Help With My Fitness Routine?

Question by evilfeline007: Help with my fitness routine?
Okay so I’m a 25 year old female and a nursing student. My primary target is to be fit and experience max health benefits but also for some minor weight loss (and by weight I mean fat loss… lol). I started out 187 lbs about 3 months ago and have lost 15 lbs by eating healthy (something I learned in biology class) and light exercise. Over the past 3 weeks I’ve decided to begin exercising as well and I just want some tips and/or comments…

I swim for 45 minutes (breast stroke and backstroke) on mondays and wednesdays followed by a stretch and 10 minutes in the hot tub. Tuesdays I go horseback riding for one (strenously so that I pant, sweat and my muscles are aching the next day). Thursdays I go running for half an hour but my cardio is not up to par yet (quit smoking but there’s still 10 years worth of tar in my lungs) so I make it half way around the track at a slow jog before I feel like dying… then I walk half a track and run again.

I don’t have much time over the weekend to do anything and I can’t seem to get into any of these cardio dvd’s and cant afford a gym membership. Any tips or comments of how I can improve my regime?

Best answer:

Answer by Cj J
20-30 mins cardio a day will be just excellant for your body. Skipping is a great cardio activity to make you sweat, boxers especially seem to love it and a skipping rope costs barely nothing. I think walking is also a great activity to add or maybe cycling. Anyway your current regime is actually really good!

Answer by Tiktaalik
First, congratulations on your weight loss and new lifestyle! I’m beaming with pride as I read your post, because it reminds me that it is so possible to get healthy if you just commit yourself to it.

I’m really happy with your workout regimen, but to make it even better I’d recommend adding two strength training sessions. All you need is your own body weight, although if you want to buy hand weights, resistance bands, a medicine ball or a Swiss ball, they’d all help you expand your repertoire. There are a ton of different exercises you can find on the Internet, so I’ll point you to them rather than trying to design a program for you here. Just google “upper body exercises” or “thigh exercises” or whatever and you’ll find a wealth of information.

Some basic info about strength training:
1. No, you won’t look like a bodybuilder. You might look like this, though: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs525.snc3/29837_413533039800_125883599800_4059524_8298530_n.jpg
2. Stagger your workouts so you always have at least one day of rest in between workouts; your muscles need that time to rebuild and get stronger.
3. Don’t strength train just one part of your body – train it all, from your head to your toes. Don’t forget your back!

I know you said you couldn’t get into videos, but you might want to check out the Tone It Up series of strength training workouts just so you can get some ideas of exercises you like.
http://www.youtube.com/user/ToneItUpcom

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