Posts by amunet

I find the elliptical easier to use for HIIT sessions because it's easier to move at my own natural fast pace, rather than playing with the treadmill buttons.  I warm up for 3 minutes, do 5 intervals of 1 minute/high intensity and 2 minute/recovery, then 2 minute cool-down.  When I do HIIT I focus more on my heart rate and getting it up and then getting it back down in 2 minutes, which usually requires me going quite slow compared to the high intensity.

Do what works best for you, if you enjoy what you are doing then there is no harm, people are just mainly giving suggestions. The main thing to realize is that people don't HAVE to go on a cardio spree to lose weight, but you can. I lost 50 lbs doing cardio (running) and doing light weights. But since I lost the weight I haven't been able to lose any more with this regimen, so I switched over to heavier lifting/less cardio and enjoy it so I do it and am getting results that I want.

And what you are doing sounds great as far as lifting, Some workouts I do are just 10-15lbs, and I'm sure as you get comfortable you'll start trying other things or making it over to the guy's side.  In my gym I go downstairs and am usually (unless the female trainer is there with a client) the only female down there, but I've gotten used to it, and even a couple times have had lifting conversations with them, they aren't as scary as they look :)

Original Post by set24:

Oh my gosh! These are hilarious! Ok...I have a gym complaint:

There is this older man at my gym (65-70) and he comes to spin class every once and awhile. Every time he comes into the class wearing normal athletic shorts, but before he gets on the bike he insists upon taking his shorts off. Now, I know this sounds ok...you're thinking he has bike shorts on underneath...WRONG! He is wearing hanes WHITE boxer briefs!!! It is sooooo disturbing. Somebody should tell him that those are not appropriate! UGH!

had to reply just to say ewww.

I was moving benches in the free weight room around to give me more room. This guy comes up to me and asks if I need help moving anything and just to ask anyone (all guys around) if I need help moving something. I felt like lifting up the bench above my head, lol. I had also just finished a deadlift with like 65lbs, but he must not have been watching.

My most embarrassing thing has been when I was trying a new workout where I had to put my feet on a ball, I kept falling off and at one point my legs went like a foot over and a poster came down a wall, oops.

Don't worry, it's happened to most of us. Just go back to your plan and don't worry about it (but I have sympathy for you since I used to freak out too).

Nevermind just see your post above, glad things are better, and you will learn next time :)

Sorry if most of this has been said already, I'm lazy today to read replies, lol.

This does seem like alot of cardio, I think you need to allow yourself to have days off now and then and maybe on those days if you feel like you need to, go outside for a walk or something. Your body is adjusting to the cardio and if you don't do something else you probably won't get the results you want.

In the program I'm following (New rules of lifting for women), they recommend if you want to do Steady state exercise, do HIIT (just search about it) for 15 minutes of HIIT then continue with 30 minutes of steady cardio if you want too. I too used to be a cardio junkie, going to the gym four times a week and doing the eliptical/treadmill running for an hour each time. But I have learned there are more fun things out there and all that cardio is not needed.

This is why you should only weigh yourself once a week.  If you have to (and I also weight myself daily) don't worry about weight changes there are many reasons to why the scale changes daily, but only log your weight weekly and compare those.

 Keep up your hard work and just keep at your 4-5 days a week :)

Thanks for reminding me, I'm not too religious but like to participate.

 A couple years ago I gave up chocolate for the whole time and was proud of myself.  Last year I attempted ice cream, but didn't last too long, lol.

Not sure what to do this year. 

Welcome to the site! I am sure you can spend a long time just browsing the boards here to find lots of great tips and stories to keep you motivated!

 Just stick to your healthy eating choices and daily exercises and the weight will be coming off with time!