How do you find the time with a busy schedule?

[MrRob]

How do you get energy in the morning?

[goodgirl]

MrRob, I feel for ya...I live in a 3rd story apartment building and my boyfriend has a treadmill...it shakes the downstairs apartment and drives my neighbors nuts! Most of the time he waits for their cars to leave and he jumps on the treadmill. He is a die-hard so he doesn't care what time it is. I do weight lifting and that is a quiet exercise and maybe if you are struggling to do your sets...your weights are too heavy?? I had to start out small...real small...I'm slowly building up.

I found a treasure at the library the other day. This book is called When Working Out Isn't Working Out by Michael Gerrish. A Mind/Body Guide to Conquering Unidentified Fitness Obstacles. It will help you discover what is keeping you from maintaining a healthy lifestyle (diet and exercise). I highly recommend it. It is really an eye-opener.

Just my 2 cents

[Rusho]

How about get up at 6:15, then "shadow box" for 15 minutes. Then at 6:30 begin your day as usual. Shadow boxing can really get your heart going if you punch really fast. Shadow boxing is quiet, also.

[Helene]

I wake up at 5am, I'm at the gym for 6am. Is there a way you can sign up to a gym that's on your way to work?

[MrRob]

I do not like gym's. I used to go to one and it was allot of people sitting around B.S.ing on the equipment and rude people. If you didn't have a perfect body you didn't belong there. Had a very bad experience and will not go back.

I have my bench and treadmill at home that I want to use. Hopefully I will have the energy to do some cardio in the evening and have enough energy to lift at home in the morning with no meals before hand. Can't run in the morning in my condo because it is too loud. I hope lifting weights will enable me to loose weight with a lack of a cardio workout.

[Lady C]

You are just looking for excuses man! I will use a couple of sayings to get my point across. Where there is a will, there is a way! Make Time - It is just that simple. And it sounds like to me you are not willing. Come back when you have admitted that you want to change, you want help and HAVE TRIED everything. You can lead a horse to water but cannot make him drink.

[MrRob]

I alm looking for ways that people have done this with similar lifestyles. This a MAJOR lifestyle change. When I get home from work I am exhausted and have no energy to lift or run. So some have sugested the morning. Well in the morning I cannot run on the treadmill because it is load and my downstairs neighbors will complain about me running on their heads at 5:30 in the morning. SO lifting in the morning could be achieved but without fuel before hand I don't know how affective the workout will be.

Yes I have made allot of excuses and hopefully something will trigger to make me stick with the plan.

I just can't see how lifting weights will make me loose weight? This is something I have a mental block with. Up till 2 weeks ago I worked out for a month straight 3 times a week like recommended. I only did cardio once a week. I lost no weight, no changes in energy, belt size or anything and that depressing since I ahve read how allot of people have lost the most weight in the first month. Maybe its water weight but its something to show that you have achieved something and not for nothing. In the month stretch I was able to bench with 25lbs dumbells - pretty sad for a 33 year old male. Allot of people have mentioned that in the first month your strength wil lgain the most because your body has to adapt. Well I saw no change and thats why I keep looking for answers. Maybe I am lifting wrong. More likely its my diet but thats another thing I don't get.

Everyone is different but something has to work. Maybe I should just give up and except that I will remain FAT adn thats it. Maybe thats the best for everyone.

Thanks for all of your help and advice. I do want to change but yes I need all the help I can get.

[Cort]

Lift after work if you can't in the morning. Even if you're exhausted that feeling usually goes away once you get blood pumping. Worst case is you can get up at 5:40 and go for a jog outside...depending on your weather situation.

If you aren't losing weight while working out 3x a week and running once a week you should evaluate your eating habits because its likely they need a change.

To put it simply it takes planning. For me i have to have all my food that I eat outside the home prepared one to three days before i ever eat it.

I guess its just really decided by how much you want it and what you are willing to sacrifice. Determination is probably the most important factor.

[MrRob]

Whats wrong with this workout that produced no results?

Bench press - 4 sets
DB row on an inclide bench 4 sets
DB shoulder press - 4 sets
Squat - 3 sets (Knee started to hurt)
Leg curl - 3 somewhat sets - need a better way - bench not too good for them
Calf extension - 4 sets
Crunch - 4 sets of 10

[Cort]

Originally Posted by MrRob

Whats wrong with this workout that produced no results?

Bench press - 4 sets
DB row on an inclide bench 4 sets
DB shoulder press - 4 sets
Squat - 3 sets (Knee started to hurt)
Leg curl - 3 somewhat sets - need a better way - bench not too good for them
Calf extension - 4 sets
Crunch - 4 sets of 10

Results aren't determined only on your workout. The amount and quality of your sleep and your eating habits are both important.

[MrRob]

I don't sleep well at all. Maybe I need to take some Tylenol PM's.

I eat clean but not enough. But according to life I should loose weight by not eating enough calories.

7:00 AM morninstar sausage and 2 egg beaters on a whole wheat wrap plus a small container of orange juice. 380 Calories
12:00 grilled chicken on whole wheat or rye with mustard. (alternate days may be ham or other coldcut meat) 430 Calories
3:00 small fruit cup 70 calories
7:30 Steak or chicken with a veggie. 400 calories

Thats 1280 calories.

Cursor recommended that I eat Cottage sheese andn protein shakes. I would like a substitute for them since I am at work all day.

My goal is to LOOSE FAT WEIGHT. If I retain muscle then thats a plus.

I will try and start lifting again. Is there anything I should be doing to get me going in the right direction?

[cursor]

Do what you've indicated ... and do it with intensity and determination. After two weeks of following your plan, it might be time to sit down and re-evaluate.

[MrRob]

OK.

I will also start a journal writing down the daily foods and exercises.

Thanks

[Cort]

Originally Posted by MrRob

I don't sleep well at all. Maybe I need to take some Tylenol PM's.

I eat clean but not enough. But according to life I should loose weight by not eating enough calories.

7:00 AM morninstar sausage and 2 egg beaters on a whole wheat wrap plus a small container of orange juice. 380 Calories
12:00 grilled chicken on whole wheat or rye with mustard. (alternate days may be ham or other coldcut meat) 430 Calories
3:00 small fruit cup 70 calories
7:30 Steak or chicken with a veggie. 400 calories

Thats 1280 calories.

Cursor recommended that I eat Cottage sheese andn protein shakes. I would like a substitute for them since I am at work all day.

My goal is to LOOSE FAT WEIGHT. If I retain muscle then thats a plus.

I will try and start lifting again. Is there anything I should be doing to get me going in the right direction?

Eating that little could actually hinder fat loss on a workout program unless you have an abnormally slow metabolism.

[kungfu74]

Ok, I don't believe anybody mentioned this but since you are on a tight schedule you could try Guerilla Cardio essentially it's a VERY INTENSE 12 minute cardio session 4 minute warmup followed by 8 sets of 20 second sprints and 10 second rests and a 4 minute cooldown. If your a premier member you can find a good article about it under Cursor's Corner called Select Articles