Beginner Exercises?

beckyinprogress

Hi, I'm new to this whole exercising thing. When I first started my weight loss on here in January, I was doing a ton of exercising (at least for me) that included using an elliptical for 30 minutes three days a week and doing various weight training on the other three days (with the 7th day being a rest day), but I wasn't losing any weight and got impatient, so I stopped working out (except for the stuff I have to do like walk to and from my classes). I've been losing weight pretty well since (down 14lbs! (it says less on here, but that's because when I first signed up forever ago I weighed less than when I started in January)). However, now that the beginning weight is off, I'm getting slightly worried about the flabby skinny thing I've been hearing about, especially since I've lost weight in my arms and face but not really anywhere else it seems like.

So basically, I would like to see what ideas you guys can give me about how to start off exercising for someone who has pretty much no exercise experience at all. I have access to two 3lb (yeah, I know, but those are just what I have) weights and a tiny gym in the basement of my apartment (it has ellipticals and treadmills and other weight training devices that I have no idea how to use).

Thanks!

timbrom

Saying you're walking to and from class implies that you are a student. Is there a gym at your school? For avoiding that flabby look nothing beats weight training, but you need access to a gym (ideally with free weights) for that.

wannaBrunnner81

I would suggest some simple exercises with a bench and free weights three days a week with solid rest days inbetween. A work out i rely on is the following:

Bench 15 reps
break for 1 min
bent over row single arm 12 reps
do these with a min break inbetween three sets each

Incline bench 10 reps
Squat 20 reps
break for 1 min then repeat three sets each

deadlifts 20 reps
break for 1 min
Shoulder press
three sets each with 1 min breaks

lunges 18 reps
burpess 10
break for 1 min then repeat for three stes

Reverse butterfly 15 reps
break for 1 min
Step ups 20 reps
three sets each with 1 min breaks

curls 12
triceps press 15
trhee sets each with 1 min break after each double set

beckyinprogress

Okay! Thank you! I'll try that and see how it goes. And should there be any cardio along with that or just that to start off with?

(had to edit this because I didn't see the above post before I posted)

wannaBrunnner81

If you use the MFP cardio calculator and put in the strength training excercise i think they are generally a little of an underestimate which shouldnt matter, but keep track of time and dont eat those calories back, at least not all of them.

ShannonBEarley

If you want to spend the money on a heart rate monitor it will help you get a much more accurate idea of how many calories you are burning.

For exercises - you don't need a gym to do a lot that will help you. Go back to the basics you did in gym class! Pushups, sit-ups, squats, leg lifts and kicks. You can tricep dips with just a chair and your own body weight. Wall sits kick my butt on a regular basis.

I have done well googling basic free weight exercises that will teach you how to use the free weights you have access to. Just think about your body in pieces: legs, arms (tricep & bicep), shoulders, back and abs. Get a few exercises that work each area. Then do them in rotation: say legs, back and abs on one day, shoulders, arms and abs the next day and go from there.

There is a lot of advice on MFP - just start in the chat rooms and go from there - you'll be in great shape! Good luck!

michellewelch2010

If walking is working, keep walking!

Venture down to the treadmill in your apartment, walk briskly for 5 mins to warm up, jog for a min, walk for half a min, jog for a min, walk for half a min, etc, etc. Make sure you cool down and stretch out those legs. Increase your speed of both your faster and slower paces, as well as your miles, by 10% each week.

You can also get killer arms and shoulders just from self-weight exercises. Push-ups, variation push-ups, tricep dips and pull ups. They are free (except for maybe a pull up bar if your apartment gym doesn't have one)! And you can do them from home! And they are not complicated!

beertrollruss

michellewelch has some excellent advice. If the pullups are too difficult, I recommend getting a resistance band with a door attachment and doing pulldowns or pulldowns in the apartment gym. Be sure to pull to the chest. Pulldowns behind the back can cause shoulder injuries. Planks are good for tightening the upper body and developing core strength.

If you really want to see how to do weight lifting exercises, bodybuilding.com or muscleandfitness.com has good videos.