Hello to all...I'm a newbie also

[Daisy_Girl]

IMHO, doing cardio for an hour and a half is going to be way too much for someone new to working out. Even if they are coming back after a lay off. Doing that much cardio, in a relatively deconditioned state, is going to burn muscle (in addition to the fat). The decreased muscle is going to lower their metabolism. Especially if they are not really lifting weights. Plus, if you start at 90 minutes, where do you go when you plateau? 2 hours? 3?

I think with someone new to working out (or coming back to it), doing 3-4 a week at 30-45 minutes is *plenty*. If you are deconditioned, this will be enough to start the fat loss. Then, as the body adjusts to the exercising, either add more time, more days, or increase the intensity. Or add interval training.

For FAT LOSS, diet is going to be the #1 thing - clean up your diet and results should start quickly. The base for every workout program should be a clean diet - not an excessive amount of cardio OR weight training.

 

[PBR]

PG...this sport/lifestyle is very visual...it is also very much a mind conditioning...if the mind is conditioned first, the rest will follow...if your mind- set is not solid, you will wallow in despair...if you cant get to a professional setting, maybe you could enhance your workout area at home...make it a place where you WANT to be...???

 

[Angel Chic]

Physical Girl.....OMG, an hour and a half of cardio and I'll be dead on the floor!
I'm going to go with Daisy on this one....I've been doing 20 minutes on my treadmill at 4 mph. I'm about to push it up to 25 minutes...with a steeper incline. What should my heart rate be in order to burn LOTS of fat? My hubby says that it should be 85% of my max.....whatever that means..lol. He thinks that I understand what he's saying. Tomorrow I'm on the treadmill in the am. I worked with some weights today...very light....but enough reps to feel it.
I would post a pic of myself to show all of you what I look like now...but I'm way to embarrassed. I will show a before and after in a few months....when I really show some results.

I want to thank all of you for your replies. It's great to see people take such an interest in my goals. Thanks a bunch for being my support system.

 

[Angel Chic]

posted by Sassy-
BTW, what area of Florida are you in?



I'm in the Sarasota area.

 

[Daisy_Girl]

What should my heart rate be in order to burn LOTS of fat? My hubby says that it should be 85% of my max.....whatever that means..lol.

I've never been a huge follower of heart rate, but that is me. When I was a trainer, I never had my clients do their heart rate - it gets overly complicated and takes the focus off how you FEEL and puts it onto the numbers.

I'd simply monitor how you FEEL and adjust your workout intensity to that. You want to feel as through you are working HARD, but it is a pace you can maintain (no more, no less) for the entire time. This is going to require trial and error - one day psh yourself ahrder and see if you can make it, the next day, harder or easier - depending on how you FEEL. The adjustments can happen throughout a workout too.

Listen to your body, but make it work hard, don't slack off. The more you slack, the longer it will take to get results. You are only cheating yourself.

 

[Pamela]

Welcome to the board.
We have a lot of great girls / guys here.

Just keep reading and posting.. And you will learn a lot.

 

[jenscats5]

I have a Heart rate monitor that I wear when doing cardio. I have a hard time determining by feel alone how hard I am working. Plus I like to do intervals & go from 85% MHR to 70% & back up, etc etc. You can get a basic HR monitor for $100 or less.

 

[FoxyDiva]

Welcome chica!! Im new here as well, Im not "hardcore" but I do know a little bit, I didnt read everyones posts (too long, lol), but if your having trouble with gettng motivated try and find something you really enjoy, dont look at it as just cardio/working out, look at it as fun

~hugs~

 

[Angel Chic]

Foxy....
I do try and make it fun. When I'm on my treadmill, I crank my music, and do what I have to do. I need to do the same with the weights as I begin them. I'm kind of only doing the cardio right now until after the new year. This will be my resolution, as well as just trying to get myself more organized overall.


Jenscats...
I think I will go out and get a HR monitor. I really to keep tabs on it. I don't really get the whole (85% of my MHR) thing....but I've been told that I need to keep my HB up to like 155 BPM. I don't know if this is accurate or not. I really feel stupid when it comes to the details and things. I would just get on there and work until I feel like I'm going to drop.

To ALL....thanks for the warm welcome!! It's great to be here!

 

[gspotme]

Angel,
Excellent advice you've gotten.

Keep us posted on your progress! With kids...ooooh girl I can relate.....BUT nothing is cooler than when my two boys say, " my mommys got muscles!".....good luck AC!

DG, im with you on the HR, never been a fan either....and i've actually always given my clients both training venues...seems they always wanna just feel it and sweat it out. errm ya think..LOL

oh and of course Welcome Angel!

train hard
~g~