This is my first day at LC'ing. So that means if I am going to work on my food intake, I should also get back to my workout! I started this Log so that I can keep myself honest and know that I will have to stick to the plan I make for myself.

I will need a little help on this. This is what I have worked out before.

Monday: Abs
Tuesday: Butt & Legs
Wednesday: Total body workout (aerobics)
Thurday: Back to Abs
Friday: Back to Butt & Legs.
Saturday and Sunday: Usuallly do something (swim, walk, etc)

Now that it is nearing winter time I will need to find something else to do on the weekends. Cold air triggers my asthma so it limits me from going outside much.

My problem areas for fat are mostly --- butt, hips and thighs . Since I'm so overweight it is really all over, but I've always had bigger hips and thighs than the rest of my body. Since I have 2 kids, my tummy has a little pudge that I need to lose also. Also, I really would like to know of any exercise that may lift or reduce my breasts! That has always been a major issue in my life.

What I would like is any feedback on how my set up is. I would also like to know what is the best way to add in weight training . I have 3 and 5 pound weights. I know your suppose to alternate days on muscles. Just dont know how. My major problem area for that is my tricep, my bicep is looking good and always has, its the back of the arm that is starting to be the problem.

Thanks in advance,
Swt_T

Hi Swt_T!

Welcome to the forum. I can't really answer your weight training question, but just want to warn you in advance, that the first week on Atkins will make you a little tired while adjusting to all the changes going on. It's usually a bit difficult to do anything overly strenuous for the first few days. But your energy burst will come, and you will feel great!

Good luck & I look forward to seeing your progress!!

It kind of sounds like you know something about weight training and then it kind of sounds like you are a beginner so I'm going to assume that my info is useful to you regardless.

A great way for women to learn the basics of weight training is to combine the following:

1. Read any of various weight training books written by Joyce Vedral. Learn the basics of sets, reps, routines, etc. from her. DO NOT LEARN FORM FROM HER!!! Joyce tends to use bad form which shows in her book photos and exercise videos. You should be able to find Joyce Vedral books at your library or local used book store if you don't want to pay retail.

2. Go to www.videofitness.com to read up on reviews of available exercise videos. Find one that is recommended for beginner weight training. Videofitness will also tell you how to go about ordering various videos. There are some distributors you do not want to order from as they cause people credit card troubles to say the least (for example, don't order Richard Simmons, Leslie Sansone, or The Firm videos from the distributor). A good place to order from is www.collagevideo.com. Collage Video also has reviews. Some sites (and I think this includes Collage) have actual excerpts from the videos you can view. The Firm Videos are really fun and effective. There are plenty of Firms available retail and some in the series are Total Body at a Beginner Level. Firm Basics Sculpting With Weights comes to mind. Also, there are some Kathy Smith videos that are great for beginners. Karen Voight is a great instructor that you can learn from but I'm not sure if she has any beginner level videos out.

3. More sites for you to check out:
www.stumptuous.com/weights.html (For Women)
www.exrx.net/

Total body fat reduction will reduce the size of your breasts and that ab pooch. They say that working on the chest muscles will give you something to help support the breasts but as far as I can tell, that really doesn't do much. Imagine: Hold a sock in your hand. Now hold it tighter. Any change in how the sock droops? The ab pooch will diminish over time but you can get way thin and still have a pooch. I can tell from my pooch that although the majority of the problem is fat, there is something (muscle I assume) below the fat that pooches. I've been doing traditional ab work on the floor, no weights, with videos for a long time. These haven't been effective for my pooch (i.e. the portion that is not fat is not flattening out with what I've been doing). I'm going to try something else but don't know yet what that will be. Sometimes I think focusing on holding the abs in while running or fast walking has helped me more than doing reverse crunches.

Thanks Melissa!

It is really good to know, I assumed it would happen, any changes like this is bound to make your body go through withdrawls. Thanks for the advice.

Cyprinodon -

Thank you very much for all the info. It helped out alot! With all the exercise tapes I have - NONE of them really give me a plan on what part of body to work on, what day. Let alone tell about weight training. Call me cheap but I didn't want to have to go out and buy yet another book/video or whatever - just to find out it wont say much about it. The site you mentioned on your #3, actually gave me a hint on what to do each day! Thanks so much!

Swt_T

I just found something that might explain why it seems that the lower ab muscles pooch in addition to the pooch caused by the overlying fat: " . . . fat is also stored under the abdominal muscles and around the intestines and other organs. This can contribute to the "pot belly", pushing the abdominal muscles and the overlying fat outward."

If this is an explananation, it doesn't explain why women have this problem, especially women who have had babies, and not men. Note that the old fashioned kind of department store female manicans (spelling?) have a small lower ab pooch. Flat must be an ideal that developed with modeling.

I know from only me and my experience but ----

Since I was about 13/14 my mom told me to try to keep my tummy tucked in. I had a bit of a belly after the wonderful puberty! So I took her advice and since then I never had a problem with my belly, it wasn't "Flat" it did always have a very small, not necessarily "pouch" but it was a little more there, but that is normal for curvey women (women with bigger hips and small waist, hourglass shape.)

But since I have had my kids, I have lost some muscle control there. I do however, still suck in the ol' tummy no matter where I am or what I'm doing. It is automatic for me to do this. This is the only reason my belly is bigger than it is. I am 120 pounds overweight, everyone always says, "geez you weigh how much? no way, your lying! your belly would be much larger cause you have had kids." Just not true in my case. I think if I just get a good ab workout every other day I may get back to where I use to be.

Swt_T

Yesterday (Wednesday October 9, 2002) I wanted to start the workout - I didn't get to - but I was needing to clean out my refrigerator and get foods that I needed to start LC'ing. So that is exactly what I did

Today I started my workout -

Abs ---- only about 15 minutes worth, different ab workouts (1 minute each)

Weights ---- I did various upper body workout with weights.

I feel great!

Day 2 Workout -


Buns & Legs -- 15 minutes (thighs were the worst! I swear my thighs alone weigh 50 lbs. each!

Weight Training -- 10 minutes - Lower body (dumbbell squats, etc) Dont have any weight machines or anything, just dumbbells! I figure when I reach 150 I will reward myself with a nice setup instead of food like usual!

I intend on increasing how long the workout is every month. That way I dont do too much too quickly and get discouraged because I'm in pain. I don't believe in the "no pain, no gain" attitude. A trainer a few years ago taught me that one.

Reminder To myself!

Don't overdo the leg and buns exercises!! Woke up this morning and upon standing, my legs screamed at me.

Maybe I'll take it down to beginner level on legs and buns until 2 weeks of doing it. Then increase to intermediate level.


Waiting until Noon time to workout a few minutes. I feel great and I may have to stretch out those muscles that are screaming!

Day 3 Workout -

Complete body workout with weight training -- 20 minutes -- Combo of abs, buns, & legs.

Took it easy on the legs today, giving them a rest from yesterday. It being Saturday and so new to working out (again), I dont want to overdo it.

I am feeling great

Can't wait to get on the scale on Monday (weigh in once a week)

Day 4 Workout -

Today I'm taking a break from working out. My legs are still hurting. I now realize my problem why they hurt so much, not only did I probably do too much, too quick, but I think I forgot to stretch before hand. Oh well, live and learn! Tomorrow will go back to working out but only abs. Give my legs an extra day to feel better.

Day 5 Workout -

Abs -- 20 minutes

Weight training -- upper body (biceps, triceps, etc.)

Incase anyone is interested, I found this site today for someone. This is basically the stuff I do. A little different, but basically the same.

http://www.netfit.co.uk/menu.htm

Pretty tired right now, probably the cold weather (always gets me down) Need to sit on the equator just to keep warm! I'll curl up on the couch with a book and blankie!

Day 6 Workout -

Whole body workout -- Very few ab crunches, A few lunges and other leg and bun workout

Weight Training -- Various muscle groups. Lunges with weights, squats with weights, etc. Worked chest, shoulders and back.

Feel great today And Finally no more pain in the legs from exercising on friday! I must have really pushed myself too hard that day. Won't be doing that again!

Day 7 Workout -

Legs & Buns -- Worked on this for 20 minutes. I didn't push myself as much as I did last week. I dropped down to do a more of a beginner level (too much flab on my thighs and buns! gotta start slow and then work back up) Maybe in a few weeks I'll see about getting back up to a more intermediate level

No weight training today -- will give my muscles a day off (although when I did some lunges I did use 3 lb. weights and also with a few other exercises, but not many as I did not want my muscles in my arms to get sore from overuse.)

I feel good, just a little tired. More than likely its the awful weather we are having (59 degrees, rain, windy ) I want my 90 degree weather back! But I wont see that until at least May

Gonna go and curl up with my blankie now and watch some TV.

Day 8 Workout -

Abs --- 20 minutes, various ab workouts

No weight training today, hurt shoulder this morning (yes I'm very clumsy )

Feel pretty good, and I'm cooking up my Chicken Bacon Wrappers!! woohooo smells soooo good!