Struggling with working out

bethanylyn07

Hey everyone. I joined MFP about a week ago (for the second time , ha) and I really, REALLY want to lose weight and get back into shape. When I was in high school I was in excelled shape-I did gymnastics from the ages of 8-16 and cheerleading almost just as long. I started gaining weight when I was put on medication for depression and anxiety in September of 2003. I gained 20 pound in 2 months! I stopped taking the medication in November, and got pregnant in December. Ever since then, I have slowly put on weight. After 10 years and 3 kids, I really want to get back my healthy body. Truthfully, I've never watched what I eat, but now that I am older, obviously that is working against me. My weight hasn't changed in 3 years-I'm the same weight I was after I delivered my son in 8/2009. But for some reason, I am having a really hard time exercising. I am doing the 30 Day Shred right now....I started last Monday but have only done it maybe 5 times. I stay at home with 3 kids, and getting up before them to work out is really difficult because my husband works late and I stay up to wait for him so that we actually see each other. I can't do it when they are around because I have to keep pausing it and dealing with them, and after so much of that, I dread doing it again. The other option is at night time, but by then I am so exhausted I just want to sit. The gym is not an option either (financially). I know that I will NEVER reach my goals if I continue to do this. I just hate exercise for some reason and I absolutely dread it. Some would say that I just don't want to lose the weight bad enough, but this is the farthest thing from the truth. I can't stand to have my picture taken, I hate going out, and I especially hate running into people I haven't seen in a long time-I am sure they are thinking about how big I've gotten. I am currently 171 lbs. I started this at 176, and my goal weight is 135, perhaps even less. How can I make myself exercise properly??

sandiburn

Sounds like you get some exercise with 3 kids. I dont know how old they are, but one of the things we do in our work out class is standing up and sitting down and standing up and sitting down. You could make it a game if your kids are old enough. Go for a walk with your stroller. Every extra step that you did not take before is a step toward getting you back. Also, check out your free chanels on your cable. There are a lot of 30 min work out videos that are free. BTW, you can add me as a friend if you want. You can do this, you just have to think outside the box.

Good luck.

missvazquez1984

My best friend, she has two boys... and what she does is that she put activity that word have her and her children moving... for example like running bike, or going swimming... this way u and the kids workout togethere..

BeantownSooner

Start slow and don't take on too much at one time. Focus on your nutrition for now and get that right. 80% of your results will come from that anyway. Be a nutrition rock star and after some time introduce exercise again. And if you can work that into the equation now all the better. Keep it simple and try to get out for a brisk 30 - 40 minute walk 3-4 times a week. Sometimes in the beginning exercise can actually complicate things.

Here's an example to demonstrate that:

~200 calories for a 30-40 minute walk at a brisk pace x 3 days = 600 calories per week
600 calories per week x 52 weeks = 31,200 calories
1lb fat = 3,500 calories
Fat loss in 1 year doing the above brisk walking schedule = 8.9lbs

On the other hand...

500 calorie reduction on a good nutrition plan x 7 days = 3,500 calories per week = 1lb per week through nutrition


You can absolutely lose just by focusing on your nutrition and consider anything you get in for exercise as a bonus. They're complimentary not exclusive.

pkw58

You know, I am sure setting 30 minutes to 3 hours to work out every day is a lot of people's cup of tea, but When I committed to a healthy lifestyle in December 2011 I decided to just work more activity in to my day. I take walk breaks at work, for 10-20 minutes 2- 4 times a day. I do about 10-15 minutes of standing yoga when I first wake up. I wear a nike fuel band and record that activity daily (most of the time) . I stand up for at least 5 minutes every hour despite having a desk job.

it's working. and funny enough, I am hoping to work structure in my day to include a little more like more wii fit yoga or rumba, and maybe attending a hot yoga class once a week. but in the meantime, I know I can keep up the "more activity" and monitoring it with my Nike Fuel band. I have a recumbent stationary bike, and I can generally get 20 minutes on it at night if I don't make my activity goal during the day.

My husband does this same thing with his fitbit.

to each his own. not sure I could keep up with 3 kids every day..

bethanylyn07

My kids are 8, 5 and 3. Not quite old enough to work out together, and too old to put in a stroller (although I WISH I could haha) I live in an apartment complex and I'm scared to walk with them because of the traffic. I've tried a few times and my son always runs off. I think I am just going to make myself do it at night, right after I put them to bed. It's the only way I will be able to be consistent with it. We have no pool or anything nearby, and I can't afford a gym or athletic club membership. I've made the most changes diet-wise, and it's been more expensive than we are used to....I think that is why I've lost some weight already. Except for one or two slip ups, I've completely overhauled. I used to just eat dinner, now I eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and one or two snacks, and try to stay away from processed food as much as possible. Before MFP, I realized I wasn't eating enough, and when I did, it was nothing but junk! I never thought of myself as a bad eater but I quickly saw that was the case. I already decided I'm only going to do the workouts 3-4 times a week. I have a bad back and shin splints that kill me just from daily activity....maybe once I lose more that will heal, and I can work out more often. This is going to be a slow process, and I understand that but it's got to be a lifestyle change, and I want to keep the weight off. Thanks for the advice!!!

bethanylyn07

Start slow and don't take on too much at one time. Focus on your nutrition for now and get that right. 80% of your results will come from that anyway. Be a nutrition rock star and after some time introduce exercise again. And if you can work that into the equation now all the better. Keep it simple and try to get out for a brisk 30 - 40 minute walk 3-4 times a week. Sometimes in the beginning exercise can actually complicate things.

Here's an example to demonstrate that:

~200 calories for a 30-40 minute walk at a brisk pace x 3 days = 600 calories per week
600 calories per week x 52 weeks = 31,200 calories
1lb fat = 3,500 calories
Fat loss in 1 year doing the above brisk walking schedule = 8.9lbs

On the other hand...

500 calorie reduction on a good nutrition plan x 7 days = 3,500 calories per week = 1lb per week through nutrition


You can absolutely lose just by focusing on your nutrition and consider anything you get in for exercise as a bonus. They're complimentary not exclusive.

That is what my husband and my cousin told me. I've been working harder on that than anything else. I replied about that below, actually, before I saw this. Thank you!