Is this enough?

buggings
buggings Posts: 18
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey! So, when I first started trying to lose weight, I lost 65 pounds between September '12 and February '13 and this was done with little to no exercise. At that point, I was at 225lbs, but since then and now, I've taken a break and have gained around 20lbs back. It's depressing, I know..

But for the Summer, from now until the end of August, I really want to get back down to 225lbs and even lower if possible! Before, I was just following the calorie deficit MFP provided and was losing just fine, but I now I'm interested in looking a bit better as I lose weight. Since I have no access to a gym, would this be an adequate workout regime:

- walk/run 30-45 mins 3-4 times a week
- pushups, sit ups everyday

I realize that's not alot, but I am really not looking to bulk up or anything and I suppose it's better than what I was doing before. Does this, combined with my calorie deficit, sound like a good track to lose 20-30lbs over the course of the summer?

Please offer some thought and advice! Thanks.

Replies

  • buggings
    buggings Posts: 18
    bump
  • AlexisJ330
    AlexisJ330 Posts: 97 Member
    There are a lot of exercises you can do at home without any weights. Push up and sit ups are a great start. Also consider burpees, squats, lunges. One good way to do push ups and sit ups are in a pyramid style (1 push up - one sit up, 2 push ups - 2 sit ups, go up to ten and then back down). We did this often in the Army and it was a good workout.
  • allisonrinkel
    allisonrinkel Posts: 224 Member
    There's a smartphone ap called Sworkit that I would recommend you try, it gives you all kinds of no equipment workouts and times them etc. Really handy if you're not too sure what to do or where to start! :D Keep mixing it up so you don't get bored. Have fun!
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Your cardio is all set.... what about your lower body .... at the very least add squats

    Here is a no weights required workout:

    http://exercise.about.com/cs/exerciseworkouts/l/blnoweightwkout.htm
  • elainecroft
    elainecroft Posts: 595 Member
    My advice, to quote Nike, is "Just do it." Start with what you got - you can always add in more time/variety later. But it all depends on getting into a routine of doing something on a regular schedule, and making exercise a priority in your life. Good luck!
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    There are lots of ways to workout using bodyweight. Nerdfitness has several programs, there's you are your own gym, and convict conditioning.
  • megabyt23
    megabyt23 Posts: 580 Member
    Since everyone is different, you should get a heart rate monitor to see how many calories you are burning during these workouts. It also depends on how much you're eating. You can lose weight without exercise, but it'll probably go a lot faster the more you work out. If you're just looking to lose weight and not bulk up, you should focus more on cardio exercises like you're jogging/walking/etc! Good luck!
  • dougii
    dougii Posts: 679 Member
    I agree that you just need to get started and go from there. If you want weights you can create your own with simple household items like empty milk jugs filled with different amounts of water....large books (dictionary for example)...a large stone or two..... Get creative.
  • phw426
    phw426 Posts: 92 Member
    no one really needs a gym unless lifting, swimming etc....turn on the radio and dance dance dance.....of course many of us will join a gym for the discipline of setting aside the time to do it....
  • buggings
    buggings Posts: 18
    Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

    I have another question — I understand the benefits of weight training, i.e: building muscle to burn more calories, but if someone were to only do weight training, how would their weight loss patterns NORMALLY go? Would it be a steady, consecutively relative amount such as a pound per week?
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    There are lots of people that just do weight training. Cardio burns more calories than weight training* .... and builds endurance. Weight training helps you keep existing muscle ....and helps build a healthy fat to muscle ratio. Resistance training is also about the "shape" of your body when fat is gone. No one wants to lose weight & be flabby..... this is why all cardio is a bad thing.

    *Weight training calorie burns are extremely difficult to quantify.

    If you use compound moves during weight training (working groups of muscle together) .... you can get the same cardio advantage. I'm not knowlegeable enough to tell you how do this. Another way to go about it would be combining cardio with strength training ..... this is known as circuit training ...ie: jumping jacks, then squats or jogging in place then push ups.

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