Beginner exercise routine?

[Suzanne B]

Anyone willing to lay out a specific exercise plan for a beginner? I've read lots of things that say do this and do that. I plan things but never get around to doing them mostly because I don't really know what I'm doing. I've started walking (started the middle of last week) at least 15 minutes a day. I try to get 30 but have an absolute minimum of 15 daily M-F since I'm just getting back into walking. I never know how my weekends are going to be so I don't plan exercise on the weekends (we're usually on the go on the weekends and as the weather warms we'll be spending most Saturday's at the lake).

I have found that I just have to jump in with both feet. If I try to do every other day I don't get around to the next workout a lot of times because it isn't habit yet. I've been pretty sedentary for a while so I'm basically starting at a total beginner level. I'd like to do my workouts at home. I have hand weights, 2#, 3# & 5#. I have some exercise tapes too. I had bursitis in my left knee back in Oct. and if I overdo then it fairs up and I can't do anything for a day or two. I'm a SAHM so I can workout pretty much when I want. I've been trying to do it just after DH & DS leave in the mornings while DD is still sleeping.

One area I would like to target is my abs and love handles (hate that name!)

I tend to overdo and then quit for a while. I don't really know what and how much to do and how often. My ob/gyn did suggest that I work up to walking 2 miles daily (I asked how to prevent high BP in pregnancy if we decide to have another baby. I've had high BP in pregnancy twice)

[Kathryn In Canada]

I'd stick with walking for the time being until it becomes a habit. But not just M-F, what is wrong with going for a walk while up at the lake? A nice stroll in the evening on Saturday and another in the morning on Sunday before you come home.

When I first joined WW, the very first meeting was on goal setting - picking an easy goal to meet for the next week. I was so excited because I was ready to commit to 30 minutes of exercise 3x per week. Then I looked at the 123Points tracker and it showed that I had to do 20 minutes of activity every day! That was a surprise but it did push me and I met that almost all the time.

This time around I had been very physically active for the 3 months leading up to me restarting WW but no weight was coming off. But that activity made it easy for me make both diet and exercise part of my daily life.

I joined Curves since I knew I needed resistence training as well as aerobic if I was going to get as fit as I wanted to be. I'm afraid of free weights because 1) I'm a klutz and, 2) I have a weak back and was afraid I'd do damage. With Curves, I couldn't do things too wrong and could control the intensity of my workout.

The biggest benefit is that my bursitis of the knee hardly flares at all now. It used to flare with too much walking (so I switched to biking and a nordic trak ski machine) and if I wore pants or jeans (the material would tighten around my knee when I bent it to walk.

Yesterday I found myself kneeling on the concrete floor of the basement working on cleaning out our storage area. And I was wearing tight jeans. I looked at myself and said, "My knee should be hurting." but it didn't and wasn't at all sore this morning either. I figure the building up of the muscles in my legs is helping my bursitis too.

So while I encourage you to join Curves or some similar program, if you can't right now, don't worry. Just choose something that won't bother your knee and do that. Look for things that are non impact if you can and your knee should be fine.

...Kathryn

[judyo53]

I'm really not a walker but have exercised on & off for many, many years just following aerobic tapes & a syndicated weight/toning TV show called Body Electric (which I taped the segments I do & put together my own tapes to follow any time of the day).

I've also collected a huge assortment of different aerobic videos/cd's. Anyone can start out with any type of aerobic tape & start with lower intensity, no arm movements if necessary until you learn the steps, no weights if the tapes use them, etc. Or try to purchase some lower intensity/easier tapes to start with. Leslie Sansone's Walk Away The Pounds (WATP) is a good workout & the steps are easy enough for anyone to follow since they're basic steps, she cues great & there's nothing to memorize. Her 1 mile tape is about 15 minutes in length & you can follow it at an easier pace or really put your all into it to heighten the intensity. I think those are the best beginner workouts because of the simplicity of the movements required.

Resistance training is also important but that doesn't necessarily mean using really heavy weights in a gym. You can also find some resistance workout tapes & start with a can of corn or a weighted wrist wrap or a 1 lb. dumbbell, etc. Because of a pulled muscle I started back with my 3 lb. weights & will be going up to 4 lbs. next month (although I always have weak deltoids & might have to build them up again). You really only need to do a weight/toning routine about twice a week, every 3rd or 4th day. You need to rest those muscles in between. The good thing about my weight programs (I also use resistance tubes which came in a kit with a CD), is that the entire workout is less than 30 min.

So my plan is my weights/toning twice a week (less than 30 min. each) & a min. of 3 up to 5 30 min. aerobic workouts. I only do one or the other per day, not both.

To start out you might just want to do aerobics or walking 3 times a week. Then start adding a free weight routine in there. Most people recommend taking at least one day off a week & I usually do whether it's planned or not.

You can find used tapes on Amazon.com & even new ones at low prices. I've heard of people trying out tapes from the library before buying them. They also have them on E-bay & I have a used sports store nearby that I have to check out (I recently moved).

[ April 30, 2004, 05:20 PM: Message edited by: judyo53 ]

[moby]

Hello,

I have really bad knees and have found the WATP tapes to be wonderful. I can walk in my own home- so if my knee "pops out" I can get to the couch without having to sit by a road and wait for someone to get me. I've worked my way up to the 2 or 3 mile tape ( with stretchie) and have gotten brave enough to try other tapes ( like pilates, tonetics, gilad!) - especially knowing that a place to sit is always close by. Using this same theory my husband got me an elliptical trainer - because it is no impact. So far so good.

Good luck with whatever you decide to start with,

Sallie

[Suzanne B]

Thanks everyone!

Well, the lake is 5 minutes from my house so we don't stay there. I certainly don't want to walk around it either because we have so many cotton mouth (we're supposed to have one of the highest populations for cotton mouth in the nation here). But on weekends we often hit the shower just as we get up, dress the kids and head out the door to go somewhere. I do hope, as I get more in the habit to work in exercise on the weekends too. But lots of times we do lots of going and doing on the weekends and get a good bit of exercise.

[ashlee]

I walk a lot for exercise, at least once or twice a day. I started to do resistance training at home, but need to get into a better routine. You don't need to join clubs, etc. if you don't want to. I have hand weights, bands, exercise ball, videos.

Since I've started walking (over a yr. ago now) so much and doing WW., I've gone from a 44 women's size in pants to a 14 regular.

You don't need to walk fast if you can't. Just start slow and work up to a faster pace and a longer walk.

JUST KEEP MOVING - THAT'S THE KEY!

Ashlee

[girlinmotion]

I had a lot of trouble fitting in my exercise at first too. My "getting started" suggestions?
1. Keep up the walking graemlins/thumbup.gif If possible make it enjoyable by bringing your kids, husband, dog, neighbour or friend. Work up to 30 minutes 5 times per week. But remember, you can break that up throughout the day. For example, walk 15 minutes at lunch, and again after dinner.You don't necessarily have to do it all at once to get the benefits. Also, try doing a little whenever you go somewhere: park a little farther away. Or do a lap of the mall before you start your shopping!

2. Do you watch TV? Why not use commercial breaks to add to your workout time? I do situps, bicep curls, squats, and lunges while I watch my favourite shows. One commercial break is usually perfect to do 1 or 2 sets of 10. And with big breaks in between, you don't really get sweaty enough to need to change your clothes. As long as I'm not wearing tight pants, I can squeeze in a little toning. If you need to learn how to do these exercises, you can get a book from the library, or check out the demos online. I think self.com has good exercise instructions on their websites. Eventually you might work up to working out throughout your whole TV show (maybe taking a break during the really tense/funny parts ;) )

I hope that helps.