I am just curious to those who workout... cardio and/or weights.. how long before you began to notice a change in your body? I started working out last week... and am shooting for 4-5 times a week. I am incorporating both cardio and weight lifting/machines. I was just wondering when I can expect to see a change. I am really hoping that if I keep this up, I will start notice it at the latest by Memorial Day Weekend. That would be almost 5 weeks from when I started. Just curious when others starting seeing results.

Thanks!
Jules

You can definitely expect to see some changes in 5 weeks. Keep measurements and pay close attention to how your clothing fits. I'm sure you'll be pleased if you exercise consistently.

When did I notice a change? Right away (within a week I'd guess) I noticed that my clothing felt a little different. I doubt if anyone would have noticed, but I knew something was going on. I've been exercising pretty regularly for about a year now (before that I was active, but not a consistent exerciser). The changes in my physique continue to evolve. I primarily do a combination of running, walking, and strength training. In the first 6-8 months, I noticed a general firming and tightening. In the past 4-6 months, I've actually noticed a big increase in muscle definition (especially in my arms and abs). The muscle definition is something that is really fun to experience and keeps me motivated to continue exercising.

How soon you experience results will depend on your exercise consistency and your own physiology. Don't be discouraged if you don't see results as quickly as you'd like. It's taken me a year to get to the point that I am (which is pretty slow I guess), but it's worth the effort in how I look, feel, and how it helps to maintain my weight.

Great job, Jules! Now that you're moving, you won't want to stop.

I agree that you'll be able to see a difference very soon. I started to workout regularly in January, and within a few weeks I could really tell a difference in how I felt. And after about 3 months, I was amazed at the difference.... I can jog for a couple of miles now, and I can survive through my aerobics classes pretty easily.

And most amazing to me --- after working out regularly for a few months, I realize how WONDERFUL it is! I actually ENJOY my workouts! :)

Good luck, and stick with it. You'll love the results!

I just thought i would throw in my two cents here too!! I have been doing light weights and ab moves for 4 weeks consistently.(I haven't missed a day on abs:)) I have noticed a huge change in my abs as have others. Also i went and tried on dresses the other day and i noticed i went from a size 8 to a 6...so even though i haven't lost any weight, i'm getting somewhat smaller.

Katie

Well, I have doing this for about a month and I have noticed a change. Unfortunately I never had anything to measure myself with to see what inches I may be losing. But I definitely can see a difference. The frustrating thing is I have not lost any weight yet.... I have actually gained! I am just hoping that if I stick with it, some more of my weight will come off. I would at least like to get into my weight range!

Thank you for everyones input.

Jules
179/166/157(ww)/150(personal) i am 5'11" :D

you are gaining muscle mass, which will mask actual fat loss. do you have a pair of skinny pants that you can use as a comparison?
is your weight goal realistic for your body? have you been that weight before, in a relatively recent time? no fair going back 20 years to what you weighed in high school or whatever. i'm 5'9, and I would love to be down to 145, but i have never been able to get down below 155 without doing extreme things that i could not maintain during a normal life. my body has sorta settled at about 160, and i am not really terribly thrilled with that, it is where i am healthy.
don't let the numbers on the scale determine your self worth. think about all the things you can do better or faster or stronger now versus a month ago. use that to judge your progress.

andrea

when will *you* notice a change? Probably long after others do! I have been doing both cardio and weight training for about 8 weeks, and I didn't think I was making any progress, but when I visited my hometown 2 weeks ago, my dad said "Wow- have you lost weight? You look great!" And later that day, friends who hadn't seen me in months said the same. Of course, *you* will feel changes in the firmness of your body, but you may not realize how that has affected your appearance to those who see you.

I am hoping to see a change soon. I can tell that I am gaining more muscle, but I am waiting for it to really show. My eating habits have gone downhill lately, so I have actually been gaining weight, and some of my clothes are actually getting tighter. I have been on track since the day after my birthday (oh wait! that was yesterday! :) ). No, but really, I feel back in control. I really am not so worried about losing weight, as I am about losing size. Actually, by bf bought me a fat analyzer scale for me for my birthday (something I did want!) and I can't wait to try it out. At least if I don't see the weight go down I can see my body fat percentage go down (at least I hope it does). I was measured several weeks ago at 23.6%, so hopefully when I get a battery for my new scale, I will have a lower body fat than when I last measured.

Thanks again for everyone's input.

Jules

P.S. Wanna know how I know my legs are getting stronger? tee hee. I was at the baseball game the other day and after a few beerverages I needed to use the facilities. They were looking kind of nasty so I used the ol' hover method. Usually it kills my thighs when I do this... but I didn't feel any pain at all... it was so much easier than in the past. :lol: tee hee. I am sure you guys really didn't need to hear this... but I wanted to share.