Exercise question/help

Hey Fellas, So I recently started going to the local Y to workout. Probably 2-3 days a week for the last month. My typical workout consists of 15-20 minutes walking on the treadmill (approx. 3.5 miles an hour), 15-20 minutes on the recumbant bike (approx. 14 miles and hour), and then finish with either rowing or weights. Here's my issue....I don't know that what I'm doing is helping that much. I don't sweat that much. I guess I always used that as my barometer for how hard I'm working out. I want to get more benefit from my workouts. What do you guys suggest? Additional exercises? More time on either machine? Increase frequency? (I've thought about going everyday but don't want to over do it). I tried the Elliptical trainer but I'm beat after 5 minutes on that thing!! SUGGESTIONS PLEASE!!!! I'm trying to do more cardio to build my stamina rather than weights but don't know what the best makeup is. Mike

Mike, Don't rule out the weights, my friend. Resistance training will help you burn fat long after you've finished your workout. But I'm sure Chris, Dave or Blob will be chiming in any minute now! Be Well, A.J.

Mike-- You can always up the intensity of the treadmill work by increasing the incline, increasing the speed, or increasing the time spent on it. I would first try increasing the incline. You could also work towards 10 minutes on the eliptical. Try to challenge yourself. I agree with AJ, the weights will increase your muscle mass. More muscle mass equals more calories burned doing everything, working out, day to day activities, or just breathing. Sonny

Hi Mike, I walk for 25 min to about an hour (1.1 to 3.3 miles) 3 days a week and lift weights 3 days. I'm a believer in the multiple advantages of weight training: improved body tone, balance, and feeling of well-being plus--and it's a big plus for us post-op guys--more muscle mass = higher metabolism. Adding muscle *may* slow down the rate of weight loss (but not much given our restricted caloric intake, etc.) but it improves body shape. If you can add bodyweight or even assisted squats to your routine, say between sets of various lifts, you will notice that you warm up and maybe even sweat. But I'm not sure sweating is always necessary. I used to sweat just thinking about food . Cardio + weight training has been working for me, and I can't begin to tell you how much better working with weights has been for my bod and mind (what's left of it). And I'm and older guy (61). You're already on the right track. And as the more experienced guys remind us, patience, patience. You've no doubt already made improvements you may not fully notice yet. Good wishes whichever combo you settle on. Doug

Mike, I am not sure of your specifics but if you are getting your heartbeat in the 150-160 range, than the intensity is there. That intensity for 30-45 minutes is a good start. If you can, increase the intensity a little. You should feel tired when you are done with the cardio. The harder you go, the more you burn. The longer you go, the more you burn. Good luck Scott

Hey mike, Everyone has an opinion on this subject, so I will offer you mine (or my trainers to be more exact). He tells me on a regular basis that if you can do more then 30 minutes of cardio on a machine, you are not doing it at a high enough intensity. Unless your training for a marathon or some type of boxing event, 30 minutes of high intensity cardio is all that is necessary to lose weight (he says 4 to 5 days a week is best). Of course varying the type of cardio is very important. the reason doing the elipse machine is so tiring is that your working different muscles then when you do the tread mill. I switch my cardio routine everytime i go to the gym. Treadmill, elipse, cross trainers, step master, circuit training, spin classes, and then all of the work out classes are all good cardio work outs. I didn't mention swiming because in some of the latest studies, they have seen that working out in water that is lower then your body temp. causes you to want to eat more. After you do cardio, do a bit of weight lifting. Start off with 20 minutes everytime you go to the gym, right after you do your cardio. I'd highly recommend you get either a personal trainer for a few sessions, or a "how to" type book on weight lifting. Machines are ok, but aren't as good as free weights which will work more muscle groups. Scott

Scott I have to respectfully disagree with your trainer but I am too tired to come up with why right now. Hopefully, in the morning. Scott

First, WAY TO GO MIKE!! Getting out and working out is nothing but positive! CONGRATS ON YOUR PROGRESS! When I first started on the elliptical, it was all I could do to keep my heart rate under 140 (I am 50 years old and my cardio heart rate target is 136) by going slow, so slow in fact that the machine would go into "pause" mode and tell me to start working out again, I NEVER STOPPED Now I go 35 to 45 minutes on the elliptical and it takes me a good 5 minutes just to get to my target heart rate, and if I slow down a little, it drops below target. I used to sweat a LOT, now there is some but not near the "need to wring out my T shirt" level I disagree with the trainer about spending more than 30 minutes = not pushing hard enough, it depends on your goals. I might look at the bikes again, the first time around, my belly was too large to let me work them properly. Also, the elliptical trainer burns the most energy per minute of any of the cardio machines out there, or so said my trainer. I have added weights to my day also and enjoy that also. I have a gym that is free to use here at work and that is where I started working out but as I live 65 miles from work and the traffic gets worse the longer I wait to leave work, I bought a membership in LA Fitness for myself. I also signed up the wife as she was interested in increasing her health (just last monday for me and last night for her). She has bad knees and can't work most of the cardio equipment but the gym offers water arobics and I think that will work much better for her. So, while I used to go work out for 2 to 3 times a week, I will keep that up but ADD water arobics 2 to 3 times a week (to encurage the wife and help her) also! Keep up the effort, it all adds up! You might try to push a little longer on each machine every week, just 5 more minutes and before you know it, you will need to increase the resistance just to "feel it" WAY TO GO MIKE!