Hi everyone -

I used to frequent 3FC a year or so ago on the Alternachicks forum, among others. However, since then, I've been really focusing on other things besides nutrition and exercise, and believe me - it shows! I got the shock of my life recently when I got on the scale and it showed 174.5 pounds -- an all-time high and way too heavy for my 5'5" frame! I'm a size 12 (10 on a really good day) but know I look my best at a 6 or 8.

Since that shocker weigh-in, I've been slowly making lifestyle adjustments. First, I started drinking a lot more water. Second, I started eating more fruit, veggies, and lean protein instead of the starchy carbs I tend to gravitate too. And now, I am finally ready to get serious about exercise.

Because of a demanding career, I've determined that the *only* time I can commit to exercising is in the morning--difficult for me because I am a night owl. But this morning, for the first time, I woke up an hour early and went for a 40 minute power walk in my neighborhood -- no easy task, because I live in a hilly area.

So ... why am I here?

I really want to get off to a good start with cardio and weight training. I've done both before but have never stuck with either for more than a few weeks. But this time, I'm determined to develop a program that will work for me so I *will* stick with it. So here's the plan I've come up with:

Mon. a.m.: 40 - 60 minutes of power walking (inc. hill work)
Tues. a.m.: 30 - 40 minutes of weight training*
Wed. a.m.: 40 - 60 minutes of power walking (inc. hill work)
Thurs. a.m.: 30 - 40 minutes of weight training*
Fri a.m.: 40 - 60 minutes of power walking (inc. hill work)
Sat -OR- Sun: possibly one more power walk, weight session, or a session on the exercise bike

*for the weights, I thought I would do the following exercises:

-Leg Press
-Leg Extension
-Leg Curl
-Hip Adduction
-Hip Abduction
-Calf Raise
-Bicep Curl (free wt.)
-Tricep Kickback (free wt.)
-Chest Press
-Compound Row
-Shoulder Press (free wt.)
-Ab Crunches (regular and reverse)

I would like to get started by using more of the Nautilus machines, until I can build up a little strength. Then, I'd gradually like to transition to more free weights, where it makes sense. The only area where I would really have a problem is with squats and lunges - I have bad knees and my doctor has told me to avoid these exercises.

Nutritionally, I'm starting to break up my meals into smaller ones - eating 5-6 times a day. I'm aiming for between 1500 - 1800 calories per day. Drinking at least 64 ounces of water but aiming for 96.

So, what do you experts think? I'm really interested on hearing any suggestions for how I might improve this plan --- I don't have a ton of time to exercise so I really want to make this count!

Look forward to being here and getting more fit with everyone!

Sabrina

Sabrina,
Welcome, and please do join us on the main weekly thread. One suggestion I would have is that you may find it too hard to start on machines with biceps and triceps due to the fixed weight plates being too heavy. I actually ended up switching to free weights to enable me to build strength in my arms - then I could go 5#, 8#, 10#, 12#... as I got stronger.
Cindy

Sabrina -- Welcome!! We luvs NEWBIES here!

At a glance your plan seems almost perfect... but nothing is ever 100% perfect is it? A question about your weight workout ... All those exercises you mention are they all in one session? If so I would suggest you split them up and do UpperBody and then LowerBody in your next session... with a day of cardio in between just like you have it...
Have you read the Body for Life by Bill Phillips? It's a great start up book for body building... Cindy (BFLCat) is on her third Challenge and Susan (PiperGale) is starting her first Challenge today!

Don't forget to eat alot of lean clean protein and unprocessed carbs... 5-6times/day

But other than that you're program seems fine and your enthusiasm is great... Please join us on the main thread!

One more thing your cardio and your weight workouts shoud be INTENSE!!! Go the heaviest you can do for the # of reps and for your cardio try the High Intensity Interval Training, where you go all out for a minute then walk for another, the fast and then slower...the wonderful thing about HIIT is that because of it's intensity you only need or WANT 20 minutes of it!

Just another 0.02 cents of mine...

Later...

Hi all - Thanks so much for the advice, keep it coming! At this point I'm just an information sponge, busily absorbing tips and tricks from those more advanced than I.

Lanaii: My plan was to do my whole body, 2 times per week. If I break them up, I would only be working each muscle in my body only *once* per week. Is that enough?
And I will definitely try the high intensity cardio in a week or two, once my body is used to exercising again.

Thanks again,
Sabrina

IMHO once/week per body part is enough, but remember this is just MY opinion I work one body part / day / week...Intensity really counts ...

My workout looks like this:
Mon: Legs - NO cardio
Tues: Shoulders - 30 mins. cardio
Wed: Back - 30 mins. cardio
Thursday: Chest - 30 mins. cardio
Friday: Bis and Tris - 30 mins. cardio
Saturday: OFF (thank GAWD!!)
Sunday: Cardio

Ok, LWL we need more opinions here! Next!

P.S.: The BFL book really explains things very well ... You can usually get it at the libary too...

Welcome Sabrina
On the full body vs. split workout question, here's my opinion. If you are very new at this and deconditioned, I would start with 2 full body workouts per week, plus cardio. Keep you total weight workout no longer than 1 hour each time. Once you have built up some strength and endurance (usually 2 - 3 weeks is plenty), you should move to a split workout :upper body/lower body or even smaller body part groupings as Ilene outlined.
Before all you veterans start jumping up and down yelling, here's what I've discovered training folks new to lifting. Until they build up enough endurance, 45-60 minutes spent on just legs is way too much and only the extremely committed will come back for more. Most of the people I've met just starting out don't have either the endurance or the tendon and ligament stregnth to make it through 3-4 sets of anything approaching muscle fatigue. The same is true of upper body: it's not just the back, chest, bi's and tri's that need to get strong, but exercising every one of those body parts utilizes ligaments and tendons in the elbow, shoulders and hands which just are not used to doing the work they are all of a sudden being asked to do. Doing a few weeks of full body workouts at no more than 2 sets per exercise gives you a basis for building strength and endurance without injury.

JMHO

Mel

Mel - you make perfect sense. In the past, I've tried to go at weight training too hard too quickly - and wound up burning myself out and getting discouraged in the process. I think a couple of weeks to "warm up" is a great idea, to get myself used to working those muscles again. I can't imagine spending 45-60 minutes on *just legs* at this point, but I will get there!

S.

Thanks Mel great explanations... I was just reading in a Muscle Media Mag that exact same thing for beginners 2 full-body workout/week is great for about 3-4 weeks!

On another note, did you guys hear that Muslcle Media is closing shop? I really like that mag...

Hi Sabrina,

Just wanted to say hello, and welcome. I, too, have one of those idiotic careers and, like you, I'm a morning exerciser. I have an edge on you, however, in that I'm a morning person as well. I actually like 5:00 a.m. I started hanging around LWL in August, and since then I've revamped my eating style and added to my exercise schedule. Now, I get up most mornings for cardio; I take a pilates class once a week; I've just renewed my membership at the university gym (I work at IU) and I'm planning to go to 2 or 3 days a week at what I consider a late lunch hour; and over the weekend, I found myself on the floor Saturday afternoon doing more pilates. My point? I'm hooked. I feel 100% better and feeling better helps me cope at work. I think you'll find the same thing is true for you. Best wishes and welcome!

Hi Sabrina,

In this group, you will find some very knowledgeable, very intense, very supportive people that love working out, love lifting weights and love seeing others succeed. Check out our main thread. We will all look for you there.

Tiki