Beginner Excercise Weights or Aerobics?

Queenofthezoo

I am just beginning this whole exercise thing. There aren't a lot of options where I live. I run (ok, walk) on a very basic treadmill. I am extremely NOT athletic, never have been. I always thought I hated to exercise since gym class was such a nightmare for me, but as an adult I've realized that really it was the public humiliation that was so awful.
So here I am in my 30's and completely lost and overweight. I was thinking of ordering hand weights, or some kind of exercise dvd, and then I saw kettle bells, and other stuff and I am lost at where I should start.
I did find a place here that does zumba classes with child care. That is pretty much my only gym/class workout option, since nothing else has childcare, and I always have kids in tow. But I have read on here how important it is not to just do cardio. I do own a very very basic treadmill. I tried Jillian Michael's 30 day shred (Level 1 Day 1) on Youtube, I used soup cans (19 oz) instead of weights. I tried my best and am still sore 3 days later. I can't even do the modified pushups but I tried. And my crunches I am sure look like I am not even moving. My last C-section was almost 3 years ago, and around my incision feels just like about a week after a C-section. So I guess it did something, but it really hurts.
So where do I begin? I can't buy and sign up for everything at once. But I can spend a little money to get started on something. I am a little worried about not getting the right form and hurting myself, but at home workouts would be most doable with kids.
So what do you suggest? Buy weights? Hand weights or kettle bell? Buy a certain DVD? Youtube videos? Zumba class? Stick with treadmill and try to improve? Save for a jogging stroller so I can take it outside (there will still be snow here for about another 6 weeks, and it is dirt roads all around me).
What should I do?

Queenofthezoo

Bump

mich1902

If you like the dvd's and find they are better for your situation then stick with it. I am not overweight but I struggled as well doing it, and I was sore. If you leave a day in between to start with and then attempt it every second day, you will defo feel fitter after just a few goes. I have found that when i've still been sore on the 3rd day, once you get a warm up and some stretches in, it actually goes away(for me anyway). I don't have the motivation to do a dvd at home so I just joined the gym. You can practice form and stuff with some adjustable dumbells at home. Things like lunges, squats can all be done at home and the form is pretty easy to master. I hate cardio myself and just do some walking to and from work each day.

bokodasu

First off, you should be doing some resistance and some cardio. But that's pretty much it as far as guidelines go - after that, do what you like and will keep doing, or mix it up every couple months if that's more your style.

You don't really have to get any equipment to start a resistance program - you can go a lot farther with bodyweight exercises than most people think. (You have to know what you're doing and have a plan, but there are plenty of books and programs out there that will set you up.) This is a basic beginner program - http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/. They also have a playground workout that I do sometimes when I take my kids out - http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/04/12/playground-workout/. When that gets easy, you can get something like You Are Your Own Gym or Never Gymless.

Throw a couple 20-minute cardio sessions into your week on top of that, and you're good to go!

sally_jeffswife

I love the Kettlenetics Dvds they have really light weights but it combines that with aerobic-cardio type excercise so you get a real good workout and don't bulk up super huge with it. otherwise if you like dancing the Billy Blanks Jr Dance Party bootcamp one is really a blast.

concordancia

Just keep up with the shred - you will be building strength! Then you can look up body weight exercises!

Oh, and keep up with at least some of the cardio. This is not either/or: your body will respond best if you do both.

Francl27

I'm ordering kettlenetics, thanks!

I started with slim in 6. I loved the results. It's a series of 6 dvd's you're supposed to do in 6 weeks, unfortunately the last dvd wasn't working (waiting for a replacement now), so I skipped to the maintenance dvd, and it's still a pretty good workout (and actually more fun).

I alternate with the 'walk away the pounds' series. It still gives a decent workout and it's fun, although the first 2 dvd's were not challenge at all after doing slim in 6, so you could try starting with that. I haven't tried the 3rd dvd yet.

I tried the 30 day shred a week ago and it hurt my right knee badly, so I'm not too impressed so far but I'll give it another shot eventually... I do not like her though!

Mostly at this point I'm just alternating my workouts so I don't get bored. I got turbo fire too but I'm not ready for that yet I think... I get totally lost.

Queenofthezoo

Thank you so much for the input. I just checked out the nerd fitness beginner work out, and I think I can give that I try, and I know I should stick with the shred thing, too. Then as I get more comfortable with those, I will look into kettlebells, and the billy blanks stuff (although I am a terrible dancer with NO rhythym, so I don't know how that would go. But the playground thing will be helpful this summer when the snow is gone.

So would a good basic beginners weekly schedule be:

Tues/Thurs/Sat -Treadmill for 30 minutes
Mon/Weds/Fri - Jillian 30DS or Nerd fitness circuit thing

And what is the best way to estimate calories burned for the circuit thing or Jillian 30 DS. I have just been using myfitness calculator to figure out calories. Anyway to guesstimate? I weight 181 lbs and I am 5 ft 7 inches, if that makes a difference.

Queenofthezoo

I'll look into slim in 6 and the walk away the pounds dvds. Thanks.

Just tried 1 round of the nerd fitness beginning circuit, I am drenched in sweat, and yet less sore than I woke up this morning. That is a good thing to know and remember, that sometimes when I am sore that working out will help instead of making it worse.

Francl27

I only started working out 5 weeks ago and I've been pretty much sore since then, just different muscles.

IMO a 30 minute workout 6 times a week is really good for a beginner. You don't want to overdo it anyway. I see people trying to push others into hard workouts like insanity and it's probably too overwhelming for a lot of us.

I have no idea how many calories I burn. You can buy some devices that estimate it for you. I just don't bother logging it and don't eat back the calories but I'm guessing I'm not doing anything that burns over 300 calories anyway. I just don't care that much if I'm over a little bit in something.

concordancia

Thank you so much for the input. I just checked out the nerd fitness beginner work out, and I think I can give that I try, and I know I should stick with the shred thing, too. Then as I get more comfortable with those, I will look into kettlebells, and the billy blanks stuff (although I am a terrible dancer with NO rhythym, so I don't know how that would go. But the playground thing will be helpful this summer when the snow is gone.

So would a good basic beginners weekly schedule be:

Tues/Thurs/Sat -Treadmill for 30 minutes
Mon/Weds/Fri - Jillian 30DS or Nerd fitness circuit thing

And what is the best way to estimate calories burned for the circuit thing or Jillian 30 DS. I have just been using myfitness calculator to figure out calories. Anyway to guesstimate? I weight 181 lbs and I am 5 ft 7 inches, if that makes a difference.

If your workout involves weights, log it as circuit training, if there aren't any weights or calisthenics involved, log it as general aerobics and use it to replace the treadmill.

Queenofthezoo

Thanks, that helps.

MostlyWater

you can get dvds from your library free. you can also look online for cheap ones. or rent from netflix or blockbuster.

for weights, you can start with canned food; i assume you have some large cans of tomto sauce in the house. use those. as you progress, look on craig's list for cheap weights. you can use 2's and 5's for a long time, though.

rumplesnat

I HIGHLY recommend Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds videos. Might even be able to find them on YouTube.

Queenofthezoo

I tried a Leslie Walking one on youtube, it was 2 miles in 30 minutes. I was so happy to finally do a workout and keep up. I can see me using those to switch things up from the treadmill. Thanks for the recommendations!!!!!

I hadn't thought to check on Netflix, we get that streamed on our TV's so I will check things out there, too. So glad I asked. I am feeling much confident about being able to do something.

rumplesnat

Awesome, keep up the great work...you can do this!!!