Stage14 Member

I agree with this. Follow the program protocols, and also check your forms. I wouldn't worry about a belt for awhile, if at all. You shouldn't need one this early if you're doing everything correctly.

Yep, this. This is what allows for body recomposition (what most people call "toning").

My recommendation is to find a beginner 5k training program and start there. Couch 2 5k is probably the most popular one, but there are tons out there. Some are apps, some are just routines you follow with a basic stopwatch. You will feel really silly starting out with 30 second jogs sandwiched in between 2 minute walking…

This. If it were further away, I would have all sorts of advice to help you, starting with taking 3 to 5 days to rest your joints, as they are obviously on their way to injury. But with the walk being so close, the only advice I can give in good conscience is to skip it. Take some rest time to let your body repair itself,…

Honestly, I'd set up an appointment with a physical therapist or sports doctor and talk to them. I love my chiro for adjusting, but to be honest his advice about what I should or shouldn't do with my bad knee and recurring neck injury sucks. A physical therapist is the one who actually convinced me to start lifting because…

Any strenuous exercise fights depression and improves your mood. It's from the increase in dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin levels. You get that effect from lifting heavy as well as intense cardio. That being said, I cardio for the health benefits. Being a smoker who is on and off the wagon a lot, I need all the…

I'm a big fan of PopSugar fitness routines. This link has a variety of workouts for the elliptical, including a beginner one that takes you through all the machines features to get you familiar. http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Elliptical-Workouts-All-Levels-18712196

I have a mirror in my garage and also video on occasion for review (like when I make a significant jump in weight). I take note of the mistakes I was making in the video and specifically focus to correct them before I add any more weight. As far as guards, I'm a firm believer that everyone should know how to safely fail…

Wait, so you're still losing just not as fast? That's normal. When you start out, you tend to lose a lot of water weight and weight loss naturally slows down the closer you get to your goal.

^This.^

I find that I do best when I'm following a program like C25K or StrongLifts 5x5. My advice is to figure out what sorts of activities you like to do and then look for established routines or programs for those exercises.

I bought a rack, a bench, and a barbell for my garage. SOOOO much happier now that I'm not trying to fight my way through a workout in a crowded gym full of rude people who are oblivious and everyone else who is pissed off at them for it. :)

Losing 5lbs in and of itself isn't likely to help with that. I'd stop worrying about the scale and focus on body recomp. Eat with a very slight calorie deficit and step up the weight training another notch. It will be slow going, but that is the best way to burn fat while keeping as much muscle as possible. The other…

Honestly, if you're just using the HRM to measure how effective your workout is and not for a specific calorie count, then I'd ditch it for lifting. The majority of the benefits from lifting don't happen WHILE you're lifting and they aren't tied to heart rate or calories. They are things like increased muscle mass that…

I just realized that I answered your question with specific workout advice, but you were asking for general weight loss. The truth is that the majority of weight loss comes from diet, not exercise. So, while working out will definitely help you feel better and look better, the main thing for actually losing pounds is…

Congrats on being so close to your goal! Why do you want to lose that last 5lbs? Is it to achieve a goal weight or because there is something you are trying to physically improve on your body?

Since you have problems with your neck and back, you should honestly start with a visit to a physical therapist or sports doctor so that you can find out what you should be careful about, what can actually help improve those issues, and what to absolutely avoid. I was shocked to find that lifting heavy was the #1…

I'm a big fan of the PopSugar fitness channel. They have workouts ranging from 5 to 40 minutes, so it's easy to find pretty much exactly what I want. My favorites on there right now are the sexy stretching and the Barre cardio.

It isn't a matter of being off by X amount each time. HRMs configure calories burned through an algorithm than assumes steady rates (within a certain fluctuation). Each HRM has a certain number of times per minute that it pulls your HR for the data. Every time your HRM takes a reading and gets a very different number from…

I absolutely recommend that you go to a running shoe store and get fitted for your first pair. Tell them what you are looking for and your budget, and the employees should be able to find what will work best for you. Once you know what type and size of shoes to buy, you can shop online for replacements or subsequent pairs…

1. HRMs aren't reliable at all for figuring calories burned while lifting (or doing any other exercise that isn't steady cardio). I wouldn't worry about it, but do be careful not to overestimate your burn while lifting. It is depressingly low, and it is easy to overeat because you think you burned more than you actually…

This would still have you doing multiple days of full body intense muscle work in a row, which is what you want to avoid. Honestly, I agree with the others who are questioning why you are doing SL at this point? You don't intend to follow the program as it is designed and you're doing other types of strength training…

Walk for 5 minutes, rest for 5 minutes, repeat. Or whatever balance works for you. After that starts to become easier, you can increase the walking time and decrease the resting time in small increments. Honestly, I know it doesn't sound like much, but runners often start with 30 seconds of running at a time. You build up…

That's true, but a front squat is NOT the same thing as a heavy back squat with ramrod posture (which what we're talking about with a backsquat in the smith machine). Totally different weight distribution, totally different type of strain on the body. I'm not saying a backsquat is superior to a front squat or goblet squat.…

The problem is that Body Pump and Insanity classes aren't just steady state cardio. They are really more HIIT, which is great for you. But the problem is that HIIT is intended for both cardio AND strength training, so you're essentially tearing and straining your muscles every single day during the week. And that can be…

This schedule sounds like a recipe for burnout or injury to me personally. You aren't giving your muscles any time to repair after lifting/strength, which is absolutely essential. Also, if you don't increase your weight (or your reps), then weight lifting will stop giving you results. Increasing weight isn't just about…

Can you get a smaller portable tank that you wear on your back and walk? According to my PT (physical therapist, not personal trainer) walking is the best overall exercise for people who aren't physically fit or have impediments like oxygen tanks or injury.

My favorite is dance, but I don't have much opportunity for it. The one I do most often is running.

It's not even about subpar advancement in my book, it's about safety. Squatting large amounts of weight with an upright tracked posture causes all sorts of shearing and strain on the joints and lower back. It doesn't always cause significant problems, but it certainly can.

Cardio helps me shed pounds. Lifting helps my body look better. I could jog myself into oblivion and I would still have a stomach that sticks out to the point of looking 5 months pregnant. Lifting is the only thing that has every given me results at body recomposition. However, lifting does not help my overall fitness…