Newbie, any tips?

Templar_Cullen
Templar_Cullen Posts: 20
in Fitness and Exercise
what would my.. "lifestyle" be considered? Lightly/Mildly/Extremely active?

So I'm -very- new to trying to get a exercise schedule going, and getting into this lifestyle. (( Which I love! but I have no idea where to truly start.))

The only equipment I have access too right now is a Treadmill that can increase in inclines, and 8 pound weights/ a.. pull-up chest area thing? I have no Idea what that piece of equipment is called, and my will power.

The main thing, that I enjoy doing is jogging/running?(( I do about 4.0-5.5mph on the treadmill, I don't know what that is considered.))

And my Schedule is.
Monday - 30-45 minutes of Treadmill in the morning on a incline of 3.0-3.5, and speeds of 4.0-5.5, then 10 minutes of "strength" in the evening, basically just me doing weights and 2 reps of 7 squats.

Tuesday: 30 minutes of Treadmill, 3.0-3.5 incline, with speeds of 4.0-5.5. Then some "do it yourself" yoga, for 30 minutes.

Wednesday: Same as monday.

Thursday: same as Tuesday.

Friday: same as Monday.

Saturday: same as monday.

Sunday: I guess this will be a free day? Normally I just do my routine 7 days a-week, but everyone says I need a free day.


I generally burn 400-500 calories per-day, and try to run 2.5-3 miles per day, I'm 18, 5'5, and 125lbs and female.

I know I need more variation and I know no Idea how to do a proper at-home cardio/strength routine, and this christmas I'm hoping to get a good collection of Weights/just in general some better gear/clothes.

but I personally feel like I'm not pushing myself/being as serious as I could be, I try to practice jump rope, but I'm terrible at it currently, but I do 10 wimpy baby reps on it, ha.


So does anyone have any tips/advice/critiques/good blogs or youtubes for DIY/At home work outs?

Replies

  • Templar_Cullen
    Templar_Cullen Posts: 20
    Seems I'm going to have to bump this.
  • tonynguyen75
    tonynguyen75 Posts: 418 Member
    I can get more use out of a full suitcase than those 8 lbs dumbbells. Pack a suit case full of junk and you can have a 30 lbs weight you can lift over your head and do your squats with. Do more sets and more reps of heavy squats. You can also up the speed you run on your treadmill as well, that'll up your calorie burn a bunch.

    What are you doing for your "strength" training? If you can, spend some more time. 10 minutes just isn't enough. Strength training is more of a factor on body re-composition than jogging.
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    If you can get actual free weights, do it. If not, I'd ditch the 8 pound weights and look into a progressive bodyweight program that gets harder as you get stronger.

    Also, you are at a healthy weight, and you're only 18. It may be that you don't really lose that much more weight, if any. Google "body recomposition" and have a look. What specifically are your goals? Do you want muscle? Do you feel "jiggly" (a matter of body fat percentage), etc.?
  • Templar_Cullen
    Templar_Cullen Posts: 20
    It was suggested to only use weights that you struggle with, as I'm new to trying to build strength I'm starting with 8lbs until I'm able to actually -do- them, I'm pretty wimpy right now.

    I'm not really trying to do it for calories.

    I know 10 minutes isn't enough, but I don't really know where I should go for instructions on beginner strength training?
  • Templar_Cullen
    Templar_Cullen Posts: 20
    If you can get actual free weights, do it. If not, I'd ditch the 8 pound weights and look into a progressive bodyweight program that gets harder as you get stronger.

    Also, you are at a healthy weight, and you're only 18. It may be that you don't really lose that much more weight, if any. Google "body recomposition" and have a look. What specifically are your goals? Do you want muscle? Do you feel "jiggly" (a matter of body fat percentage), etc.?

    I should of specified that I'm not trying to burn a large amount of calories, I just put the calories in as a sort of implication as to how hard my workouts are.

    Mostly just strengthening my core and thighs? My core isn't as tight as I'd like, and my thighs seem to have avoided all my weight-loss prowess on them.
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    New Rules of Lifting is great. Bodybuilding.com has all kind of articles as well. I bet you can lift a lot more than you think, especially your lower body. There's ton of bodyweight only programs out there as well that get progressively harder as you go on.
  • Templar_Cullen
    Templar_Cullen Posts: 20
    New Rules of Lifting is great. Bodybuilding.com has all kind of articles as well. I bet you can lift a lot more than you think, especially your lower body. There's ton of bodyweight only programs out there as well that get progressively harder as you go on.

    oh! Thank you for the recommendations, I'll Definitely try to order New Rules of Lifting, I'm kind of scared to go into this part of weights/etc, but I really would like to be fit and healthy and not, a skinny flabby thing ha.
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
    If you have access to free weight, stronglifts 5x5 is also a good beginner lifting program. You can find a lot of information about it on the forums (just search stronglifts 5x5) or on google (it's a free program). It only involves 5 basic lifts that work all major muscle groups.
  • Szymur
    Szymur Posts: 6
    We need to get one thing straight- do you want to get strenghts or burn fat? Because it's hardly possible to do both at once and it's not recommended to do so much cardio traning in addition to strenght training
  • Tiamaria1010
    Tiamaria1010 Posts: 40 Member
    I definitely recommend that you incorporate some strength training at least 3x per week. Add some squats, push ups, and lunges to your routine and you will see your body change within 2 weeks.

    This is what I do at least 3x a week:

    Walk/Jog 1/2 mile
    1 set of calisthenics (rigorous)
    And/or resistance--like squats, bands, weights, crunches, etc.
    I switch up the routine everyday so that I don't get bored and to also shock my body! LOL

    I do 4 sets each day
  • Templar_Cullen
    Templar_Cullen Posts: 20
    doubepost
  • Templar_Cullen
    Templar_Cullen Posts: 20
    We need to get one thing straight- do you want to get strenghts or burn fat? Because it's hardly possible to do both at once and it's not recommended to do so much cardio traning in addition to strenght training

    I'd like muscle? I just got done doing a really extreme low-carb diet, and I've sort of managed to not actually gain any muscle just lose alot of weight.

    My main area's I want to work on are my legs and stomach area, if that helps any? I'm sorry if I come off like a idiot, I honestly have no Idea about any of this.
  • hananah89
    hananah89 Posts: 692 Member
    We need to get one thing straight- do you want to get strenghts or burn fat? Because it's hardly possible to do both at once and it's not recommended to do so much cardio traning in addition to strenght training

    You can gain strength while burning body fat and doing cardio...
  • Szymur
    Szymur Posts: 6
    You don't, it's absolutely OK! First of all, don't do so much cardio trainings- because when you do, you not only burn calories and fat but even muscles (proteins) in the first place. If I were you, I'd get a gym membership. To start and prepare your muscles for harder trainings- google FBW (full-body-workout) and you might want to do it for like a month. Then, you should split your training like: monday-chest+triceps, wednesday-biceps+back, friday-shoulders+legs. Making training good and effective isn't easy, so I suggest you to go deeply into details of it...
  • Szymur
    Szymur Posts: 6
    We need to get one thing straight- do you want to get strenghts or burn fat? Because it's hardly possible to do both at once and it's not recommended to do so much cardio traning in addition to strenght training

    You can gain strength while burning body fat and doing cardio...

    It's less effective without special diet which I don't think he has
  • booglass
    booglass Posts: 8 Member
    My best advice is be kind to yourself. This is a change in lifestyle so there will be bumps along the way. No one gets it 100% right. But you need to pick yourself back up when you fall and keep going. Soon you will reach your goals.
  • Templar_Cullen
    Templar_Cullen Posts: 20
    could anyone also tell me what i would be considered? Lightly Active, or Active?.. I'm alittle confused on that, as my Jogging/Running is sort of rigorous but my cardio is lacking.
  • Szymur
    Szymur Posts: 6
    I'd take active

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