In my unending quest to lose my "beer belly," as my mother so eloquently put it (I should have told her I was pregnant - ha! that would have shown her), I've started stepping up my workouts.
But honestly I'm at a loss as to what is normal and what is working out extra hard, taking it easy, etc. I know some exercise is better than none but I have a feeling I might be stunting myself by thinking I'm working out soooo hard when really I'm just doing what everyone else does on an average day. If that's true, I want to try and change my thinking.
i use the elliptical (sp?), the one where you use your arms too. i use it anywhere between 30-45 minutes, the machine says i burn between 250 (30 min.) to around 540 (45min) of calories. i do that 3-5 days a week. and i try and lift weights but im still trying to get comfortable around all the guys at the gym.....
i hope thats good enough to help me lose weight, i dont want to maintain it, i want to lose 5-10 lbs. more.
3 days a week running (hopefully outside, if it's raining treadmill) 3-5 miles and usually one day i do 5-8 miles
4 days a week elliptical (about 6 miles) 4 miles normal, and 2 miles with high resistance (slow pace). i also do the ones with the arms, but sometimes i just do the regular one.
weights 3-5 days a week
i don't really do yoga or pilates, but i want to incorporate that in, but swimming might be more realistic because floor exercises usually bore me.
*i have to say, there were be periods where i work out like 2 days a week (this is usually in the winter), but about 10 months a year, that's what i do. there will also be periods where i'm addicted to running and times that i get bored. right now i'm not at that addiction part yet.
-- Edited by shopgirl82 at 12:30, 2006-04-20
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"i tell you one lesson I learned
If you want to be something in life, You ain't gonna get it unless, You give a little bit of sacrifice, Oohh, sometimes before you smile you got to cry.." -The Roots
As of now I'm not the best about working out, but starting May 1st (starting new gym) I'm putting myself on a more serious schedule. Most of my fit friends work out 5-6 times a week, doing weights about 3 times.
Here is optimistic plan:
M - upper body, 30 minutes cardio MI
T - lower body, 30 minutes cardio HIIT
W - rest
R - 45-60 minutes cardio LI-MI
F - upper body, 30 minutes cardio, MI
S - 30 minutes HIIT
S - rest
The next week I'd start Monday with lower body.
Oh yeah, the acronyms - MI = medium intensity, HIIT = high intensity interval training
In order for me to be totally on top of my game, at my favorite weight, and feeling great, I have to work out 6 days a week. That's 6 days of really hard working out, like when I'm done I feel like I could not possibly continue on.
My best week would be:
Monday: HIIT and weights Tuesday: Long run (usually 5 - 6 miles) Wednesday: HIIT and weights Thursday: Long run Friday: Pilates Saturday: HIIT and weights Sunday: Rest
I occasionally substitute elliptical one day if I'm really sore or tired. And honestly, more often than not work or a social even interferes, so I end up working out 4 or 5 days/week.
I am a bit of an excercise addict and I tend to switch up my routine every 4 months or so to keep my body guessing. I workout 6 days a week. Here is my current schedule:
2 days 45 min spin (using a lot of resistence)
1-2 days functional training (throwing the medicine ball, jumping, sprints, etc)
2-3 days weights with just a little cardio ( I use heavy weights and usually combine it with some balance stuff)
I guess I also walk about 45 minutes a day since I live in the city and I have a dog to walk.
I walk or run the dog 3 miles or more, twice per day. I noticed alot of difference in my body the first few months we had her, now I've adjusted to it and I haven't lost any weight or toned up. I need to find something to do to mix it up but still be able to excercise the dog too.
Take my dogs to the park for about 2 hours 3-4 days a week
Lift and work on my stomach for about 60 mins 4 days a week
In the summer I ride w/ my boyfriend and his friends. They are big mt. bikers so I head out and trail ride w/ them. It is quite the ass kicking, so I only ride about 2X a week w/ them.
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I don’t want no part of your tight-ass country-club, you freak bitch!
It's finals season, so I'm down to lifting weights for about 35 minutes every other day. But in a normal week, it goes like this at least 5 days a week:
30 minute walk, light pace 45 minutes on ellipitcal or treadmill, hard enough to get a sweat, but not necessarily running 20- 35 minutes lifting weights - heavy weights, as much as I can (I can't do much more than half my body weight, though) 10 minutes or so ab work with a medicine ball or those machines - crunches do NOTHING for me. I have to have some weight.
I used to do 20 minutes on the stairstep and then run through the motions with the little 10 pound weights, and it kept me from getting fat but I never changed shape, just got smaller. I really like working out, though, and I tend to date guys with muscles. Eventually I realized they really, really, really push themselves - way more than girls do - and it feels better when I try to do more than I think I can do. I'd say I push myself some, but not a lot, and then every once ina while I try to go "balls out." Oh, and I used to take classes, but I dont' think they were doing much for me, either.
Good luck, is so cool that you're getting healthier - although I'm sure you look good now (I've seen a pix somewhere of you in that bustier babe!)
I run 10 miles 5-6 days a week. Take my dogs to the park for about 2 hours 3-4 days a week Lift and work on my stomach for about 60 mins 4 days a week In the summer I ride w/ my boyfriend and his friends. They are big mt. bikers so I head out and trail ride w/ them. It is quite the ass kicking, so I only ride about 2X a week w/ them.
So basically you spend 2-4 hours working out everyday? Woah. Where do you find the time?
I'm an exercise addict, too. I just feel like crap if I can't get to the gym.
I usually try to go 6 days a week, sometimes 7 if I have been bad about my eating.
It's usually MWF, an hour session with my trainer, 20 minutes of cardio machine either before or after.
Sun, Tues, and Thurs, I try to get some hard core cardio in, usually a spinning, boot camp, or kickboxing class or an iTrain (those kick my butt!).
I am training for a 5k. I have to learn to run outside because 5k on a treadmill is no problem for me, but if I get outside, I can't last long because I start off too fast, so I get tired pretty fast. It's hard, but I am trying to do it every other day.
I also do the little things, like park as far as possible and take the stairs everywhere.
I feel kinda guilty about it but it's not something I enjoy at all. This summer, however, I'll be doing tons of outdoor activities/exercise as a camp counselor, so that will be good (can you say 250 stairs up to my cabin? Not fun but good for the legs.) Hopefully in college I'll be more motivated due to the Fresh15.
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Bad taste is like a nice dash of paprika. We all could use more of it. It's no taste I'm against. -Diana Vreeland