|
2007/01/12, 07:33 AM
Just so you don't have to go and read my profile,,,I am 29 5'6" and my goal is to get from 160 to 135 +/-. I need to do cardio and I have started weight training.
I want to reach my goal by Summer time,,,is that doable? I want to make sure my goal is obtainable. I have been doing this program,,,and it seems like I should be doing more. As if it just can't be enough.
I have been doing the suggested wieght lifting from ft. If there is an exercise that for some reason I cannot do it(ie equipment not available,,etc) Is it okay to substitute another exercise for the same muscle group?
What kind of cardio will help me the most? By this I mean bikes, steppers, etc at the gym,,,or should i try the home videos that combine cardio with light weights?
Last but not least,,,what inspires you? Some mornings I get up and I have the hardest time getting up and going. My hubby works during the day and I have the children,,so I get up very early in the morning (3:00am) to go to the gym. That way I don't have to worry about distractions. I just thought that if my inspiration wasn't waking up with a cup of coffee,,,I could find another one to get me going.:)
Ahead of time,,,,Thank you all for your input. It really helps.
Thanks, FIF
|
|
|
|
2007/01/12, 09:47 AM
fif, there are alot of more knowledgable people here, but I'll help where I can.
Getting healthy is more than just losing weight. You want to make sure you are losing fat and not lean muscle mass. There are many threads here that can guide to that achievement. Also, take your measurements. Alot of people get discouraged when they don't lose weight as fast as they think they should. You can lose inches without seeing a difference on the scale, so that can be used as a motivator early on!! Diet plays a MAJOR role in fat and weight loss. I am just beginning to work on mine, so I am looking forward to reaping the rewards of doing so.
Substituting exercises is fine as long as it is hitting the target muscle group. Here is a site that has many exercises along with a short video illustrating proper form.
http://www.trainwithmeonline.com/index.asp
As for what cardio is best, i have no idea. But, I do know from reading here that weight training should be priority over cardio! the reason is that if you build lean muscle mass it will burn fat! And if you do cardio 1st, then you aren't getting the most from weight training. Again, there is tons of info on this site.
Motivation has to come from you!! I am a very competitive person, so i started a "Biggest Loser" competition on a forum that I post to. That kind of fizzled out after a few months so now I am using the fact that I am going back home in April and am going to see friends I haven't seen in a few years as motivation. You have children so what better motivation is there than that. Remember, children learn from what you do, getting healthy would be one of the best things you could teach the kiddos!!
|
|
2007/01/12, 09:51 AM
I think that you weight loss goal is doable, A safe amt of weight to lose on avg would be 1-2 lbs a week but you need to measure yourself too. That will be your true sign of progress not the scale.
I would continue with the weight training since it will help to burn calories more than cardio will overall.
It is important that you watch what you eat - I did not read anything about your eating habits so I thought that I would throw that in there
Yes you can sub exercise that works the same muscle group.
As for cardio, whatever gets you going, do it. But do switch it up too
As for motivation, just stick it out for about a month and you should see some progress. That will motivate you
Good luck and i hope this helps
|
|
2007/01/12, 09:34 PM
Another question...i have access to weights and cardio equipment at work. On breaks which would it be better to do? My breaks are about 25 minutes long. If it would be better to do weights,,,do i work the same muscle group as earlier that day, or do a different muscle group?
Thank you all again!:)
|
|
2007/01/12, 09:44 PM
Hi fif...As long as you have access to a shower then go ahead and workout at work, if not, I wouldn't do it...your co-workers will thank you....lol
But, seriously you should probably do weight training 3 times a week, and if you worked out, say arms earlier in the day then there wouldnt really be any need to work them out again later in the afternoon, that is if you hit them well enough in your first work-out. To answer your question, if it were me, I would use the breaks for cardio and save the weight training for home or after work so that you can really get in a good workout without feeling rushed to hurry and get back to work. :)
|
|
2007/01/13, 02:04 AM
The weight lifting schedule that I got from ft only takes me about 10-25 minutes to complete. Can I add extra, different exercises that work the same muscles? Or if I am going to add should I add exercises that work different muscles?:)
|
|
2007/01/13, 10:32 AM
thats seems kinda short fir a workout program my workout from here takes about 30-45 mins usually the latter except on the short exercise days....why dont you post a wokrout that you have done and go off that way we can see exactly what you are doing
--------------
Jason Fox 6'1" 380lbs Weight Goal 300 by april 2007, 365 11/14, 12/7/06-358
|
|
2007/01/13, 10:43 AM
You might try uping the amount of weight you are lifting. Do you feel like you are not exerting yourself with the weight right now? Increase the weight if it feels to easy, not so much that you cause injury because its to heavy.
|
|
2007/01/13, 01:14 PM
For max 'fat burn' with weights 'speed is your option. Doing supersets, drop sets, etc. can and do rival a cardio workout. Take a look at circuit training. This is ideal for what you want.
This is a great way as leslie puts it to up the intensity to reach YOUR goals. This is in fact what it is all about, what is right for you.
============
Quoting from leslieherr:
You might try uping the amount of weight you are lifting. Do you feel like you are not exerting yourself with the weight right now? Increase the weight if it feels to easy, not so much that you cause injury because its to heavy.
=============
--------------
"If it ain't broke, you aren't trying."
|
|
2007/01/14, 02:07 PM
I have been reading up on weight lifting. I started adding weight after finishing each set. That was great. I really felt the burn. I had to push myself to try to finish the reps. So lifting for me is good.
I am very interested in the circuit training that you mentioned bb1fit. I have found a few programs online. I am going to add them to my program. When using weights with cicuit training,,,do I want to go with a lower weight? Say like 10-15 lbs?
By the way,, thank you all for your information. This is a great site for information. As well as motivation. Thanks again.
|
|
2007/01/14, 03:37 PM
Well, the beauty of this is twofold...it cuts down time you spend in the gym, while increasing the intensity of your workout thus utilizing more calorie expenditure thus the chance of fat burn.
An example would be incorporating supersets. In this manner you move without or very little rest from one exercise to another. So, instead of resting between sets, you perform another exercise either for the same muscle or another muscle.
This is a great way to burn more fat, as mentioned expend more calories, and get the h*ll out of the gym earlier. Beware, it rivals a cardio workout and is not easy, but as you get better you will increase your cardiovascular health, thus endurance, build some nice strength and achieve that 'toned' look that most females want.
--------------
"If it ain't broke, you aren't trying."
|
