Exercise suggestions

[tish76 0]

Hi guys,

Do any of you guys having any suggestions or tips on what exercises give you a good workout and helps you lose weight more quicker..Thanks!!!

[Jachut 487]

I dont think you can beat running. It burns tons of calories and really helps to get that weight off.

I also find 4 years down the track, I have extremely good muscle tone, very toned legs and butt particularly and most surprising, my stomach is flat as a board and I can do strength tricks with my stomach that make people gasp, lol. I can hold a plank for up to 5 minutes quite easily and I have done little other than running. I even found I gained great upper body tone due to the arm motion.

Can you tell I love running?

If you google, you'll find all sorts of stuff about how cardio like running is a waste of time, it burns away your muscle, makes you skinny fat, isnt an efficient fat burner because your body adapts blah blah blah. Maybe that's true if your primary goal is to build big muscles. Running and competitive body building are not the most logical companions. But for the average person, it WORKS.

I tend to shorter, harder runs these days - 40 minutes or so with intervals of sprinting rather than long and slow. Although when I feel "lazy" i do just head out and run at a slow comfortable pace.

[tish76 0]

Thanks, that helps alot...

[isaviolinist 11]

I swear by the elliptical. I love it. And recently I've started doing different programs (there is a weight-loss setting, cross country, uphill, etc....they basically offer just varied levels of resistance and challenge) instead of just sticking to one. When I can afford to have a piece of gym equipment in my house, that will be the first one I buy!

[deniseh 0]

Thanks for the running tip. Were you very heavy when you started out? I've never run before, but would like to get started. I'm 4 years out from the lap band surgery, but I'm just starting to excercise. That was a BIG mistake!

I'm just afraid I'm too heavy to run. I've got about 35 pounds to goal. Any suggestions?

[gitrdone 0]

Denise, I've no idea how much you weigh now, but I just started the 'Couch to 5K' program a week ago. I weigh 227 at the moment and NEVER ran before this lol [still not pretty, but hey ]. The afore mentioned program is great for getting started, there's a thread here in the exercise section on it, and there's TONS of helpful, cheerleading people to give you all the support you need to get started and keep going! :thumbup:

[deniseh 0]

Thanks gtrdone - I'll search that thread!

[ThinknHealthy 0]

Walking is the best exercise for me. I mix in some jogging along the way. I also like the Elliptical but do that mostly in the winter months when walking is not practical (I HATE!!! the treadmill). Also, it is important to do some strength training exercises.

Whatever you choose, find something that you enjoy and that you can sustain. Try something for a few weeks and if it is not doing the trick, try something else. Truly though, exercise is the key for not only a healthy body but also for a healthy mind. I am much more motivated and positive about this experience if I am actively involved in exercise. It's all those indorphins, ya' know.

[AirKuhl 1]

Jogging has become part of my daily routine. I do about 15 minutes on a treadmill @ 6.5 mph as a warm-up, then I work out. I do this after work and watch the news on a big TV while I run. On days I don't plan on working out, I'll jog around the neighborhood, there is a nice 1.5 mile trail that seems like the right distance for me.

Very strange at first as I used to get winded climbing stairs, and jogging over a mile would have killed me. Now I crave it, lol.

Work your way up slowly so you don't get discouraged. This isn't a competition.

EDIT: If you are looking for a way to get started in private, the Wii Fit was a great tool for myself and many others. Highly recommended.

Edited August 25, 2009 by AirKuhl

[pnksteph 0]

If you have a gym membership, I would try out a tredclimber. Its an amazing machine and I burn a ton of cals with it (not as many as the machine claims, but my heart rate monitor watch says that I burn btw 500-700 in an hour workout). Its like a tredmill and elliptical in one machine to me--you walk but it goes up and down too.

Also, you might find some of the classes at the gym to be a great motivator too. My gym offers a weight class that is amazing. I hate doing weights by myself because I am afraid I am doing it wrong but in the class an instructor walks around to make sure we are doing them right.