3 days at Gym, and I'm not sure this is for me.
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I hate the stationary bike. Once I got my road bike, I invested in a trainer for my bike and it is great! This is about finding what you like. Don't limit yourself! If it sounds fun, try it! Fitness shouldn't be boring! I went from weights to running to biking to mountain biking to triathlons to running again to road biking to bikram yoga and now rowing. It is a process and sort of like finding buried treasure!Okay this is how it went, you tell me is this a bad trainer. I got there, he tells me to warm up on treadmill for about 5 minutes. I do so. Then we move on to the upper body, he demonstrates what i need to do ( a plank i think) hold it for 25 seconds, then do this other thing where i lay down and hold my legs up for 25 seconds. rotate back and forth 3x. then we go to all the machines. we do 2 at a time rotating the two machines for 3 sets. he demonstrates each, then i do it. we did about 8 different things. then okay go get on the treadmill again for 25 minutes. then i leave.
Well what if that was my last day in training. today when i go, what do i do? do i do leg machines, treadmill? upper body machines? do i switch back and forth? I'm so lost :-(
either switch back and forth between upper and lower body, it is up to you if you want to do the treadmill after or not. You could just do your bike at home after the kids go to bed for the cardio part. The other option could be to get the book starting strength or new rules of lifting for women, and follow either of those programs (much better than using the machines as well)
For some reason I just feel like I get more out of the treadmill verses the bike. do they basically do the same thing? My legs were wore after the treadmill and they weren't the bike , maybe i had it where the bike was too easy to ride, not hard on the peddling.0 -
I can definitely relate to missing time with your kids. That is tough. But you also have to carve out time for yourself somehow, someway, otherwise that hurts you also. I think it's fine to get motivation from a trainer for awhile but eventually to try to get the internal motivation to keep going. It's hard and that's why message boards like these are great. Keep up the great work... one bad day is one bad day. I hope that tomorrow is better!0
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Okay this is how it went, you tell me is this a bad trainer. I got there, he tells me to warm up on treadmill for about 5 minutes. I do so. Then we move on to the upper body, he demonstrates what i need to do ( a plank i think) hold it for 25 seconds, then do this other thing where i lay down and hold my legs up for 25 seconds. rotate back and forth 3x. then we go to all the machines. we do 2 at a time rotating the two machines for 3 sets. he demonstrates each, then i do it. we did about 8 different things. then okay go get on the treadmill again for 25 minutes. then i leave.
Well what if that was my last day in training. today when i go, what do i do? do i do leg machines, treadmill? upper body machines? do i switch back and forth? I'm so lost :-(
either switch back and forth between upper and lower body, it is up to you if you want to do the treadmill after or not. You could just do your bike at home after the kids go to bed for the cardio part. The other option could be to get the book starting strength or new rules of lifting for women, and follow either of those programs (much better than using the machines as well)
For some reason I just feel like I get more out of the treadmill verses the bike. do they basically do the same thing? My legs were wore after the treadmill and they weren't the bike , maybe i had it where the bike was too easy to ride, not hard on the peddling.
I do too, but if you push harder on the bike or increase resistance it should be a good workout. They are both cardio, but the treadmill will help you run better, while the exercise bike will improve biking.
Another routine to consider could be "you are your own gym" It is a bunch of body weight exercises you should be able to do at home. Try Googling it0 -
A friend of mine has been getting really good results with that T25 program! It's only 25 minutes a day (or something)!
Good luck
Remember, anything you do is a step towards your goal, whether it's running 10 miles after supper or just doing 30 crunches. You've got this!0 -
It sounds like you have the exact same problem that I had, and that is going to the gym and not having a sense of what to do. I more or less know how to use all of the machines, but deciding which ones to use on what day was beyond me. And my attempts at researching workouts were overwhelming, information overload.
I found an app/website that fixes this.
www.bodbot.com
It's basically a physical trainer, for free. It's EXTREMELY customizable - you give it your body info, the days of the week you want to workout, how much time you want to spend, what your goals are, what equipment you have available, how hard you want to work, HOW EXPERIENCED YOU ARE AT THE GYM, and it will make a routine for you.
Every single move has a multi-paragraph description of how to do it, and a video reference. You can also change the stuff at any time too. Example, I got snowed in last week, so I changed my workout location from gym to home, and it gave me only things that I can do at home.
I friggin love it, and I think it will help you out.0 -
It is easy to learn the kind of workouts you can do such as how many reps and sets. the technique is the that you need to look out for.0
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There are so many exercises you can do without being inside the gym. Think about the goals you want to achieve and all of the reasons why you want to lose weight and you will find an exercise thats right for you. Personally I like to combine 30 DS (in my living room) Hot yoga/pilates classes and using my elliptical (in my garden) as doing a variety of different types of exercises in different environments has proved most effective for me. You may find you prefer classes or workout videos instead.0
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I hear ya... I'm also a working momma. So when I go to the gym it's usually during lunch.. I would rather sacrifice lunch than time with my family. As far as what to do... either write down what your trainer has been telling you to do, or find some workout plan online that accomplishes your goals... It will take some work, but if you have a sound plan it is much easier to accomplish.0
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There are so many things you can do at home, even with no equipment at all. I personally love the Neila Rey visual workouts. Here's a link to 100 no-equipment workouts to work on everything from abs to cardio to arms or legs. I turn to these especially when i'm crunched for time but want a really good workout.
http://neilarey.com/100-no-equipment-workouts.html
I hope you enjoy them too!0 -
You mention that the commute/time away from kids is a pain. Also, that you find it easier to be guided during your workouts.
Based on amazing results that I have had so far, I'd like to suggest a home workout dvd program called Focus - T25. It requires little to no equipment (yoga mat for first month, dumbbells or bands for second month). The workouts require exactly 25 minutes a day (plus a 3 minute cool down).
The most amazing things I have loved about it so far
1. working out at home (no commute, no going to gym, )
2. short/EFFECTIVE workout (no wastage of time, easy to continue),
3. Having an instructor motivating and guiding at a fun fast pace (no confusion about what to do, no slacking off)
I have been losing nearly 2 pounds a week almost consistently for the last 7 weeks.
Take a look and see if it looks like something you could see yourself doing at home.... If not, you can look for something else 0 -
I have some handweights but plan to go to Wal-Mart after work today and invest in a couple of DVDs for some in home cardio. I first started hitting the gym almost three weeks ago. I have good days and bad days and I would like to share with you some words my mom said to me when I first started that I remember every time I have a bad day: "Many people don't want to go to the gym/workout. They come up with reasons not to go/not to do it but in the end, not a single person left the gym/finished the workout and thought 'man, I wish I hadn't done that'." I adjusted the words slightly to fit your situation of wanting to work out from home. You have the stationary bike. Instead of investing in another piece of equipment to take up space, get a DVD, maybe one of the dancing workout ones, then depending on the age of your children you can have them join you, tell them it is your dance party time. You follow the workout while they dance, you can all have fun together. You can do this, your children are your motivation to get in shape and be healthy so you can be there for every part of their lives and have fun with them.0
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I only mentioned cardio on the bike instead of the treadmill because you already OWN the bike and it would cut down on one very expensive purchase. You can also run outside. Depending on where you live, there may be a social running group that does training and fun runs. Runners are the most awesome, accepting people ever. Even when I was hella fat and could only walk the course, the runners were welcoming and encouraging.0
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I got into shape using an exercise bike and treadmill I (lucked out and) found at a local resale shop, plus a "Jillian Michaels" DVD that I checked out of the library over.. and over... and over...
It's a hoot when the boys come down and try to do the JM moves with me. I'm grunting and straining and trying not to curse at the TV, and they're just bouncing along like nothing.
What the hell did we do to our bodies since that age, anyway?0 -
I totally get the time thing. I am a mom of four mostly grown kids but would never have taken time away from my kids when I was only spending a short amount of time already! Having said that, it is really important that your children's mom is healthy and fit, so what now? I agree with the other posters that you don't need a gym to get fit. I have been using Xfinity, my local cable provider, to find interval workouts with and without dumbells, cardio workouts, and they also have great toning and shaping routines. In the last 9 months I have gone from a size 20 to a size 6, and I'm still going!
So, yes a gym can keep you disciplined, and maybe paying for it will motivate you to use it. Maybe try going on the weekends when you have someone to help with the kids, and run or do the pre recorded workouts on your local cable provider's On Demand channel, or Youtube, or purchased dvds. I run 1-2 tunes a week, I do 2-3 interval workouts with 3 and 5 lb. dumbells, and at least one cardio burn workout weekly. I aim for at least 4 days of some kind of activity, I eat mostly clean foods, and have been able to get very fit without any formal gym or trainers. Don't sacrifice your time with your kids when you can do a 30-45 minute routine at home. There's plenty of time for a gym once they're older, if that's what you decide you want to do. Good luck!0 -
Ask yourself how bad you want it.0
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Ask yourself how bad you want it.
This.
You need to change your attitude about the gym. Regardless, the first month is always the hardest.0 -
A set of adjustable dumbbells and some cardio equipment is all you need. You could try running outside or a jump rope, much cheaper than buying a treadmill.
Edit: I see you have a stationary bike, that is just as good. Also you can get away with just calisthenics (bodyweight) for resistance training if it's not hugely important to you. Push ups, chin ups, lunges and crunches is all you need.
Exactly!
- or even if resistance training is extremely important to you. Never underestimate the joys and rewards of calisthenics!0 -
Don't get discouraged! Your trainer sounds like he/she is dropping the ball a bit. They should be giving you a work-out plan or at least writing stuff down. I am a member of the Y and they use this new program called Activtrax. Well, according to the website, you don't have to be a gym member to use it. Go to Activtrax.com and check it out. I have also heard the FitnessBlender.com is really great, lots of free video and exercise instructions.
That said, you CAN do it at home. Going to the gym is not for everyone. I started on MFP last year and in the beginning all I did was walk during my breaks at work. Then I went to Target and bought some 3lb weights, with the intention of going up once I got into the groove. I also bought a work-out DVD at Target that incorporated cardio and strength-training. You can get a lot of at-home work-out stuff at Target and WalMart. Hand-weights, kettle balls, resistance bands, DVDS, etc. I would do arm exercises, squats, lunges, crunches, planks, and such while I watched TV after the kids were in bed, every other day. I challenged myself to 1 straight month of getting up early to do the work-out DVD, except weekends. And I lost 15lbs last year and saw a difference in my body. I even had to go shopping for new clothes.
The reason I decided to go back to the gym was because I fell off the wagon and gained a few pounds back. I want to get better at lifting weights because I want to change my shape, not really lose all that much. And I missed taking Zumba and other dance-y type classes. And they are moving a Y to a location that is SUPER close to my house at the end of this month, so I am hoping it will be even easier and less time-consuming because it will be so close.
But I totally get where you are coming from with the kids and time thing. It is rough. My kids actually like hanging out in the kidzone, but since it closes at 8pm we don't usually take them and hubby and I just alternate our gym days. And I feel guilty after they have been in daycare/school/extended day for the majority of the day already. If I get laid off, which at my job we all think it is coming, then I will likely have to quit the gym and go back to doing it at home. We only re- joined the Y in January, so we are still in the zone of seeing how it goes, seeing if we can make it work.0 -
I'm a mom of two little ones who works full time and the only way I can work out is at home. I don't have the time to use or the funds to pay for a gym membership (on top of daycare...man is daycare expensive!). I've had a lot of success working out in the morning before the kids are up. I have hand weights that range from 3 lb - 12 lb and do DVDs. Now that they're a little older- 2.5 and 5- I can also workout while they're up. Usually I pop in a video for them to watch, and I use the computer to play my dvd. We're all in the same room, and I usually end up having to take 1 min breaks to do something for them. If they're awake while I'm working out I don't think there has ever been a time when I've made it through an entire video without having to jog or kick my way into the kitchen to grab someone a snack or to the bathroom to wipe a bottom. Sometimes they come over and work out too. My five year old uses my 3 lbers when I'm doing Ripped in 30 (she calls them "her weights" and only tries out some moves- nothing dangerous or prolonged) and we all have fun with the dance videos and yoga.
I liked going to gym pre-kids. I remember it being intimidating at first and then enjoying it more. But it doesn't fit into my life now. I'm looking forward to being able to take classes later on when they get older and things change because I think they're fun. That said, I feel like I'm getting a good workout now. I'm strong and fit, and I like what I'm doing.
You need to find something you like doing or you probably won't do it. If going to the gym makes you feel really guilty about missing your kids and you dread it, you're probably not going to go as often. Working out should be fun or at least tolerable.0 -
I'm a single mom to a five-year-old child. Yes, my emotional, mental and physical well-being are a priority to me, but so is spending time with my daughter in that short period between work/ school and her bedtime.
I can confirm that it IS possible to work out at home if that is what you decide to do. I have a lot of equipment and DVDs available to me in my house, but right now I am training for a marathon, and I am only able to start my runs at 8 pm each week night after she has gone to bed. This is my choice, of course... I could get a sitter or take her to the gym and put her in the childcare centre, but this doesn't sit well with me. She is already in the care of other people from 7 am - 4 pm while I work/ she goes to school.
On weekends, it's a different story... I'll happily run or cycle in my basement for an hour or so when she is awake on a Saturday or Sunday. I think it's great to have her see me work towards my goals. I'll do calisthenics or a DVD when she's there, too, and often she joins in the fun (nothing is funnier than a 3-year-old trying to do jumping jacks... even now at five years old, it's pretty funny to see).
You'll figure out something that works for you and fits within your priorities.0
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