I joined a healthclub today. What would be a good starting point for strength/cardio training?

[Wapsie B]

I go walking about 45 minutes a day 2-3 days a week this time of year and 5-6 days a week in the warmer months. I also do some very light free-weights. My main goals with this are to gain strength and lose weight.

[UTUSN]

1. O.K. Let's start at the beginning.

*My* goal is to move-around-30-minutes per day. I'm not an athlete, not an Olympic-wannabe, just want to maintain my health.



It's all about calories. I'm not winning because of excess calories. Fit-in this info into your desired response to your question.

[Wapsie B]

2. That's fine but I was asking about a training regimen.

:shrug:

Never mind.

[UTUSN]

3. More info

I've done treadmill for over 4 yrs. I *still* have a HUGH belly.


I went --- BACK, after 3-4 MONTHS of steady effort ----- to the "health fitness professional" (salesman) and told him NOTHING had changed. No weight loss, no BIG BELLY loss.

He said, "I'm going to tell you a secret."

I said, "Before you do, you need to know that I drink beer."

He said, "It's all a numbers (calories) game."

I said, "30 minutes is 170 calories burned."

He said, "But if you drink, say, FIFTEEN 100 calories beers, that's ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED calories."



EOM. You know those Quaker Oats breakfast squares? They're, what, 130 calories. So busting 30 minutes of 170 calories is CRAP!1

[Wapsie B]

5. Yeah it is a numbers game.

Still everyone has to start somewhere.

[graywarrior]

4. Spinning.

Builds strength, endurance and aerobic. You will drop weight, or inches in no time.

[Wapsie B]

6. What is that?

:shrug:

[graywarrior]

9. Go here

http://www.pedal-on.com

http://www.innercycling.com/blogs/billys-bike-refurb-info

Most health clubs have classes. I dropped the last ten lbs I could not get rid of taking these classes. The music is what makes the class great.

[Wapsie B]

12. Ok thanks!

:)

[sleepyhead]

18. Or go here

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=53946

Yay, spinning! I go 4 times a week and have become addicted. More strength, more endurance, weight loss, and supreme self-confidence. The music, yes, but also the instructor's encouragement.

[graywarrior]

19. The instructor really makes the class, don't they?

God, I love spinning.

[AlCzervik]

7. calories in verses calories out.

i use a treadmill 5 days a week to maintain my weight loss, i also lost 85 pounds by charging my diet and using that treadmill. You need to find a eating plan you can live with and thats the key.

[flvegan]

8. It would be bastardly ignorant to suggest any kind of starting point

based on the info you've allowed.

Also, as a professional, I don't understand your "starting point" question, regardless, so...

[Wapsie B]

11. Well then what would be the right questions to ask?

I'm not being dense here on purpose.

[flvegan]

17. I have to tell you...

you've already asked them.

The answers...yikes.

[Wapsie B]

20. Now what is that supposed to mean?

[JoePhilly]

10. Alternate swimming with weight training (if they have a pool)

Swimming is the only way I've every been able to drop pounds and build cardio. Do laps, increase distances between short (10-30 sec) breaks each week.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

13. cardio i dont know much about.

but i have lost a significant amount of weight by doing a couple things.

cut down to eating just vegetables. mediterranean or asian salads. cheese is awesome. no beef. chicken or tofu if you want protein. organic peanut butter. some of what i've recommended contains fat, who cares. do this and it won't matter:

do this at least twice a week.
curls with enough weight for 4 sets of 6 reps on each arm.
shoulder shrugs with enough weight as you can shrug 12 times. 4 sets.
4 sets of 100 situps, or as much as you can stand. make your lumbar comfortable. nothing should hurt but your abs.
4 sets of 25 pushups. if you can stand it make them "indian pushups".

the increase in muscle will destroy the fat, as will whatever cardio routine you go with, the cardio will likely also build your lower body. i get enough lower body workout just by walking all over the damn place;)

[Wapsie B]

15. Thank you. That is more of what I was looking for.

Would take awhile to work up to that push up and sit up routine.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

21. you'd be surprised how fast youll get there

start with half that if need be. 4 sets of 12 pushups.

by the end of the first month-and-a-half i guarantee youll have doubled it, regardless of where you start, if youre doing it twice a week.

here's another thing. a fitness coach once told me if youre working out with weights for more than 40 minutes you are doing something wrong. if you go curls, shrugs, pushups, situps repeat youve taken yourself through a regimen allowing each group to relax before it comes around again. by the end of those 4 sets you will be ripped. and probably begging yourself for mercy. but give no quarter to the fat;)

after one month youll feel ripped. after two months youll look it. its not a long time. and youll feel great. with that regimen and diet youll notice weight dropping at the end of week two. ive lost 20 pounds of fat this way in 3 months. if i could give up eating my beloved cheese id probably drop more. but i didnt get into this to get skinny, i wanted to lose fat and gain muscle without sacrificing things i like.

and on edit: those who recommend swimming for an all around workout know what they are talking about. swimming is the most perfect form of exercise there is.

[Wapsie B]

22. I appreciate your input.

:)

[Lydia Leftcoast]

14. Does your club have a circuit training class?

In circuit training you alternate weightlifting stations with cardio activity, such as running, exercise bike, or jumping rope.

[Wapsie B]

16. Yes it does.

That's what I was going to do, to alternate days of cardio with days of strength training.