So confused, Need help please.

SweetLove1988

I have been doing the Walk at home workouts with Leslie Sansone. I usually do the 4-5 miles a day 6 days a week. I am getting bored though so I am trying to figure out what I should do. I don't know much about working out or what to do. I don't know if I should do cardio so many days then strength so many days..I have no idea and it all just confuses me so much. I don't have a lot of muscle, what is there is weak so I have been working on them but don't really know good workouts to build muscle either. I don't have a gym membership, I just can't afford it right now. I do however have some hand weights, 2 pounds, 5 pounds and 10 pounds, but that is all I have. I don't know how long to do strength training either for it to really have an effect. I'm just overwhelmed and need help, I don't want to keep doing the same thing and not see any results. I want to work hard and bust my *kitten* to get this weight off but I need help in knowing what to do. My weight was 360 I am down to 330 I've been doing ok but want to kick it up a bit. Thanks in advance.

xxghost

I'm certainly no expert when it comes to weights, and I won't pretend that I know anything about strength training. Right now, I'm heavy on cardio and working in 10-15 minutes of bicep curls every day. That might be a good place for you to start if you want to get a bit of strength in. You could also try searching the internet for fun and interesting workouts that can be done with light weights. I know from my kettlebell experience that there are loads out there!

As for cardio, not having a gym membership shouldn't stop you! Walking is a great way to lose weight, but if you want to change it up a bit, try working in some short jogs. The C25K program and the Run Zombies application are both great, fun ways to get you moving. I'm not suggesting you start running marathons tomorrow. Running is hard, and to be honest, I don't like it. But I know its a good workout, so I'm pushing myself to become better at it. Who knows, maybe you'll like it one day. Maybe I will too!

You can also do a bit of yoga, stretching, and circuit training (pushups, situps, lunges, etc) on your down time. That will help you tone up.

I hope that has at least provided you with a bit of a starting point. Best of luck!

spirit05

You can find 30 day shred all three levels on YouTube. There is also a different walk at home program that is more interesting and interactive on YouTube... just look for Jessica Smith Power Walking.

Mommylicous

I would suggest finding another workout video that you would be interested in Youtube has a lot up there for free.

JRSchumaker

Walking is great for building up the muscle in your legs. It's low-impact, so it's a great choice if you have any concerns about your joints. You could start carrying your one pound weights and moving your arms out from your sides and up over your head while you walk to change it up a bit.

You can also do squats right in your living room with no weights. If you need help learning how, there are lots of great videos on youtube to coach you through them. Planks are another good exercise and can help you with your core strength (again, youtube is a great resource). The possibilities are kind of endless regarding what you can do with your own body.

dlionsmane

No expert here either however, I know that you can do body weight exercising at home.

http://greatist.com/fitness/50-bodyweight-exercises-you-can-do-anywhere

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POdzasJklxw

There are a couple links right there. I just searched for body weight exercises.

Good luck!

seif0068

Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred would be a great option!

ecw3780

Just move. Try to get 10,000 steps in per day. You don't have to worry about lifting weights or special cardio routines, just move. If you like walking, keep walking. Worry about weights later. Not to be mean, but at your size, you create your own resistance without added weight, and sometimes it can just all be to overwhelming at first. I would focus on diet and moving more every day for now.
If you can run at all, I really like the TABATA timer app. You go for 20 seconds as hard as you can, and then for 10 seconds at a much slower pace. It lasts for 4 minutes total. I try to do it 4 times over the course of a day...either all at once or in mini sessions. It really gets you a lot of bang for your buck. I also really like listening to a pod cast while I walk. I start one, walk until it ends, and then turn around and head home while listening to another.
As for not seeing results, 1 of two things is probably happening. 1. You are over estimating your activity level and eating too much or 2. You aren't eating back your exercise calories. You should for sure be eating back your exercise calories. To figure out your exercise calories, figure out how far you go and how long it takes you to to that. For example, 1 mile in 30 minutes would be a speed of 2mph so you would enter in Walking for 30 min at 2mph. As for how often, 5 days a week is good, because you do need rest. However, if you ware just taking a leisurely stroll every night, there is not reason to take a day off unless you feel pain.
Hopes this helps!

froeschli

you can alternate days of cardio and strength, or add 20-30 minutes of cardio after your strength training - that'l really melt the fat (or so i've read).
you can start with bodyweight exercises. there's a book called 'you are your own gym' by mark lauren, and it has tons of bodyweight exercises in various degrees of difficulty. i don't think it's expensive, but you can always check it out at the library.

good things to get you started might be squats, lunges, step ups, hip thrusts, incline pushups, dumbbell rows, dumbbell overhead presses, and not to forget planks (how i hate them, but i need to work on my lower back strength, so i do them a lot).

if you get bored with walking at home, try walking or even hiking outside.
if you like dvd's experiment with something new - you'd be amazed at how much muscle it takes to make bellydance look effortless, or how sexy you feel doing a burlesque routine (i just dont look in the mirror and imagine i'm getting the moves just right...) or how empowered kickboxing can make you feel etc...
and there is always jullian michaels and her bookshelf of dvd's...