Carmen-Anything that gets you moving is good exercise, often times getting started is the hardest part. Most days I don’t look forward to exercise, but I tell myself “Just do 20 minutes, if you do 20 minutes then you can stop-guilt free” usually by that point I find I can finish my planned workout (though some days I don’t and just stop). Start with 5 minutes and work your way up. That’s how I started….5 minutes on the treadmill everyday for a week. When I felt better I moved it to 10, then 15. I didn’t push myself too hard in the beginning, even when I felt I could go longer I stayed on my planned time. Now I’m up to 4.5-4.7 miles a day at least 5 days a week (65-70 minutes). I can even jog for limited amounts of time…never imagined at 230+ lbs that I would jog, who knew???
Star-i agree 100% that you have to schedule exercise like any other appt and stick to it.
Julie-i exercise right after work, before I get too involved in anything else. I usually eat lunch around 11:30 and have a snack around 3 and exercise around 5pm. i usually can't exercise on a full stomach and if i'm really hungry after I have a piece of fruit while I'm making dinner. It's just what works for me.
Julie - Becuz of work I get up at 4:45 a.m. and grab some coffee, water and go down to the "Star Gym" I drink water while I workout. Then at around 8:15 I eat breakfast at work.
I love working out that early becuz it's done and out of the way. It also makes me feel better all day. That way I have my nights free to do whatever. Ofcourse I have worked out after work too. When that was the case, I did the same as Jen - worked out and then ate dinner.
The only time I can't work out is late at night, it keeps me up and I can't go to sleep.
Thanks ladies, for all the input. There is a fitness center right here where I work, and I am a member, but I do not go in there because the skinny folk look at me like I am a leper whenever its time to change clothes, shower, etc. So for now, I will pick up a couple of tapes and workout in the mornings before I get the kids up for school.
Carmen - if you're unused to a certain instructor, try renting the tape first at the video rental place- I've done that for some and was REALLY glad I had a test run before purchasing. . .
This is something that Fiona pointed me to - I lurk at the forum there, and saw this from this weeks expert. It fits in with what I was trying to say about cardio and strength. . .The expert is Jeff Rochford of Jeff's Gym in New York.
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Yes those last 5 to 10 are the hardest to get rid of. Weight training is key, but do not ignore cardio. This is about being healthy. I'll give you a quick break down of what they each do for you and what you can expect from them. If it sometimes seems I'm stating the obvious, it is because sometimes we ignore the most obvious simple rules when it comes to fitness.
Cardio works your heart and lungs, as they get stronger, you can comfortably work harder and longer. Translation, burn more calories. Don't fall into the trap, " I'm going to go easy and stay in my fat burning zone". It doesn't exist. The more calories burned help in weight loss. Calories in, calories out. The only draw back to cardio, when your session ends, so does your accelerated calorie burning. That's where weight training comes in. When you lift you burn calories. When your done, the body burns calories to help the muscle recover from the workout. The best part is. once you have muscle, the body burns calories on a consistent basis to sustain the muscle. So if you maintain your muscle tone you will permanently raise your metabolism.
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It's always nice to get someone else's words. . (I didn't plagerize!)
Julie- Great point about weight training....I need to get started with that again...okay, here's my goal. I'm going to use hand weights at home for arm toning at least 3 days a week, starting tonight. Anyone know a good website to check out to make sure I'm doing it right? I was doing strength training for months (and aobut 30 mintues of cardio 3 days a week) before I decided to lose weight and I'm convinced it's the only thing that kept my weight somewhat stabilized while I was being such an oinker.
Anyone else have any exercise goals they would like to share?
Carmen - About going to the gym with the skinny snots, I have a secret for you. You should go becuz your results will show more and faster than the skinny people that go all the time. It will be very rewarding to workout in front of them, have them snub you and then when you consistantly show progress, who will have the smug look on her face then? lol Trust me it will happen, seen it many times. You will get that last chuckle......
Julie - Thanks for the article, I actually knew all of that....don't mean to sound like a know-it-all, but I have been around the gym afew years. The one part, I do not agree with is "Don't fall into the trap, " I'm going to go easy and stay in my fat burning zone". It doesn't exist." The target heart rate is explained in Michael Thurmans book, but I'm not gonna post that. To each her own. I think no matter how we may disagree about some things, the key is to do the work, both cardio and weight training.
Jen -you plan sounds great. My plan is to continue working out 6-7 days a week, alternating cardio, toning and weights. When the weather breaks (it's snowing right now) I plan on jogging again. Short of quitting my job, I can't do much more....lol
Star - PLEASE post what info you have on target heart rate - or a synopsis, anyway! I don't have the book you are referring to, and I'm curious. I know all the cardio machines at my gym are programmable and have the palm sensors to track your heart rate (which nobody uses anyway, but that's a different topic) - funny thing is, the treadmill says that if I choose the "fat burn" program, my THR is only 135, which is not that much over my resting, while the "cardio" program gives me a THR of 156, which actually feels like I'm working, but without killing myself. So I'm curious to know how the ones in the know decide what your THR should be???
Fiona - Well I do use the palm sensors on my recumbent bike, I want to know where my heart rate is and if I"m in my target heart rate or not. The funny thing is I usually have to slow down to be at the right pace. The sensors are a great tool.
Here is what I posted a few pages back on this thread:
When I get alittle time I plan on posting some information here about your target heart rate. It is info that we learned from 6 week body makeover and Michael Thurman, very helpful info to make your cardio really work. He just says the you need to do cardio at 60 to 65%, which is your target heart rate for fat buring. I have the formula to find what your rate should be for your age. What I found is that I was working out too hard and burning blood sugars and not stored body fat. So I had to slow it down, which to me was alittle hard to do, but once there I loved it! Bev, Rusty you already know all this. But if anyone else wants to know the numbers for your age, you can PM me......
I don't have the book with me here at work. But will bring it in on Monday, if you need to know what he says your target heart rate is.
Star, you never sound like a know-it-all - I was just posting something that put in better words what I had tried to post before. . . About the fat-burning range, etc, I remember hearing about that about 10 years ago, but sometimes theories change and I get behind. . .
It is still true that even if you are above the fat burning zone, you are still burning cals right? I mean something has to make these fat little legs go!
And if you bring the book to work on Monday you don't have to pack it. . .
Hugs,
Julie
Julie- I'm so glad I don't come off as a "know-it-all" I really just feel lucky to have picked up some stuff along the way over the years of working out.....
Even if you work out above your target heart rate, yes you will still burn calories, you just won't burn stored body fat......But trust me, anything is far better than nothing!
Even with packing all weekend, I made it a point to workout before the packing started. LOL - funny becuz since DH worked this weekend I was the packing crew, so the hours were pretty much under my control...lol
This morning I did tapes and cardio, which use to be my favorte exercise days, but now that I have three tapes to do, recumbent bike and treadmill - I'm thinking it may not be my favorite anymore.......hum???
I'm pretty sad about losing my gym. I know the apartments we are moving to have a fine gym, but there hours are 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Which means I will have to start working out after work, which I don't care for. I guess I could always go back to the Weight Station where I went before I built up my home gym. They open at 6 a.m. which works out fine for me and lets me get it over and done before going to work.....decisions-decisions.....
Another feature of the new apartments- it is right across the street from a fitness path that covers probably 50 miles or more from park to park. You can walk, rollerblade, run, jog, bike or I guess skip if you want to, which is so cool! Several years ago I lived off a fitness path and I used it everyday, rode my bike or rollerbladed - it was fun exercise!
Star - I think that if you're happier exercising early, then you deserve to make it happen. You will be much more unhappy if you can't make the time to make it work the way you want it. You're going to be at this place for a while, right? Can you ask the apartment people to open the gym earlier? I'm sure you're not the only person who prefers early workouts.
You must have terrific balance to be able to do stuff like roller blading - I sprained my wrists many times trying to roller skate!
Got both my workouts in today - cardio and upper body - the cardio is more interval based - and it's a toughie. I did get the first set of tricep dips done today, and part of the second - PROGRESS!
Heart monitor question - does anybody have one that also calculates calories burned? I guess you'd have to be able to put in weight and other info . .
Walk in like you own the place...
