Want to get in shape by June

[ilovedolphins]

I want to get in shape for my daughter's wedding in June in the Virgin Islands. I have all the exercise equipment just don't think I have enough time.
I keep trying to tell myself that each day I exercise will get me closer to my goal even if it isn't in time for the wedding.
I have a manual treadmill, a stepper, a Tony Little gazelle, a recumbant bike, and lots of small exercise tools. I guess I just lack the motivation since I have been sick with odd ball stuff since September and now think that I don't have enough time before June.

[thyme4change]

I worked out for 12 weeks before my friend's wedding, and I looked awesome! I didn't need to lose any weight - I just wanted to firm up, and have my arms and shoulders look a little less pathetic in the strapless gown she put me in. 12 weeks was more than enough time.

When I did Body for Life, I looked friggin amazing after 5 or 6 weeks, but that was totally unsustainable. My husband hurt his back and we stopped working out. We are trying to do something that could be a way we actually live.

If it is really important to you, pay for 5 or 6 sessions with a personal trainer. Ask them to set up a work-out plan for you to tone up, and work specifically on the parts you want to work on. Maybe you go see them every week.

But, you have at least 16 weeks before the wedding - you might not look perfect, but can most likely look better.

[ilovedolphins]

I had thought about seeing a personal trainer. I had talked to one before Christmas and he said it would probably be better to wait until I got rid of my vertigo that I happened to get in October and still can't get rid of. Maybe I will go and tell him my medical problems and see what he thinks I can do without hurting myself further.

[Artemis Windsong]

A good start is to do something. Walk in place while cooking. Start with 10 situps. Next day add 10 more and 10 push ups. Keep adding on until you reach a full workout. The same time everyday really helps.

Remind yourself that "I do have time, I am worthy of a good workout". You can do it.

[thyme4change]

There are billions of work outs on-line. You can watch a bunch of stuff on youtube, etc. I would spend several hours researching on respectable websites, and if you see a bunch of suggestions over and over, then they are probably pretty decent.

[Malarky]

I'm literally standing in front of my kitchen counter posting this while I do lunges.
I'm a huge baseball fan. I often step up and down on my step every other inning.
I try to make myself sit on the yoga ball when I watch a movie, but I invariably go to the bathroom and when I get back I cozy up on the couch.
Everything helps.

[Malarky]

Just to be clear, I'm sipping rum in the midst of all of this.
Like I said, every little bit helps.

[dianartemis]

You can still do crunches & push-ups, arms weights while seated, leg lifts while seated, etc. You don't have to be "balls to the wall", go all out, drop dead when done work outs. That leads to burn out. There are also reclining exercise bikes, so you aren't seated really high. Your legs are in front of you, not below.
If you still have vertigo, I really wouldn't do stairs (or dare I type it...wall climbing. I know, I know. I really couldn't resist.)

[ilovedolphins]

Ok, I woke up this morning determined to get in shape by June. I hope I don't let it fizzle out.
I did squats and lunges for my legs. Wow, that was a workout. Then I walked for a half hour.
I had a doctors appointment and I work from noon to 10pm so I didn't want to overdo it the first day.

[ilovedolphins]

Ok, I am going to keep doing squats and lunges every other day. Felt it in my legs and butt yesterday and woke up this morning knowing I had worked those muscles.

Today I am going to try to find some exercises for my upper body and do some cardio.

[Artemis Windsong]

The big thing is once you get into the shape you want, strive to stay there. Too often people work out and get in great conditioning for that one special day or week then give all that hard work away by slacking off. Maintaining fitness.

My goal is to continue to be in good physical condition so I can enjoy sports like golf and tennis with endurance and ability of keep any injuries away. At my age, I need to maintain my good health so I have a better trip into the senior category. I remember when I was young, 60s was viewed as elderly and people showed that. Now, with better nutrition and exercise options, people in their 80s are still "kicking it" in all kinds of sports.

Tomorrow I have a personal training session at my fitness center. I get one free each year. Other than that I won't pay for that routine as I can do all that stuff on my own at home with a DVD. They push daily variety. I get better toning from the Nautalis machines.

[Artemis Windsong]

Here is a fast combination routine. Requires 2 dumbells of an easy to control weight for yourself. 3 sets of 10 combos.

Dumbells on the floor.
Bend over at the waist to pick them up.
Stand up. Shrug your shoulders and lift up onto your toes and back down.
Go into a squat position while doing an arm curl. (Use a chair for squat stop, if needed)
Press-stand up into an overhead press.
Tricep extension to the rear and back up to straight arm position.
Reverse curl the db to your waist. Optons here are db upright row, side, front and rear lateral raises or bent over row.
Bend over and put the weight on the floor. That's one repetiton.

Options here are going into a lunge alternating legs on each time through.

Follow up with bench press and crunches.

[ilovedolphins]

If I get into shape I hope to stay there. Then I could wear shorts in the summer without feeling self conscious.

I have just been looking at videos on youtube. I had no idea there was so many exercise videos. Why would anyone ever buy one? I am excited about trying many of these.

[thyme4change]

You might want to buy some type of resistance or weights. I know the resistance bands are cheap, easy to store and easy to start off on. But they will increase the effectiveness of your toning exercises.

[ilovedolphins]

I do have bands and weights. I will have to dig them out and use them.

[Artemis Windsong]

Here's what I got from the free personal training.

Precor stair/jog/run - warm up, increase resistance to 10, bend kness and put hands on the up/down arms of the arm section for 1 minute.
Stand up and go easy for 30 seconds then repeat the bent knees/arms segement 2 more times.

At the squat rack, put the bar about chest high. Get in push up position, wide gripe for 12-15. Move the bar up to shoulder height and do close grip push ups. (Wear gloves.)

Incline ab bench. Feet under the pads. Hold onto the center grips and lean back. Keep shoulders forward and do slow twists 1 minute. Lean farther back and do sit ups. The backward lean is enough to put a hand cupped with fingers up under your lower back. 10-15 reps.

Stand on 1 ft high step up with a weighted bar, 12.5 lbs is what I used. Step down with one leg and back up to the step while liflting the bar overhead. 10 reps each side.

Bicycle. Resistance at 6-10. peddle for about 1 minute then stand up, lean forward on the arm braces and run for one minute. Back to seated and check heart rate. (It's on the handles on this model.) Repeat the circuit 2 more times.

Return to the squat bar and do one more set of push ups followed by the ab circuit and the step up overhead press with weighted bar. Repeat circuit twice.

I cooled off doing a portion of the ball routine.

Time spent 30 minutes.

[vl]

"I want to get in shape for my daughter's wedding in June in the Virgin Islands. I have all the exercise equipment just don't think I have enough time."


Read more: notmsnmoney.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=healthyliving&action=display&thread=2660#ixzz1CzbT1E3m

This is why the exercise equipment business and diet plans sell so well. People think you need a formal start to improve your life. Basically, you have the means to get in shape already, you just don't recognize that you do. All you need to do is-- begin looking at every movement as an isometric opportunity. Create activity that stimulates your muscles through stretching and resistance. The more you do, the more your metabolism reacts and burns fat as fuel to keep up with your efforts. The objective is to tighten what you've got and melt away flubber until it is thin beneath the skin. What you don't want is to formally body-build because a busy person will likely quit before getting fit.

[Deleted]

The excercise that has paid off the most in terms of effort vs effect has been to ride the stationary bike for 20 minutes first thing in the morning, even before breakfast. Body for life says it starts your body burning fat and revs your metabolism for the day. Seems to be true for me.

[ilovedolphins]

I really wish I could work out in the mornings before breakfast. I get up at 3 am two times a week for work and the rest of the days I get up at 5 am. I am just not so sure I could get up earlier and still survive the day but I may give it a try on the days I get up at 5.