New Start...Help!

Hi Katrina, I use the gym quite a bit and while I'm not expert I will happily pass along the info I know. Generally there are 2 types of training - cardio and strength. Cardio is all about exercise that increases your heart rate and basically gives it a good work out. It uses up your calories as you are doing the workout. Within cardio workouts though you have the option to get your heart rate to a certain level and stay there, but research is finding that it is better to get the heart rate to increase and then decrease, which they call interval training. So, for example on the treadmill walk at a steady pace for a minute, then increase the speed/incline (to make the exercise harder) for a minute, then drop back to where you started for a minute etc etc.

Then you have strength - that's where you are working your muscles, e.g. all the weights machines, the lunges, the squats, the push ups, the stomach crunches etc. Although you might not feel as out of puff doing these exercises you are still burning calories while doing the work out BUT the point of these exercises is to help improve your muscle mass and tone and your body burns more calories after the workout (Your heart rate will still increase - well mine does anyway lol).

I have found the key to working out at the gym is to get a good mixture of both types of workout. Also, make sure the exercises you do will cover all the main parts of your body, e.g. pushups for arms and back, squats for bum and hamstrings, lunges for thighs, crunches for abs etc...

also, the other key thing to remember is that when your fitness starts to improve, don't think you have to spend more time in the gym, you don't, you simply increase the intesity of your workouts (e.g. walk faster/run, or lift heavier weights).

I hope this gives you some idea of how you can put your workouts together (depends on what you have at your gym). Just keep mixing it up so you don't get used to it.

good luck with it!