I began maintenance in May and the scale has slowly crept up. I have signed up for an exercise program already that continues for another month. I've decided to reboot, beginning today. I understand that my losses will probably be much lower since I will be exercising this time around, but I'm wondering if the amount of exercise makes a difference. I am signed up for 3 times a week (bootcamp type classes), so I'm wondering if I am exercising that much already if I may as well do my regular 5 times a week, or if I will see much of a difference either way. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!

Hello everyone. First, is there a new thread for exercise because there haven't been any posts for a bit. LOL hope I'm in the right place. Second, I need some help. So I started IP on 1/2. Had very sore muscles and felt drained at first so I was a tad apprehensive about working out. Now that i feel much better, I'd like to think about working out but I don't know whether to start next week (the start of my 2nd week) or wait until I'm done with my 3rd week. A little background - I haven't worked out in over a year. Does anyone have any recommendations for me...when to start/what workouts to do (walking maybe?)/ how long?

Any suggestions at all would be helpful.

Thanks a lot!

I walk my dog for half an hour a day
I go to curves 4-5 days a week for half an hour
I have a pedometer and before IP I use to walk a lot more
now I am slowly working back up to 10000 steps a day.
This week I am averaging 8500 steps next week will be 9000 and so
on until I hit 10000.
If the weather is too bad to walk the dog-I do a walk away the pounds dvd in my home.

IP wouldn't suggest adding any workouts until you've acclimated to ketosis (maybe after the first month). There isn't anything wrong with going for walks, however. Start small & slow since you havn't been doing anything. Remember, IP doesn't require any exercise and adding too much too fast can actually slow losses (due to water retention for muscle repair).
I added gentle yoga after about 4 months and walks once Spring sprung.

Thanks lisa32989. I'm just a little worried about loose skin and sagging but I will wait it out a bit to let my body get used to everything. Thanks again.

That is my excerise question as well. For those that have lost larger amounts of weight, do you do something to help prevent extra skin? Do you have extra skin sagging issues? I have very large upper arms and legs as well as lower tummy from 2 c-sections. This makes me worry. Any thoughts, advice, feedback would be great : )
<3 Jen

My thoughts.
I can stay big and not have hanging skin or lose weight & there may be hanging skin but I'll be healthier.
We really can't control the skin. On IP we lose weight so fast that it may take a year or more for our skin to catch up after we lose weight.
I feel like I pretty much lost the right to have the "perfect" body with all the abuse I've done to it.

All that exercise can do is tighten muscles underneath fat & skin. It really doesn't firm or tighten skin.

So, I chose weight loss and health and figure the skin will take care of itself one way or another. I may need to save $$ for plastic surgery. It may tighten up with time.

But I will be thinner and healthier.

Great answer Lisa! I love the wisdom and sensibility you bring to this forum!

Didn't think of it that way. Thanks for the insight!!

I had just started Zumba when I joined IP and took the month off. My coach let me attend twice a week but had to have an extra packet that day and additional water. It probably slowed my loss but I am more toned than I would be if I had stopped all together. Yeah, I have saggy arms ( lost 5 inches) and upper thighs but so agree with Lisa...I can deal with that and dress accordingly. Before I was in shift dresses and tunics, now I can wear stylish clothes and cap sleeves and feel great about how I appear, and even better at how good I feel! Phase 3 starts tomorrow

More impressive is that I bet a BELT is a smashing accent these days!!

Congrats!

65X65 - you always make me smile or laugh! In losing weight, one of the first things to which I treated myself was a belt (OK, belt collection)!

My waist has always been a good feature for me and so I have lovely new belts with fascinating buckles and neat leather. Anytime I wear a shirt or sweater that has a tiny bit of length, on goes the belt.

Good for YOU...and a WELL DESERVED feel good!!! Also loving the belt collection myself these days ...there is a really nice rotating men's tie rack with layered hooks ... great way to hang that collection...on one hanger so there is room for all the other new stuff... I commandered mine from my husband's side of the closet. He doesn't need it. I do....

What a great idea and it will be on my list when we sell this house and move out. Right now, all is getting packed and sorted with the hope that we sell, so I will just have to crowd them on one hanger.

I had become addicted to a style that I think thrived on the east coast. They are belt buckles that are separate from the belt (Mimi di Nascemi, Dotty Smith) that Talbots used to carry...sea shells, leaves, modern sculptured shapes, nautical themes. They fit into two sizes of interchangeable leather belt strips in all sorts of wonderful colors.

OH YES..and Geiger!!!