exercise cardio and hitt

AngelaBianco82
AngelaBianco82 Posts: 91 Member
edited November 12 in Fitness and Exercise
Trying to figure out how toget the most for my body. I am trying to lose 70+ pounds but I don't know how much exercise I can realistically do with two kids and a full time job. I want to commit myself 30 mins a day 4-6 days a week. I also get extra workouts with walking the dog and cleaning house so thats not included in my goals. Should I do two days of hitt and the rest on my elliptical
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Replies

  • SadieGG
    SadieGG Posts: 1
    HIIT is really quick and effective. You can find some that are 12 min and you'll feel I'm if you look up body rock TV they have tons on there. I did catching fire & I saw nice results. Good luck!!
  • futuremanda
    futuremanda Posts: 816 Member
    edited February 2015
    I am learning that the exercise is a non-negotiable. Like, if you have to say no, or say later, or get up early, or delegate a task, or let something else go undone for a day, do that. (I have more time and flexibility in my life to make it happen, not trying to diminish what you'll have to do to make it work. However, I do think that no matter what, if we treat it like the least important thing to only get done if we can somehow fit it in and have energy, we are dooming ourselves to fail long-term.)

    So, imo, figure out how much exercise you need AND want, and what you want that to be. Then think of it like showering or paying bills or [insert mandatory thing here]. It gets done.

    Agree with SadieGG that there are tons of great workouts that really do not take that much time, if that works for you. (I have a minimum # of minutes for sessions, wherein fewer sometimes gives me a negative emotional backlash.)

    I have started with Blogilates. There are a lot of things I like about it, but one of the biggest things for me is that there's a daily calendar, updated every month, like, forever. So I can consult the calendar and just *do* what it says. It's so much simpler and more positive for me when I can just go, and not be wondering what I should be doing, what do I feel like, is that too much or the wrong thing, etc. You might benefit similarly from pre-planning everything, or following a set plan, so that each day, all you have to do is start.
  • mikeambrosio
    mikeambrosio Posts: 1 Member
    The first thing to keep in mind - especially when we get around that 40 mark (I am 50) - is to talk to your doctor and perhaps a fitness expert before you start any exercise program. HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) routines can be a real time saver, but if you're not careful, you can injure yourself.

    I am not a fitness expert, but when I turned 43 or 44, I started paying attention to my health (as a result of a physical). I started with walks. Minimum of 30 minutes and NOT at a leisurely pace. The idea is to raise your heart rate some. After about a year of walking 3 - 4 times per week I moved in to jogging. Once I was able to run a full mile without stopping, it only took me about 4 months to hit 13.2 miles (my first half marathon).

    Aside from starting this at 45, I also have arthritic knees, so I tell people nothing is impossible :smile:

    Now, when trying to improve my workouts I started reading about high intensity training and one that is simple and won't take much time is running. Something like this:

    Brisk walk for 30 seconds, sprint for 30 seconds - start out doing this 6 to 8 times (so that's 6 to 8 minutes). As you get more acclimated, go to 30 second jog then 30 second sprints between 10 and 12 times.

    Do this 3 days per week. The in between days you should still be a little active, even if it's just taking a brisk walk around the neighborhood.

    Get up a little earlier, do this during lunch, or maybe after dinner. If your kids are old enough, have them go with you on their bikes or something and make it a family affair.

    And finally, most importantly...none of this will mean much if your diet is a bad one. I use MFP and track every day.

    Don't try to do too much too quickly. Slow and easy wins the race.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    Personally, 50% could be hiit or cardio and 50% should be resistance training/weight training. Ideally, you should work both your cardiovascular system and skeletal/muscular system. If you are a beginner, you can start with body weight routines such as "you are your own gym" or "convict conditioning" until you can get into using weights.
  • AngelaBianco82
    AngelaBianco82 Posts: 91 Member
    SadieGG wrote: »
    HIIT is really quick and effective. You can find some that are 12 min and you'll feel I'm if you look up body rock TV they have tons on there. I did catching fire & I saw nice results. Good luck!!

    I could probably do that in the morning before I go to work after I walk my dog
  • AngelaBianco82
    AngelaBianco82 Posts: 91 Member
    futuremanda wrote: »
    I am learning that the exercise is a non-negotiable. Like, if you have to say no, or say later, or get up early, or delegate a task, or let something else go undone for a day, do that. (I have more time and flexibility in my life to make it happen, not trying to diminish what you'll have to do to make it work. However, I do think that no matter what, if we treat it like the least important thing to only get done if we can somehow fit it in and have energy, we are dooming ourselves to fail long-term.)

    So, imo, figure out how much exercise you need AND want, and what you want that to be. Then think of it like showering or paying bills or [insert mandatory thing here]. It gets done.

    Agree with SadieGG that there are tons of great workouts that really do not take that much time, if that works for you. (I have a minimum # of minutes for sessions, wherein fewer sometimes gives me a negative emotional backlash.)

    I have started with Blogilates. There are a lot of things I like about it, but one of the biggest things for me is that there's a daily calendar, updated every month, like, forever. So I can consult the calendar and just *do* what it says. It's so much simpler and more positive for me when I can just go, and not be wondering what I should be doing, what do I feel like, is that too much or the wrong thing, etc. You might benefit similarly from pre-planning everything, or following a set plan, so that each day, all you have to do is start.

    I totally agree that exercise is a priority and it should be part of my everyday routine which is what I will be doing. I have made a personal decision to cut school down to a class every other semester to focus on my family and health. I want to create realistic goals and to me doing 30mins a day is realistic. As is need my time for my two young kids and keeping my house up and making my meals.
  • JenniferInCt
    JenniferInCt Posts: 431 Member
    Free youtube workouts- jillian michaels 30day shred (takes 20-30min) great workout. And fitness blender has tons of workouts
  • activgrl
    activgrl Posts: 13 Member
    Even just 20 minutes of HIIT will do wonders. It is by far the most effective in the shortest amount of time.
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