I couldn’t agree with this more. The important thing is just to get moving. If your choice is an optimal exercise you hate and an inefficient one you can tolerate, do the one you can tolerate. If you like it, so much the better, but don’t wait around for one you’ll really like. There is a fair chance that type of exercise just doesn’t exist for you. But experiment and see what does work for you. Find something you’ll do and stick with it.
I want to chime in here - I hate cardio and have to keep switching to keep it interesting. I do however like the energy of a group class - not because I am super coordinated, but because I find the time slips by.
I am also going to try cross-country skiing this winter, mostly because I live in a city that has a lot of winter and I can’t hibernate.
40 pounds…but thanks for the affirmation!
Based on the fact that one pound of fat = ~3500 calories, I wanted to save one pound of fat per week by “slashing” 3500 calories (500 calories x 7 days) by getting rid of the sugar and “some” fat and carb intake…and then “burn” 3500 calories (700 calories x 5 days) at a nearby gym after work. My goal was to lose 2 pounds a week just by doing these two things, which is a recommended “safe” way of losing weight. There are times that I don’t lose 2 pounds in a certain week (one time I gained 2 pounds after a very festive weekend), and other times I lose up to 8 pounds in a week…not as uniform as I would like, but I am not suffering any ill effects. I do keep hydrated though, which I can’t stress on enough…it’s not about losing water weight, it’s about burning off fat weight, and the elliptical machine is really efficient at burning the calories off, without jacking my knees up…that is the main reason for this intermediate success.
Here is one of the machines that we have in the gym…I burned 800 calories in 48 minutes (16.67 cal/min) on that machine yesterday; it’s a real asskicker. There’s only 2 of those in our small gym, so sometimes I end up using an older elliptical (w/ stationary arms), but make myself do an extra 100 calories to compensate. Right now, that is ALL I do at the gym, for 40-50 minutes a day. Most of my fat is in the spare tire, butt and legs, so this is the right machine to use for now. Eventually, I will move on to upper body equipment to build some more muscle (in my arms and shoulders) and cut back on the elliptical once I get somewhere down to 220-240 lbs., and then figure out a maintenance plan to stay somewhere in the neighborhood of 200-210 lbs. (I’m 6’3", BTW). My wife is starting to paw at me again, and I loooooooove that.
I too don’t want to spend tons of time in the gym, that would get boring, but for now, 40-50 minutes, 5x a week is really not a lot of time considering the amount of weight I’ve lost. I don’t bring in any music, I can hardly see the TVs they have on at the opposite side of the room. All I have to go on is watching the heart rate, time and calorie counters clicking away as I work out with an occasional fit and firm butt on a female running on treadmills or stairsteppers in front of me. My wife sometimes comes along and she can help me “focus” as well. I like that!
At 43, why now? When I got over 300 pounds, I really got pissed off at myself because I crossed over a threshhold that I was not too happy to cross. I think everyone has a threshhold, but some never cross it (even at 400+ lbs.). When I was in my 20s and 30s (and in the 220-290 range), I thought I could just cut back on food a little and everything would be ok, but now I know better…you have to be physical too, especially when you’re 40+ years of age.
Ah…here is the older elliptical I use when the other ellipticals are being occupied. I seem to crank out more calories (or do the same amount in less time) on this one because it “seems” easier. This machine is the one I can crank out 20 cal/min. on.
I’ve thought about trying out an elliptical workout. Moves my arms and my legs for a good overall workout, easy on my bad hips and knees, and I can do it while reading or watching tv - all good.
That’s the same as the ones at my gym. I do 45 minutes and burn between 550 and 675 in that time (depending on the workout I select, and my weight).