excercise's I can do besides just walking. will i just "buil

smkcx♥
smkcx♥ Posts: 317 Member
edited October 1 in Fitness and Exercise
I walk right now (1 mile or 2) I either walk at the park or on my tredmill. My mothers lost alot of weight from walking and I know that walking causes you to lose weight all over (but my moms body isn't proportionate -- her upperbody is bigger than her lower body, her legs are very thin, while her stomach area & arms there isn't much a difference. I feel its due to the fact that she doesnt engage in other excercises -- but she looks great!)

anyway, why im asking is because I told my mom she should start doing other excercises and that I wanted to start doing other exercises (lifting about 16lbs of weights for my arms, because I feel thats a safe number// doing "six inches" which is where u lay flat on ur back, and lift your legs and lower body about 6 inches off the ground// and perhaps doing a few reps of sit ups) she told me that if i did all that stuff, I would make muscle under fat and I would get more of a "pudge" -- but I thought engaging in those other excercises would help me lose weight and tone up those areas (even though i've heard that target weight loss is impossible)

I just feel like I need someone to claify all this stuff, everyone I ask says something different.

1) will doing those excercises (weight lifting, 6 inches, sit ups) cause me to lose weight all over and maybe tone up those specific areas too (stomach, upper arms, legs) or will I get the same result with walking?
2) what kind of excercises do you recommend that I do?

I'm 202lbs, 5'4 (almost 5'5)

Replies

  • dsckrc
    dsckrc Posts: 194 Member
    i can only speak for myself when i say this - i started out walking on my treadmill everyday. in the beginning, it was one mile and i was happy. then, i started doing 2 miles a day and i was even happier. by the time i could do 3 miles a day, i substituted other exercises (stationary bike and elliptical) because it stopped being a challenge for me and my weight loss kinda dropped off. did i have success walking only? you betcha!!! i lost my first 20 pounds walking alone and yes, i toned up as well. good luck to you...
  • FatUncleRob
    FatUncleRob Posts: 341
    If anything I'd say doing those exercises will help prevent you going "saggy" when you lose the weight.
    You'll get muscle tone. The muscle may not show initially but it's still a good idea to do the exercises.

    My advice would be to ease into it gradually. Don't go crazy and risk injury or feeling so sore that you don't want to continue.

    I started walking every day for half an hour. Then, after a few weeks, I included some push-ups and crunches - gradually increasing the number of reps.

    Good luck and remember that everyone gets to choose their own exercise program. :smile:
  • anemoneflynn
    anemoneflynn Posts: 87
    I would definitely recommend that you do some other exercises than walking to tone areas - the way my trainer explained it to me is that there are several steps to getting healthy. The first step is working on your diet. Next step is adding basic cardio workouts to your regimen. Then you add weight lifting. After that comes any needed nutritional supplements, if there are things you're not getting from your diet. Weights will definitely help you tone; everything I've seen / heard / experienced says that getting too 'buff' or adding 'too much muscle' is very difficult to do. You'd probably have to take testosterone and weight lift for hours and hours a day for that to happen! Also, lifting weights helps your metabolism over a longer period of time than just light cardio or aerobics, so it will help your calorie deficit over the long term.

    When I got my gym membership, I had two free sessions with a trainer included. You might see if that's an option for you, so they can help you understand what you need to do and personalize a great workout for you!
  • outersoul
    outersoul Posts: 711
    1) will doing those excercises (weight lifting, 6 inches, sit ups) cause me to lose weight all over and maybe tone up those specific areas too (stomach, upper arms, legs) or will I get the same result with walking?

    Weight lifting is great for losing weight. In fact, I think it should be a part of everyone's work out routine. Will it tone up specific areas? It depends on your definition of tone up. For instance, working out arms will help you maintain what muscle you have but it won't do anything for the fat that surrounds it. That's done in the kitchen through your diet.

    Toning is such an over used word. Most people want to tone, but you really should lose the fat that surrounds your muscles to see any muscle tone. Another example, if you do a million sit ups a day it won't show until you lower your body fat percentage. Underneath the flab you'll have really strong and muscular abs but it does no good if you don't eat properly.

    Will you get the same results as walking? I don't think so if you do it properly. Weight lifting targets specific muscle groups. Another thing about weight lifting is that it's great for burning cals. Your muscle will burn more calories than your fat will at rest.


    2) what kind of excercises do you recommend that I do?

    That's a pretty broad question perhaps best answered by google. For me, I like compound movements. I think they give you the best bang for your buck.

    I hope some of this helps.
  • vaderandbill
    vaderandbill Posts: 1,063 Member
    building a little muscle will increase your metabolism and therefore burn more fat on a daily basis.

    I'd avoid situps and go more towards planks and anti-rotational exercises to prevent hurting your neck and lower back.
  • MABmom
    MABmom Posts: 15 Member
    Walking is great but it will lose its effectiveness. When you start walking you are kind of doing weight training because you are carrying all your extra fat around. When it starts to go away you're actually working less, which is why you need to up the distance. Weight training is really great. You don't have to worry about looking like a muscle bound freak really unless you're trying for that. Use a reasonable weight (where you have to work but you aren't in danger of straining anything.) You will help build up muscles that will help you burn calories.
  • smkcx♥
    smkcx♥ Posts: 317 Member
    building a little muscle will increase your metabolism and therefore burn more fat on a daily basis.

    I'd avoid situps and go more towards planks and anti-rotational exercises to prevent hurting your neck and lower back.

    if you dont mind me asking, what are planks?
  • smkcx♥
    smkcx♥ Posts: 317 Member
    Walking is great but it will lose its effectiveness. When you start walking you are kind of doing weight training because you are carrying all your extra fat around. When it starts to go away you're actually working less, which is why you need to up the distance. Weight training is really great. You don't have to worry about looking like a muscle bound freak really unless you're trying for that. Use a reasonable weight (where you have to work but you aren't in danger of straining anything.) You will help build up muscles that will help you burn calories.

    thank you so much! this week I will try to up my miles walking, and start slow with my weights, 16 I think is good, at first I feel like its easy peasey, then after about 5 I start to feel the burn, I do 3 reps.
  • smkcx♥
    smkcx♥ Posts: 317 Member
    I would definitely recommend that you do some other exercises than walking to tone areas - the way my trainer explained it to me is that there are several steps to getting healthy. The first step is working on your diet. Next step is adding basic cardio workouts to your regimen. Then you add weight lifting. After that comes any needed nutritional supplements, if there are things you're not getting from your diet. Weights will definitely help you tone; everything I've seen / heard / experienced says that getting too 'buff' or adding 'too much muscle' is very difficult to do. You'd probably have to take testosterone and weight lift for hours and hours a day for that to happen! Also, lifting weights helps your metabolism over a longer period of time than just light cardio or aerobics, so it will help your calorie deficit over the long term.

    When I got my gym membership, I had two free sessions with a trainer included. You might see if that's an option for you, so they can help you understand what you need to do and personalize a great workout for you!

    I wish there was a gym I could use, Im going to be using the recc center for a college near the college im attending, It's $10 because I used to go there, They don't have trainers there, but everything you've told me makes perfect sense. Thank you tons!
  • smkcx♥
    smkcx♥ Posts: 317 Member
    If anything I'd say doing those exercises will help prevent you going "saggy" when you lose the weight.
    You'll get muscle tone. The muscle may not show initially but it's still a good idea to do the exercises.

    My advice would be to ease into it gradually. Don't go crazy and risk injury or feeling so sore that you don't want to continue.

    I started walking every day for half an hour. Then, after a few weeks, I included some push-ups and crunches - gradually increasing the number of reps.

    Good luck and remember that everyone gets to choose their own exercise program. :smile:

    thank you :)
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Can your mother incorporate light handweights with her walking? She could do bicep curls, overhead presses, tricep kickbacks, and rows all while walking. By light handweights I mean 1-2 pounds each. Use light weights because swinging your arms with heavy weights could cause neck or shoulder pain.

    No one can spot reduce - lifting weights (or body resistance exercises - think push ups) will help to tone up an area - but it will not determine where you lose weight. This is unfortunate because my body tends to hold weight around the hip area.
  • smkcx♥
    smkcx♥ Posts: 317 Member
    Can your mother incorporate light handweights with her walking? She could do bicep curls, overhead presses, tricep kickbacks, and rows all while walking. By light handweights I mean 1-2 pounds each. Use light weights because swinging your arms with heavy weights could cause neck or shoulder pain.

    No one can spot reduce - lifting weights (or body resistance exercises - think push ups) will help to tone up an area - but it will not determine where you lose weight. This is unfortunate because my body tends to hold weight around the hip area.

    my mom has knee problems, so i assume thats probably y she doesnt engage in other excercises (she walks slow pace) she had knee surgery a while back, my moms always been thin shes about 5'6 and her highest weight was 170 -- but she found out she was diabetic also, plus my father had a heart attack. // my dad spends 2hrs at the gym and he hasnt lost a lb, still 220lbs at 5'10 -- his body just doesnt want to let go of the weight I guess. He's done this for well over a year, but the doctors told him weight loss would be hard with all the mediciation he takes (he has MDD, High Blood Pressure & Had a heart attack) so between the two of them (no salt, no sugar, whole weat everything) I dont see how he's not lost the weight.

    I have the same problem, my thighs just do not seem to want to get any smaller lol!
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