New to Fitness

misseshugz

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to "working out" or even being overly active. I was a smoker for 10 years, and am officially 6.5 months smoke free! I've noticed a huge difference in my lungs even doing simple things like walking up stairs!

What I want to know is where to start. I used to be active playing sports, etc. but that was a while ago now. I have a treadmill and I have no trouble walking or running. I was running for a while and noticed it wasn't getting me anywhere. Maybe because I couldn't handle long spurts? I have 2 dogs that I walk, but I find the walking doesn't have much of an impact. I'm looking to add something into the walking.

I've read lots on this 30 day shred and thought maybe it would be a good place to start. Granted, I know I won't be able to do much of it at the beginning but at least I could try. I did a bootcamp class last year that was definitely painful and hard but I managed to keep up with most of the exercises.

Where did you start? What do you find helpful? How have you lots inches?

samantha1373

good for you! sounds like you're claiming your life!!! OK here are some major tips the treadmill works!!!!! up the incline . the higher you can handle the better!! this is true with ANY machine! i love to watch tv when i work out on the treadmill so i pick a 20-30 min program with no commercials for my dvd player or my tablet . Secondly its actually better on your tredmill to go at a moderate pace and then have a spurt of 1-2 mins where you go hard and then recover. Now that you are on MFP count your calories! there are SOOO many things out there you THINK are healthy or not too bad for you that are HORRIBLE!! figure out what your weaknesses are and figure out how to either FIT those into your calorie intake OR a substitute that is lower cal counting calories WORKS i can count cals only and not work out and I still loose weight! It you are walking out side change your route go a dif way, are there any big hills around??? try to MAKE your self do those! if you do the challenge with us you will tone and loose inches it may not be over night but you will notice a difference. the moves in that challenge are ALL you need if you want an extra challenge do it before lunch as well! or up your reps! I can also encourage you to use your resources, shape magazine has a FB page as well as their website with LOADS of free work outs you can do with JUST your body also start you tubing MYTRAINERBOB from biggest loser he has GREAT work outs the has a 5 months to bikini bod that REALLY gets your heart going your balance and your toning and even the stuff he has with a ball or a band you can use at home objects to do the same work out although most of his are with your own body! i'm on month two getting ready to try month three!

http://youtu.be/XQqFEKv__mc


be accountable and be consistent! you can do it! And you are worth it!

misseshugz

Thank you so much! Holy moly you've been so helpful to me in the first few hours of joining! It's so nice to have such great support! :flowerforyou:

Great tips, I'll be sure to give those a try! Tonight I'm starting with getting myself out on those sidewalks and walking my dogs! It'll be a slow start but it'll be something. I've committed to trying Jillian Michaels' 30 day shred with a group on here, beginning April 1st. I may not succeed at it at first, but at least it's a program I've signed up for and have support with!

But I'll be using your treadmill/incline tips for sure when walking/jogging!! I'll start your challenge tonight and see where that takes me. It seems simple enough to start with!

stormieweather

You could try intervals. I downloaded a 'song' for my ipod that times it for me and gives me action music during the intervals. Intervals is when you run (ie: sprint all out) for a short period, then go slower to recover for about 2x the period you went all out. An example would be to sprint for 10 seconds, then fast walk or slow run for 20 seconds. Repeat at least 4-5 minutes (8 reps). This burns a LOT of calories and is great conditioning.

Or you could try a class. I take kickboxing and zumba and both keep you moving non-stop for an hour which is different than doing it yourself and being able to stop or slow whenever you want.

I highly recommend doing weight lifting as well. If you can't get to a gym, you can do bodyweight exercises or use household objects such as milk jugs filled with sand.

rhichi

Let me echo the idea of trying a few new things. I had to spend a good amount of time figuring out what worked for me in terms of exercise (I still do new things to try and shake it up). Find something that is possible for you but still challenging. And remember to also watch not just how much you eat, but what you eat. I know the mantra is to "burn more calories than you consume" but it's honestly better for you to go over your calories one day by eating extra fruits, vegetables, and lean protein if you're hungry, than to stay under your calories while eating only candy bars.

If you have the time and money, I highly suggest finding a good dietitian/nutritionist. They can help you work with your body type and lifestyle to design a program that works for you. If you find that they're very rigid or discouraging, find a new one. It's your health, after all, so you have the right to find the resources that work best for you.

Above all else, remember not to give up. It's not just about the numbers on the scale or the measuring tape. You may lose a bunch of weight right away and then plateau (happened to me for about 3 months). You may take weeks to even start losing a single pound. Focus on the positives, like how much easier an exercise was, or how you had the self control to turn down that piece of cake at the party.

If you need any help, there is a great community here who want to see you happy and healthy. Good luck!

jnh17

Best advice if you're brand new, join a gym and get a trainer. Do it. I know it's expensive but if you're going to invest your time and energy into working out, make sure you're getting all the benefit you can.

I've been working out for 13 years and I still need a trainer to remind me how hard my body can be pushed.

IrateBeth

I want to echo what rhichi said:
Try something new, keep trying new things, and never give up.. even when you get super discouraged.

I didn't start working out "hard" until this year. I was coating along and saying "training for ___ is enough" when in fact it was not.
Now, I am watching what I eat more, and doing little things (like, my Home Office Dance Party. I say it is only Friday, but really, I make time to dance for 10-15 minutes every day).

No matter what, just never give up.

samantha1373

Jillians shred has dif levels and its a great work out !!!!!! i have had it for years its def high impact! good luck with it!