[lauralyn]

I live in the country and the only time I can find that I can get to the gym consitantly is 5 am so there is really only one gym to choose from unless I want to drive 30 minutes or more that early in the morning and I don't. This gym is pretty expensive compared to others in the area.

So I cancelled my membership because I just can not afford it at this time and every penny we save is a help at the moment.

I have a treadmill at home that I jump on for at least 30 minutes a day now and over the past two weeks I have been working the incline up and up. I can feel it in my legs!

When I am done with the treadmill I go upstairs and use my ab roller and then do some leg exercises which I can tell are working only because they are not as hard for me as they were when I first started.

I just am not seeing a change in the scale or measurements and I didn't even when I was going to the gym.

I started keeping a food journal and I know I slip up here and there but I should still be seeing a change at some point so I am getting a bit discouraged.

Maybe once the snow is all gone I can get outside and do some yard work...yeah that will help!

I am not sure why I typed all of this out except maybe because I wanted to vent a bit lol

[yoyoma]

A lot of folks are cutting their memberships in these tough times. The Curves I joined had to close. Luckily I was able to transfer my membership to one that is almost as close.

Maybe you could consider adding some arm work to your routine? I use the machines at Curves, but maybe pushups or some dumbbells?

I don't know how long you have been journaling, but that has been a key for me to be able to lose weight.

Good luck with your home workout plan!

[bopeep]

I have had months where the scale has mot budged and I know what you mean about discouraging! If you keep at it, you will eventually see some results, but I found that the best thing to kick start the weight loss again is to do a completely different type of exercise for a few days. Maybe try to find a cheap/used DVD with something fun and peppy- Zumba maybe? If even that is out of your budget, there are a lot of "learn to _" videos on youtube.

One thing to keep in mind, is that one of the reasons you exercise is to lose weight, but the other is to make your body healthier. And that will happen no matter what the scale says!

BP

[baby phat]

Dear Lauralyn, please don't get discouraged, I did and I put myself back at Start
Last January (or February) I joined a gym, I also worked out religiously (every other day) to my new tapes: Hip Hop Abs. After four months of doing it all and the scale not moving at all, I gave up completely. That was a very stupid thing to do
When I started the Hip Hop Abs, I started with the 20 minute routine, then I was able to move up to the 30 minute, then 40 minute routines. My stomach started to go down but because the stupid scale did not move I threw away all that work. Naturally, I have 100% regret at this point.
I saw some pictures of myself and it broke my heart that that was me. It's no wonder I was getting so many looks of pure shock last year on summer vacation.

anyway, I printed those photos out and put them up by my bed as a reminder. They are not depressing me as much as they are making me angry and that anger is keeping me motivated so far.
I have started doing the Hip Hop Abs 20 minute routine again (so far only twice this week) as I have just started walking again. I am trying to promise myself that on days I don't work out that I will take a walk. It's kind of hard for me now because I can't walk around in my new location, I have to drive to my old neighborhood to do it and my car has been in the shop since the week before Thanksgiving.
Anyway, I quit the gym last year after only about 3 months of attempting it. Mainly because they did not have any of the classes they promised when I joined.
So I quit the Hip Hop Abs and the gym at the same time and cannot express my regret enough. Now I see myself in what you have said, the workouts are working because you have been able to progress with what you are doing it's just that confounded scale that forces us to throw away all our hard work and effort. So, I urge you not to make the same mistake I did. Up to this point it's been the sorriest thing I've ever done. I went to the mall today with my mom and made the mistake of trying on clothes, I literally stood in the dressing room and cried, I had the most huge pair of jeans from the rack and they didn't go up.
So remember as hard as this seems right now, it would be harder to have to start over again. It's harder to look at yourself with self-loathing and disgust for too long. And it's just not worth it. Please don't give up. If you feel it's not working then trade in what you are doing but don't stop!! Trade in the time on the treadmill for a real walk or the time on the treadmill for the same amount of time in front of a workout video BUT DON'T GIVE UP COMPLETELY!!!
It's easier to fight yourself than it is to fight the fat. Don't let it win.

I wait for the day when I feel like this guy again:

[lauralyn]

yoyoma~ Good idea I think I will add some arm work into the routine. Maybe even wear some weights on my wrists as I do housework.

Bopeep~I will check out youtube and see what I find, I heard that there are full length videos to be found? That would be great because I get bored very easily and if I can use different ones from Youtube and not spend money on buying them that would be great!

baby phat~ Thank you so much for your reply. I am not going to give up...I refuse to! I am just trying to keep myself motivated which is not easy when there is no change but you are right, I don't want to quit and have to start all over again. Especially since I really am not that far from my goal weight.

[Tabby]

I was going to suggest some workout videos . I have the 30 day shred and I am loving it right now. I also own billy blanks taebo celebrity fit ( that just ends up hurting my ankles).

[greeneggsandtam]

Hi Lauralyn;
Sorry about your gym membership.
Are there hills in your area? When I get sick of the gym I like to conquer a hill or two. (I live on the prairie in Saskatchewan so there aren't too many big ones around) but I can say for certain it's a worthwhile, high-intensity, free workout that you can work into other activities.
Just a suggestion. Best of luck to you,
Tam

[teawithsunshine]

Hey there!

Do several things: one, definately really keep a track on your caloric intake... like for instance, keep it beteen 1,200-1,300 calories and then shake it up by calorie cycling.

Thirty minutes of aerobic activity is largely maintenance at this point. Aim for 45-50 minutes (not counting warm up or cool down). As you get closer to your target goal, you need to exercise harder/differently

You can also vary your routine on the treadmill by incline, speed, and the overall amount of time you exercise per day.

Also, if you can, check into some exercise dvds too

we're here for ya! you can do it!

~ tea

[teawithsunshine]

Oh yeah, and include some weight lifting!

~ tea

[lauralyn]

Ok, I will aim for at least 40 minutes on the treadmill. I can't wait until the weather is better here because I just get so bored walking on the treadmill that 30 minutes seems like an eternity so 40 will be even worse lol

I have some small hills in my area and when the weather is nice I try and get in 6 miles per day so I am looking forward to warmer weather and possibly this spring/summer I can even jog a bit of those 6 miles instead of walking!

[my3monthchallenge]

I would definitely recommend incorporating strength training into your workout! And the best thing is that you don't need gym or expensive equipment, just your own body weight will do.
Consider these: squats, lunges, pushups, ab crunches/planks/leg raises x 3 sets of 15, each

The trainer-recommended routine is to warm up with some cardio, stretch, go into your strength routine, then cardio, then cool down, and then stretch.

Weight training is actually quite fun for me because they show results fast!!

[Tomato]

Sorry to hear about your gym membership. My membership is quite pricey (I think it comes to some $47 a month, taxes included) although not all of it goes out of my pocket. My employer contributes $320 annually to any gym membership, weigh loss programs etc. - which reminds me that next time, I better fill out a new form - I joined my gym in April 2009.
I don't know what I would do without the gym, I do sometimes work out at home (with DVDs) but I don't think I would have the same drive. But, what I was going to suggest - can you get some weights? Either dumbbells or a kettlebell - check out your local kijiji or craig's list and maybe you will luck out and find something for less $.
Also, do you have a stability (Swiss) ball? I like ab exercises with the stability ball, great for the core.

[kiramira]

Sorry to hear about your membership! Just keep in mind that it isn't the gym that gets you fit! There are tons of people out there who go to the gym and are no better off because they really don't work. We've seen them all -- those who flit from machine to machine in their coordinated outfits and a bottle of water.
So, remember that it isn't the gym, it is what you DO at the gym, and that you don't need a gym to get in shape. In fact, this is the new trend -- how to get and stay fit without having the expense of a gym! Here are some links to articles and ideas for anyone who wants fitness without the gym membership:
This article lists online resources for fitness workouts that you can watch on your computer for free!
http://www.theobserver.ca/ArticleDis...CIATED%20PRESS
This link is for MSN Exercise TV, which shows routines on video that you can do at home along with the show:
http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=...1-20bc7d89a564
This link is for exercises you can do to develop strenght without relying on gym machines:
http://zenhabits.net/2009/03/how-to-...oing-to-a-gym/

Keep us updated as to how you are doing!

Kira