Don't know how to workout

dwarfer22

Hi! I have been a yo-yo dieter all my life. Had RNY in sept 07' and lost 140lbs. Gained some back ad now I am trying to start a serious excercise regime. Just don't know where to begin. I have started working out morning for about an hour and maybe 30 min at night (depending on what i eat thru the day). My question then becomes, how do i know how much is enough? How much is too much? I know I shouldn't use excercise to compensate for calories per se but it just seems logical to do so. How do I know what is right? Do i set a specific time limit per day and stick to it no matter what i eat or should it flex to cover calorie amounts for specific days? What is a good average time per day and what should I aim for within those times? Flat out balls to the walls cardio? or include weights in there? So lost.

mlv333

realage.com is a good place to start the research. It's a personal thing between what your body needs, and what you are able to accomplish realistically to the point where you continue the workouts and not burn out after week 2. They say you need to mix in both cardio and weight training. I prefer cardio, so my workouts are mainly 1 hr long of different things I like to do like bike ride, swim, run. For the weight training I do one aerobics class called body pump in my gym that is about 1 hour of straight lifting. It's intense, but I hate it so I only want to do it 1 day a week and get the most of that day.

cajunspice5000

While trying to lose weight, I think you should aim for 60 minutes of exercise a day, six days a week. Whether that exercise is walking (while you're getting started) or a group fitness class. Anything that is going to keep your heart rate up at the aerobic level for at least 20 min. straight is important. Logically, to lose weight you don't need to exercise--just eat less, but if you're looking to really CHANGE your body (more muscle higher metabolism), exercise is the way to go. I also think that a bootcamp class is one of the best ways to lose fat. You can do it on your own as well. Cardio bursts for 5 min. followed by a tough sculpting exercise for 3 min., repeat, again and again.

ericaquin

Way to go for working out! Personally, its ok to workout to be able to eat more because I needed that so bad right in the begining when I started this. I did cardio 6 times a week and it was usually 20-30 minutes on the elliptical at home OR my husband and I would go on walks together and we would try to aim for 40 minutes. I also did walking videos (you can rent them from your library or netflix which has a big selection of workout dvds). After a while you will actually start to enjoy working out and see that it is something your body needs. Now, I would not recommended going balls to walls because going hard right off the bat my discourage you after a few days; at least that is what happens to me. It is too easy for me to convince myself not to workout so I have to do something I like and can stay consistent with. Try to aim for 30 minutes a day for 5 days then take a 2 day rest, or 3 to 4 times a week but you must rest.

tairui2009

Don't feel so lost.. as you already know where to begin! Exercise, like anything else... should be done such that it compliments your mind and body. That requires you to really think about where you are now, and set some goals for where you want to be. If weight loss is your goal, don't let it be THE goal. I mean, there are other things which are more important... raising your metabolism by putting on some muscle is a huge benefit. As you progress, make sure you listen to your body ~ if it's too much, you'll know. If you're not reaching your goals, you'll know. Likewise, don't let your mind psych you out as you start exercising again ~ we all have a tendency to stop ourselves ..

I am just finishing a DVD program - it's interval training, and I have had great success with it. You might want to look into something that can be done at home and to your convenience..

kwardklinck

I started out just doing some dance dvds 30 minutes 3 times per week. I did lose weight doing that because I ate within my calorie goals. Now I do running and yoga 3 days a week and Pilates and weight training 3 days a week. It's whatever you feel comfortable with. If your body hurts, give it a break. If you crave the working out and feel good, just do it.

taryn_perry

I agree with what tairui2009, in that you need to find an exercise regime that triggers your mind & body, not to mention gets you motivated and excited to do it. I have never thought exercise to be a "chore" as I enjoy the endrenaline rush, the "feel good" and all that it does for me inside and out. It's simply just a part of my life.

I've had great success with many at home workout systems, such at P90X, Slim in 6 and plenty of others. The key was, I found something that continued to challenge me, gave me direction on what workouts to do, what to eat and had an enormous community of support (much like MFP here).

I'd be happy to share my experience with those programs, so feel free to send me a message.

Best of luck, as you are definitely off to a good start!
-Taryn

aareeyesee

http://www.liamrosen.com/fitness.html

That may or may not be information overload, but I have found it very useful for beginners.