No gym membership - do you think this will do the trick?

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Balaru
Balaru Posts: 203 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Stats - 54 yr old female/ looking to loose 70 pounds - down 7 pounds so far. Have only been at it about a month. Only weighing in once a month. Next weigh in June 1st.

So here's what I'm thinking:

May 2016
  • Sun - long walk (5 miles) - 3 pull up attempts
  • Mon - 3 mile walk/water aerobics 1 hr class
  • Tues - Bike - 10 miles/ Abs/ 3 pull up attempts
  • Wed - 3 mile walk/ Water aerobics 1 hr class
  • Thurs - Bike - 10 miles/ Abs/ 3 pull up attempts
  • Fri - 3 mile walk/Water Aerobics 1 hr class
  • Sat - Bike - 10 miles/ Abs/ 3 pull up attempts

Ab routine:
  • Plank - 3 sets/ 30 seconds ea
  • Crunches - 3 sets/ 10 reps
  • Russian twist - 3 sets/ 10 reps
  • Cat / Cow - 3 sets/ 10 reps
  • Reverse crunches 3 set/ 10 reps
  • Lift it up - 3 sets/ 10 reps
  • V side stretches - 3 sets / 10 on each side

Will revisit at the end of the month for more intense workouts in June.

Will also throw in a few Just Dance sessions on the Wii just for fun.

What do you think? Don't have gym membership right now but have plenty of time. Do I need to do more on the ab routine or do you think that's enough for a beginner.

Inquiring minds need to know.

Would like to start strength training too but don't have funds for gym membership or purchasing weights right now

Replies

  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    I'd follow a structured, full-body strength training program. Doing lots of abs is rather pointless from a physique perspective, since fat loss can't be targeted. Google Nerd Fitness beginner's program, which uses bodyweight and improvised weights. You'd do the workout every 2-3 days. :+1:
  • saphin
    saphin Posts: 246 Member
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    Nerd fitness beginner routine is a great start and can be found at https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    Once you are comfortable that routine, check out 'Convict Conditioning' or 'You Are Your Own Gym'. Both offer great ways to train without any special equipment and can go from beginner to advanced training without a gym
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    edited May 2016
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    I assume the "trick" you're trying to achieve is 70 lbs weight loss. These exercises are all good but will not make you lose weight. You will need to work on your nutrition, weigh your food, and count calories in to achieve your weight loss goal.
  • Balaru
    Balaru Posts: 203 Member
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    Oh yes - I've been weighing and measuring my food and watching portion control. Hoping back on the whole food train Monday - had a little detour this past week as we transitioned from empty nest to having our son back home. Although I stayed within calories and even had significant deficit most days there were too many sugary items on that food diary. So definitely balancing the eating with the workouts. Goal is the weight loss but also to be strong and fit.
  • Balaru
    Balaru Posts: 203 Member
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    amyrebeccah wrote: »
    Are those pull up attempts the only thing you're doing for your upper body?

    The water aerobics has a lot of upper body moves but I'm just getting started on the upper body and anything besides my legs and cardio. The Nerd fitness routine looks like a good start. I do have a dumb bell dvd and some 5 pound weights.

    I took a strength class when I did have a gym membership and it really does make a huge difference in appearance. You can loose 10 pounds and still look the same unless you tighten it up.

    So I'm looking for definition eventually too.
  • Balaru
    Balaru Posts: 203 Member
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    saphin wrote: »
    Nerd fitness beginner routine is a great start and can be found at https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    Once you are comfortable that routine, check out 'Convict Conditioning' or 'You Are Your Own Gym'. Both offer great ways to train without any special equipment and can go from beginner to advanced training without a gym

    Thanks I did check out the Nerd Fitness and will try that for awhile plus my cardio and see what happens.

    Thanks for the link!
  • beautifulwarrior18
    beautifulwarrior18 Posts: 914 Member
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    Negative. You're missing a lot of body parts in that plan.

    Squats (including pistol squats), lunges, push ups (including pike push ups or handstand push ups), inverted rows, dips, box jumps.

    Also, I'd recommend some METCON classics for cardio such as burpees, box jumps, running, jump rope.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    beautifulwarrior18 wrote: »
    Also, I'd recommend some METCON classics for cardio such as burpees, box jumps, running, jump rope.

    Those might be good in a few months, after developing a base level of strength. An overweight 50-something newbie might injure themselves trying explosive movements now. :+1:
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
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    heres what i think, focus on your nutrition to lose weight and don't worry about all the details of your ab exercises for now or even the pull up attempts, just be active . swim , walk , bike, wii dance whatever.

    i'm a huge fan of the TRX suspension trainer, especially for beginners. if you can get one, you can do a zillion great exercises on it and get full body workouts and its fun. when you do full body workouts, abs are included in most exercises, so you dont have to do so much ab work as you think, maybe one or two sets per workout. its also awesome for stretching and mobility which is super important when you first start. i have one at home and use it almost daily
  • Balaru
    Balaru Posts: 203 Member
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    Cherimoose wrote: »
    beautifulwarrior18 wrote: »
    Also, I'd recommend some METCON classics for cardio such as burpees, box jumps, running, jump rope.

    Those might be good in a few months, after developing a base level of strength. An overweight 50-something newbie might injure themselves trying explosive movements now. :+1:

    Especially one nicknamed "Grace" for tripping over air and spraining my ankle more than once. Lol. Hubby wouldn't like that. Crutches for six weeks each time. But that was years ago. I am on my way to being strong now!

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