What's Your Workout Like?

I have been trying to get some new ideas about things I should consider adding to my workout routine. Right now I manly go to the gym about 3 times a week and do about an hour of cardio. I usually burn about 500 cals, except on Saturday when I basically live in the gym I can get to about 800 - 900 cals burned. I haven't really incorporated too much stregnth training yet, because someone told me to wait until I am about half way to my goal before I focus on toning. Do you think this is good advice? I am also thinking about bumping it up to five days a week, but I don't want to over do it.

What do you guys do for exercise?

Here is mine as of right now:

Mon. - Treadmill (20 mins. alternating between 3.5 and 4.5 speed); Eliptical (20 mins.)

Wed. - Same as Monday

Sat. - Treadmill (25 mins. alternating between 3.5 and 4.5 speed); Eliptical (25 mins.); Free Weights (10 - 15 mins.); Treadmill (another 25 mins. this time on a slightly lower speed to cool down).

Gamlindar,

Have I ever said hello to you?  If not....this is it.  It's nice to hear from you.

Kitkatgurl,

I'm not sure if I've ever said hello.   HELLO!!!

Good topic.  You're talking to a person wo was never into excercise.  I did walk dance and swim but the gym was foreign to me.  So I started at the Y 2 months ago.  You'll laugh but the first "workout" was 3 minutes on the recumbent bike, 5 weightlifting excercises with 3 pound weights and 2 laps walking around the track.  Well I never would have thought I'd be doing the recumbent bike for 20 minutes, 5 lbs weights now - 7 exercises (3 sets of 15 each),  acqua fitness 45 minutes 3 x a week, walking the track for a mile and stretches for 5 minutes at the end of it.  My trainer is thrilled with me, and even gave me a hug as a reward.  I can say I am pretty pleased with myself and am amazed at how strong I am.  Good genes from my farmer parents I guess.  Finishing my whole exercise thing is something I call "get-ups" - getting up from a progressively lower level , so that if I fall I can hopefully get up by myself.  I have a problem with balance and have had frequent falls.  My remaining problem with that is that I have arthritis in my knees making it very painful to be on them to get up.  So we'll see.  Of course now that I've hurt my left knee and have to wear a brace, I can only do the weights, but not much else.  I go to the fracture clinic on Tuesday and hope they'll tell me the extent of the damage,  Who knew acquafit could be so dangerous!  It also doesn't pay to do any twirlies with your knees on arriving home.  Thanks for giving me the space to tell you what my exercise routine.  P.S.  I had someone put a picture of Tulip in my profile.

Forgot to mention that I have to use a cane at all times when walking so you can imagine I cut a pretty picture on the Y's track.  That's so I don't fall over and scare anybody.  You'd be surprised how fast you can go!  Anyway my cane is painted in many vivid colours so I'm quite fashionable and noteworthy as I come wandering by.

Adorable pup! She must be fun to walk with.

Original Post by loviedovieann:

67, you hit the nail right on the head for me!

You know, you can totally take your kids out now. They have tons of stamina. I know my just-turned-three year old can out walk either one of us on a good day. And if you're into biking, get a kiddie trailer for your bike! That's the plan for my little one. They love that kind of thing. I think most can hold up to 200lbs so your 7 year old could even go for a ride. Or if your significant other or a friend want to join you, one can pull the trailer and the other can help the 7 year old with a trail-a-bike. And if they tend to get bored on long rides, ride for half an hour to a really great spot, pull them out and throw a frisbee around or go for a little hike, then bike back home.

 We take out 7 year old most of the time.  The place where are hiking at the moment has a lot of water crossings, and the first time we took him he had entirely too much fun getting soaked crossing them.  With it getting colder, we just started leaving him and my daughter with my mom when we go there.

I'm not quite ready to get back on a bike - but he and my wife will ride around the area or on our local, paved greenways trails.  Once I lose some more weight, I'll be able to safely get on a regular bike, rather than having to spend a lot on a heavy-duty, reinforced frame bike that ideally I won't even need next Spring.

Original Post by 67alecto:
Once I lose some more weight, I'll be able to safely get on a regular bike, rather than having to spend a lot on a heavy-duty, reinforced frame bike that ideally I won't even need next Spring.

I plan on buying a regular bike for myself in the next week or so. (Waiting on student loans. *rolls eyes*) It will not be a mega reinforced thing and I'm confident it will hold me long enough for me to lose weight and not put quite so much pressure on it. You could probably just throw $30 at craigslist and get something for the meantime!

I tried Curves today and it was pretty interesting. I liked that I was getting all the muscle groups in. However, I am a treadmill addict, so if I strt going to Curves it would only be an addition to my workout routine.

Shaylese-I do both.  Curves 3 days a week because I pay for it...LOL  and 3 days a week I do my treadmill for 45 mins (for now).  I like the variation but I will admit, I am only on the treadmill now because the weather is not great this time of year.  Soon as I can be outside again, I will.

Did you do the normal work out or did they talk to you about the smart machines...just curious

They talked to me about the smart machines, but they said that they would have to set up a profile for me before I could see the difference. I did the regular circuit while I was there, and I honestly enjoyed it. It helped to know what machines I should be doing instead of picking and choosing at the gym.

Well when you are ready, do the Smart Machines, because I tell you, it gives you an amazing workout!

Keep up the good work!