Need help with formulating a doable fitness plan

fultimers

Hello everyone,

I am 63 year old female and if I can believe the charts, I need to lose about 95 pounds to not be in the obese category. However, I would be thrilled to lose about 70 pounds. Although I am retired from a career, I am back in college to hone my writing skills (would like to be a published writer). so, like everyone else, my free time is limited.

I have been on MFP off and on for a couple of years and I'm sad to say I weigh about 20 pounds more than I did 2 years ago. For this go-round, I have religiously recorded in my food diary for one week and have done 5 to 5 1/2 miles on the stationary bike every day in 20 minutes. I live in a senior community and have free access to an excellent fitness center (but there is no staff to answer questions). We have various weight machines, several treadmills, a few stationary bikes (I like the one with a TV), and an elliptical machine (last I tried it, it hurt my knees).

I would like to create a simple plan of action of cross training (not the cross training class that you all frequently talk about). I have a Jorge Cruise book (8 Minutes in the Morning) that I have used in the past.

I could easily walk a mile or two but my feet really hurt the whole time. I'm thinking that if I lose a few pounds, I could do it with less pain. The walk around my neighborhood is exactly one mile but with temps hovering around 100 degrees here in South Texas, I would have to walk inside on the treadmill for now.

My request is this: What type of plan would you recommend for someone out of shape to not get bored and to get the maximum from my exercise time.

I do have a smart phone and could possibly download an app that would help me with some of this but I have no idea where or how to start looking for one.

If anyone with similar interests would like to be MFP friends, that would be great.

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can provide.

Alta2000

First, you need to increase the amount of daily protein and reduce the carbs; adjust them under goals. You should incorporate more vegetables and fruits and less breads.

Is there a TV in the fitness room? On the treadmill, put speed 3 and incline 3. Every 3 minutes increase the incline by 0.5, speed always steady, until you reach incline 6. Then you do the same but deduct 0.5 from the incline. If you find it hard in the beginning, then go as high incline as you can and do the 3 min intervals on that level. Do this daily for 1-2 weeks to build endurance. Then start doing the machines, try one at a time to make sure you do the form correctly. But do the treadmill daily as well. Bodybuilding.com has videos of all the weight machines and how to do them.
An app is jefit.com you can sign up on the website to see if you like it and then you build the exercises.
Another idea is go to youtube at the Befit channel and start with the Leslie Sansome walking workouts and then experiment with others that they have. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cE1jxDS3HY

jess6742

Diet is the key factor in losing weight. If your diet is where it should be (getting enough nutrients and the right amount of calories), the pounds will come off. I would stick with walking a few times a week and as it gets easier do it more. Also try to incorporate some strength training. I really like Fitnessblender.com they have a little bit of everything. Just becoming more active in general will really help.

fultimers

Thanks so much for the advice! I will reduce my carbs and try to stay under the limit. I had been avoiding the treadmill due to foot pain but I'll try the intervals as you suggested.

fultimers

Thanks for the advice about fitnessblender, Jess. I like it and I might even pay for their plan.

marilou0511

Diet is the key factor in losing weight... I would stick with walking a few times a week and as it gets easier do it more. Also try to incorporate some strength training. I really like Fitnessblender.com they have a little bit of everything...

Hello from Chicago. Thank you jess6742 for "fitessblender.com." Just completed their "Tank Top Arms Round 2." Have bookmarked that site.