need to lose weight and need to exercise, tips??

[Sarah219]

Hey Ladies!

I am new here and so far everyone has been great! I need to lose weight, I am sick of feeling the way that I do. I want to lose between 30-50 pounds. I know I need to eat healthier, the main problem is money. Anyone have any ideas that aren't expensive and are healthy choices? I know I need to exercise and I love to be outside, so when its nice out I like walking, but I want to be able to work myself up to jogging the entire way instead of walking. Anyone have any tips on how I can work myself up to that point?

Please let me know any advice or if you want to be my buddy while I do this. Anything would be appreciated. Thanks!

[acerousme]

I'll help you!

[Sarah219]

Thanks! :-)

[sourpuss]

Congratulations! We're here to help.

If you want to work up to jogging and you're not in shape now, just remember to start slow. Set out to walk at least once a day. (rain or shine) Twice a day would be preferable. Be mindful of your speed when you are out there. Don't just stroll along really push yourself to walk as fast as you can.

I would recommend walking in the morning for 30 minutes and again in the evening for 30 minutes. If you don't have the time try for 45-60 minutes all at once.

Once you feel confident that you are able to walk 45 minutes continually at a fast pace, start adding in little spurts of jogging. Set a point and make yourself jog to, like the end of the block, or the next light post. Whatever you can do and still maintain your fast walking pace after. Add in one more each time you go out, or jog a little farther. Just remember not to jog for a bit and then slow down slower than you were walking before you started jogging. Make sense? Work your way up to jogging more than walking, this will take a while but that's ok, you're getting in good shape in the mean time.

Good luck. It might be a good idea to keep track in this thread (or start a new one) of your times and distances for motivation. An example would be:

Feb 9th morning: Walked 25 minutes brisk pace.
Feb 9th evening: Walked 30 minutes brisk pace.

....etc.

March 12th Morning: Walked 30 minutes brisk pace w/4 30-second bursts of jogging.
March 12th Evening: Walked 40 minutes brisk pace w/4 30-second bursts of jogging.


and on and on.....

[Sarah219]

Thanks so much ladies! :-)

[gill_yellow]

Hey.

I'm a fitness instructor with alot of experience.. If you want to lose weight, it has to be gradually, if your body isnt prepared to lose weight, you'll only put weight back on. First of all 70% has to come from the way you eat. If you could eat 5 small portions a day, with intervals of 3 hours between meals. you will speed up the process of burning body fat.. have your breakfast, lunch and dinner, with two small snacks between them. Snacks would be fruit, nuts, natural yogyert.. etc.

now with exercise..

you should get your self a stop watch.. set it for 30 mins

warm up for about 5 to 7 minutes with fast pace walk.

then you
walk fast pace for 2 mins.. this will be your rest rate
jog lightly for a 1 min this will be your work rate

keep doing this for 2 weeks

[yellowpiXi3]

GY: question...after you've done all that. when would you decide to start toning up? and what type of activity would be best to do that with. i was thinking of dancing lessons. you know just fun ones that work up a good sweat. any thoughts?

[yellowpiXi3]

i'll be your support buddy!

[Sarah219]

Thank you so much! I hadn't been able to check this in a week or so and realized I had all these replys pouring in! :-) Thanks for all the support and tips!

I feel like I have been eating better lately and am noticing that I am feeling better too. I do still have alot of weight to lose (30-40 pounds would be nice) and I have already lost 60 pounds over about a year and a half and managed to keep it off. The problem was, I moved, started a new job, don't have a gym at the moment, etc. so I stopped losing weight. I know that I wasn't making good choices, but I am trying to make smarter choices little by little to embrace them into a new lifestyle. some days, its definately harder than I thought!

[keiona4ever]

I need to lose weight as well. Im on low-carb I think that's not too expensive. And I do belly dancing (dvd instructional) its cheap, since I don't like the normal cardiovascular, and besides belly dancing is fun and great for abdominal toning. I've been belly dancing for 2 weeks!!!.