New to YAYOG

joanthemom8

Hello - My name is Joan - I'm a 47 year old wife, mom and business owner. I've been on MFP for over 550 days. I exercise fairly regularly at the gym - mostly cardio, but I've been trying to incorporate strength training into my workout. I'm within my weight range, but could still stand to lose 5-10 lbs. Mostly, though, I want to shed some FAT (I'm in the "acceptable level of body fat, but I'd like to hit at least the high end of "fit"). I feel like a rat in a wheel sometimes with cardio - nothing to show for it! I'm kind of flabby, flappy........
I've had the YAYOG book for a few months, but have been shy about starting the program. Got the Body by You e-book, but it seems more complicated than YAYOG. Today, I downloaded the ipad app for YAYOG and it seems really great.
One of my issues is that I don't do well with exercising at home - too many distractions - kids, dogs, etc. that's why going to the gym in the mornings works well for me. But I really need to change my body's composition. I'm a little nervous about starting the program, so any recommendations you have would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Yogi_Carl

Hi and welcome.

The main thing I like about bodyweight exercising is it trains you to handle your own body weight in challenging positions rather than training to lift external weights. This lines up far better for my personal needs as my main discipline is yoga and I am looking to gain a high strength to weight ratio and to be able to lift and hold my own bodyweight sometimes off centre.

I would say for the door hang pullup you will come across in YAYOG - I didn't get on with this. Instead I got a pull-up bar you can fit through the doorway and a set of resistance bands. This way you can hang the bands from the pull-up bar and drop one knee into it like a sling to take sone bodyweight off. If you are near correct weight, you may find pull-ups easier than I do at one stone or two overweight.

Another thing I would offer is some exercises in YAYOG you will think this isn't doing anything. It may be you are stronger than the exercise level so you need to look for a harder version, or it may be you need to really concentrate on squeezing the muscles you are working to intensify the movement. Let-me-ins feel too easy until you sqeeze into every rep, then you feel it.

On a practical note, I find it easier to fit my YAYOG sessions in between doing other house or work related chores. You can do a set of push-ups and then pot some plants or prepare part of a meal while you are in resting phase and then go off and do another set of push-ups, whereas in a gym you have to set time aside.

It is easier to skip YAYOG sessions because you are at home, in which case the gym might be a better option, but YAYOG can liberate more free time and so long as you keep up the intensity you will see strength gains similar to weight lifting and be in control of your own body - strength, balance and suppleness.

Go for it!