Questions from a Newbie

scarletrayne19

Hello all! I've been browsing around the forums looking for answers to a few questions I have about my weight loss journey and have yet to find what I'm looking for so I'll just come out and ask.

For starters: I'm a college student trying to get my BMI to normal levels instead of "obese" (which is kinda shocking that 158 lbs is borderline obese for my height of 5' 2", I know i'm overweight but would never have labeled myself obese) and I've already lost 10 lbs. So I need to lose another 20 lbs and I literally have just started this week with diary keeping and going to my gym 4 days a week MTWTh.

Alright, some questions:

1) I've done a little reading and I understand that I need to include weight training in my gym workout to really make an impact. Do I need to rest in between days? I'll only have access to the gym Sunday through Thursday so is it better to do weights on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday with those in-between days of rest or should I just do weights every day?

2) I do my grocery shopping on Sunday and every time I buy lettuce or spinach to have a salad sometime in the week I never can use it all before it goes bad. Any tips for keeping things fresher longer (also can you recommend some greens and other vegetables that will last longer)?

3) Better to do heavier weights with less reps or lighter weights with more reps?

4) Is the treadmill or elliptical truly more effective for cardio than a stationary bike? I have an old knee injury from high school that I can feel aching when I do cardio so I need to find an exercise with less resistance for it but I feel like I burn more calories on the elliptical than the bike.

5) I can run at a pretty decent pace on an elliptical for 30 minutes and be alright but once I start running like in the parking lot I can only go like a minute before being completely out of breath and this makes no sense to me. Can someone explain this?

Thanks for the help!

juggernaut1974

I'm no expert - but here's my take on your questions based on my own anecdotal experience and what I've learned from other users here:

1) I've done a little reading and I understand that I need to include weight training in my gym workout to really make an impact. Do I need to rest in between days? I'll only have access to the gym Sunday through Thursday so is it better to do weights on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday with those in-between days of rest or should I just do weights every day?

If you only have access Sun-Thur, you can consider Friday and Saturday your rest days - just be sure you're mixing up your workout during the week so you don't overwork a particular muscle group.

2) I do my grocery shopping on Sunday and every time I buy lettuce or spinach to have a salad sometime in the week I never can use it all before it goes bad. Any tips for keeping things fresher longer (also can you recommend some greens and other vegetables that will last longer)?

Are you buying heads/fresh greens or the pre-cut stuff in bags? The bags are definitely convenient but I've found that a head of lettuce or fresh spinach leaves will generally last a few days longer than the pre-bagged stuff.

3) Better to do heavier weights with less reps or lighter weights with more reps?

Depends on your goals and abilities. I would start light with more reps and as you get more comfortable/able, increase the weights and lower the reps accordingly.

4) Is the treadmill or elliptical truly more effective for cardio than a stationary bike? I have an old knee injury from high school that I can feel aching when I do cardio so I need to find an exercise with less resistance for it but I feel like I burn more calories on the elliptical than the bike.

IMO - the best is the one that you'll stick to regularly. If the elliptical causes pain in your knee, then don't use it, or at least use it less often. Yeah a bike generally doesn't burn as quick as running or elliptical, but the bikes at most gyms can be adjusted for more resistance, etc that will increase the burn.

5) I can run at a pretty decent pace on an elliptical for 30 minutes and be alright but once I start running like in the parking lot I can only go like a minute before being completely out of breath and this makes no sense to me. Can someone explain this?

Only guessing here - but you're probably sprinting out of the gate when you run vs. a slower steady measured pace provided by the elliptical. Start out with several minutes of quick walking/slow jogging to warm up and slowly increase your pace.

HeidiCooksSupper

Replying to the veggie question, since we shop once a week and fill the cart half full of veggies for two adults.

-Cabbage lasts much longer than lettuce. We generally have 1 to 3 types of cabbage at a time in the fridge: green, red, and napa. All three are good both raw and cooked and you'd be amaze how many recipes are out there for cabbage. If you think of cabbage as being stinky and slimy -- stop boiling it! Boiled cabbage is stinky and slimy. Sauteed cabbage is yummy. Raw cabbage is yummy. Spicy chow chow, red cabbage and mayo is a terrific slaw and red cabbage is up there with broccoli as a magically healthy food.

-Buy the hearts of romaine that come in bags of three. These seem to last a week with no problem. Bags of spinach also seem to last a week just fine.

-Putting a damp paper towel in a bag of leaf lettuce seems to help keep it longer.

-What's called an "English cucumber" around here (the long kind with fewer seeds) often comes wrapped in plastic and keeps a week if still wrapped up. Otherwise, slice it and throw it in a dressing and it will keep for days as a sort of "fresh pickle." It lasts much longer than a regular cucumber. And, counterintuitively, the cucumbers that have a yellow patch from where they sat on the ground in the shade are fresher than the ones that are green all around. The yellow patch indicates it hasn't been hanging around long enough to green up.

I can go on and on about veggies but I'll shut up now.

ASKyle

1. Like someone else said, make F/Sa your rest days. Alternate cardio and weight days the other 5.

2. Maybe check expiration dates on the bag? Grab one from behind that has a later date. Also, I like kale and swiss chard too.

3. Heavier weights, less reps. You will NOT get bulky. Promise.

4. The elliptical, in my opinion, is the easiest thing in the gym. Avoid it, get on the treadmill, stair stepper or bike.

5. See above. This is because you are not truly "running" on an elliptical when your feet don't leave the machine.

ETA: This is all based on my personal preference and experience.

Madelinec117

If you have a local farmer's market and can buy veggies grown in your area, they will be fresher than what is trucked into stores and keep a little longer. Most also taste better.

FireOpalCO

Do you have space to buy frozen veggies? There is no rule that you have to buy salad fixings. I don't because of the going bad issue. I've found that for us (two adults, one preschooler) the microwave steamer bags are a great way to add a veggie side to a meal quickly. I also buy fresh fruit (I love fresh fruit, especially blackberries).

A related question is can you go to the grocery store twice a week? If you had a second smaller trip (where you are only carrying back one reusable bag) it would make it easier for you to snag some fresh veggies or fruit but not the big stuff.

If you don't have access to the gym on Saturday and Sunday, just go for a nice walk or do a yoga video. Something that keeps you loose but isn't a heavy workout.

I'm not a fan of the elliptical, since it seems to force my feet/leg into a pattern that isn't natural. My feet ache from it. Go do the treadmill and have a more natural stride (just walk and play with the incline).

scarletrayne19

Thanks for all the help you guys! Anybody got any good veggie recipes to share? I'm particularly fond of cauliflower, onions, cucumbers and zucchini

spara0038

1) I've done a little reading and I understand that I need to include weight training in my gym workout to really make an impact. Do I need to rest in between days? I'll only have access to the gym Sunday through Thursday so is it better to do weights on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday with those in-between days of rest or should I just do weights every day?

I lift heavy 3 times a week- Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Honestly, if you do end up lifting heavy, you won't want to lift every day. You'll NEED that day in between to recover. On days I strength train, I usually do 15 min cardio warmup before weights. On Wednesdays and Saturdays I'll so 30-90 minutes of cardio. I almost always take Fridays off. Seems to work well for me so far.

2) I do my grocery shopping on Sunday and every time I buy lettuce or spinach to have a salad sometime in the week I never can use it all before it goes bad. Any tips for keeping things fresher longer (also can you recommend some greens and other vegetables that will last longer)?

I'm usually THAT person who digs at the back for the fresher pack of spinach lol. Where you store it in your fridge makes a difference. You'll want it to be somewhere relatively humid, but not too cold. Storing my spinach/lettuce in the bottom drawer was a disaster. Also, frozen spinach is nice too if you're going to cook with it.

3) Better to do heavier weights with less reps or lighter weights with more reps?

IMHO, heavier is better. It breaks apart the muscle fiber better, which is what you need to build up your muscle. Lighter weights with more reps may as well be cardio.

4) Is the treadmill or elliptical truly more effective for cardio than a stationary bike? I have an old knee injury from high school that I can feel aching when I do cardio so I need to find an exercise with less resistance for it but I feel like I burn more calories on the elliptical than the bike.

I too had a knee injury from high school. I was pretty competitive in tennis, but when I stopped that in college I had awful knee problems. It depends on your type of knee problems, but I was told by my PT that treadmill is better because it's a natural motion. If it hurts, just go slower or (do as I do and) wear a knee brace.

5) I can run at a pretty decent pace on an elliptical for 30 minutes and be alright but once I start running like in the parking lot I can only go like a minute before being completely out of breath and this makes no sense to me. Can someone explain this?

The treadmill kind of pushes you forward as you move, so you will definitely move faster on the treadmill than on the pavement. It is also rougher on your knees too, so that's why I don't run on paved road. Usually if I was to run outside, I'd run on grass to prevent injury to my knees.