Exercise program rec's?

atichnell · August 2012

So I am looking for some recommendations for a workout program. I have a gym membership and enjoy going, but I feel like I need to do more to really get the results I want (I'm looking to lose 40lbs, ideally I'd love to lose 50). I have a friend who is doing the couch to 5k program and is saying good things about it, but I've never been one for running. I've read up on p90x and the insanity workouts and I'd love to try them, but they are expensive. I don't really have that much $ I can spend right now.

As far as my fitness level, I can do about 30 min on an elliptical at a moderate speed before I feel like I need to stop. But I work at an office job that requires I sit for 8 hours a day. It's horrible. I had a baby 13 months ago and need to get this weight off! I'm currently tracking calories and staying around 1200 a day. Any rec's on an exercise program would be appreciated!

heybales · August 2012

So I am looking for some recommendations for a workout program. I have a gym membership and enjoy going, but I feel like I need to do more to really get the results I want (I'm looking to lose 40lbs, ideally I'd love to lose 50). I have a friend who is doing the couch to 5k program and is saying good things about it, but I've never been one for running. I've read up on p90x and the insanity workouts and I'd love to try them, but they are expensive. I don't really have that much $ I can spend right now.

As far as my fitness level, I can do about 30 min on an elliptical at a moderate speed before I feel like I need to stop. But I work at an office job that requires I sit for 8 hours a day. It's horrible. I had a baby 13 months ago and need to get this weight off! I'm currently tracking calories and staying around 1200 a day. Any rec's on an exercise program would be appreciated!

Best bang for your buck of exercise time.

Lift heavy weights for the biggest muscles first, if time remains, for the smaller muscles.
Used muscle burns more fat all day long.
The recovery to lifting heavy burns fat far longer than the workout.
3 x week.

The 3 days following that primary good workout, easy cardio of whatever you enjoy, mixing it up would be good. Swimming, spin bike, treadmill, elliptical, ect.
This is a case where you do want to stay in fat-burning zone, otherwise known as Active Recovery heart rate zone.
Why?
You just stressed the muscles big time the day before if you did it right, and they only get stronger with repair and recovery, and that can't happen as best it can if you stress them the next day and prevent it.
So easy cardio for 30-60 min in fat-burning zone.

Feed the workout. MFP's estimate of calorie burn for Strength training is probably mighty close, it doesn't burn a lot of calories during the workout, but much more afterwards.
For the cardio use machine estimate if you entered weight, you can use MFP estimate if it's a pace description, like 3.5 mph treadmill, and you did 0 incline.
Elliptical vigorous is not descriptive, use machine estimate.

Eat those calories back. You'll be helping to retain muscle as best you can, make it stronger for fat burning all day long, and especially the next day for the cardio.

And yes, MFP gave you a deficit already before it knows about any exercise you do, you eat back to keep that same deficit. Don't be short-sited and not feed your workouts for best improvement.
If you don't want feed the workout, forget everything I said and just walk for 1 hr at 3.5 mph, since that's about all you'll be expecting your body to give.

SkinnierPlz · August 2012

So I am looking for some recommendations for a workout program. I have a gym membership and enjoy going, but I feel like I need to do more to really get the results I want (I'm looking to lose 40lbs, ideally I'd love to lose 50). I have a friend who is doing the couch to 5k program and is saying good things about it, but I've never been one for running. I've read up on p90x and the insanity workouts and I'd love to try them, but they are expensive. I don't really have that much $ I can spend right now.

As far as my fitness level, I can do about 30 min on an elliptical at a moderate speed before I feel like I need to stop. But I work at an office job that requires I sit for 8 hours a day. It's horrible. I had a baby 13 months ago and need to get this weight off! I'm currently tracking calories and staying around 1200 a day. Any rec's on an exercise program would be appreciated!

Best bang for your buck of exercise time.

Lift heavy weights for the biggest muscles first, if time remains, for the smaller muscles.
Used muscle burns more fat all day long.
The recovery to lifting heavy burns fat far longer than the workout.
3 x week.

The 3 days following that primary good workout, easy cardio of whatever you enjoy, mixing it up would be good. Swimming, spin bike, treadmill, elliptical, ect.
This is a case where you do want to stay in fat-burning zone, otherwise known as Active Recovery heart rate zone.
Why?
You just stressed the muscles big time the day before if you did it right, and they only get stronger with repair and recovery, and that can't happen as best it can if you stress them the next day and prevent it.
So easy cardio for 30-60 min in fat-burning zone.

Feed the workout. MFP's estimate of calorie burn for Strength training is probably mighty close, it doesn't burn a lot of calories during the workout, but much more afterwards.
For the cardio use machine estimate if you entered weight, you can use MFP estimate if it's a pace description, like 3.5 mph treadmill, and you did 0 incline.
Elliptical vigorous is not descriptive, use machine estimate.

Eat those calories back. You'll be helping to retain muscle as best you can, make it stronger for fat burning all day long, and especially the next day for the cardio.

And yes, MFP gave you a deficit already before it knows about any exercise you do, you eat back to keep that same deficit. Don't be short-sited and not feed your workouts for best improvement.
If you don't want feed the workout, forget everything I said and just walk for 1 hr at 3.5 mph, since that's about all you'll be expecting your body to give.

I agree :-)

I have been back and forth with exercise in the past and nothing works better at reshaping and toning than lifting weights. I am now addicted! LOL

jbrann911 · August 2012

I have my favorite gym workout 1 hour on the eliptical at 10 incline at 100% resistance 2 x s a day now worked up to that 4 to 5 times a week. I do 5 machines 10 sets of 10 on legs and 10 sets of 10 on 5 arm machines 2 x s daily mix up the variety so not the same muscle groups.

I wanted to do Insanity but don't need the $100 package have my own "diet" part going on just wanted it to burn the abs so I went to Youtube watched several people doing the workout picked 5 excercises I was sure I could do and basically proceeded to look like I was having a seizure on the floor - basically at high enough intensity anything crunching the abs will do the trick. First time did 10 minutes was going to die did another 10 minutes was a puddle of sweat on the floor did it again and again till was doing 4 - 10 minute groups now can do 40 minutes all at once. In 2 weeks of doing it without any $$ investment have melted 2 tires into one and my clothes fall off without a belt. Still have a road to go but I am feeling and looking great. Noticed had to up calorie intake when started the abs workout slightly to limit crash from a too bit of a deficit. I eat a piece of fruit immediatly afterwards too need that natural sugar rush or feel going to pass out when get up.

Good Luck on your journey!!!!

atichnell · August 2012

Thank you so much for your fast reply. I was focusing on cardio and seeing ok results but I know I can do better. I guess I will read up on lifting and start working that into my routine. I do make sure to eat as many of the exercise calories back as I can. I definitely don't need my body to start storing any calories.

heybales · August 2012

Thank you so much for your fast reply. I was focusing on cardio and seeing ok results but I know I can do better. I guess I will read up on lifting and start working that into my routine. I do make sure to eat as many of the exercise calories back as I can. I definitely don't need my body to start storing any calories.

Well, it's not so much as storing, as you just can't get the improvement for all the hard work if the deficit is too large.
Worst case that happens to many though is the metabolism does indeed slow down, amount of weight loss weekly slows down, next thing you know 6-12 wks down the road you are eating at maintenance level and weight loss has stopped.
At that point, only 2 directions to try, eat less and hope it doesn't happen again, eat more and start losing again.

Here are some great workouts by muscle, with description for all types of ways of working them, and proper form shown.

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/WtFemale.html

And how to setup some programs for hitting major muscle groups with whatever type of exercise you want to do.
First couple weeks should be lighter weight and 3 sets x 12-15 reps, but once you got the technique down and good form, increase weight until 3 x 10 can barely be finished with good form on last rep.

http://www.exrx.net/WeightTraining/Instructions.html

kungfuflyer · August 2012

Try doing some of the classes at your gym if they offer some to get started then start educating yourself with training when it comes to strength training and implementing that into your program. 1200 calories sounds to low depending on what your current weight is right now. You need to focus on why you want this so bad for yourself and what the alternative is if you don't commit to making this change. When you think about that then that will help push you to do the things that you need to achieve your goals.

atichnell · August 2012

Try doing some of the classes at your gym if they offer some to get started then start educating yourself with training when it comes to strength training and implementing that into your program. 1200 calories sounds to low depending on what your current weight is right now. You need to focus on why you want this so bad for yourself and what the alternative is if you don't commit to making this change. When you think about that then that will help push you to do the things that you need to achieve your goals.

Unfortunately, my gym doesn't offer classes. If I'm being honest with myself, I eat somewhere between 1200 and 1500 calories a day. I know 1200 is the lowest recommended for safe weight loss, so I don't get too upset with myself if I go over by a little. I know BMI isn't a great/completely accurate way of determining how healthy or in shape you are, but I'm considered obese (just barely) when I calculate BMI.

I have the right mindframe; I want and need to lose weight for myself and my health. Not because I'm facing a major medical problem, I just want to be healthier. I'm just looking for the correct way to lose weight and be healthy. I'm just looking for ways that have worked for others and some advice, since what I've done in the past hasn't worked.

I've lifted weights before, but it was always for maintenance/toning. I played volleyball in high school and college, and I used our weight room time to keep things toned. It wasn't really about pushing how much I could lift or how many reps I could do. So it probably didn't do me a whole lot of good, but at the time, I didn't think I need more than that.

heybales, thanks for the websites. I will check those out. And thank you for program help.

I was looking for something like that, and none of the sites I was reading were that clear about it.

Exercise program rec's?

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