# new to fitness..



## MACForME (Nov 27, 2007)

Well, at 38 years old, I decided its time to get moving in addition with dieting. I'm tired of the yo-yo effect.. So, off to the gym I went.. and go and go and GO. and GO.. AND GO. 3 times a week minimum with an hour of solid workouts.. Here is my routine:

1- WarmUp; Elliptical Xtrainer- 10 minutes or as close to a mile as I can get.

2- Weight machines; Vary from time to time, never do the same routine.. but I do EACH machine the same way, 3 sets each. 1st set is 15 reps, then 2nd is 13, then 3rd is 10 , upping the weigh by 5lbs for each set. whew.. 

3- After I've done my resistance routine, I hop back on the elliptical and just go.. and go as much as I can.. or I bike some.. I make sure to do SOMETHING. 

I just don't see any changes in that one spot below the bra line to the top of my butt.. i can't seem to get that to GO AWAY! UGH! Any suggestions?

I'm overweight, I know it.. and its hard to figure out WHY. I do NOT eat junkfoods, fast foods, fried foods (i can't remember when I had anything fried!) No soda, no high sugary anything. BUT, I don't eat breakfast, even though I now know I should.. Lunch is the biggest meal, a salad and soup, or a burger minus the bun, with ketchup MAYBE.. and a vitamin water.. Dinner is usually later and light..I am not at a desk all day, i do move about my office, we have all stairs, no elevators. We have no kitchen or cafeteria here either!

Does anyone have advice to help me along?


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## Shimmer (Nov 27, 2007)

Your metabolism is in shut down, and you're not getting enough of the right calories, it sounds like (that's my guess anyway). 
Breakfast could be as easy as:
    *  Yogurt and a small low-fat bran muffin,
    * Bagel with a slice of low-fat cheese and a fresh banana (cream "cheese" is mostly a fat, and provides no protein, as opposed to a real cheese),
    * Packet of microwaveable oatmeal, with nuts and dried cranberries or raisins, cooked with low-fat milk instead of water,
    * Leftover slice of pizza with a glass of juice,
    * Peanut butter and banana slices in a pita,

Here are just a few examples of lunches you can create quickly in your room or apartment kitchen. Some of these ideas will also work well for bag lunches.

    * Canned soup that contains vegetables and some type of legume, such as chickpeas, black beans or lentils, along with bread and a green salad (can be prepared quickly from a purchased pre-bagged salad) with yogurt dressing.
    * Leftover stir-fry with vegetables, tofu, and brown rice, heated in the microwave, with a glass of low-fat milk.
    * Peanut butter and jam sandwich on wheat bread, baked black bean tortilla chips, and a fresh orange.
    * Pita with sliced lean turkey, cranberry sauce, and sprouts, with a dish of frozen low-fat yogurt and cookies.
    * Turkey breast on oat bran bread with green pepper rings and tomato slices, a piece of fresh fruit, peanut butter cookies, and low-fat yogurt.
    * Vegetarian chili, wheat crackers, baby carrots, and a large apple.
    * Cheese and apple slices on a pita, fruit, yogurt, and cookies.
Pasta and tomato sauce is always a great fall-back for dinner, because there is so much you can do to vary that menu (for protein, try adding soy crumbles or beans to the sauce). Just add a salad and you have a healthy meal. Here are some other easy dinners you can assemble in a dorm or small apartment kitchen:

    * Quick-cooking brown rice topped with stir-fry vegetable/chicken breast (or tofu/tempeh) mix; served with fruit and glass of low-fat milk,
    * 2 slices of vegetable pizza (extra on the veggies, easy on the cheese); quick side salad of mixed raw vegetables (slice up a dark green or orange pepper for some concentrated vitamin C),
    * Western Scramble: 2 scrambled eggs, stirring in chopped vegetables that have been pre-cooked to soften (onions, green pepper, diced potato, broccoli pieces, etc.); served with English muffins with non-transfatty acid spread (e.g., Brummel & Brown, Heart Smart),
    * Vegetarian chili, served with large side salad and/or fruit; yogurt or low-fat milk. The beans in the chili provide protein, add a lot of healthful fiber to your diet, and help keep you feeling satisfied for a long time after you eat.


Don't be afraid of weight lifting, and getting your blood up and your heart pumping and your face red. Aternately walking/sprinting will blast fat away, and you can do that on an elliptical. 

Hope that sort of helps.


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## Hilly (Nov 27, 2007)

Eat your veggies and fruits! And lots of fiber!!


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## MACForME (Nov 27, 2007)

Yep- those a pretty much the foods that I eat.. when I eat.. I've tried to eat in the morning and find it difficult since I'm not hungry! I just want my big cup of coffee! 

I do free weights 2 times a week. I'm still really new at this so I'm learning alot.. Plus, I'm status post open shoulder surgery so i have to be really careful what I lift for awhile.


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## purrtykitty (Nov 27, 2007)

DEFINITELY eat breakfast.  it might really help if you kept a food diary for a couple of weeks.  that way you can see what you're eating and add up the calories.  thedailyplate.com or calorie-count.com both have an enormous listing of foods so you can calculate how many calories you're really eating.  they also list the calories burned for a specific activity and they allow you to input your personal information so that you can track your progress online (including your food diary).

you might also consider getting a personal trainer for a few session, especially since you're new to working out.  they would be able to introduce you to all the equipment at your gym and put you on a nutrition plan to get you started in the right direction.  plus, they'll be able to give you periodic assessments of your progress and make changes as needed so that you can reach your goal(s).

good luck...weight loss is a bitch.  i've been trying to drop those post-wedding pounds for a couple of years, now!


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## choseck (Nov 28, 2007)

Eat breakfast!  Even if you aren't hungry, EAT.  I never used to eat breakfast, but now I can't imagine starting my day w/out it.  Pretty soon your body will be begging you to feed it in the morning.

Also, eat every 3 hours - don't go longer than that w/out food, in order to lose weight you need to eat - sounds kind of weird, but believe me, its true.  You wouldn't believe how much I eat, I eat a lot and its helped me keep off the 80lbs that I lost a couple of years ago.

Weight lifting is going to increase your metabolism which in turn will obviously burn more calories, and the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn just by sitting and watching TV.  From what I see, you definitely aren't eating enough -


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## Shimmer (Nov 28, 2007)

Don't be afraid of a 12 lb dumbbell or a 20 lb dumbbell. Use them!


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## MACForME (Nov 28, 2007)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *choseck* 

 
_Eat breakfast!  Even if you aren't hungry, EAT.  I never used to eat breakfast, but now I can't imagine starting my day w/out it.  Pretty soon your body will be begging you to feed it in the morning.

Also, eat every 3 hours - don't go longer than that w/out food, in order to lose weight you need to eat - sounds kind of weird, but believe me, its true.  You wouldn't believe how much I eat, I eat a lot and its helped me keep off the 80lbs that I lost a couple of years ago.

Weight lifting is going to increase your metabolism which in turn will obviously burn more calories, and the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn just by sitting and watching TV.  From what I see, you definitely aren't eating enough -_

 
Well, i went to the store and bought some Nutri-Grain bars to start with. I am so used to not eating in the AM.. That was a HARD thing to do this morning, but i did it! And I do feel a little more alert and awake.. Imagine that..

I do use weights in addition to my cardio. I'm still under the care of my ortho, so I have to be careful to not screw up all the metal in my shoulder.. As time goes on, I'll be able to do more, but at least right now, I am doing *something* weight lifting wise.. which is better than nothing. The Orthopaedist is totally in agreement that light weight for now will help in my recovery also.. Which is a good thing.. Double benefit.. 

I do keep a food diary, Its too easy not to eat from 8am until 6pm.. because there is nothing here. No cafeteria to casually stroll too, or vending machines.. So I can't mindlessly eat all day.. Yesterday I had a small soup and a turkey on rye with one slice of swiss.. and a V8. Dinner was ravioli with  roasted tomatos. No extra cheeses or anything.. Not much, I know.. I'm going to now try to eat my Nutri-grain bar every morning on the way to work.. My commute is 20 miles each way.. so perfect! I bought a larger lunchbox and will bring in some snack type things, fruit cup, banana, apple etc.. to have during the day so I don't go into starvation-mode. I think you all are right, i can exercise forever, but if i don't eat right.. my body will continue to revolt.. Well, I'm going to try really hard to change that!


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## MACForME (Nov 28, 2007)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Shimmer* 

 
_Don't be afraid of a 12 lb dumbbell or a 20 lb dumbbell. Use them!_

 
Oh, I'm not afraid of them at all. I did see the trainer at the gym.. He was OK.. I showed him my paperwork from my Orthopaedist on what was done etc. Open shoulder repair is a nasty surgery that takes on average 12 months to recover from.. Jino, the trainer helped me with things I can do based on the doc's info. I use the lighter ones right now.. 

After everyones advice, I really see that my eating habits are super poor.. So I need to get on board with fixing that too..


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## Simply Elegant (Nov 28, 2007)

I think it's because you don't eat often enough and with metabolism slowing every year without exercising too much. 

Anyway I think you're on the right track and congrats on the progress so far.


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## Shimmer (Nov 28, 2007)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *MACForME* 

 
_Oh, I'm not afraid of them at all. I did see the trainer at the gym.. He was OK.. I showed him my paperwork from my Orthopaedist on what was done etc. Open shoulder repair is a nasty surgery that takes on average 12 months to recover from.. Jino, the trainer helped me with things I can do based on the doc's info. I use the lighter ones right now.. 

After everyones advice, I really see that my eating habits are super poor.. So I need to get on board with fixing that too.._

 
ahhh yes. Shoulder surgery. That does change things. I'm not looking forward to mine either. :/ 

I hope your recovery goes well.


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## MACForME (Nov 28, 2007)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Shimmer* 

 
_ahhh yes. Shoulder surgery. That does change things. I'm not looking forward to mine either. :/ 

I hope your recovery goes well._

 
I'm sorry Shimmer.. I do hope your surgery goes well. Mine was a surprise.. what was supposed to be arthroscopic turned out to be full open.. Not a nice thing to wake up too.. Just do everything the doc tells you.. I hated going to PT 3x's a week etc... . I just hope, for you, that they scope!


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## Shimmer (Nov 28, 2007)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *MACForME* 

 
_I'm sorry Shimmer.. I do hope your surgery goes well. Mine was a surprise.. what was supposed to be arthroscopic turned out to be full open.. Not a nice thing to wake up too.. Just do everything the doc tells you.. I hated going to PT 3x's a week etc... . I just hope, for you, that they scope!_

 
They better scope. If they don't, they better have a damn solid reason for changing the treatment plan. I'm not looking forward to 3 to 4 weeks of immobilization under any circumstances, and I better be back on a wall within six months of having surgery. Extending that to 12 will make me a mean mean person. =/

Surprise surgery isn't fun. =/ Good luck in recovery and weight loss!


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