Okay so I am down 61 pounds in about 15 months and am continuing. So far I have only been watching my eating/calorie counting/changing to healthier foods slowly, etc. I feel like a have a good grip on the food thing and what is working for me. As far as exercise it has been only walking. I walk about 1700 minutes to 2000 a month. I am ready to add in something else though. I have heard some about the benefits of strength training and pilates. I really don't know where to get started or what to do.

I wouldn't mind joining a gym but my hubby thinks we should wait til we move next year which is probably January or February. What can I do at home now? I think I might talk to him again and see if he'd mind if I joined the gym near his work. Maybe he could watch the 3~year old two days a week on his lunch hour while I work out? Maybe him and I could go together on saturday.

What I would love to work on:

1. My abs: I have had 5 kids and although I am losing and I know the best thing for your middle to go down is too just lose over all, but is there anything specific I can do so I can get rid of this belly/strengthen those muscles?

2. My boobs: I have always been a D cup and "the girls" are still looking pretty good but I have heard there are some exercises you can do to give you a "pick me up". Does anyone know what are they?

3. My upper, inner thighs: Okay so with all the walking my calves and outside of my legs are looking great! But the upper inner thighs are still looking flabby! What can I do?

4. My arms: Well they are starting to look alot better and not so flabby. But I noticed last nite when I hold them up that they are looking flabby, the underside, that is. Does that make sense?

I think that covers everything. I know bodies don't go back to pre pregnancy, pre weight gain state so I am not looking for a miracle. I am just looking to be the best that I can be and as healthy as I can be from now on. I have also heard about strength training that it helps to reduce bone loss and gain muscle etc. I just need some help knowing what I can do to get started on this. Next month I can probably buy a few simple weights like 2.5 ~ 5 pounds or something. I also have a subscription to netflix and I seen some pilates cd's on there and I am going to put in my que pilates for dummies.

Any advice and recommendations are welcome for what can I do at home and for if I can join a gym what would be a good plan to start with? Money is tight so just a membership would be nice if we can swing it, I know I won't have extra money to get a personal trainer.

TIA!!!

Okay just talked to my hubby and he said he had n/p with us joining a gym but the reason he wanted to wait is cause they generally have contracts for a year. I just called and he is right. So that is out for now.

Well you can't spot reduce but you can help firm up the underlying muscles of your belly. Crunches, reverse crunches and oblique twists are great as well as pilates.

Well you can support the muscles underneath your breasts which can help give you a slight pick me up to your breasts. Any chest workout such as pushups, dumbbell flys and dumbbell chest presses would help strengthen those muscles which support your breasts.

I think this is one of the hardest areas because your body likes to store fat on the inner thighs. One thing you can do is plie squats but also general leg exercises like squats and lunges will help strengthen your legs. One thing I've been doing recently is putting a stretch resistance band (made for exercise) under the leg of my coffee table and doing standing leg lifts to all 4 sides. So you stand facing the tie down spot (my coffee table for me) lift to the back to work the back of the legs, then stand so the tie down spot is on your right and lift to the left working the inner thighs, then stand so the tie down spot is in back of you and you lift forward working the front of the thighs, then you stand so the tie down spot is on your left side and lift to your right working your outer thigh. I hope I explained that well

Well you can work both your biceps and your triceps to have good looking arms. Bicep curls and tricep kickbacks with dumbbells are pretty good. You can also do tricep dips off of a table or chair which will work your triceps really well.

There are some links on the stickies with weight lifting websites that would be useful for you to do exercises at home. I'd recommend investing in some dumbbells to help start you out without having to join a gym.

A couple good sites are:
http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/index.php
http://www.exrx.net/Exercise.html

Hi Jasmine,

Congrats on your progress to date. You're doing a fabulous job, and the walking is a good start.

Take a look at the websites that Nellie sent. They're both great.

Have you considered exercise videos between now and your move? You could pick up a couple to use until you can join a gym. Somewhere in the Exercise threads on 3FC, you'll find one devoted to favorite videos. Collage Video sells all kinds of DVDs and VCR tapes, and you can see a little snippet of each before you buy. They have everything ... aerobics, weights, pilates, yoga etc.

In addition to dumbbells (or maybe instead of), you might like resistence tubes, which take no space, and which can be a good starting point. Also a big exercise ball that you can use any number of ways. There are several companies out there; one I like is SPRI Products. They have a big website.

Welcome! You'll find tons of information here.

Meg put together a whole workout for a poster using resistance bands. These are cheap and take up hardly any space. Let me see If I can find it....

Here you go:
Mel

Jasmne31, like it has been said congratulations on your success, you have added years to your life which your family is grateful for I'm sure.

You are on the right track when you say that RT (resistance training) is a great way to get your body feeling and looking wonderful, it does help to lower the body fat being that muscle is much more metabolically active. So start lifting...........one thing that I remember someone told me many years ago don't be afraid of lifting as heavy as you can while maintaining correct form at all times.

My little suggestion to you would be to check ebay or collage videos and see if Cathe Fredricks looks good to you. I have tried a zillion home workouts and she is by far the best IMO. She maintains excellent form and gives good cues. The other good thing about her is that you can start with as little as #3 and watch your strength increase as the months go by. You would need a few dumbbells, maybe a bench and a step and you might be able to find these in a garage sale. My husband made my first step and I still have it.

The other thing that you can do like it was suggested is the resistance bands which are very versatile and easy to learn.

Just keep taking excellent care of yourself and good luck,
Lynn

I agree that Netflix is a good way to go. I have rented a ton of fitness videos there to try out. Also, how about some fitness books from a library? You could put together a routine for when you get your dumbbells and photocopy the pages to put into a folder/notebook to use every time you work out. A good place to start with an easy read is Body for Life for Women, if your local library has a copy.

Also, since money is tight, maybe once a month treat yourself to a "REAL" fitness magazine that you can find at a good bookstore, CVS also carries alot of titles if you have them near you. Something like Oxygen, Fitness Rx or Muscle & Fitness Hers will usually give you a body part per month in depth workout that you can do with dumbbells. There are other mags out there like Shape, but you will find they have a high volume of advertising and diet pill writeups vs a real indepth workout. But whatever you can get your hands on once a month will be a good start and serve as a fitness treat for you to look forward to each month.

Thanx so much everyone for your advice!!!

Nelie:

Sounds good. I will definately go look up about those exercises. Thanx so much for the links! I feel like I have thoroughly researched the health and losing weight thing and feel I have gained alot of knowledge to get me thru that battle but I know I am lacking in the exercise category(walking excluded). I do enjoy finding things online but I know all of you are already doing it and knowledgeable so I wanted to ask your advice first so I could get a good kick in the right direction.

I will look that up!!

That is what I have heard. I will see what I can do though!

I am going to read this thread to my hubby tonite. He used to box and work out so he will be able to explain anything I don't understand.

Thanx so much sweetie! I know you are still in the middle of your journey but you have come such a long way! Great job!!

Airegrrrl:
Thanx for the congrats. Sometimes when i get to thinking this should be happening faster, I remind myself how far I have come!

Yes. We get movies in the mail every week and they do have exercise videos! Hooray! I am going to do a bit of researching and see which ones to try.

Somewhere in the Exercise threads on 3FC, you'll find one devoted to favorite videos.[/QUOTE]

I'll go look that up.

I hear alot about Yoga but not sure exactly what is up with that. I'll have to look into it. Pilates for sure! Aerobics and weights.

Thanx I am going to look into that for sure. Resistance is supposed to be good. Thanx for all your help hun!!

Mel:

Thanx so much! I am going to go read that right now!!

Tweety888:

Thanx sweety! That is the most important thing to me is being healthy! Vanity comes second.

Yes and muscle looks so much tighter than fat so I just need to remember to stay off the scale when i start and to start measuring instead!

Thanx so much hun! I am going to look at netflkix and see if they have her!!!

I will, you too!

hrbabe:

That is a good idea about the library! I walk that way all the time.

I love to read! That is a great idea I will see about getting some mags!

Thanx again everyone! I really appreciate it! Maybe in a few weeks I can report back with some progress updates on what i am doing. Til then I'll just follow you all around and see what you are up to!