Exersize Questions
Tue Aug 29, 2006 3:57 am
Ok.. well, I'm trying to loose weight. Theres three specific areas I want to target - upper arms, thighs and stomach - does anyone know some good exersizes to do?
Second, are like little barbells (like the ones you hold in your hands) a good investment?
Third.. this is stupid and really irrelevant, but sometimes I yawn while I exersize, regardless of the time of day I do it.. how comes?
Second, are like little barbells (like the ones you hold in your hands) a good investment?
Third.. this is stupid and really irrelevant, but sometimes I yawn while I exersize, regardless of the time of day I do it.. how comes?
Tue Aug 29, 2006 6:13 am
use cans of food rather than buying barbells. at least to begin with anyhoo
Tue Aug 29, 2006 10:33 am
Try googling for 'exercise'. 'exersize' won't work too well.
Do stomach crunches and lunges for your legs. Look those up on google too.
Do stomach crunches and lunges for your legs. Look those up on google too.
Tue Aug 29, 2006 11:09 am
Any repetitive motion with weight in your hands will strengthen/slim your upper arms.
Tue Aug 29, 2006 2:09 pm
Like Rachel said, soup cans work good, too. 
Just make sure they both are the same weight. lol Small weights are good for toning because they help build the muscle, but not enough to make you bulky. I used to use 5 lb weights. They got lost in one of our moves, though, so I've been using 1 lb cans. They're not as good as the weights, but they still give resistance, which is what yo're looking for.
Walking is excellent exercise. Walk everywhere you can. Take a music player with you and you won't notice the distance.
You yawn a lot because your body needs more oxygen. Try taking deeper breaths when you breathe. Maybe you are not getting enough sleep. If your body doesn't have enough time to recharge, extra exertion can use up your resources faster.
Just make sure they both are the same weight. lol Small weights are good for toning because they help build the muscle, but not enough to make you bulky. I used to use 5 lb weights. They got lost in one of our moves, though, so I've been using 1 lb cans. They're not as good as the weights, but they still give resistance, which is what yo're looking for.
Walking is excellent exercise. Walk everywhere you can. Take a music player with you and you won't notice the distance.
You yawn a lot because your body needs more oxygen. Try taking deeper breaths when you breathe. Maybe you are not getting enough sleep. If your body doesn't have enough time to recharge, extra exertion can use up your resources faster.
Tue Aug 29, 2006 2:22 pm
Some things to keep in mind:
1) It is impossible to target fat to burn - what you can do, however, is strengthen the muscles beneath the body fat, which generally makes things look better (and it's better for you, anyway).
2) Muscle is more dense than fat. As you begin a weight training program, you may notice that you lose inches but gain weight. No worries - that means you're building muscle. You'll see why this is good if you scroll down to point number three...
3) Muscle boosts your metabolism because it uses more nutrients than fat. Thus, building muscle will help you lose fat faster - sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Now, onto the plan!
You should try to jog/run 30 minutes a day if you can. Don't go fast - this isn't a sprint. If you find that 30 minutes is too long and you can't do that, then no big deal. You now have a Goal. Try to at least keep moving for 30 minutes...walking is fine.
If you have access to an elliptical machine, that's a good alternative.
In either case, as you get stronger/faster/better, add time and (on a machine) resistance. If you're running, grab those two- or three-pound weights or cans of beans. You'd be surprised how much harder it is (bonus: You tone your arm muscles just lugging them around for a few miles).
If you have access to a gym, take a day off from running once or twice a week to begin a weight-lifting program. Most health clubs will give you one training session with a personal trainer who will berate you and make you feel worthless. Usually, the first one is free, so it's OK. If you want to feel like crap again, it'll cost you - but you probably don't need to see that old meanie-head again, because he or she will have just put you through a full-body muscle-building workout. And that's what you'll want to do. Work your way through exercises for chest, arms, back, and legs, though not necessarily in that order - whatever works for you.
If you don't feel like joining a gym, go to McDonald's. Why? Because they have a series of four (free!) DVDs with exercise regimens on them, one each for strength, cardio, core (abs and lower back) and yoga. If they don't have them, you can find them on eBay for about 5 bucks each.
Adopt a healthy (or at least healthier) diet - cut out all sodas, even diet sodas. And switch, if you haven't already, to unsweetened fruit juices. Allow yourself a few treats every now and again just so you don't feel like you've changed your entire life just to lose 5 pounds, because that will only depress you.
The key, in the end, isn't necessarily weight loss or muscle gain or whatever. It's feeling like you've taken control of your body, which is what you're really going for.
1) It is impossible to target fat to burn - what you can do, however, is strengthen the muscles beneath the body fat, which generally makes things look better (and it's better for you, anyway).
2) Muscle is more dense than fat. As you begin a weight training program, you may notice that you lose inches but gain weight. No worries - that means you're building muscle. You'll see why this is good if you scroll down to point number three...
3) Muscle boosts your metabolism because it uses more nutrients than fat. Thus, building muscle will help you lose fat faster - sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Now, onto the plan!
You should try to jog/run 30 minutes a day if you can. Don't go fast - this isn't a sprint. If you find that 30 minutes is too long and you can't do that, then no big deal. You now have a Goal. Try to at least keep moving for 30 minutes...walking is fine.
If you have access to an elliptical machine, that's a good alternative.
In either case, as you get stronger/faster/better, add time and (on a machine) resistance. If you're running, grab those two- or three-pound weights or cans of beans. You'd be surprised how much harder it is (bonus: You tone your arm muscles just lugging them around for a few miles).
If you have access to a gym, take a day off from running once or twice a week to begin a weight-lifting program. Most health clubs will give you one training session with a personal trainer who will berate you and make you feel worthless. Usually, the first one is free, so it's OK. If you want to feel like crap again, it'll cost you - but you probably don't need to see that old meanie-head again, because he or she will have just put you through a full-body muscle-building workout. And that's what you'll want to do. Work your way through exercises for chest, arms, back, and legs, though not necessarily in that order - whatever works for you.
If you don't feel like joining a gym, go to McDonald's. Why? Because they have a series of four (free!) DVDs with exercise regimens on them, one each for strength, cardio, core (abs and lower back) and yoga. If they don't have them, you can find them on eBay for about 5 bucks each.
Adopt a healthy (or at least healthier) diet - cut out all sodas, even diet sodas. And switch, if you haven't already, to unsweetened fruit juices. Allow yourself a few treats every now and again just so you don't feel like you've changed your entire life just to lose 5 pounds, because that will only depress you.
The key, in the end, isn't necessarily weight loss or muscle gain or whatever. It's feeling like you've taken control of your body, which is what you're really going for.
Tue Aug 29, 2006 2:27 pm
Cardio will do a lot of good. Like Jasujo pointed out, walking is the best to start off with; not a stroll, but a good, slightly speedy walk. When you're ready, move up to a jog, with walk in between so you don't totally pass out.
Start drinking a ton of water. More than half the time if you think you're hungry, you're really just a bit dehydrated. I have an 18 oz bottle of water here at my desk at work that I feel up about 3 to 4 times a day. Not only will it clean out your system and hydrate you (Gatorade, Powerade, and those only hydrate, water will clean), but it will keep your energy level up as well since you will be shoving out toxins. Not a whole lot, but it'll keep things moving in your system.
If you want to diet as well as exercise, first watch how much you eat. Try eating only until you're not hungry, not until you're full and stuffed. It's easy and won't be too hard to maintain. Of course, there's the typical diets out there, low calorie, low carb, low sugar, blah blah blah.
If you can dedicate yourself to at least 30 minutes of some type of physical exercise a day, cardio or weights, it'll be a great stepping stone for you. I usually do 30 minutes of cardio, then another 30 minutes of various weights, crunches, stretching, things along those lines. If you want to put in the dollar investment, it won't hurt to join a health club and meeting with a physical trainer; they can help you design a work-out plan according to where you need the most work and what can best fit your lifestyle.
Yes, my mother is a health nut. Can you tell we share the same genes?
Start drinking a ton of water. More than half the time if you think you're hungry, you're really just a bit dehydrated. I have an 18 oz bottle of water here at my desk at work that I feel up about 3 to 4 times a day. Not only will it clean out your system and hydrate you (Gatorade, Powerade, and those only hydrate, water will clean), but it will keep your energy level up as well since you will be shoving out toxins. Not a whole lot, but it'll keep things moving in your system.
If you want to diet as well as exercise, first watch how much you eat. Try eating only until you're not hungry, not until you're full and stuffed. It's easy and won't be too hard to maintain. Of course, there's the typical diets out there, low calorie, low carb, low sugar, blah blah blah.
If you can dedicate yourself to at least 30 minutes of some type of physical exercise a day, cardio or weights, it'll be a great stepping stone for you. I usually do 30 minutes of cardio, then another 30 minutes of various weights, crunches, stretching, things along those lines. If you want to put in the dollar investment, it won't hurt to join a health club and meeting with a physical trainer; they can help you design a work-out plan according to where you need the most work and what can best fit your lifestyle.
Yes, my mother is a health nut. Can you tell we share the same genes?
Tue Aug 29, 2006 4:11 pm
weights will burn caloeries up to 48 hours after a workout. Don't be afraid of bulking up if you're doing a weights program because due to low testosterone levels in the female gender, you'd have to be taking steroids just about to get some really serious muscle.
Just make sure you consult a trainer to form a program for you. Otherwise, most girls are happy to stick with cardio.
Remember, a good workout program starts in the kitchen.
Just make sure you consult a trainer to form a program for you. Otherwise, most girls are happy to stick with cardio.
Remember, a good workout program starts in the kitchen.
Tue Aug 29, 2006 4:25 pm
Justice Man Yukio wrote:Remember, a good workout program starts in the kitchen.
But it's so hard to put a soloflex in there...
Tue Aug 29, 2006 4:26 pm
Actually, women have a much harder time losing weight than men do; not necessarily muscle buidling.
Silly mother nature: Thanks to LOVELY estrogen, when a woman's body begins to lose weight, the body actually tries to preserve the fat and slow down the loss, and even attempt to take in more fat from foods. Why? Because we're built to have babies and need the extra fat and such for during pregancy, if it were to occur.
Don't you love being a girl?
Silly mother nature: Thanks to LOVELY estrogen, when a woman's body begins to lose weight, the body actually tries to preserve the fat and slow down the loss, and even attempt to take in more fat from foods. Why? Because we're built to have babies and need the extra fat and such for during pregancy, if it were to occur.
Don't you love being a girl?
Tue Aug 29, 2006 7:42 pm
Doozer wrote:Actually, women have a much harder time losing weight than men do; not necessarily muscle buidling.
Silly mother nature: Thanks to LOVELY estrogen, when a woman's body begins to lose weight, the body actually tries to preserve the fat and slow down the loss, and even attempt to take in more fat from foods. Why? Because we're built to have babies and need the extra fat and such for during pregancy, if it were to occur.
Don't you love being a girl?
Yeah, I hate that. Natural damned layer of fat over my stomach. Pfft.
Tue Aug 29, 2006 7:47 pm
Igg wrote:Try googling for 'exercise'. 'exersize' won't work too well.
Haha I'm so stupid XD
I'll try some of that stuff. I really do need to drink more, and I'm sure both me and my dog would benifit from walking (then again he stops to smell leftover pee every two minutes..). Hmm, good thing I keep lots of beans around. :P
Thanks. :3