Alternating - Weights ... Cardio

[MamaT 47]

I am in week 6 of my journey and I am starting to add exercise to my routine. I work full time as a nurse and I have a family, so spending an hour or more At the gym exercising isn't really feasible for me 3-5 times a week. What is more important at this stage? Weights or cardio? Right now I'm doing 30 mins on the treadmill, and I expect to get cleared Friday at my 6 wk checkup to start weights, but I don't think I can do both in one day, time wise. should I focus on cardio at this point and do weights when I can or the opposite? I am definately physical-fitness-challenged lol Thank you

[Lissa 2,631]

Why not switch out between weights and cardio? You could do them on alternating days. IIRC, aren't you a nurse? You may be getting in enough walking for now to only do weights every other day. A cheap pedometer from Walmart could tell you that and you could easily add more walking on your shifts, I bet!

This early post-op, you won't be doing "serious" weights anyway, so you may be able to work a quick routine into your day with hand weights at home, adding some pushups, lunges, squats and planks without having to even go to the gym. As your fitness level improves, you'll be able to add more weight or a regular gym weight routine...and you'll WANT to add that to your routine.

It's better, truthfully, to ease into a routine than to jump in with both feet. Easing into it lets you build your strength and endurance and helps you get in the mindset that is required to keep yourself going with exercise. You're looking for a routine that is sustainable long-term and I think it works better if you build up to working out x amount of time a day rather than jumping into working out for hours every day and then feeling frustrated when you can't keep up.

At least you're already working on building exercise into your life. A lot of people aren't even considering that this early in the game!