I will say sorry in advance becaue I know this will probably be a long thread and I don't even know if this is the right place to post.

I am 38 and terribly out of shape. After having kids and years of yo-yo dieting along with being a smoker I am in sorry shape. I have cut way back on the smoking(trying very hard to quit). I am so out of shape even the simplest exercise videos leave me feeling useless. I have no back or ab strength to do a sit up. The majority of my weight is my gut below my belly button. I look like I'm pregnant again. I even tried a pilates video. I get so discouraged that I quit. I joined curves this week and I love it. I guess what I'm asking is...will this get me going in the right direction? Should I do just this for a while then try other things when I am stronger? Or are there some extra things that I can do now to help? I did start to put on a cd and dance around for 20-30 minutes. Is this enough cardio? After 10 minutes I am sweating and my heart is really going. As you can tell I know nothing about exercise.

If I am trying to do sit ups and can only lift myself a little is this o.k. or am I just hurting myself? My back is always killing me when I try so I don't even know if I am doing them right. I live in a small town and there are no "gyms" so I don't have a place to go to get help.

I started atkins a month ago and have done very well thanks in part to all of the wonderful help on this site. It has taken me the whole month to get the courage to ask for exercise help. I guess because I feel so useless when it comes to any kind of exercise and everyone here seems to have it all together. I know that I may lose all of the weight that I want to, but that I need to exercise to keep my skin tight as well as feeling better. I now have the energy, thanks to lcarbing, to actually want to exercise now. I just need some help in how to start. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!!!!!
Lisa

Congratulations on your weight loss so far

I havent tried Curves, but there are a few threads on here with others experiences. From what I know its a great place to start to build your strength. Eventually you might want to purchase some dumbells and a bench for home if you dont have a regular gym nearby. Cardio can be anything as long as you are getting your heart rate up. 20 mins is a good time to do it as intensly as you can. If you do something you enjoy you will be more likely to continue with it Enjoy and keep up the good work.

Akiwican

Congratulations on your new start! I think the best advice comes from the sage people at Nike "JUST DO IT!" Going to Curves, dancing around - it is all exercise and it is all doing your body good. If the sit ups are too painful right now then do something else. Believe it or not, once you get started on a good work out plan you will only want to keep improving it. At some point when you feel you need a good challenge, try the exercises you couldn't do in the past.
It is a slow progression but your body will continue to respond, strengthen and look great.

You are where i was 2 years ago! I smoked and i couldn't do 1 sit up! I joined the gym, eventually quit smoking (1 year this past Christmas!) You WILL get to the point of being able to do military sit ups before you know it-even if you DO smoke! :-)
The hardest part is taking the first step, by joing a club you are comfortable with and congrats on that!
Keep up the good work.

My story is similar (except for the smoking)...

After 2 kids, I don't even want to think about the way my lower (and ok..upper) abs look like. But I do know about the LOOKING pregnant part.

Anyway, I decided that low carbing wasn't going to reshape the body, and I HAVE to exercise somehow. Rented the Pilates for ABS dvd from the library, and well...learned that I HAVE NO ABS WHATSOEVER! Holy camole!

So I HAVE moved on to join a gym and am doing Body For Life. But I think the point is that I'm doing *something*.

I think Curves would be a great place to get started...because it's doing SOMETHING.

And, in my own opinion, I think you should also be doing crunches every other day. REad up on how to do them PROPERLY...as form is key. Also, do them slowly - quality, not quantity gets you muscles.

It's much less strain on the back, and it seems to be the most effective way of getting some muscles back there that seemed to leave the body when the kids did!

-- Loretta

All of your encouragement, help and support are just what I needed. It's nice to see that there are others who are or were in my situation.

I went to curves again yesterday. What a wonderful feeling I have when I am all done and I look at what I accomplished. I looked online and found a site that showed me how to do a proper sit-up. I can't lift myself very high, (barely off the ground) but I am doing it! Just like you said "just do it". Hopefully someday soon I will be able to do military crunches and do them well. Thanks to you guys I learned a little at a time is better than nothing. I have 2 sets of dumbels that I am using every other day after my cardio. 2lbs first, hopefully I'll be up to the 5lbs soon. I am doing this on the days that I don't go to curves. Maybe soon I can find those abs that seem to have disappeared.

Thanks again. It is so nice to see how much everyone cares around here. I'll post again when I get weighed and measured next month and let you guys know how it's going.

Lisa

I can't stress enough the importance of working weight training into your routine!! You're on the right track!!
Start small, and gradually move up to heavier weights when it gets too easy.
Do you feel like you might want to try a workout video? If so, I can recommend some for you that mix cardio and weights into one workout. They will help you with your form, guide you through abs, and motivate you. And, they can be FUN!!
Let me know if I can help...
Carole

Carole,

Yes I would be interested. I don't know how well I can do them at the moment, but I am working towards better health and fitness. I can always stop if it is too hard for me and try again the next day. I am learning that I have to push myself to do just a little better than I did the day before. Curves was exactly what I needed to get me motivated. I actually look forward to exercising now. Whether it's at curves or at home. That in itself is amazing to me.

Let me know about a few videos and I will give them a try. Just don't tell me about one that is going to kill me. HA HA Fun is key. Some of them are sooo boring.

Thanks alot,

Lisa

Here's a site that I just found a few weeks ago. Video Fitness They have reviews of tons of videos and they also have a section for people just getting started. Also, here's a site with more reviews and actual clips of the videos. Collage Video

I was very sedentery before LC and even in the first month, but now I have started using a few videos to get me started in the world of exercise. I know it can be scary because so many of the videos just sound so hard, but there really are some out there for every fitness level (or lack of!). I'm using Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds set that I got on dvd for $20 at Target for my cardio. There's 3 different programs on there...18 min, 30 min, and 47 min. I've only done the first two so far, but they are not hard. For strength, I'm using Kathy Smith's Lift Weights to Lose Weight....I can't make it through all of it yet, but I'm working on it. The legs section kills me every time, probably because of my weight, but I know eventually I'll get it.

Anyway, those are just what I've found to help me and I'm very much a beginner.

I agree, Walk Away the Pounds with Leslie Sansone is a great system to start. They have several kits, so make sure you get one that has at least one video using weights. Then you can alternate a cardio day with a weight day. The instructor is very motivating, and the steps aren't too hard. You can buy it at Target, or at QVC. QVC has several kits, with weights included. They have good prices, and a 30 day money back guarantee. That way you could send it back if you didn't like it. I'll try and post a link for you.
Carole
http://www.qvc.com/asp/frameset.asp...ound&Submit4=Go

Thanks for the suggestion. I will look into it. What do you guys think of the firm 4 pack set? It has 5 day abs, tough tape 2, upper body and standing legs. It says beginner, but I am not too sure. I know I wouldnt be able to get through a whole tape now, but I figured that I could work up to it. Which I thought might be a good thing. I thought maybe this would give me a good selection that covered my whole body.

Thanks for your input.

Lisa

Firm tapes are my absolute favorite!! You can't go wrong with them!!! Do you have the "fanny lifter"? If not, you need to get that in order to do the tapes. The fanny lifter is a tall box/step that you use to do the aerobics and weights on. If you don't have the FL, I recommend you get the Firm Body Sculpting Set. They have it at Target, and QVC. I'll post the link to QVC. QVC has it for only $76, and it comes with a bonus tape you don't get at Target.
I love the Sculpting Set. The fanny lifter is great, and you can use it at three different heights. That way you can work your way up. The tapes are really fun, and EFFECTIVE. They will be hard for you at first, but you will be able to do them if you follow the beginner modifications.
I'd try the Sculpting set first, then get the FIRM 4 pack. That way you'll already have the fanny lifter. You need it. Or, buy the sculpting set, then just get Tough Tape 2 separately. That's the best one of the bunch, and my Target has it for $6.
I think the Sculpting set is much more fun than the 4 pack, and you need fun when you first start out. Plus, some of the 4 pack are kind of dated, and the Sculpting set is brand new with good music, etc.
Good Luck!!
Carole
http://www.qvc.com/asp/frameset.asp...1257&Submit4=Go

Carole,

Thanks again for all your help. I have another question. What is the difference between the pink and the white sculpting set? I think the pink one is the older set. I only need the cd's because I can get a stair stepper at the store. The pink set is a little cheaper so if there is no difference I can just get that one.

Lisa

Funny that the Firm Parts 4 pack came up because I just ordered it yesterday. Actually, I bought the tape 4 pack at Walmart yesterday, but then got home and found out that it is available on dvd as well and so I ordered those...good thing I didn't open the tapes. Should be here by the end of the week...I'll let you know how I like it.

I have been doing the Firm since the 80's - yes I am one of those people who shelled out 49.95 per tape for the original 4 (still use 2 and 4 by the way) and have added almost all of the other tapes to my collection over the years -

The best advice I could give you is watch the videos first - and when you do them the first couple of times - do not use weights!

If you are just starting out with the Firm - Standing legs, IMHO, is the hardest Firm Tape there is - and Tough Tape 2 is not that easy either -

So - if you do go down the Firm path (which I do highly recommend )- be patient with yourself - and take it slowly - since no one is there to correct your form - if you have a mirror that would be great to check yourself -

ok - off my soapbox now - sorry !