Hi all. I am new here. I into'ed myself a few weeks ago on the intro page. Some one there suggested I try this thread. I need to exercise and get back into shape. I would be up for a challenge to get focused and going. But I do have a few limitations. I read an older thread posted in 07 about a total resistance band workout. That sounds like something I can do. I am concerned, you all sound very advanced compared to where I am right now. Would some one write to me and let me know if this is the right place for me? Or suggest another group for me? I don't want to get frustrated and quit just when I am ready to make changes in my life and body. Thank you! Pat

Elisa: That would be an equally incredible experience. I'm game. We should also plan on having time after the workouts to talk about all of our individual experiences. It is just amazing to be able to share the stories we all have with regard to our perspectives about this journey. Skim lattes all around. :coffee:

I'm surprised to be a little sore this morning. I am going in today only to do some recovery cardio. Saturday will be a scheduled day of. I am going to visit my dear grandmother who lives two hours from me. She has recently moved to an assisted living community this past winter. They are having a Mother's Day open house and she is quite excited to introduce me to all of her friends.

Happy Friday Everyone :wave:

Diximae - Welcome! We all had to start somewhere. This is a great bunch!

Hi DixieMae :wave: and :welcome: I think you are totally in the right place. Just as Lifeguard has pointed out we all start from somewhere. I've been doing this for about :chin: three years and when I began I knew nothing about resistance training. Today I know just enough to be dangerous. :lol3:

There is a lot of information available and like any hobby or special interest it's not meant to be learned all at once. All you need is someplace to start and program to implement for four to six weeks. During those six weeks you can continue to read/research/watch/listen learn new approaches to resistance training. One of the things that I enjoy the most about weight and resistance training is that there is always something new to learn or a new technique to try. There are bands like you pointed out, as well as free weights, bodyweight exercises, physioball/core exercises, cable exercises...you get the picture.

You may begin researching your interest in resistance band exercises with the "stickies" posted at the top of the forum. I also like to locate videos on You Tube when I am looking for new material to use in the gym. Books/videos from the local library are also a good resource. If you have access to a gym the staff are also great to ask for advice with regard to form.

One of the things to keep in mind as you begin is to be certain to give the muscles you have worked 48 hours to heal after your workout is complete. For instance if you have done a full body workout on Monday, your next weight resistance session for the muscles you targeted should not be until Wednesday. On my non lifting days I will still go in and do some cardio for at least half and hour as well as stretching. The cardio sessions not only helps to burn more calories for that day but also increases blood circulation through the muscles I worked. This aids in the "healing" or recovery process that occurs the day after a lifting day.

Good luck and feel free to ask any of us for guidance or suggestions as you continue on your journey.

Hi Ladies-- Please give this newbie an idea where to start with this journey to toned muscles. I walk about 30 min a day. I just received a step counter in the mail. I have 48 pounds to lose. Before 3fc I was a complete couch potato. I can do yoga dvd's. Bouncy cardio is out as I have AO in both knees and hips. That doesn't mean I can't get my heart rate up with cardio. It also doesn't mean I can't reshape my body as I lose weight. Please point me to a starting place. I will be up for a challenge. Thank you all for the warm welcome. I am looking forward to getting to know you all. Pat

Hi Everyone. I went to the resistance band site someone had posted. I read all the information there. Now I am confused:dizzy: as to where to start. Any one know of an excellent resistance band dvd, chart, book?

Today I am going to work out in the yard planting flowers and getting the garden ready to plant. I want everything planted by sun set tomorrow. I hope that counts as low intensity exercise because there will be hours and hours of work getting it done.

Enjoy the beautiful day. Pat

Originally Posted by Dixiemae:
Hi Everyone. I went to the resistance band site someone had posted. I read all the information there. Now I am confused:dizzy: as to where to start. Any one know of an excellent resistance band dvd, chart, book?

You can check out this video series. The people on this site normally do a pretty good job in explaining the movements.

http://www.expertvillage.com/video-s...rcise-band.htm
or
Also, many of the bands you buy should have a chart and/or a DVD. From a home workout perspective, I am partial to the GoFit brand of products as they are the Core Performance/Atheletes Performance people. Those, I have bought for someone and did receive a DVD and (if I remember correctly also a chart) along with them.

Thank you Depalma! I will use this site as my starting point. BTW I went to the gofit.com. They are for sale. Yup they are taking bids. I used to see their equipment at a major sporting goods store. I have a pink, green, and teal bands that came with a pilaties kit. I will use them to get started.

Everyone have a good Mothers Day. Thanks again for your help and info. Pat

Originally Posted by Dixiemae:
Thank you Depalma! I will use this site as my starting point. BTW I went to the gofit.com. They are for sale. Yup they are taking bids. I used to see their equipment at a major sporting goods store. I have a pink, green, and teal bands that came with a pilaties kit. I will use them to get started.

Everyone have a good Mothers Day. Thanks again for your help and info. Pat

I don't think they ever used Gofit.com as their site. You should be able to find their products at any sporting goods store or target. Probably Walmart too, but I know target carries at least some of their products. If you do want to buy direct over the web, their products are at the core performance store:

http://store.coreperformance.com/sto...Equipment.aspx

In particular, this is what is applicable to your original post:

http://store.coreperformance.com/sto...-PGYM-DVD.aspx

Another good brand of tubing if they don't have GoFit at your local stores is SPRI but I don't know if they have any packages with a DVD, I've only seen them sold separately with a little booklet.

Lydia- I'm blushing terribly reading your post, but thank you!

Lydia is also an incredible person! It was truly amazing to look at another woman my height and size with MUSCLES, too! She looks fantastic, and is just as warm, energetic, and open in person as she is on the board :hug: And I'm sore from those rollouts! I haven't done them in a while...quite a while. Obviously they need to go back into my regularly scheduled workout :o

I had a great time, only got in one gym session (it was a great one, Lydia...Elisa, you are right, it would be so much fun to workout all together then talk about our experiences). I did make mostly good food choices, and took the stairs everywhere, walked when I could, but am sorely in need of some real cardio and getting back to a real schedule. The break felt good, 'tho.

Hi Dixiemae :wave: Welcome! Sounds like you've got a good start covered.

Ok, I'm off to attack the mountain of laundry and cook for tomorrow:p

Mel

Hi all,

I'm a dork and can admit it. I got back from my vacation, started 2A in NRLW but then got sick. Took 2 weeks before I could breathe right. Lots of excuses. Anyway, I decided to start stage 1 over again and started today. I'm also adding in some kettlebell as part of it. Beyond being sick, I've been lazy and I hate it. I also have been struggling with food but I think I am in control now. I've even been having dreams about binging, which is crazy.

Ok thats me.

Hello, 3fcers. Popping in to say hi and share that as of this morning I hit 50 lbs gone since July 07.

Yesterday was legs day and it did me in so today I had to sleep in. Anyone find that their leg day wears them out the most? Cardio the next day for me is like slogging in mud! So, with the rain pounding on the roof, my dog snoring, and the warmth of a comforter over me, I decided today was as good a rest day as any. Probably the best choice for a rest day.

Training is going well...I can't tell you how pleased I am with my trainer. Thank you all for encouraging me to leave my former trainer.

Tomorrow she will see a surprise waiting for her, a bottle of champagne and a card to celebrate the 50lbs. (Yeah, yeah, I know, my former trainer had a part in things, but frankly, his ego is so hurt that I wouldn't give him a testimonial about the Challenge that he can barely acknowledge me. Since he's that immature and unprofessional, he doesn't earn any recognition.)

Yesterday's training was awesome. Hard as nails. She has progressed me to carrying 70lbs up a flight of stairs which kills me. I keep trying to go further, so when we started with 70 the other day, I added in a half a flight (the stairs have a Y and so I do both "arms" of the Y if you can imagine).

She paid me what I think is a tremendous compliment yesterday, saying she'd like me to train her for a day. I shared that I'd love that and how I have thought about being a trainer. I think I just might go for my certification just for the heck of it. (I don't think I'd make a career of it only because I believe I earn 2x as much doing what I'm doing, but maybe a p/t job? Or who knows, maybe I'll one day open up a studio specific to goals like mine...we know there are more out there like me.) She's even suggested I could teach her abs class. You trainers out there, agree this is a compliment? She's not the type to blow smoke up my arse.

What else is going on. An acquaintance at the gym asked me to do a little challenge with her, so here's what I came up with:

Our respective trainers will write down their goals for us for Labor Day. Each trainer will agree on the other's goals so there's balance that it is a goal to strive for. They will seal it in an envelope...we won't know what they want us to achieve. We have 16 weeks starting next Sunday to build up to that goal. (My reason for suggesting this is that the girl who asked me to do this struggles with motivation. If she doesn't know what is expected of her, it's natural to then just do what you're told. She's a workout whiner, so this will bring her in line.) When Labor Day comes, the goal will be revealed to us. Whoever achieves their goal will be the winner. The "prize" is being able to tell the other person's trainer to make a session hard as nails, maybe of everything they hate. If both achieve their goals, the winner will be the person who exceeds their's the most. I'm thinking of sweetening the "pot" to make the trainers have something on the line, like they have to have a session of their hardest workouts as well. We have a week to start, so if you have ideas about how to structure this, share them!

I may not post often, but I do read and see how you all are doing. Thank you always for the support!

Now onto the next 50.

Congrats Jerseygirl - it feels so great to hit those milestones, especially knowing how much sweat you've put into it!

It is so terrific you have found a trainer you like. I miss my trainers back home miserably!!! We chat regularly but it's not the same. Actually I'm a little worried when I go home at the end of the month they'll be disappointed by how little progress I've made since I've left!

So, I have decided that my eyes have just finally adjusted to my weightloss. You see, I was feeling pretty freakin' terrific about my weightloss & my body in general. I was dressing better & feeling GOOD when I went out in public.

But then the last month or so I've been miserable about my body image again. Nothing looks good & I'm constantly shocked at how fat I look to myself. So on the weekend DH took pictures of me with the dogs on the beach. Saw the pictures & just thought - UGH!! Well, I compared those pics to some we took about 3 months ago, in the same bathingsuit, well, you know, you can't tell they're taken on different days!

Then I thought I wonder if my measurements have changed. After doing all my measurements the only one that has gone up is my waist (which makes sense) & only by an inch. So I guess you can't argue with judge & jury, if my weight is the same, the pictures look the same & the measurements are the same - I must not be any fatter. So the only explanation is that my eyes have gotten over the joy of losing a good chunk of weight & are starting to see my body for what it is: a body that still needs to lose a good deal of weight! Ok - before anyone panics - I know I should not be losing weight when I'm pregnant! But it is reassuring to know that it is merely my perception that has changed!

Good Morning :sunny: Afte yesterday's storms, it looks beautiful and GREEN out there.

I fell flat on my face in food last night for the first time in a long time. Too many things converging all at once...but as usual, it only made me feel worse. Where is the kick in the head smilie?

I did get up and do cardio, tho, and will do legs light at the gym today.

LG- It sounds like you are totally on track- your mind is playing tricks on you. Take some time to enjoy being pregnant, it doesn't happen too many times for most of us! Yes, your body is changing, but think of the wonderful outcome. You'll have years to NOT be pregnant and work on fitness. I'm not suggesting lying on the couch eating, but don't beat yourself up for slowing down a bit :)

Lydia- My abs are STILL sore!

Congratulations, JG.

Mel

JG, congratulations! Good luck with your new challenge. :)

Nelie, good for you for getting back on track! :hug:

LG, it sounds like you're doing fine, considering you're growing a baby at the same time. I'm sure your trainers will say the same when you get back home.

I've been fumbling my way through setting up some split routines this week. Trying to learn all this stuff online is just confusing, but what I've been thinking is that I'll pick 2 exercises per muscle group that I know how to do, and 1 new one to learn, for each muscle/group that I'm targeting, then do sets of 5 reps. So far, I can only handle 3 working sets (not counting warm-up sets), but I figure I'd like to work up to 5 sets. I've been going slow and really focusing on my form, and it feels like a good workout, even though it seems strange coming from the full body workouts, to just be focusing on arms or legs, etc. I'm liking that I can lift 5 days a week, though!

My knee seems to be cooperating, so far. I've just been sticking with slow jogging for cardio, which doesn't seem to bother it. Tomorrow night I'll give skating another try, and see if my knee can handle that yet.