Help with my exercise pretty please!!

I really need some ideas for exercise.  I just can't get motivated and no one from home really helps.  I am so frustrated and I'm trying really hard not to whine, but when you don't like yourself, how can you like anything at all?

Hi I am new to CC so I did not look up your profile - not even sure how to do it ... any way - what do you like to do? I know that sounds too ez - but what about dancing like a crazy lunatic in your room or some place private ( unless you are one helluva dancer) for 20 minutes straight. Perferably fast paced music. You get your heart rate up for 20 continuous minutes and a smile on your face! what's not to enjoy?

is it nice out? i live in the northeast USA and its cold here but on a nice day I get outside to get fresh air and a brisk walk - take an ipod and walk your troubles away ... and away from the fridge!

I have faith in you - you can find something to do -... like jump rope.....

walk stairs ( perhaps you are in an office blds) .... the list can go on and on

good luck

Bethany,

Hi there.  I know it's hard to get motivated sometimes (I'm struggling with that right now too...holidays!).  But here are a few work out tips that I hope will help you to stay interested in your workouts.

First, don't do the same routine every day.  It's boring and your body remembers and will lose less calories each time you do the same old thing.

Second, weight training will burn more calories for you than cardio (not that you need to dump the cardio, it's a key part of overall health and weight loss).  the  more muscle you build the more calories you will burn.

Third, start you workout with a quick 3 minute stretch.  Then jump into your weight training, 45 minutes, 3 days per week.  Each day you will work only two body parts (ie: Monday-Back and Biceps, Wednesday-Shoulders and Triceps, Friday-Legs and Chest).  And do cardio for at least 30 minutes at the end.  Mix up the cardio too (ie: do the bike one day, the treadmill one day or even 15 minutes of each on the same day, whatever keeps the boredom away).  

My fourth and final tip is to get your mp3 player loaded up with music that makes you want to get up and dance.  Listening to you favorite tunes will make your workout go by quicker.

I hope this helps.  Whatever you do, have fun with it.  And remember, the key to losing weight is burning more calories than you take in.  It's not what you eat, it's how much you eat.  Now get out there and get moving!

Best Wishes, Tana 

I'm totally like a broken record with this suggestion-- those who have been reading for a while are probably like not again!

But jump rope! It's fun-ish, you can do it inside, and it burns a relatively high amount of calories in a short time. Even if you can only convince yourself to do it for 10 minutes, you benefit. When I first started, I would do 20 jumps, rest for 10 seconds, and do 20 more, working in this way for 10 minutes at a time.

Bethany, its OK to love who you are now but want to be better.  Change starts from within.  Find some people to share exercise with.  Find a run/walking group.  People who have been there.   Develop a new habit.  45 pounds ago, I would not have imagined I would be an Ironman.  You can do it...

These are some really great tips! However, I have to disagree with some of them..sorta. Everybody's different, and different routines work for different people. For example, some people mix up their routine everyday and it keeps them motivated. I prefer doing basically the same type of thing everyday. I run 3 miles in the morning, and either run or usually swim in the evening. I like running and swimming because neither takes up too much time. You can do your workout and just get it over with! haha.

Try running in the morning. At first it is SUCH a pain... but it gets so much easier! It puts me in a good mood for the rest of the day..

Original Post by tbnlv:

First, don't do the same routine every day.  It's boring and your body remembers and will lose less calories each time you do the same old thing. I Agree 100%!!

Second, weight training will burn more calories for you than cardio (not that you need to dump the cardio, it's a key part of overall health and weight loss).  the  more muscle you build the more calories you will burn. This is exactly what I would have said, and from my own experiences, if it wasn't for weight training I'd be a skinny fat chick like I was 1 year ago.

Third, start you workout with a quick 3 minute stretch.  Then jump into your weight training, 45 minutes, 3 days per week.  Each day you will work only two body parts (ie: Monday-Back and Biceps, Wednesday-Shoulders and Triceps, Friday-Legs and Chest).  And do cardio for at least 30 minutes at the end.  Mix up the cardio too (ie: do the bike one day, the treadmill one day or even 15 minutes of each on the same day, whatever keeps the boredom away).  I agree but I never mix cardio w/ weights. I focus on one thing at a time:

• Mon: Legs & Sauna
• Tues: Spin Class (high speed; racing)
• Wed: Chest, Triceps, & Shoulders
• Thur: Spin Class (lotsa climbing; high intensity)
• Fri: Back, Biceps, & Core
• Sat: Running (usually steep hills; slow pace)

I find this routine keeps me very lean, lower in body fat, very efficient, and gives me time to recover well.

My fourth and final tip is to get your mp3 player loaded up with music that makes you want to get up and dance.  Listening to you favorite tunes will make your workout go by quicker. I Live for my my iPod... I honestly couldn't fathom walking around my gym or running without one.

I hope this helps.  Whatever you do, have fun with it.  And remember, the key to losing weight is burning more calories than you take in.  It's not what you eat, it's how much you eat.  Now get out there and get moving! Eat relatively clean, and you'll get great abs and support your muscle growth :). Remember to log your activity in the morning so you can adequately plan your cals for the day... eat no less than 500 cals of your expendature. :) Remember you want sllllooooow weight loss. ;D

Best Wishes, Tana & Mel!!

 I couldn't have said it better myself, so I just added on. Good luck girly!! We're all here behind ya!! If you need help running/walking/hiking go to www.mapmyrun.com it's a great tool. :)

I personally find that if I rely on others around me for motivation that I'm liable to do nothing.  You have to spend some time in front of the mirror... looking at pictures... thinking about how you would like to be.  It's good you are motivated atleast enough to want to find out some exercises.  I think what is suggested here is great.  I personally found the Learn to Run thread here (search, it should pop up) was a great help in getting me out to exercise with a goal in mind (to go from non-runner to being able to run a 5K non-stop ).   Sometimes getting away from everyone else and the negative influences can help.

Right now I'm getting back into the swing of things with running and exercise for my weight loss and overall health.  Helping me out is giving in to a few indulgences... I needed some new music to run to as I've been getting away from the negative influences found in much of todays mainstream music and so I bought the new tobyMac album last night... ripped MP3's and loaded up my MP3 player.   That's something I can take a little control over... it helps clear up the ole brainbox to remember things much more important and atleast if I've got a song stuck in there it's not something negative.

As for the not doing the same routine day after day... I don't completely agree with that.  It's ok to do the same thing day after day... but only if you change up the routine after several weeks or once a month.   I find the month thing works fine for me... I've lost plenty of weight doing that.   It doesn' t mean that I don't change anything up... but I stick to a pattern of running certain days and weight lifting others and though I may up my intensity or weights... I'm doing the same basic routine.  Then the next month maybe I don't run at all and I ride my bicycle, jumprope, hike or something else and I change up the weight lifting side to more pushups, pullups, crunches... etc.   People here say stuff about building muscle while losing weight and others here say it's impossible to build new muscle.  It's crazy.   I find overall running burns more calories in less time than weight lifting.  Weight lifting is a good help to make your existing muscles stronger but you can only do so much weight lifting before you've targetted so many muscles that everything else you do is ineffective for the target group.  So, I'm not saying it's bad or anything... no, it's actually really good to do but you don't burn more calories doing that versus running, jumprope, stairs, or something else high intensity.... and there's only so much you can do that's effective in one weight lifting session while losing weight.

Unfortunately, most people think that cardio (like running or aerobics) is the best way for fat loss... it's those that think that who don't usually have the best bodies. Remember to take advice from those who you want to look like most... Take it from me (went from 210-135 and was skinny fat last year just from diet alone). One year after joining the gym I am still 135 BUT I have lost 22 inches (maybe more now) and close to 10% body fat. I have lotsa curves, still look female, not bulky at all, and I weight train like none other.

"A note about cardio or aerobic work. Believe it or not, doing cardio (running swimming etc) is not essential for fat loss, at least not for individuals with high bodyfat levels. It is because cardio only expends calories during the period you’re doing them. This can be easily achieved by eating less. It does nothing to help increase metabolic rate after exercise. On the other hand, weight training builds muscle, thus having an indirect effect on increasing metabolism. In addition, studies have shown that metabolic rate can be elevated for 24 hours after a weight training session! Clearly it is the superior choice for people seeking fat loss. However, cardio is recommended for cardiovascular health" (http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles /weight-training-for-fat-loss-634961.html)

The more muscle you have the higher your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). This means you burn more cals doing NOTHING than if you were just a cardio queen. Cardio is great and it's good to include it, but honestly, you need to porportion in weight training. Lift heavy, lift often, lift in good form. You won't get bulky (unless you do high reps or take steroids). You won't necessarily get slimmer as quickly as cardio because you won't drop weight as much... but over time you will notice your thighs and stomach and arms are much more toned, and as you continue to diet and sandwich in cardio for excellerated weight loss you will notice you will be much more firm than your other running mates. Increase your muscle girly! Remember that muscle and fat hate each other... they don't like to live together and muscle always wins the fight . You can look like a yoga chick and conduct aerobics or you can look firm and strong (and lessen your chances of diseases like osteoporosis) like a fitness model :). At least that's the look I go for! lol!! 

When you're starting from ground-zero, I think it's really hard to jump into a full-fledged "routine".  Long walks are a simple and easy way to start, and then you can start adding little things, like carrying hand weights and stretching afterward.  Add walking into your daily routine, like walking to work or to lunch or the grocery store when you just need a few things.  When you start feeling more energetic, you might consider joining a low-key gym, like Curves or the YMCA.  An elliptical machine and a magazine is a really easy way to get some exercise without feeling like it's drudgery.  And water aerobics, if you find a good class, can be really enjoyable and even pretty social.  The main thing is to start small and find things you actually enjoy.