Hi everyone,

I got banded on january, and have lost 16 k.G since, eventhough I haven't moved a muscle... Lately, I haven't been losing weight at all, and I feel like I'm begining to have extra skin... so I figured to help lose weight and to look better when I lose the weight, I need to work out... i have never worked out my whole life... i'm 23 and have never been so active.... and now I read here about so many kinds of work outs that i don't even know that they mean.. I don't even know if we have it here in my country.... So any ideas? I read somewhere on this site that I should start with weight lifting and then do something different and not start with cardio, that freaked me out, cause tomorrow is my first day in an Aerobics class.... And I'm afraid that I might be doing the wring thing.... So is there a way to do things? like start with something and then something else?? And is aerobics good to tone things up???

And one last question can I do sit ups? if not then how am i suppose to tone my stomach up???

Thanx a million

Saro

Hi everyone,

I got banded on january, and have lost 16 k.G since, eventhough I haven't moved a muscle... Lately, I haven't been losing weight at all, and I feel like I'm begining to have extra skin... so I figured to help lose weight and to look better when I lose the weight, I need to work out... i have never worked out my whole life... i'm 23 and have never been so active.... and now I read here about so many kinds of work outs that i don't even know that they mean.. I don't even know if we have it here in my country.... So any ideas? I read somewhere on this site that I should start with weight lifting and then do something different and not start with cardio, that freaked me out, cause tomorrow is my first day in an Aerobics class.... And I'm afraid that I might be doing the wring thing.... So is there a way to do things? like start with something and then something else?? And is aerobics good to tone things up???

And one last question can I do sit ups? if not then how am i suppose to tone my stomach up???

Thanx a million

Saro

Saro,

Don't worry so much about details right now. The most important thing is that you just get used to working out, in general. Working out can be really fun, especially if you make friends at the gym, maybe in the aerobics class or something. I've met a few really cool people that I became friends with in a spinning class and we've been friends for a while.

Here are a few things that you need to keep in mind about workouts:

1. There is a difference between feeling a sharp pain or feeling dull pain. If you feel a sharp pain, stop. If it's dull, it's okay to keep going carefully.

2. If you don't know how to do something PROPERLY, you need to ask someone how to do it properly because if you do it incorrectly, you could seriously injure yourself.

3. Your body does does not just lose fat from whatever part of the body you are working. For example, sit-ups don't just burn fat from the stomach. This is a common misconception.

4. If you want to try weight lifting, hire a personal trainer for a few sessions at your local gym so you can learn proper techniques and more about how to work out correctly. This is incredibly important. The bad technique can hurt you really badly, if you're not careful.

5. TRY TO HAVE FUN!

DON'T BE NERVOUS TO ASK A MILLION QUESTIONS. We're here to help you. Some of us have more experience than others, and you'll hear different opinions from different people on how to do what and when to do it, but you'll find that everyone agrees with the fact that you just have to find what you enjoy doing the most. There are endless amounts of things you can do to burn calories effectively. Just try everything and see what it is that you like the most. For example: I, personally, hate aerobics classes because I feel like I look like an idiot in front of a group of mostly girls who I've never met before. haha. However, my fiancee loves them. She made friends with a lot of the girls in the classes she usually goes to and now she loves to go a few times per week. In other words, don't be nervous to try different workout styles once. If you like them, great, and if you don't, at least you tried it once.

I'm sorry for rambling. haha. I hope you find something you like! Please, please feel free to PM me with questions, if you like.

John

I use bodylastics resistance bands. They're great because you can do literally hundreds of different exercises with them, and they require really no space at all. As long as you have a door, and some space to move around in front of it, you can do anything. I love it because it's simple going from workout to workout, and I don't have to go to the gym. Plus for $50, you really can't go wrong.

John,

Thanx alot for your reply, it's really helpful and uplifting I once tried the aerobics class, i went there with a friend of mine and it was really fun, that's why I considered it first

I will take your adivce bout trying new things and trying to have as much fun as possible.... I have one last question, can i do sit ups? if not how can I get rid of the fat in the stomach area??? I read so much in this site and most women said they got a tummy tuck, and I really don't wanna get another surgery :/

thanx...

You can do situps like normal, don't worry about that. You can't single out a part of your body and just lose weight there. The fat comes off from all over.

Try Leslie Sansone Walk videos. Great way to start! Good luck! DRP

Thanx a million Sandworms and everyone else

I highly recommend lap swimming. I have a water proof mp3 player which makes time go by so much faster. Some days I can't get a lane because the high school has swim team practice. On those days I do the water aerobics classes. You might find those easier to do as you are starting out.

I highly recommend that you get a personal trainer. This was the best money I've ever spent!!!! She trained me for the long haul and educated me on what I needed to do in order to get certain results. Now, I'm very educated as to what I need in order to lose, tone, and get overall healthy.

I would recommend that you assess where you are in your weight loss, physical abilities, and please ensure you have no restrictions from your doctor. With that being said, I would start with walking. I would take a brisk walk in the mornings and in evenings. I would start out with 20-30 minutes and then build up to an hour or more. I would incorporate some light weight lifting after about 3-4 weeks (no more than 3-5 pound weights doing things like bicep curls, chest presses, triceps, and deltoid raises). I would do this after walking 3 times a week alternating days. I would find routes with some moderate hills after about 4-6 weeks. I would see how you react to this start up and then build. Then, explore some of those other high impact things like aerobics, since you've never worked out. Some of those classes will butcher you if you're not in some sort of shape to take your heart rate being up. That always discouraged me and I would never go back because others in the class could keep up and I just couldn't do them.

So, with all that being said. I would suggest that you build your workout and not start out high impact. You've got to build up your heart rate, resisitance, and so forth. So, getting the trainer and getting an assessment might be a good idea. You don't have to keep them forever but at least 5-10 consultations could give you the education you need for 'you' as we all don't know what your heart rate should not be elevated above, how much pounding your knees can take or what sort of endurance you already have.

This way you don't waste time!

All the best to you. Let us know what you "end up" liking. For me, I love running and spinning. When I was 310 pounds, never thought I'd be saying that!!

Thanks Meekie, your answer was so helpful and so inspiring.... I like what you said bout how when you were 310 you wouldn't imagine saying that

I'm not sure if a personal trainer is avilable in my country, I will look really hard for one cause I'm convinced of what you said of how he/she could teach me alot bout my body, instead of doing something out of ignorance and ending up hurting my self

Thanx again....