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after way too long leading a sedentary(sp) lifestyle, I figur I need to start doing something....So I have been doing a treadmill every morning for 1/2 hour and going 2.15 miles(equivilent), going at a pretty good walking clip. But that is so goddamed boring. I see all these different classes at different facilities and can't make heads or tails. Pilates, Spinning, Kick Boxing etc...my goal is to lose wait, tone and get in shape. I do not want to spend every waking hour at a gym, just looking to do something 3 times a week and get the best results. anyone have any good advice for a 43 year old tub of goo??? btw, i have been watching my diet lately and am up to about 10 pounds off in the past 3 weeks.... thanks in advance.

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Posted
after way too long leading a sedentary(sp) lifestyle, I figur I need to start doing something....So I have been doing a treadmill every morning for 1/2 hour and going 2.15 miles(equivilent), going at a pretty good walking clip.  But that is so goddamed boring.  I see all these different classes at different facilities and can't make heads or tails.  Pilates, Spinning, Kick Boxing etc...my goal is to lose wait, tone and get in shape.  I do not want to spend every waking hour at a gym, just looking to do something 3 times a week and get the best results.  anyone have any good advice for a 43 year old tub of goo???  btw, i have been watching my diet lately and am up to about 10 pounds off in the past 3 weeks....  thanks in advance.

781877[/snapback]

 

Walk outdoors, seriously. It's much better for you and if you mix it with simple bodyweight exercise and/or yoga, you can lose LARGE amounts of weight. I've lost 40 pounds that way and kept it off for a year.

Posted

my main problem, i am sure i am not alone here, is self motivation, that is why i am thinking about these fitness classes, as long as i can make myself go, i will have someone there pushing me to do something rather than pushing myself

 

Walk outdoors, seriously. It's much better for you and if you mix it with simple bodyweight exercise and/or yoga, you can lose LARGE amounts of weight. I've lost 40 pounds that way and kept it off for a year.

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Posted
my main problem, i am sure i am not alone here, is self motivation, that is why i am thinking about these fitness classes, as long as i can make myself go, i will have someone there pushing me to do something rather than pushing myself

781890[/snapback]

 

Pooj - At my gym we have something called boot camp. It is led by a "drill instructor" to guide you through the sets.

 

It is a 1 hour mix of cardio, weight, and core (abs and back) training. Not only does it kick my butt but it is fun and challenging. I actually enjoy going. Check with some of the gyms in your area. I know that they offer it at Bally's.

Posted
my main problem, i am sure i am not alone here, is self motivation, that is why i am thinking about these fitness classes, as long as i can make myself go, i will have someone there pushing me to do something rather than pushing myself

781890[/snapback]

Stick to it for a few weeks and I promise you won't need much motivation. You'll have alot more energy and wont want to miss a workout.

Posted
my main problem, i am sure i am not alone here, is self motivation, that is why i am thinking about these fitness classes, as long as i can make myself go, i will have someone there pushing me to do something rather than pushing myself

781890[/snapback]

 

If you have problems motivating yourself, then you need to pick an activity that actually sounds fun to you. IMHO, running/walking on a treadmill is the most boring and mundane activity ever invented. Go outside and walk or run. Play a sport. You work at Circuit City right? Be like Steve Carell in 40-year old virgin and ride your bike to work. Then you don't even have to think of it as a workout. It's your transportation to work.

 

From personal experience, I find it is a lot easier to stay in the routine if I force myself to go to the gym before work in the morning. At first it's hard to wake up, but once you get in the routine it's easy. Plus, you'll sleep a lot better and be energized throughout the day.

Posted
Not disagreeing at all, just curious as to why this is?

781900[/snapback]

 

If you walk in cool/cold weather, your body expends more calories raising the temperature of your body. In the opposite extreme, it aslo spends more calories to cool itself. 0:)

Posted
If you walk in cool/cold weather, your body expends more calories raising the temperature of your body. In the opposite extreme, it aslo spends more calories to cool itself. 0:)

781904[/snapback]

 

Cool (no pun intended), thanks. Never knew that. :P

Posted

i have thought about it, it is probably a 25 mile ride and there are at least 2 people in my neck of the woods that ride a couple times a week...that would mean i would need a bike 0:)

 

If you have problems motivating yourself, then you need to pick an activity that actually sounds fun to you.  IMHO, running/walking on a treadmill is the most boring and mundane activity ever invented.  Go outside and walk or run.  Play a sport.  You work at Circuit City right?  Be like Steve Carell in 40-year old virgin and ride your bike to work.  Then you don't even have to think of it as a workout.  It's your transportation to work.

 

From personal experience, I find it is a lot easier to stay in the routine if I force myself to go to the gym before work in the morning.  At first it's hard to wake up, but once you get in the routine it's easy.  Plus, you'll sleep a lot better and be energized throughout the day.

781902[/snapback]

Posted
after way too long leading a sedentary(sp) lifestyle, I figur I need to start doing something....So I have been doing a treadmill every morning for 1/2 hour and going 2.15 miles(equivilent), going at a pretty good walking clip.  But that is so goddamed boring.  I see all these different classes at different facilities and can't make heads or tails.  Pilates, Spinning, Kick Boxing etc...my goal is to lose wait, tone and get in shape.  I do not want to spend every waking hour at a gym, just looking to do something 3 times a week and get the best results.  anyone have any good advice for a 43 year old tub of goo???  btw, i have been watching my diet lately and am up to about 10 pounds off in the past 3 weeks....  thanks in advance.

781877[/snapback]

That's a good start, using that treadmill, POOJER.

 

Get a small notebook and write down what you eat day to day. When you look back through a few days, and look at the pizza, chips, or whatever, you start to say to yourself - tomorrow, I'll have have some bake beans, frozen green beans, 2% cottage cheese and natural juice pineapple. Some of that 94% fat-free MW popcorn for an evening snack.

 

That might sound silly, but it works for us. My wife and me go out for a fat breakfast on Saturday, so in preparation, we have lean stuff before. Maybe eye of round steak sandwiches with baked potatoe sans heavy buttering or salting on Monday, with a vegetable and a good bread, some light pasta on Friday.

 

Having a record of what you eat really, really helps. We have found ourselves looking forward to and savoring the heavy meals, and so eat smaller portions. We don't feel bad about the occasional calorie and fat disaster.

Posted
That's a good start, using that treadmill, POOJER.

 

Get a small notebook and write down what you eat day to day. When you look back through a few days, and look at the pizza, chips, or whatever, you start to say to yourself - tomorrow, I'll have have some bake beans, frozen green beans, 2% cottage cheese and natural juice pineapple. Some of that 94% fat-free MW popcorn for an evening snack.

 

That might sound silly, but it works for us. My wife and me go out for a fat breakfast on Saturday, so in preparation, we have lean stuff before. Maybe eye of round steak sandwiches with baked potatoe sans heavy buttering or salting on Monday, with a vegetable and a good bread, some light pasta on Friday.

 

Having a record of what you eat really, really helps. We have found ourselves looking forward to and savoring the heavy meals, and so eat smaller portions. We don't feel bad about the occasional calorie and fat disaster.

781927[/snapback]

 

To expound on that, also keep a journal of your workouts. Distance, time, reps, weights, etc.... It might seem like you're going in circles and making no progress, but if you have a journal and can see yourself getting faster and stronger it helps with the motivation.

Posted

Pooj,

 

Stay away from white carbs. White breads, rice etc.... Replace all these with brown or "good" carbs and you'll drop a ton. Whole wheat breads (which I hate by they way) have some decent variaties out there. Brown rice cooked in a rice cooker is very good.

 

I follow the south beach diet and I lost 36 lbs to start and I've kept it off. It's really easy to follow and you eat 5-6 times a day. Couple that with walking or jogging and the weight will fall off, I promise.

Posted
You should incorporate the Paris Hilton diet.  Tons of coke, ciggies, and pole smokin.

781947[/snapback]

 

I tried to get my girlfriend to go on that, but she hates cigarettes and coke.

Posted
Pooj,

 

Stay away from white carbs. White breads, rice etc.... Replace all these with brown or "good" carbs and you'll drop a ton. Whole wheat breads (which I hate by they way) have some decent variaties out there. Brown rice cooked in a rice cooker is very good.

 

 

781937[/snapback]

 

Good advice. We don't eat a lot of bread, but when we do, it's a rye. Look at the nutrition labels to keep away from the products with honey or the higher sugar contents.

 

Rice cookers are excellent, and cheap to buy. Fiddling around with the added water, I've been able to get good results with barley, saving the leftovers for the next day or freezing them for a week.

 

I like cheese on barley, and we followed the recommendation of that Mario Batali on the Food Channel and bought the parmaseno regiano - 14 bucks a pound. The flavor is so good and intense, we use one of those microplane graters and use maybe one tenth of the amount as compared to the ubiquitous Kraft product.

 

So we have learned that buying the good ingredients, along with quantities of lo-cal roughage, has served to give us very satisfying filling meals with good nutrition, with no resentment for extra prep time.

 

I like a dripping greasy cheeseburger or a mess of wings as well as the next guy, but after planning meals with an eye towards the big picture, they are yes still enjoyed, but sit me on the can. 0:)

Posted
If you have problems motivating yourself, then you need to pick an activity that actually sounds fun to you.  IMHO, running/walking on a treadmill is the most boring and mundane activity ever invented.  Go outside and walk or run.  Play a sport.  You work at Circuit City right?  Be like Steve Carell in 40-year old virgin and ride your bike to work.  Then you don't even have to think of it as a workout.  It's your transportation to work.

 

From personal experience, I find it is a lot easier to stay in the routine if I force myself to go to the gym before work in the morning.  At first it's hard to wake up, but once you get in the routine it's easy.  Plus, you'll sleep a lot better and be energized throughout the day.

781902[/snapback]

I want to second this. Make it fun. Competitive sports are always fun. 0:)
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