Activity/exercise

i'm just curious as to your favorite exercises?...also how often a week do you do it?

I'm wondering just how often I should be doing it. I'm active everyday but I also exercise almost daily. Someone told me I should take a day or two off a week.

thanks!

Rest days really depend on what you're doing. A hard workout for a major muscle group normally deserves a day off to recover, since recovery is when your muscles heal and rebuild. For example, pilates or running every day would be bad, since that's a major core workout or a major leg workout. But alternating is generally fine.

My schedule is as follows:

M - intermediate mat pilates class
Tu - running, yoga for stretching
W - mat pilates class, yoga class
Th - running, yoga for stretching
F - zenga class
Sa - running, yoga for stretching
Su - yoga

I am just getting back to the gym, my ideal schedule is M-T vigorous cardio on those days and light strength training. I don't work out on my work days which are F-Sunday night

When I was first getting to goal/at goal I was much more faithful to exercising. Now I just walk and aim to get 10K steps a day. I think since my job moved to 45 miles from home, I have less time. I tried joining the gym at work, but I hate getting sweaty in the middle of the day, refuse to go in any earlier or stay later so I rarely actually went. We are remodeling a den and have moved the eliptical in there. I hope to use it - or an old dvd series "slim in 6" which i actually loved and found very effective. I just need to get back in the habit.

Here is my typical schedule:

Mon: Spin

Tuesday: Booty blaster and spin

Wed: spin or run

Thurs: TRX and spin

Fri: off

Sat: Run/weightlifting class/boxing

Sun: Kickboxing or arms and abs/spin

Crap . . . I spin a lot.

I asked my trainer and my chiropractor about the "need" for an off-day. Both said - unless you are working a muscle group to complete fatigue - NO. Just alternate what you do everyday. My trainer looked at me and said - you can workout in someway everyday without an issue (pointing to my little 10 pound weights in my hand and then showing me the muscle folks had 70 pounders in their hands).. She then pointed to a few people - they are here today to work "arms" that's it. But then tomorrow they'll do cardio, then legs, then core..... - they workout everyday too. But just not the same muscle group. The Chiro added - you don't have to workout everyday, but working out for most people with weight issues - isn't about the calorie or muscle impact - it's about the mindset. He said have fun with it and enjoy. I took his message to heart.

Monday - Water day - 45 min swim 25 min water walking (just bought some resistance toys for that too)

Tuesday - Spin day and Personal Trainer (core and strength)

Wednesday - Group Power class - for the group fun of the activity

Thursday - Tabatha and Personal Trainer. Tabatha is a blast. Really pushing my balance work

Friday - Off if I'm tired, but mainly repeat of Monday

Saturday - Hard day - Full range of lifting, core and Spin class for cardio (this instructor is a madwoman, but she's great and really pushes you), stretching. I'm at the gym 4 hours on Saturday

Sunday - 30 minutes boxing and 3 cycles of circuit training (90 min). That's 2 classes back to back; I will also do 30 minutes on the Jacob's Ladder before (that is crazy - but I love that thing. Only issue is that there is no way to cool down, so I jump on the treadmill fast to walk myself down).

3 nights a week I box/kick train for 20 to 30 minutes and Roll (roll everyday). My goal incentive is a Pelaton bike. I can't wait and it's helping me stay focused on goal during the last 3 to 10 pounds. I want to spin 2 more times a week at night. I'm looking to have 4 to 5 hard cardio sessions. I'm only getting 3 right now.

This is not addiction transfer, but homework and focus on moving away from what I almost was - bed bound. I was one illness away from never getting out of my bed again. It was so close to those folks you see in My 600 pound life. Oh - so close. So all of this is rebuilding what I tore down during that time. The difference is vast, but I have very good goals and people watching me. Every instructor knows my history, my capabilities and watches out for me. For example - Saturday at spin class - the instructor called out an odd position command and I looked up at her and she was nodding at me. She explained after class why. I love that fitness center. Worth every penny. Also some days I can't get to the center due to commitments, so my home gym (most of it built years ago) helps on those days.

Good luck

Great topic, Mels!

My very favorite exercise is kettlebells. A very good friend of mine is an expert in the field - she trains people all over the world and has a book and dvd's. She also lost 120 lbs in her 40's...by cleaning up her diet and training with kettlebells. She has her own industry-recognized certification in her technique (The Swing) and my goal in 2019 is to get my certification and start training others...especially older, out of shape, overweight women, just like myself a few short months ago. Here's Tracy and her book:

I think kettlebells are the most efficient exercise you can find...it's cardio, strength and flexibility all in one iron ball - I like to call it my gym with a handle.

I'm just picking it up again; at 300+ lbs, I obviously wasn't training. I did a few swings this weekend with my 22 lb bell and my abs, hamstrings and butt are so sore it's hard to sit down! LOL

I like deep water aerobics too...the pool's been closed for its annual maintenance, but will be opening back up next week! I'm going to give Yoga a try as well...my gym offers a "Gentle Yoga" that hopefully I'll be able to do.

I apparently have arthritis in both knees and maybe torn meniscus in both knees as well (MRI pending), so it makes everything more difficult..but I just have to try to power through the pain. That takes a lot of fun out of doing pretty much anything.

Monday - weights 1/2 hour

Wednesday - weights 1/2 hour

Friday - weights 1/2 hour

Usually walk the dog daily. I do some yoga when I feel like it.

That's it.

My body is stronger and leaner than it has ever been.

The biggest things is to make the commitment and stick with it.

Barb