need help with excercise goals!

paulawatkins1974

Hi, this may seem like a dumb question to most, but as you can see from my profile I'm quite alot overweight and pretty out of shape. I have a desk job and am slowly working my fitness up. I have gone from being able to walk a moderate paced 20 mins to a brisk (at least I think it's brisk) 55 mins. I live in a hilly area so the 55 minutes just about kills me! So I want to know, if I went for two 45 min walks a day would it be as good as going for a straight hour and a half (which I could not do) I read somewhere that you need to keep your heart rate up for a certain amount of time. Would the results from the 2 walks be as good?

Bun_Ya

Purely in the context of weight loss, two sessions you can do is more beneficial than one you can't.

As far as fitness is concerned it may be a little (a lot) more complicated. I would have thought that keeping one's heart rate up for an hour and a half is a bit much for anyone who isn't an endurance athlete. In fact, thinking it through, two 45 minute sessions sounds a lot better than one 1.5 hour session (that you couldn't do anyway.

Being able to walk over hilly terrain is an achievement in itself - I know "thin" people who can't do that (city dwellers) so well done and keep it up!

paulawatkins1974

Purely in the context of weight loss, two sessions you can do is more beneficial than one you can't.

As far as fitness is concerned it may be a little (a lot) more complicated. I would have thought that keeping one's heart rate up for an hour and a half is a bit much for anyone who isn't an endurance athlete. In fact, thinking it through, two 45 minute sessions sounds a lot better than one 1.5 hour session (that you couldn't do anyway.

Being able to walk over hilly terrain is an achievement in itself - I know "thin" people who can't do that (city dwellers) so well done and keep it up!

Thanks! :happy:

Bun_Ya

Your welcome!

I'm hoping someone with more experience in this area will chime in because i'm more of a lifting-heavy-objects kind of guy.

Eric_DeCastro

definitely two walks are just as good as one. keep up the good work. before you know it you will be running 5k's.

paulawatkins1974

I noticed that. So I think it's extra awesome that you bothrered to reply! I would eventually like start heavy lifting but at my size, haven't the slightest idea how to start. I love the way the buff bodybuilder women look. I even think eventually bulking up (just a bit) would help fill up the big skin I know I'm gonna have after such a big weight loss. I don't have access to a gym (hick town) but would be willing to buy weights. Any pointers on where to start?

knra_grl

You will burn the same amount of calories either way - don't think it matters if you do it all at once or split it up.

paulawatkins1974

definitely two walks are just as good as one. keep up the good work. before you know it you will be running 5k's.

Thanks! you have done awesome!! Actually that is a goal for my sis and I. Our mom died last Valentine's day due to complications caused by type 2 diabetes. She was obese as well. One of the last things she said to us in the weeks before she died were "whatever else you do, get healthy" So here I am. I started here on the 1 yr anniversary of her death. (guess it took me that long to get motivated or whatever) So we were talking the other day about working up to a 5k or something and I said "hey why not plan for next year for diabetes." That would surely do my mom proud.

srobertking

Hey! So I pretty much came from the same place you are. What really worked for me was starting at a small attainable goal and increasing it every few weeks. The increasing is what is important for overall fitness. If you have a smartphone you can use apps to track your walking miles and pace and use them to improve you speed and time. BTW keep hitting those hills. They worked wonders for me. If you want feel free to add me as a friend

sharde8691

Two 45 minute sessions a day is good especially when you have an office job. I have one too, and I know how sitting allllll day is not healthy.
I see that you said in another post you were interested in weightlifting. Resistence training/weight lifting is VERY beneficial when trying to lose weight and ensure you have less extra skin as you lose weight. I recently started resistence training/HIIT 3 days a week and the weight is coming off faster. Don't be scared to try it out, just start slow and work your way up!

Laura732

Sitting on your butt definitely won't make it smaller, so anytime you can get your heart rate up for however many minutes is a win. I started out with the Couch to 5k program. That one takes you from walking to being able to do a 5k in 9 weeks. I also lifted weights with a friend for a period of time. I didn't stick with it long because it really wasn't my thing. It was more hers. It was hangout time for me. Last year I started Les Mills Combat, and that was just the thing for me. Its not weight lifting but whatever they do I ended up with more tone in my arms than I've ever had, even when I was lifting! Now that its spring I'm sort of doing both!

Whatever you do, find an exercise that you can be obsessed with and see where it leads you!

paulawatkins1974

Sitting on your butt definitely won't make it smaller, so anytime you can get your heart rate up for however many minutes is a win. I started out with the Couch to 5k program. That one takes you from walking to being able to do a 5k in 9 weeks. I also lifted weights with a friend for a period of time. I didn't stick with it long because it really wasn't my thing. It was more hers. It was hangout time for me. Last year I started Les Mills Combat, and that was just the thing for me. Its not weight lifting but whatever they do I ended up with more tone in my arms than I've ever had, even when I was lifting! Now that its spring I'm sort of doing both!

Whatever you do, find an exercise that you can be obsessed with and see where it leads you!

Yes!! The couch to 5k is the one my little sis and I want to do, she is 11 years younger than me, and physically active and only has about 25 lbs to lose! The 55 min walks still kill me. I'm afraid I won't keep up with her!

Bun_Ya

I noticed that. So I think it's extra awesome that you bothrered to reply! I would eventually like start heavy lifting but at my size, haven't the slightest idea how to start. I love the way the buff bodybuilder women look. I even think eventually bulking up (just a bit) would help fill up the big skin I know I'm gonna have after such a big weight loss. I don't have access to a gym (hick town) but would be willing to buy weights. Any pointers on where to start?

Even if you don't realise it you already have quite a bit of muscle mass. As you lose weight that muscle mass will decrease as well as fat but if you start lifting now then you can save some that would otherwise be lost. Lifting as heavy as you can manage will save the most amount of muscle (as far as i'm aware) but that doesn't have to be as daunting as it sounds. Start light and employ correct form. When you get the hang of a particular lift, move up in weight.
As far as not having any weights around, just make use of what you can find - fill a sturdy bag with tins of food and lift that.

Youtube is a goldmine for lifting tips.

TrailNurse

Get out and walk (and eventually jog) at every opportunity that you have. You have to start some where. You also need to think about your nutrition. Reduce your portions and log everything that you put in your mouth if you are not already. I am living proof that it can be done but it takes hard work and commitment.....if you can accomplish those two goals. you have it made and its only a matter of time before you see results. Don't give up!

To answer your question about the two workouts. Studies show that you can actually burn more calories if your break up your cardio into two sessions. Work hard with both. If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you.