Work out suggestions

jparoyan
jparoyan Posts: 3 Member
edited December 19 in Fitness and Exercise
Hello... what do you all suggest as far as working out to lose weight? I have a long way to get to my goal. So was wondering what are the best workouts. Any suggestion and positive encouragement is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Calorie deficit to lose weight

    Cardio and strength training for good health.
  • GettingOld68
    GettingOld68 Posts: 20 Member
    Thanks for starting this thread, OP. Calorie deficit is essential and that's where you must start.

    I am trying to figure out what to do from an exercise standpoint, too. I started by doing Jillian Michaels' videos (30 Day Shred, Ripped in 30) to really good effect. Now I am doing full-body strength training three times a week, alternating days, and I'd like to keep emphasizing weights. But I'm 50 and supposedly I should still be doing several days per week of cardio.

    I can't seem to find a "pure" cardio video workout I can do at home on the off days that really gets my heart rate up (or does that not matter as long as I'm moving??). 30DS and Rin30 have strength training components, as do most of the online videos I've come across. Even those HIIT videos (not sure they're HIIT anyway) often use things like body weight squats. Is that OK or is that not giving my muscle (it's funny to even write that) a chance to recover? Should I just go for a long walk on the off days even if it doesn't feel like exercising or go to a gym and get on the treadmill?

    I'm confused, so advice/suggestions are very welcome!
  • jparoyan
    jparoyan Posts: 3 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    jparoyan wrote: »
    Hello... what do you all suggest as far as working out to lose weight? I have a long way to get to my goal. So was wondering what are the best workouts. Any suggestion and positive encouragement is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

    Best workouts are the ones you enjoy.

    If I enjoy my workouts, I actively want to do them, and do them regularly.

    If I don't enjoy my workouts, I'll put them off or not do them, given the slightest excuse . . . weak character that I am. ;)

    A theoretically less effective exercise done routinely burns more calories and builds more fitness than does a theoretically perfect exercise that one doesn't do, or doesn't do very often. :)

    The mainstream health organizations usually recommmend working up to 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise that gets your heart pumping (a.k.a. cardiovascular exercise), or 75 minutes of more intense exercise (harder heart pumping), or a combination, plus 2 days of strength training weekly.

    The cardiovascular exercise can be walking or cycling outdoors, dancing (any type), martial arts classes, swimming, games like tennis or basketball, gym machines like elliptical or others, group classes, even some of the fitness-oriented video games. . . any of hundreds of things.

    Pick one you enjoy. It can even be fun to experiment in order to find what you like best: Just be sure to give a new thing a few sessions, to get over the perfectly normal "awkward beginner" feeling. Things that are easy at first tend to get boring quickly, while things that are a little more challenging to learn tend to stay fun longer.

    Start with a short session, easy intensity, maybe 3 times a week for half an hour or so - whatever is challenging but fun (not exhausting) at your current fitness level, with rest days in between. From there, you can work up to more often, or longer duration, or more intensity, to keep a bit of a fun challenge going, as long as it fits well into your life with good life balance (enough time for other things that are important to you).

    On the strength training front, it's usually most effective to follow a good program, which can be bodyweight, weight machines, or free weights. There's a good thread about strength training here: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you

    Do things that are fun, have adequate rest in your schedule, and build up gradually! :)

  • jparoyan
    jparoyan Posts: 3 Member
    Thanks for the tip.
  • AdrianSee1975
    AdrianSee1975 Posts: 11 Member
    Brisk walking for an hour a day is the simplest and best.
    If you don’t lose weight with this you’ll have no chance with anything more intense or complicated.
  • snowprincess502
    snowprincess502 Posts: 103 Member
    Lots of cardio. Working out 7 days a week. Also a calorie deficit.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,600 Member
    GettingOld68 wrote: »
    Thanks for starting this thread, OP. Calorie deficit is essential and that's where you must start.

    I am trying to figure out what to do from an exercise standpoint, too. I started by doing Jillian Michaels' videos (30 Day Shred, Ripped in 30) to really good effect. Now I am doing full-body strength training three times a week, alternating days, and I'd like to keep emphasizing weights. But I'm 50 and supposedly I should still be doing several days per week of cardio.

    I can't seem to find a "pure" cardio video workout I can do at home on the off days that really gets my heart rate up (or does that not matter as long as I'm moving??). 30DS and Rin30 have strength training components, as do most of the online videos I've come across. Even those HIIT videos (not sure they're HIIT anyway) often use things like body weight squats. Is that OK or is that not giving my muscle (it's funny to even write that) a chance to recover? Should I just go for a long walk on the off days even if it doesn't feel like exercising or go to a gym and get on the treadmill?

    I'm confused, so advice/suggestions are very welcome!

    If you want to do a video for "pure" cardio, maybe look for something more dance/aerobic (Zumba?), or some of the walking or jogging/running oriented ones? Do you have a bike?

    If you're progressing the full-body strength routine devotedly, I personally wouldn't add bodyweight squats or strenth-circuit (high rep/low weight) strength mixed workouts on the rest days, at least at first. There's nothing wrong with a brisk walk, or even just a moderate walk, especially in the early stages. Recovery is where the magic happens - where you pull back the bow-string in order to shoot the arrow forward. I wouldn't short-change that, if you have good strength progress happening.

    Intense cardio is a nice thing, but moderate cardio is beneficial . . . and if the priority is muscle, I wouldn't worry about pushing the cardio intensity; it's fine to add some duration instead. Just my opinion, though.

    50? You are almost close to nearly just a kid, really. ;) (I'm 63.) If the strength workouts are your priority, start with moderate cardio, minimal extra strength in it, build slowly (doing some "cardio" you enjoy) and see what your body will handle well. Injury avoidance should be a big priority IMO, but within that constraint, overdoing at times is just a learning experience. If you do a gradual build, you'll figure out what cardio of what intensity you can do without hindering your strength progress. Keep it fun, pay attention, and trust your observations: You'll do fine. :)
  • JBanx256
    JBanx256 Posts: 1,479 Member
    snowprincess502 wrote: »
    Lots of cardio. Working out 7 days a week. Also a calorie deficit.

    That's a negative, ghost rider.

    The "calorie deficit" is not the "also" here.

    The calorie deficit is where you START. Create it with your diet/nutrition.

    ALSO (meaning NEXT, or AFTER your calorie deficit is addressed/established), then worry about burning more calories through exercise. Lifting is GREAT and has many benefits but you absolutely do NOT need to be working out 7 days/week. And "lots of cardio" is only good advice if you happen to enjoy doing lots of cardio. None whatsoever is actually necessary for weight loss.
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,894 Member
    Hi OP - You do not need to exercise to lose weight, that is a myth. But as others have said, exercise while losing has tons of good fitness benefits. Here are two links to the "most helpful" threads at the top of the Getting Started sub-forum, great reads and will answer most of your questions.
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm/p1

    Best of luck!
  • GettingOld68
    GettingOld68 Posts: 20 Member
    Thanks for the tips, AnnPT77! I like doing home videos because it works better with my work schedule, family life and the weather. Once spring arrives, I'll have more motivation to walk/jog outside. I tried a dance exercise video or two, but my two left feet slow me down. ;) I probably need to go through one again until I get the choreography enough to keep the pace up. Or maybe I'll just put on some music and dance "freestyle" just to get moving for a bit. Thank you for your response and your encouragement!
  • KristaMac88
    KristaMac88 Posts: 163 Member
    I have been following a low carb diet, trying to watch what i eat and then trying to get to the gym atleast 3 times a week ( i dont always get there even that much). I usually fast walk on the tredmill or do another cardio type machine (which they all work my legs out because im out of shape) for about 20mins then try and do some free weights or circuit machines or abs. Nothing to intense. And ive lost 10lbs in 6 weeks. Which is just fine for me :)
  • Chelle8070
    Chelle8070 Posts: 165 Member
    I mix up my workouts because if I say "I'm going to do this one thing" I'll get frustrated and bored real quick.

    I do yoga 5 days a week (30 minutes or less, nothing crazy. I just really like it)
    I do 55 sit-ups 5 days a week (A few months ago I had a goal of 55 sit ups in a minute so I started doing them. I just haven't stopped.)
    I do varied strength training with a personal trainer 2-3 days a week for 30 minutes where I just do whatever they tell me to
    I do good ol' treadmill/elliptical cardio 3-4 times a week
    I do CrossFit at home 1-2 days a week (depending on how many times i go to the trainer) This is my favorite. It's the hardest but most rewarding for me. I do programming by Constantly Varied Gear (AWESOME facebook support group too.)

    I started slow. In May I simply did 2 days a week with a trainer and 30 minutes on the elliptical these days.... now I mostly love my workouts vs seeing them as a chore. If I set the oven for 30 minutes I'll go "OOH! I have time!" and run off to do a video or get on a treadmill or do a quick high intensity crossfit type circuit.

    Find what's fun for you. And if one day it's no longer fun and you dread it, find something else.

    Sending positive vibes! Starting is the hardest part :)
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    I love kickboxing so I do it all the time. Turbo jam, turbofire, Amy bento kickboxing surge and core or kickboxing extreme, Kelly Coffey-Meyer has a couple of step-boxing DVDs that are fun. Amy bento also has some really good cardio/aerobics videos. Just look around and try a few things out. Check your library to see what's available before buying. Also, YouTube (exercise TV is good).
  • ecmorgan101
    ecmorgan101 Posts: 24 Member
    For me:
    1. Jog/run 30 minutes or so 3-4 times per week.
    2. Weights 3 times per week

    My weight program is fairly limited to what's available in my apartment's weight room, but I have a good dumbbell routine coupled with the machines the apartment has. Takes me about 40 minutes to go through it.

    Thinking about joining a gym to take advantage of more weights, tips, etc.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    It took me some time to find what I liked to do for exercise. At first, I just started incorporating a walk into my day. As I lost weight and wanted to add more exercise, I tried some classes at the gym and running. I found I really enjoyed running and stuck with that, and the Les Mills BodyPump classes at the gym.

    I still run regularly and am training for a variety of race distances and have a subscription to Les Mills On Demand so I can do all the Les Mills workouts I want at home (there's a ton of them and I dabble in them all).

    We're slowly building our home gym, so I'll probably do more lifting heavy once we have a bench and squat rack (hubby got me proper bars and weights for Xmas).

    My point is, try different things and do the exercise you like most. It's not one size fits all, and if you're coming from a place where you haven't regularly exercised (that was me two years ago), it's some trial and error.
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