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

[Angel Chic]

I'm in the very beginning stages of working out. I've been going on our treadmill here at home, but I can't seem to really get motivated...yet I do want to change myself...mentally and physically.

My husband posts on here and I've been reading the posts. I'm hoping to get some guidance from some of you "hardcore" women.
I saw the pic of PhysicalGirl, and THAT is my goal! My husband couldn't stop looking at your pic...you really do look amazing! Totally hot! So, as I go along, I'll be asking questions and looking for different things to try.
How did many of you start out with setting a specific workout schedule and actually sticking to it? With my kids...it's hard to find time sometimes.
Let me throw out my stats.....

I'm 5'11" and right now weigh about 175. I really need to lose weight (I'm not fat...just have a little extra around my middle), and tighten up EVERYTHING. Then from there I can work on really building some muscle. Is that even the right way to go?
PLEASE HELP!!

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Welcome! I think you'll find this is a great site with a lot of helpful information.

In reference to finding time, it is just something you have to make yourself do. Figure out a time when you are mostly likely to workout - and not make excuses. For some it is first thing in the morning, for others it is late at night. Find what works for YOUR schedule and your body. But the most important thing is to DO IT, and do it for yourself.

From your post, it sounds as though you are planning on only doing cardio for now. If I am wrong, please correct me. If this is the case, I highly recommend you rethink that. Lifting weights will help build muscle, which in turn will help raise your metabolism. This will make losing fat happen quicker and easier. Plus, it will help shape your body. You want to be tight - not flabby. Weight training will help ypu achieve this.

Fat loss is done primarily through diet, not cardio. Cardio will help, but not as much as a good solid diet program. I am nhot sure what your diet is like, but you want to focus on eating 4-6 times in the day, smaller meals. Foods should be as clean (nonprocessed) as possible. This means leans meats, veggies, potatoes, brown rice, natural peanut butter, almonds, etc. And lots and lots of water!

I also beleive strongly in interval training for cardio. I am a self-proclaimed cardio addict. I do love doing it. BUT, a couple months ago I cut back on cardio and started doing ONLY interval training and LOVE it. I find that it has been more beneficial than the hours of cardio I used to do!

Welcome again, and please post often! We love helping, so don't be afraid to ask questions or put in your 2 cents! I look forward to following your progress!

 

[PBR]

Angel your external surroundings have much influence on the way you are motivated and what you can achieve...If you are truely serious, putting yourself into a professional atmosphere will change your perceptions...basically Iam telling you to get to a gym and out of the house....trust me, this will do wonders....welcome BTW....

 

[Angel Chic]

Daisy Girl

From your post, it sounds as though you are planning on only doing cardio for now. If I am wrong, please correct me. If this is the case, I highly recommend you rethink that.


I'm going to work with weights as well as my cardio workouts. I just don't want to get "bulked up". I've seen many women within this forum who work out like crazy and it looks like they have a man's body....that is definitely NOT my goal. My goal is to look like Physical Girl.
I don't recall seeing a pic of you Daisy. Have you posted one? I've seen you post lots, and your opinions and suggestions I will take very seriously. Thanks for your input.

 

[Daisy_Girl]

I have a million pictures posted in my gallery andf on the pictures of members board

 

[Angel Chic]

PBR

I would love to go to the gym, but with weights here at the house, my hubby won't want me to spend money at the gym. I did do a trial week at Gold's in the beginning of the year, and I felt great.
I did cardio everyother day, and weights the other days. I was sore all over, but it felt absolutely wonderful (I had also lost about 8 lbs.). Watching the others workout really got me motivated. My husband works out here at home almost everyday, and he is getting really big, and you would think that watching him workout would motivate me....but it doesn't. I don't know why. Hopefully I'll be able to get myself to just do it.
Thanks for your response.

 

[Angel Chic]

You look great Daisy! I saw the pics on the members pics...boy, what a thread! lol

 

[Sassy69]

Angel - Welcome and you will definitely find a lot of support and information here! Just a quick note about training with weights - women will not get bulked up just from "training w/ weights". That takes testosterone and we don't have enough to product Ronnie Coleman-esque muscles. So don't let that excuse keep you from going after resistance training. The only way you will see women achieve seriously noticeable muscles is through use of chemical enhancement (steroids) and / or YEARS of hard, heavy training. And I mean YEARS - not just a couple years in the gym.

In order to get muscle definition like what Physical Girl is sportin', that takes both muscle building and fat reduction. Muscle building comes from resistance training. Fat reduction comes from diet, training & cardio. Just doing cardio will reduce fat, but will also cause a certain amount of muscle loss as well. "Just cardio" ultimately would result "skinny fat" - thin, but no muscle definition either. So they both have their place.

BTW, what area of Florida are you in?

 

[PhysicalGirl]

Welcome!!

In my opinion. You should focus more on burning fat at the begining but skill go moderate to lite when weight training and build endurence.

After you have burned more fat. Then you can focus on weight training and go Heavy with the weights but still do various kinds of cardio.

ALSO.. you have to be consistent. This will not be a quick process. Make it a WAY of LIFE!!

If you DONT have HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE or a history of HEART PROBLEMS then get yourself some ephidrine HCL, Vivorine(caffeine) and L-Carnitine. Take 1 ephidrine hcl, 1 vivorine and 2 500mg of L-Carnitine(1gram) twice a day(atleast 4 or 5 hours apart) this will help you burn ALOT more fat.

Keep your carbs LOW GLycemic and Keep your Proteins LEAN. Absolutly NO SUGAR!! If you need to sweeten something use Splenda as a sugar substitute.

STAY STRONG!!

 

[PhysicalGirl]

Re: PBR

I would love to go to the gym, but with weights here at the house, my hubby won't want me to spend money at the gym. I did do a trial week at Gold's in the beginning of the year, and I felt great.
I did cardio everyother day, and weights the other days. I was sore all over, but it felt absolutely wonderful (I had also lost about 8 lbs.). Watching the others workout really got me motivated. My husband works out here at home almost everyday, and he is getting really big, and you would think that watching him workout would motivate me....but it doesn't. I don't know why. Hopefully I'll be able to get myself to just do it.
Thanks for your response.

Its very difficult to learn if your at home alone or with your husband. Unless he knows how to train a body like yours.

If you can't go to the gym make sure you have everything you need in your home(cardio equipment, free weights, bench, bars).

JOGGING outside is VERY VERY GOOD!! Try to build up to atleast 2 miles a day 3 days a week if not more days.

Let me tell you MY VIEW on BULKING UP!!!

BULK is DEVELOPED MUSCLE under FAT!! It takes an increase of calories and very heavy weight training and not too much cardio to build muscle and your body wont burn much fat therefore if you already have alot of fat your muscles will just grow under the fat resulting in a THICK BULKY look.

If you feel you have too much fat than you should burn most of it before you decide to focus on muscle building but still weight train to keep what muscle you already have. Most people take in TOO much calories when building muscle and they end up storing FAT and building muscle at the same time.


First, Burning fat through weight training will take MUCH longer than if you did CARDIO. You would have to have ALOT of muscle for it to burn enough to keep you lean.

Weight Training is VERY IMPORTANT. You do need to do it. Weight training along with ENOUGH low fat PROTEIN will allow your body to KEEP the muscle while you BURN the FAT during cardio.

In my opinion, Nothing burns fat faster than cardiovascular excersice. You have to keep your heart rate up for a certain amount of time(A heart monitor is nice for a begininer).

During the first 45-60 minutes of cardio your body will use Glycogen and fat for energy. After the 45-60 minute point your body starts to use more fat for energy( I can explain why but then It would take to long).

After the first 45-60 minute point you will burn more fat(just a tip!). So if you do cardio for an hour and a 1/2. You will burn more fat in the last 1/2 hour than in the first hour.


Again, dont forget that the moderate to lite weight training and more LEAN protein in your diet will HELP KEEP the muscle you have and even condition your muscles as well.

 

[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~

 

[Raina]

Welcome! Don't be scared of weights-- they build your muscles up but don't make you "bulky" unless you're working your butt off for a loooong time to achieve a "bulky" look. Growing your muscle greatly increases how many calories your body burns at rest. Think of your muscle as being sort of a calorie furnce-- baby it and work it and you'll be doing great!

 

[PBR]

dumb ass

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...???

too many new girls at once!! this was Angels not PG...wont let me edit...PGs response to working out with hubby- is right on...there is something ( IMO) about working out with a spouse or relationship-partner, that doesnt last very long...I would only go there a couple of times,ie; working-out together....it works for some....personally, its my space and time to get things out and to concentrate...which I beleive we all need every day, regardless of relationships or not...work-outs are stressful.... IMO, they can become judgemental between partners...this is where the problem starts....

 

[PhysicalGirl]

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.

I was where you are once upon a time. OK, I was moving too fast. You should work your way up to the Hour and a half slowly.


It takes time to build up endurence. You have to PUSH yourself. Its not easy.


When your progress begins to plateau then you do a different kind of cardio and starT over at 30 -45 minutes and work your way up again. You always have to keep changing it up.


The reason why I say to work up to an hour and a half is because AFTER AND HOUR YOUR BODY IS GOING INTO AN ALMOST EXCLUSIVE FAT BURNING MODE.

IF YOU NEED A FURTHER EXPLANATION WHY YOU SHOULD WORK YOUR CARDIO UP TO 90 MINUTES THEN READ THE "EXCERSICE INTENSITY AND FUEL USE" SECTION, THIRD PARAGRAPH OF THIS LINK:

http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/1998/09sep/hawley.htm


I did'nt see my six pack until atleast an hour of cardio!!!!!

 

[Sassy69]

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! [/B]

I think I saw a discussion about heartrate & the 70%, 80%, etc. where aerobic & anaerobic burning occurs. Assuming I'm on a machine that is measuring my heartrate correctly, according to the little heartrate chart, for my age and the measured heartrate showing on the machine, I should basically be in the throws of a deep heartpounding panic. But I'm just maintaining a pushed paced. I dunno. I don't get it.

But as a rule of thumb, I get a good cardio session if I maintain a pace on whatever machine for 25+ minutes such that it is hard to talk while I'm doing it.

Another option is to throw in some interval training like others have mentioned. An example would be a 20 minute session on the stairmaster where you start out "warming up" for 2 minutes, crank it up to "sprint" level for 1-2 minutes, back down for 2 minutes, repeat. If you just watch the interval times, all you have to do is count the number of speed periods you do to get to 20 minutes. (For some reason if I change how I'm counting the time period, it goes faster...). A couple sessions of these per week will give you some good results, a shorter cardio time and you can watch the improvements with each session in how easy it is to make it through the speed periods, the increase in speed or the increase in duration of each speed session with less rough recovery period.