Hi all,

I seen in one of the posts people talking about Curves. Seems like it's everywhere. Can anyone give me more info on " CURVES"? I'd really appreciate it....sounds like something I would like !!!

We can do it together !!!

Hi! I went to Curves from 3/02 to 3/03 and did not lose any weight-matter of fact I gained. I did lose a few inches though, but not very many. I went anywhere from 3 to 4 days a week. Then one day I went for a walk with a friend and I was huffin and puffin. So I quit Curves after one year and now I am walking 4 days a week and I am not huffin and puffin. Anyway these are my thoughts on it. I will say it was fun and I met alot of really nice people there. And I did have more energy. But I think you are better off finding a couple of friends to walk with and you will feel even better and it is free.

I love Curves!! I would advise you do run a search at the top of the page on 'Curves' exercise (on Atkins or exercise thread), as there have been several threads on it recently. Also, go to the Curves website. However, the best way to find out if it is for you is to go to a Curves for a free trial and explaination.
I have been doing Curves three times a week for five months. I go to my neighborhood one, but have also gone to a couple of others nearby. I find that each Curves (having it's own franchise) can be very different in appearance, attitude and enjoyment. Mine is run by a mother and her two college-age daughters and is great. The other two I visited were not as wonderful.
Curves is NOT aerobic exercise and is NOT meant to be compared to walking briskly several times a week. Curves literature and info states that Curves is to be combined with walking, for optimal health. Curves is not intended to get you winded... it is intended to firm and tone muscles, increase flexibility and strength. (In fact, one of the reasons they have you quickly stop and check your pulse during your workout is to be sure you're NOT getting your heartrate up too high and going into aerobic exercise, as it is not the optimal way to do aerobic (not long or constant enough) and also you will miss the designed strengthening, which is what it is all about.)
I have lost forty pounds during this time (because of Atkins diet) and Curves has been a wonderful companion to that in firming and tightening up my rapidly smaller body. Another nice feature of Curves is that they weigh, measure and take your body fat count each month.. sort of like the weekly weigh-in at Weight Watchers. This is a nice way to track your progress on a WOE like LC where we do not attend local meetings/weigh ins.
I feel that having Atkins WOE info/books, this forum for daily information and support, the Curves toning/weigh ins and walking (for cardio health)... it's basically all covered!!
I have heard from several people doing Curves, that they feel the workout is not hard enough for them. Many are mistaking cardio/aerobic with Curves stregthening and toning. Also, because the machines are hydrolic resistance, rather than weights you are lifting... it is VERY important to push as hard as you can the first two or three repetions on each machine... this will set the machine at a real challenge level for you. If you do the machines a bit half-heartly the first reps, the machine will not challenage you enough before the 30 seconds on it are complete and you will not gain much benefit.
Curves, while of course not for everyone, can be an incredibly pleasant, easy companion to weight loss. I especailly love the people and atmosphere at our local Curves. It is a quick (30 minute) workout, with only 30 seconds at each of 12 machines positioned in a circle. Twice around the circle, with some good music; then, a few minutes of stretching and I'm set!!! I can see a big difference in the firmness of my back, neck, upper arms and whole leg... just a tighter body all around, which is great as I am generally not a big body workout person.

My advice.. as each one of us and each Curves is different... check it out by actually going to one and trying it out!
(Curves also has a weight loss plan which is LC, but I am happy with Atkins and haven't paid much attentin to that.)
Good luck. Don't forget to run that search at the top of this page!
Cheers,

I just did a search for search word 'Curves exercise' under 'general exercise' forums on this site and there are many Curves threads, two with a hundred or more posts!
Happy reading!
Cheers,

I also love curves... and best yet, it's a 15 min bike ride from my house, so I also get a 30 min bike ride in each day I go

I have a post above that attests to the success one can have with Curves and Atkins. After my first month of going to Curves 3x per week (and doing Atkins faithfully, of course), I lost 12 lbs and 10.5 inches off my body.

The workout is fast and effective. At the Curves I go to, there are women of all shapes, sizes and levels of fitness. The last time I went, I was in between an overweight woman in her 50's and a slender girl in her early twenties. Sometimes it's vice versa.

One of the girls who goes there is actually a college athlete, but she likes going to Curves because it provides her with a quality workout in a minimal amount of time - she's a full time student/part time worker.

The above post is correct - you have to use the machines correctly to get the real benefit from them, but it is really easy to catch on.

I used to try going walking only, but depending on the weather, that always didn't work out, plus the route gets boring, plus sometimes my feet would just hurt. Also, I like the resistence training I get with Curves. Pure cardio just can't tone you. Everyone needs a combination of the two.

I think it 's great, and lots of folks really like it. But no one program, no matter what it is, is for everyone. If you decide to try it, I hope you enjoy it, because it works!

Garden- Thanks fo r info on the hydrolic's resetting. I didn't know that - I thought that a couple of machines had been reset low and one reset higher- now I know its me.

I only have one complaint- they rearranged machines to add a second butt-buster and put the squat press so your back is to the door. Just the thought of that vision to anyone passing by is to laugh.....

Its great for my lever of fitness which was approaching slug like, I do wonder about it growing with me. But you can work -well as hard as you can- and lots of folks are doing a harder workout.
Do we all buy into that 30 second all you need? I wonder-

Hello!
I'm from Beaver County, PA!
I joined Curves 3 weeks ago & absolutely LOVE it! It's so quick and easily fits into your lifestyle. And budget!
I feel stronger already from going. I'll get my measurements in about 2 weeks to track my progress.
it also helps to follow a diet plan with the Curves training. I will be starting their 6 weel Challenge in July, but until then, I have been following a low-carb/high protein diet, quit the pepsi (which was quite difficult! ) & drink the water. I also use shakes.
I say check it out! See if it's right for you. Good Luck with everything!!
~Curvy Amy

I've been going to Curves for about 6 weeks. I am just now REALLY beginning to see results. I think Curves + lowcarbing is an excellent combination!

Best of luck.

We've got a Curves thread on the exercise forum: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...286#post2322286

Come join us over there

It's great for toning, but after my year was up I joined the Y. I need more cardio and weights to get to my goal.