What type of exercise do you do???

sunstarmoon777 · 09-26-2003, 02:25 AM

I am hoping to start exercising this week. Just curious as to what type of exercises you do, what your fave exercises are, and what you find works the best. Thanks!

Moonshoot · 09-26-2003, 02:40 AM

I walk my DS and dog almost everyday...at least a mile and sometimes 2 or 3. I am not skinny, but at least I am moving.

I am going to join CURVES next week.

nobimbo · 09-26-2003, 09:00 AM

I work out about 5 times a week (first thing in the morning) with either 30-45 minutes on the treadmill or the Walk Away the Pounds 2 or 3 mile videos (depending on how much time I have).

Linda

indiana_troll · 09-26-2003, 09:28 AM

I walk about 5 miles a day. It's either outside or on the treadmill, depends on the weather. When on the treadmill, I also use weight resistence qith 3 lb dumbells

Patty

christyz · 09-26-2003, 12:33 PM

I started out as sedentary in the fall of 1999. I started walking about 15 mins a day. Then I slowly increased it from 15-35 mins and added running intermittently. Then this spring I took up rollerblading, and started about 4.5 K, 3x a week. I slowly worked it up to 7k 5x a week. Occassionally if the weather is rainy I'll substitute a walk/run in fo the blading, but inline blading has been incredible. It has really slimmed down my stomach, hips and butt, and those were the areas i just couldn't lose inches.

I was complaining to dh that I was worried about stopping rhe success I've had this summer. He suggested we try X-country skiing this winter. The only factor would be the windchill and it would work the same muscle groups as inline skating.

Hope it helps!

snowbunny · 09-26-2003, 12:54 PM

I like to walk (usually on my lunch breaks) for about 45 minutes or so.

I also like pilates, yoga and belly dance. Low-impact stuff.

During the winter, I do a lot of snowshoeing and x-country skiing. It's great, I really enjoy it. Anything that gets you out of doors is a good thing!

VitaBella · 09-26-2003, 02:25 PM

I get very bored doing one thing all the time, so I switch things up regularly!

I belong to a gym and generally go there two or three times a week - once or twice I do half an hour of some aerobic machine, like the elliptical machine or exercise bike. Usually I do a combination of two machines because I get bored even just with one for a short period of time! After that, I do an extensive weight-training program that works all my muscle groups.

Once a week at the gym (Saturday mornings) I go to kickboxing class, which lasts for an hour.

I love swimming and swam 4-5 days a week this summer, but the pool is a lot busier now that school has started again. I go at least once a week and sometimes twice and swim/kickboard/pull 1600 meters (the swimmer's mile), which takes about an hour.

I also ordered a home exercise machine called the lateral thigh trainer. It hasn't arrived yet and it might be TOTALLY cheesy, but it has a 100% return policy and I wanted to have something here that I could do without worrying about the pool's schedule or the gym's schedule. Exercise has been the key for my weightloss - and I really enjoy it - so I wanted to remove ANY excuses standing in my way.

Hmm...what else do I do? Occasionally I substitute walking/running for one of the gym workouts, because I am hoping to run a 5K this winter. Sometimes when DH wants to join in on the fun, we go shoot baskets or play tennis or raquetball. I also have a ballet DVD that I do occasionally.

After all that, the bottom line is that I feel best when I exercise for at least a half hour six days a week. It sounds overwhelming, but it's really not. Just lace up your shoes and find something you like - or if you're like me, several things to keep your attention.

Good luck!

Lucy · 09-26-2003, 10:05 PM

I'm going to sound like an advertisement but I have to give props to Body Flex with Greer CHilders. Its a weird breathing technique with a resistance bar. in a month I lost 10 inches in my abdominal area. Thats upper abs, waist and lower abs.

That was before my surgery I had surgery to get rid of the saggy lower stomach.

But It only took 15 minutes a day. I felt great and it was pretty easy. I really liked the fast results that I saw it kept me going. I'm one of those people that have to see fast results in order to keep using a product.

I'd say 10 inches in a month was fast. My family noticed right away. Try www.BodyFlex.com

Echobelly · 09-27-2003, 01:40 PM

Recently, I've just started boxing! It's been fantastic for cardio and strength training all at once.

It gets your heart-rate up (because you are constantly moving), focuses your energy towards something positive, and works your arms, chest, quads, and legs with all the squatting and ducking! It also does a great job strengthening abs.

There's been a lot of evidence that intervel training works really well for weight loss, and boxing does just that.

I do that once per week, and try to get to the gym 2-3 other times, where i use a variety of machines for about 45 minutes, and also do some weight training.

I'm in grad school right now (part-time), and I'm also working full time - so time is a huge factor for me -- I haven't been faithfully sticking to this routine, so I haven't noticed a difference in weight. BUT - I feel fantastic and have tons of energy to keep going during the week...

Steph1628 · 10-04-2003, 12:18 AM

I really like pilates and walk away the pounds... neither take too too long and it's easy to do.. good stress relievers too!

Sara80 · 10-04-2003, 05:37 PM

I started using walk away the pounds during the summer, varying from the 2 mile to the 4 mile, and even doing the strength training one. I love those videos. I recently started going to a gym, and I go three times a week and I love it. I usually do 20-30 minutes on the treadmill, 15-20 minutes on the exercise bike and 15-20 minutes of strength training so I can get some toning back into my arms, legs and to work on my abs. I'm actually going to start doing the walk away the pounds again on the days when i don't go to the gym. I have had lots of energy since I started working out, and it's great! working out helps with the stress i have from being in grad school.

Maddy · 10-05-2003, 05:48 AM

Hello there

When I was first starting out I used to do Cher's Body Confidence video - 35 minutes of aerobics and this is the one vid that I still do it's fantastic!!

I try to still do that one and on the days I don't work I add a mix up of Cher plus Patsy's Palmer's Club Workout and Tracey Shaw's Salsacise and end with 20 minutes of either yoga or the New York City Ballet Workout.

I try to walk too. I look on walking not just for exercise but because I find it really therapeutic. Sometimes it is nice to go for a long walk and not have to speak! And getting back to nature is such an anti-stressor too. I would love to be able to go for a long walk every morning before work but as I walk over fields and along canaltowpaths it is pretty deserted that early in the morning and I never quite feel safe! I also do some weight training but have been slacking in this area a bit lately due to lack of time! I really don't enjoy it but I know it's good for me

I have tried running but don't enjoy it as much as walking. Though interval training is supposed to be really good (running then walking etc)

If you are interested in walking or running there are a couple of great websites with beginners programmes on. (Mind you, the beginners programme for running was still too difficult for me when I first tried it, lol)

www.girlsruntoo.com
and
www.walkthewalk.com

and for weight training

www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

There has been a lot of discussion on how long/how much/what type of exercise is best for fat loss on this forum recently but I think this info I read the other day about sums it up for me:

"Just as working too hard is counterproductive so is working too long. Exercise done properly will energize, not exhaust you. If an hour after a session yu feel a lot of fatigue that is a sure sign you have been pushing too hard. Your body has probably been burning sugar rather than fat and in the process producing clinkers of waste. There is no ideal time limit for this exercise; it all depends upon your current fitness level. 15 minutes may be all you need to start off with; others may need 60 minutes; remember; if you are energised not fatigued it is the right amount for your body. If you exercise in this way you will begin to experience an abundance of life force and creativity and it is the start of caring for yourself!"

In a nutshell, pick exercise you enjoy and it will make you feel energised and help beat depression as well as help weight loss!

sunstarmoon777 · 10-05-2003, 02:05 PM

Thank you so much for all of your responses. I have some really great ideas now! Just a ?, I have never bought an exercise video in my life, but from what I am hearing they aren't all "crap" as I had once assumed! Oops! How much do these gererally cost? I don't have much free time so an exercise video when I wake up and before bed is better than no exercise at all right?!?! Hopefully I can start going to the gym soon, but I have to overcome those damn anxiety problems! Anyway, thank you so much for all of the advice. Hugs!

Megan

bayleylily · 10-05-2003, 03:48 PM

I've mostly been walking and doing alittle bit of aerobics. I've worked up to walking at least 3 miles per week, I know thats not much I guess but at least its a start. I've done the aerobics some once a week. I also got a bike to ride and all this has helped. I can tell a real difference when I walk into work from the parking lot. Its not a short walk either and I can walk to the front door now without getting out of breath

. I know this may not seem much to all of you but for me its great and makes me feel as though I've accomplished something.

irelandsaiorse · 10-05-2003, 04:33 PM

I walk on the treadmill, lift weights, step areobics, kickboxing, and I played softball every Saturday afternoon until my team lost in the second round of the tourney, so that's over with until the spring semester.