Hold Aquarelle accountable for exercising!

[Aquarelle]

Some of you know I'm doing this boudoir photo thing in August (the 25th, to be precise) for my husband's 40th birthday. I've decided it's also the perfect opportunity and motivation for me to get back in the habit of exercising regularly. I took a long hiatus because of the holidays, family stress, work travel, and laziness, and my cholesterol, appearance, self-confidence and overall health took a hit because of that.

So. Starting last Sunday (the 15th) I have been trying to do a deliberate workout 6 days per week. I'm trying to maintain that up through Aug 25th, which will be six weeks start to finish. After that, I'll have to ease off a bit because of Fest and concert band, but at least I'll be in the habit of exercising!

This thread is basically to hold myself accountable, with the help of my lovely fellow forumers.

Week 1: COMPLETE. 6/7 days of exercise.
Week 2: Have done every day so far. Tonight is a home-workout night, tomorrow gym with my spouse.

 

[Aquarelle]

Did my workout video yesterday. I am totally uncoordinated and I know I look like such a dork doing it! Don't care. My dog seems to think it's my playtime, because whenever I put on the workout video and start twisting my body in strange ways, he goes to get a toy and usually brings it to me to play tug or something. Yesterday he chewed on his bone, so that was okay.

This morning I put on a dress that, when I work it a few weeks ago, was pretty tight. It felt less tight today. I don't think I'm imagining it....

Gym tonight with the spouse. Can take tomorrow, or one day this weekend off.

 

[Aquarelle]

Yesterday made it to the gym. Did 30 minutes on the elliptical, 15 minutes walking backwards on the treadmill, and about 15 minutes on weight lifting. While I was doing my cardio, I listened to sea shanteys and songs.

 

[SD45T-2]

I thought a shanty was a hut.

 

[kyuuei]

Hold you accountable I will!! What is your strength training regime? Cardio? I need lists and plans, woman!

 

[Aquarelle]

I thought a shanty was a hut.

A shanty town, you're thinking of. Yeah. Sea shanteys/chanteys are songs.

Hold you accountable I will!! What is your strength training regime? Cardio? I need lists and plans, woman!

Okay... can't promise I'm doing the best strength training regimen, but here's what I usually do:

Alternating days:
A: 30 minutes on elliptical + 15 minutes of walking on treadmill and a bit of weight lifting. Let's see if I can remember the names of the machines... lat pull down, back press, glute machine, triceps press, shoulder press, leg press (for calves), and hip abductor/adductor. Sometimes also torso twist, deltoid thingy. I just do one set of each, 12-16 reps.

B: Aerobic ab workout video at home, with about 20 minutes of aerobic moves that engage the abs and then about 10 minutes of various ab exercises.

 

[kyuuei]

Ill resist the urge to hand out uninvited advise, but I will say that strength training is those machines, and you have the right idea hopping onto the cardio machines before doing the weighted machines.

 

[Aquarelle]

Made it through week 2 with 6/7 days of workouts! Yay! Already I feel much more toned, and although I gained a couple of pounds the first week (probably in muscle mass), I've now lost like 7 lb. Yipes!

Week 3 underway, on track so far.

 

[Aquarelle]

Ill resist the urge to hand out uninvited advise, but I will say that strength training is those machines, and you have the right idea hopping onto the cardio machines before doing the weighted machines.

If you have suggestions, I'll gladly hear them. Can't guarantee I'll follow them, but knowledge/information is always good!

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Congrats!!!

 

[kyuuei]

If you have suggestions, I'll gladly hear them. Can't guarantee I'll follow them, but knowledge/information is always good!

You seem to have a good mix of strength training and cardio. I think women always tend to feel 'blah' and shy away from lifting weights and strength training, but actually we probably need it more than males do. Also, building up lean toned muscle is what is going to give you the ability to burn more fat in a workout. It raises your metabolism tremendously.

I'd seriously consider at least one day of pushing around some dumbbells (free weights) to force your body to balance the weight and engage more muscles during similar activities you would complete on a machine. Machines are safer and you can lift more weight that way, dumbbells you lower the weight, do more reps, and you are the safety measure so it engages more muscles to balance, lift, and lower the weights between reps. Plenty of magazines have work-out routines made for women online if you're unsure of how to use dumbbells. I rather like the routines in Women's Health.

 

[Lark]

I totally misread the title of this thread!

 

[PeaceBaby]

A work-out tune to keep you motivated!

[YOUTUBE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbt30UnzRWw"]Whip It![/YOUTUBE]

 

[Aquarelle]

Yesterday I got all ready to do my workout video... and discovered it had been removed from Netflix Streaming. BAGS! I had to make do with an old DVD I had, that totally isn't as good. out: Just bought two new videos because apparently Netflix isn't having exercise videos on streaming anymore...

 

[SD45T-2]

You seem to have a good mix of strength training and cardio. I think women always tend to feel 'blah' and shy away from lifting weights and strength training, but actually we probably need it more than males do. Also, building up lean toned muscle is what is going to give you the ability to burn more fat in a workout. It raises your metabolism tremendously.

I'd seriously consider at least one day of pushing around some dumbbells (free weights) to force your body to balance the weight and engage more muscles during similar activities you would complete on a machine. Machines are safer and you can lift more weight that way, dumbbells you lower the weight, do more reps, and you are the safety measure so it engages more muscles to balance, lift, and lower the weights between reps. Plenty of magazines have work-out routines made for women online if you're unsure of how to use dumbbells. I rather like the routines in Women's Health.

umpyouup:

A work-out tune to keep you motivated!

[YOUTUBE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbt30UnzRWw"]Whip It![/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMhwddNQSWQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMhwddNQSWQ[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Aquarelle]

I'd seriously consider at least one day of pushing around some dumbbells (free weights) to force your body to balance the weight and engage more muscles during similar activities you would complete on a machine. Machines are safer and you can lift more weight that way, dumbbells you lower the weight, do more reps, and you are the safety measure so it engages more muscles to balance, lift, and lower the weights between reps. Plenty of magazines have work-out routines made for women online if you're unsure of how to use dumbbells. I rather like the routines in Women's Health.

This is a good idea. I'll look into some workouts and maybe try to start some free weights this week. Thanks!

 

[Aquarelle]

Plenty of magazines have work-out routines made for women online if you're unsure of how to use dumbbells. I rather like the routines in Women's Health.

I found this one online that I think seems pretty good:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/womens-strength-training-guide.htm

I'll probably have to skip some of the standing barbell ones or modify them to use dumbbells, because I have an old lower back injury that I have to be careful about. And handstand push ups?? Just not gonna happen! But the rest of the routine sounds doable.

 

[kyuuei]

I found this one online that I think seems pretty good:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/womens-strength-training-guide.htm

I'll probably have to skip some of the standing barbell ones or modify them to use dumbbells, because I have an old lower back injury that I have to be careful about. And handstand push ups?? Just not gonna happen! But the rest of the routine sounds doable.

I can't get my browers to open up the page, our internet here isn't the greatest, but if it has things like straight-bars and handstand push-ups its probably a more advanced workout routine, so you're right in ignoring those and just sticking with tried-and-true dumbbell work outs.

 

[Aquarelle]

Okay... as of Saturday, I successfully complete 3 weeks of working out 6 days/week!! Yay me! (Sorry, I'm a bit proud of myself for that!)

This week I think I'll only be able to fit in 5, because after Fest practice yesterday I was too beat, and on Thursday I'm going to dinner and the circus with my mom so I won't have time. But 5/7 is still good!

On Saturday I did incorporate some free weights. Not much, just dumbbell rows, tricep presses, and lunges and squats while holding dumbbells.

 

[Aquarelle]

I've decided for the next 3 weeks, since I think I've got thee exercising thing under control, I will add more focus on eating a healthier diet.

I got some recipes yesterday for green smoothies. I think that will help me get more veggies in, plus smoothies make a good dessert, so maybe it will cut down the amount of sweet cravings I get. Yesterday I made one with spinach, blueberries, banana, and vanilla yogurt. It looked kind of nasty, but it was delicious and didn't require any extra sweetener. Yay!

Also made it to the gym yesterday even though I was totally unmotivated. Luckily, my husband was not unmotivated. It's amazing how much easier it is to do the elliptical machine when he is just on the machine next to me... even if we aren't talking or anything, for some reason just having him there makes the time go faster. Usually, I struggle to do 20-25 on one machine because I just get bored. So then I mix machines (like 20 minutes of elliptical and 15 minutes of bicycle), which is fine, but it's nice to put in a solid block on one machine, too. I was able to do 35 minutes on the elliptical easily yesterday, and then I added 15 minutes on the bike for good measure. I didn't do weights because I was still sore from my weight lifting on Saturday, but I'll do weights today.