[dreamer5571]

hey-lo! I'm a newbie..and where I live; its 116 degrees outside..

I'd love to start losing weight and getting fit, but all I have is two dumbells and no money for books/videos/ect

any tips/websites that I can use to start me on gettig fit again

thnx

!

[madscientist]

The library should have videos you can check out. Plus, I'm sure some friends or family might let you borrow theirs. If you can afford it, rent some from Netflix or Blockbuster. Once you know which ones you really like, you could start buying them as you can afford to do so. You can buy them used on Half.com or Amazon.com. If you're willing to use a vcr, you can save even more if it's available in that format.

Do you live in an apartment that has a gym? If so, 30 minutes a day on the treadmill would be great exercise!

Mall walking is another option. I hate it, but some people like it. And it has A/C!

If you live somewhere that's cooler at night, you could walk some lit park trails or find a tennis or basketball partner and play on the lit courts. My racket was $12, the bag of tennis balls was $6 and the basketball was $5. Or, you could just walk on the sidewalk.

I got some ankle weights from Gart sports for about $20 and I lay in bed watching tv and do various kinds of leg lifts. You don't even particularly need ankle weights for that, normal leg weight provides enough resistance but I'm really want to build alot of muscle.

Also, if you can get these types of items used on Craigslist, all the better.

Do you have a neighborhood pool or anything that stays open after dark? If you like swimming, it burns alot of calories and you don't even feel it! I use to do that at the pool at my apartment until they made the hours dawn to dusk

I love those little mini trampolines. I see them posted ever so often on Craigslist for somewhere in the vicinity of $20.

If you have cable, you could record those exercise shows in the morning and play them back whenever.

At this link here: http://exercise.about.com/cs/exercis...out_center.htm there's a ton of different exercises you can do, it has pictures and instructions.

That's about all I can think of. It's 2 inches above **** where I'm at too, and I've had some real problems this summer with trying to exercise and being heat sensitive. I go to Curves mainly, but the idea of getting in a hot car, driving in traffic in the hot sun to spend 30 minutes getting all hot and sweaty only to go out to a car that's 130 degrees inside and drive back home just is NOT appealing to me. I've already nearly passed out once trying to do it against my better judgment, so i'd just be happy to maintain during the month of august and start back to the Curves routine (and my hiking!) in September when it's cooler. Heat can really hurt you so I empathize.

Good luck!

[dreamer5571]

What;s curves like? I've heard good and bad..
how many times a week can you go?

[madscientist]

I love Curves actually. It's circuit training, and they have these machines and walking boards lined around in a circle. The machines and walking boards alternate. The machines work about every muscle in your body and really get your heart rate going. A good Curves workout will burn about 500 calories in each 30 minute session. You are sufficiently exercised! They recommend you go at least 3x a week to see results, but you can go everyday if you want to. A part of what drew me to Curves is that I get lost in regular gyms, I never know what to do. This takes all the guesswork out of it. The 30 minutes go by so fast, and I usually use that time to escape into "the zone." The other factor was that it's a women's only gym and I prefer that environment. I don't ever feel self-conscious or like I'm being compared to other women like I did in the regular gyms.

Cost varies, but I paid $100 to sign up and $29 a month. They're always running specials though, and they've had a 50% off the sign-up fee for the past couple of months at my location. Usually, they'll let you try it out once and walk you through it all before you have to sign on the dotted line. Once you're a member, you can go to any location but you have to ask your current location for some passes to do so or else have all your info transfered if you've moved.

It's easy to me, and I like that alot. I don't have to think about what to do, it's all been taken care of for me. I don't have to wonder what machines to use, for how long, or if I need to do more cardio or strength training. Their circuit training has it all figured out and you get both at the same time. I go, I workout regularly, I see results. Period.

My location has games all the times and fun things to keep us motivated. You earn prizes, get your name on the board as "Best Motivator" or some other complimentary title. Stuff like that. If that's important to you and you're considering Curves, call around and ask different locations if they do that. My previous one didn't.

I can't imagine not having Curves available to me!

Originally Posted by dreamer5571

What;s curves like? I've heard good and bad..
how many times a week can you go?

[sierra_ttw]

Check out the Shape and Self websites - they have tons of exercises on their sites, and they all have either slide shows or streaming video, so you can do the exercises along with that. Otherwise, just do what you can to move - walk places where you used to drive, take the stairs, go hiking - whatever you can.

[Ilene]

Krista Smash has some great at home ideas

[Rosario]

Originally Posted by madscientist

If you have cable, you could record those exercise shows in the morning and play them back whenever.

Does anybody know what cable/satellite channels show those early am excercise shows??

[GoingGoal]

On DirectTV we have http://fittv.discovery.com/