I've been doing WW for over a year, including going to the gym and doing mostly cardio (and for a short period, I was doing the circuit as well). Lately, I've been in a crappy work situation that not only took up all my time, but was also extremely stressful and so instead of dealing with that stress by working out, I've been eating badly and neglecting the gym. I've probably gained about 10 lbs in the 10 weeks I've been at that job.
That job is no longer an issue (tomorrow is my last day) and I want to use the time to work on my body and on preparation for a professional exam. It's going to be my "job" - half a day at the gym (or at least a few hours) and the rest of the day studying.
Can you guys offer me some support, encouragement and ideas about the types of workouts I should do? Our gym doesn't have classes, but they have a lot of cardio and weights, and tvs in front of the cardio machines. I can (or could) do an hour on the treadmill and elliptical when I quit working out a few months back.
If you have any questions that I need to answer so that you can help me figure out what to do, go ahead and ask. And TIA!!
Honestly, I don't think you NEED to spend half a day at the gym. I don't think that's healthy, unless you're super fit and training for an Ironman or something. It's really not sustainable long-term, so when you go back to a more normal schedule, your body may have trouble losing/maintaining on a more reasonable amount of exercise. I don't really think there's any reason to go for more than an hour or so a day, 5-6 days a week.
I think you should start by figuring out what you enjoy, and do that. Try lots of things. Take it out of the gym and go hiking or biking or rollerblading outdoors, do exercise DVDs at home, try CrossFit style workouts on your own, get the New Rules of Lifting for Women and start lifting, take a yoga class, etc. Use this time to experiment. If you like what you're doing, you're much more likely to keep it up.
I'm not stuck on spending a certain amount of time at the gym - I just know myself and I know that I respond best to a routine. So I figured if I created a routine around studying and going to the gym, I'm more likely to do it. What motivates me isn't so much what the activity is as much as it is the results. So going to the gym versus a bike ride versus a walk - eh, not a big deal for me.
I actually like doing the cardio at the gym with the TVs, or I can listen to podcasts, etc. I'm just trying to create a routine that will work well for me and was hoping for support and advice around that.
I'm not stuck on spending a certain amount of time at the gym - I just know myself and I know that I respond best to a routine. So I figured if I created a routine around studying and going to the gym, I'm more likely to do it. What motivates me isn't so much what the activity is as much as it is the results. So going to the gym versus a bike ride versus a walk - eh, not a big deal for me.
I actually like doing the cardio at the gym with the TVs, or I can listen to podcasts, etc. I'm just trying to create a routine that will work well for me and was hoping for support and advice around that.
If you like that, then, create a routine around that! I just don't think that a half day at the gym is a great idea. I do think that if you want to see results, adding in weightlifting is going to be the best way to do that. The New Rules of Lifting for Women is a great book that I recommend to lifting newbies.
When I was studying for the bar, I went to prep class 8-12, went home and had lunch, studied from about 1-5, went to a class at the gym from 5-6, then I'd make dinner, eat, shower, and study for a little while before bed. It worked well for me. By mid-afternoon, my brain needed a break and exercise really perked me up so I could study a little more at night.
Ditto what Brie says. I think it is not a good idea to spend all that time in a gym. It does not seem productive. If you feel you NEED to. Try cardio in the morning and then maybe a weights class in the evening or vice versa. I am in the experimentation stage right now. I found out a boot camp class is right near where I live (I thought it was an empty building) so I am trying them for a week.
I'm not stuck on spending a certain amount of time at the gym - I just know myself and I know that I respond best to a routine. So I figured if I created a routine around studying and going to the gym, I'm more likely to do it. What motivates me isn't so much what the activity is as much as it is the results. So going to the gym versus a bike ride versus a walk - eh, not a big deal for me.
I actually like doing the cardio at the gym with the TVs, or I can listen to podcasts, etc. I'm just trying to create a routine that will work well for me and was hoping for support and advice around that.
If you like that, then, create a routine around that! I just don't think that a half day at the gym is a great idea. I do think that if you want to see results, adding in weightlifting is going to be the best way to do that. The New Rules of Lifting for Women is a great book that I recommend to lifting newbies.
When I was studying for the bar, I went to prep class 8-12, went home and had lunch, studied from about 1-5, went to a class at the gym from 5-6, then I'd make dinner, eat, shower, and study for a little while before bed. It worked well for me. By mid-afternoon, my brain needed a break and exercise really perked me up so I could study a little more at night.
Okay, I can easily commit to 60-90 minutes a day. It would probably be fun, even! I don't see myself doing it at night, simply because it's a good way for me to get up and go in the morning, and I love the idea of leaving the house in the beginning of the day since I'll be back there to study and I don't like "all day at home" days (I like to leave the house if at all possible). And since I'm a huge fan of routine, I like the idea of going to the same place at the same time every day.
What would you suggest I concentrate on? Weights? Cardio? I'm not going to get a new book that I know nothing about right now, but they have a circuit and like I said, great cardio machines.
Any other supports or encouragements would be appreciated.
If you like that, then, create a routine around that! I just don't think that a half day at the gym is a great idea. I do think that if you want to see results, adding in weightlifting is going to be the best way to do that. The New Rules of Lifting for Women is a great book that I recommend to lifting newbies.
When I was studying for the bar, I went to prep class 8-12, went home and had lunch, studied from about 1-5, went to a class at the gym from 5-6, then I'd make dinner, eat, shower, and study for a little while before bed. It worked well for me. By mid-afternoon, my brain needed a break and exercise really perked me up so I could study a little more at night.
Okay, I can easily commit to 60-90 minutes a day. It would probably be fun, even! I don't see myself doing it at night, simply because it's a good way for me to get up and go in the morning, and I love the idea of leaving the house in the beginning of the day since I'll be back there to study and I don't like "all day at home" days (I like to leave the house if at all possible). And since I'm a huge fan of routine, I like the idea of going to the same place at the same time every day.
What would you suggest I concentrate on? Weights? Cardio? I'm not going to get a new book that I know nothing about right now, but they have a circuit and like I said, great cardio machines.
Any other supports or encouragements would be appreciated.
I think you should do both weights and cardio if you want to see results. Cardio burns fat and muscle, and you need to lift heavy weights to maintain muscle mass and any kind of decent metabolism.
The weight machine circuits at the gym are crap and not worth it. And it's downright dangerous to lift weights without any kind of guidance or instruction, so I'd say a $12 book is a pretty good investment. It sets out a very simple plan for beginners, which is what it sounds like you need.
I'm not going to get a new book that I know nothing about right now.
Um... Why not? It sounds like you just want to use machines all day. That won't work for what you're looking for. If you don't k is how to lift, hire a trainer to teach you or educate yourself. Weight machine circuits are not an efficient use of time.
I'm not going to get a new book that I know nothing about right now.
Um... Why not? It sounds like you just want to use machines all day. That won't work for what you're looking for. If you don't k is how to lift, hire a trainer to teach you or educate yourself. Weight machine circuits are not an efficient use of time.
Hm. Maybe you have a point. My gym has trainers that advise and recommend, though, and that you can sign up for time with (for free). I'm thinking I'd rather go that route, as I'm the type to learn from experience better than from book-learning. I guess I'll start with cardio'ing for an hour/day and then try to find a time to grab a trainer for his/her input.
What would you guys say is a good use of time? I was thinking 45-60 mins of cardio and then 15-30 mins of weights, 5x/week, as a (re)starting point.
Um... Why not? It sounds like you just want to use machines all day. That won't work for what you're looking for. If you don't k is how to lift, hire a trainer to teach you or educate yourself. Weight machine circuits are not an efficient use of time.
Hm. Maybe you have a point. My gym has trainers that advise and recommend, though, and that you can sign up for time with (for free). I'm thinking I'd rather go that route, as I'm the type to learn from experience better than from book-learning. I guess I'll start with cardio'ing for an hour/day and then try to find a time to grab a trainer for his/her input.
What would you guys say is a good use of time? I was thinking 45-60 mins of cardio and then 15-30 mins of weights, 5x/week, as a (re)starting point.
Do weights before cardio. Cardio will tire your legs out, which can compromise your form for lifting.
When I was at a regular gym, I preferred to dedicate full days to lifting or cardio--2-3 days a week all cardio, 2-3 days a week of all lifting, about an hour each time.
Good luck with the trainer. They can really be a great resource and if you have free personal training at your gym, you should definitely take advantage of that.