New and need excercise tips for a couch potato!

troythegeek
troythegeek Posts: 47
edited September 26 in Introduce Yourself
I'm six weeks in and have settled into a nice groove on what I'm eating and keeping track of my calories. I've already lost 19 pounds and feeling pretty good. However, I know that a wall is coming and I will soundly hit it if I don't incorporate excercise into my daily routine. I have a treadmill/clothes hanger at home and have used it, but I just bought some free weights and trying to find some easy excercises to help get me started. I can walk on the treadmill and use the weights, but I just don't feel like I know what I am doing and don't know if I am accomplishing anything or not. Any suggestions?

Replies

  • getsveltEagain
    getsveltEagain Posts: 1,063 Member
    You should google the C25K... it is a 9 week program to help a couch potato to run a 5k.

    I have heard great sucess stories with it ;)
  • ChunkyMonkey207
    ChunkyMonkey207 Posts: 96 Member
    Im a huge couch potato too...I bought the Zumba for the wii...and love it! I even did it twice yesterday!! Good luck!!
    ~Amanda
  • WifeMomDVM
    WifeMomDVM Posts: 1,025 Member
    I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend doing HIIT (High intensity interval training) on your treadmill. Google it! Lift heavy weights! I also highly recommend the book, "The New Rules of Weight Lifiting for Men/Women" (there's a book for each) by Lou Schuler.

    Has some GREAT strength training work-outs that work the LARGE muscles of the body - which is oh so important!

    Good luck and congrats on getting the treadmill and weights... now GET UP AND GO USE THEM! :happy:
  • Great program the C25K!! My friend is currently doing it and loves it! She is someone who hated running and now enjoys it!! Good luck!!
  • THe best I found was just going outside for along walk and challenging yourself to do it each day faster. Then find some great trails around your home and go for it! Weights are good too so try to 30-30 workout on the Men's Health page. Fast but really good workout and you can break it up. Good luck!
  • dave4d
    dave4d Posts: 1,155 Member
    Try looking up weightlifting exercises on bodybuilding.com to show you proper form, and a good lifting routine. You can also view some on youtube. Lift as heavy as you can, keeping proper form until your 8th rep, or so. Do at least 3 sets, resting around 30 seconds to a minute between sets. Try to incorporate all your muscles at least once a week, but make sure you take 48 hours or more to rest those same muscles to let them rebuild. Make sure you end your workout with some protein and carbs to refuel your body.
  • katekrise
    katekrise Posts: 178 Member
    30 Day Shred is also a good beginner workout. I also LOVE doing Just Dance 2 on the wii. It's so much fun that it doesn't seem like a workout.
  • Im a huge couch potato too...I bought the Zumba for the wii...and love it! I even did it twice yesterday!! Good luck!!
    ~Amanda
    I've been doing Just Dance 2 for the Wii and I can't stop playing it. It's great and I'm getting all the top scores for the songs even when I couldn't dance before now. it makes me feel fabulous
  • Eskimopie
    Eskimopie Posts: 235 Member
    I walk on the treadmill with my kindle and read a good thriller. makes the time pass quick. Once I got good at walking, I brought along my ipod and now I read while walking, and am incorporating running as well. Then I depend on my music...since reading while running is not a good idea for me :)

    It really makes the time fly and I look forward to getting back to my book!
  • Thanks for all the tips! Some of you mentioned fitness games on the Wii, which I don't have, but I do have the Kinect and have a fitness game on it. I set-up my personal trainer and did a round of it plus yoga last night. I can say that I was definitely sweating. It looks like it has a lot of variety. There are personal fitness programs that count your reps and tracks your motions. That lady on there last night was constantly telling me to correct this or that. There is also a Men's Health session that uses weights so I can use it when my weights are delivered in the next few days. I've had the game since Christmas, but never bothered to even use it. Now I'm really excited to have it.
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