only way I could think of to get started working out again and get to that point where I'm addicted - this usually takes me about a month.
The good news: I think if you can make yourself do it for a month (literally even if it's 20 minutes), you feel like you need it or your day isn't complete. Even if you don't feel like you have time in your day, you'll make it work. Another thing that I do when I feel like I have no time is something that doesn't cause me to sweat, light lift light weights or stretch or just walk around the neighborhood. This way you're still getting moving but you don't have to shower and wait to dry off and get dressed again, you know? I find that that saves me a lot of time.
As for water - get a trenta cup from starbucks or a large jug (so you don't have to fill it as often) and just work your way up to drinking the full amount. You will literally have to pee ALL THE TIME if you go from zero to 60 in one day, so if you tend to drink two glasses a day then increase to two and a half one day, then three after a couple of days, with the goal of reaching your full amount within a few weeks. This lets your body get used to it. I used to drink maaaybe one glass of water a day, if I remembered. If I drank more than that I would literally pee like twice an hour. I eased myself into it and now drink almost 100oz a day with like four bathroom trips. It's doable!
I have a work schedule and commute that doesn't leave me with much time to exercise, and what has worked for me this week was to just get home (usually around 6:45pm) change my clothes right away, and either pop in a tape, YouTube a random video, or take the dogs out for a walk. Sometimes it's 15 minutes, sometimes it's 45, but I'm really trying to focus on fitting SOMETHING in each day. My stress level is sky-high at the end of the day, and exercising after work helps! I'm also going to try to work a walk into my lunch hour. I work down the street from an animal shelter, so maybe they'll let me borrow a dog or two for a walk
Tips & Help with Home Ideas Please!
