mfanyafujo Member

Can you pinpoint exactly what it is you hate about working out? For example, if it's going to the gym (getting ready, driving over there, etc), then you can work around that by exercising at home. If you hate the exercises you are doing, then keep changing your routine until you find something you like. Exercising should…

Generally, you should switch up your routine in some way every 2 weeks. Your body eventually adjusts to the exercise, and while you will still get benefits, they will not be as good as before. You don't have to completely abandon the elliptical, but maybe add in a different type of cardio and/or some strength training.

I'm getting an amazingly hilarious mental picture from this. Thank you. This sort of thing may be necessary, given my sense of rhythm.

Yeah, I do pretty much all of my exercise barefoot. I will probably eventually get a jump rope and try to learn to do it without whacking myself.

Thanks, all. Good, sensical advice. Hmmm... maybe sensical is not a word. Nonsensical is though... Thanks, anyways.

Take your towel and cover that timer. If you keep thinking about how much longer you have to run, you're just going to feel the exhaustion even more. Cover it up, and don't peek until you really really can't run any more. You may be surprised at what you've accomplished. The first time you ran with no judgments or…

That's some pretty serious dedication. Very admirable. I will try to incorporate some of your suggestions into my day. Thanks so much!

Hi all, I'm Leslie. I'm 24, and I live and work in Tanzania. I've always been at the upper end of the healthy weight range for my height, and freshman year started straying into overweight-ness. I'm pretty active, but want to lose about 40 pounds so I can feel more comfortable in clothes. I also want to be in super awesome…

Don't worry, you'll soon have built up some muscle endurance and this kind of soreness won't be much of an issue. I remember when I first started an intense new strength program, after the first arms workout, I had T-Rex arms for 3 days (couldn't straighten them out completely). Never has happened since. As mentioned,…

Thanks bushidomama. Those are actually some really great ideas. Mostly I've just been trying to do things I would do at the school, only by myself. I think I should try to train with more introspection. Out of curiosity, how much do you train each day?

Hmmm... well, you could inquire at other gyms - some of them may have PTs who bring in customers who are not actually members of the gym, and a one-time use of the gym could be included in the PT's fee. That's really unfortunate though, that you can't arrange whatever you want. I used to work at a gym on the equipment…

You don't need a personal trainer for weeks and weeks. But, if you hire one for 2 or 3 sessions, they can teach you about all those free weights and how to do the exercises properly, and answer all of your questions. You could even set up a schedule - maybe 1 or 2 sessions a month to check your progress and learn new…

I used to practice ****o Ryu, and studied for about 4 years or so. I competed at State and National levels, but then stopped after too many injuries. I did enjoy it a lot. But after I stopped competing, I switched to a more traditional kung fu school. For me, tournaments were all about being focused but relaxed. I was…

I can dig. Running in the cold hurts my lungs. Check out Crossfit - there are some killer workouts that don't need a lot of space or equipment. Great cardio and strength workout.

There are lots of exercises, using body weights or free weights, that can be done at home. If you don't want to buy a lot of equipment, I suggest body weight exercises. I'm using a book called You Are Your Own Gym. I just finished the first 10 weeks (the beginner program) and the results are pretty cool! Even after one…

If you feel tired all the time, it might be that you're lacking something nutritionally. The protein shake may or may not help. It's not an energy drink, but I find getting something in my belly wakes me up a bit. A lot of women have low iron, which can cause fatigue. If you are not sure whether you do or not, you can get…

Protein shakes are just what they say: a good dose of protein in a relatively small package. A lot of people drink them directly after strength training, or at some point during the day as a meal or a snack. It's not a weight loss shake like Slim Fast, but do pay attention to how much calories/sugar is in it. As far as I…

Do the treadmill, especially if the doc says it will help. Just be careful and keep in mind this is to help you knee recover. As for weight loss, there are many low or no-impact exercises you can do. Maybe your doc can clear you for water exercises, like water aerobics or swimming laps. Also, many gyms have a hand bike…

I say, if you can run for 50 minutes straight, there's nothing wrong with that. Interval training (the running and then walking, then repeat) has a purpose. It's specific training. But so is running constantly for a certain amount of time. I guess it all just depends on your goals. Marathon runners tend to have really lean…

I seem to recall that in the study which demonstrated the efficacy of tabatas, they were comparing two groups that both did steady-state training, and one group also did tabatas. Basically what they found is that adding in the interval training (tabatas) really helped the athletes. Tabatas are great, but I think they work…

When I was younger, I swam competitively (meaning laps and laps and laps of practice) and I definitely lost weight and toned up as well. Swimming's a great exercise, and can be quite exhausting. If you put in a couple hours in the pool every week, you will definitely see some results. There are lots of ways to change up…

I'm up for a little friendly competition! Starting weight: 180 pounds

Hey everyone! What do you train in? Kung fu (choy lay fut) When did you start? 2008 Who inspires you? My fellow kung fu players and my instructors Biggest accomplishment/ proudest moment so far? Being able to keep up training even when I'm nowhere near my school. I can be a bit lazy, plus training alone is really really…

The lower back's nothing to mess with. I did something to my back (who knows what) working out, and it took a full year to recover completely. Meanwhile, I couldn't sit for more than half an hour and my exercise was pretty limited. The one exercise I could really do, and really made my back feel better, was tai chi. If…

Exactly. If you want to control emotional eating, you've got to figure out these emotions. Sure, you're stressed, but about what precisely? If you're depressed, why? If you're angry, why? Journal it out, talk to a friend, talk to a counselor. Figure out why you are feeling stress, then figure out how you can solve the…

It's really important to take a day of rest after working a major muscle group, if you are exercising to the point of soreness. That's why many people do arms one day, legs the next, etc - it's to rest a particular muscle group. So you don't need to rest your entire body for a day, but if your muscles ache, they need 24-48…

Hi! I'm in Tanzania, actually, but not on a game reserve! I got a really excellent book on my Kindle - You Are Your Own Gym. It's all body weight exercises, and I can do them in my house, no equipment necessary. I totally recommend the book if you can get a copy. Not great for cardio, but really perfect for strength…

If this is the first time (or first time in a while) that you've done a workout like that, then the soreness can last a few days. You probably know, but the exercise actually tears the muscle, so you should give your legs a little time to recover. After a few workouts, your muscle endurance will kick in and it will be…

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I'm kind of a free weight / body weight purist myself. Machines are nice, but they isolate only one or two muscle groups. In reality, most motions involve many muscle groups, not to mention stabilizing muscles for balance. Basically, off the machine, you can work a lot more of your muscles at one time. Think about the…