Exercise / Gym

My H does a lot of training for his job in the forces and the things i have learnt from him are:

Do lots of cardio for weight loss, about 45 mins at a time. Dont work yourself at maximum, work to 75% i think it is, of the maximum heart rate target. Interval running (walk run walk run etc.) is better than non stop. Cross trainer is the best machine to burn calories.

Ok so I have got up to 40 minutes cardio - 20 minutes on treadmill and 20 minutes on bike. I walk 2 minutes, run 1 minute and on the bike I sprint for 1 minute - does that sound about right?

From what he has taught sounds about right! If you can get on the cross trainer i would go for that too. I think it works the most muscles or something like that. Sorry i'm not putting this very eloquently. If he was here he could explain it all a lot better!

It makes sense to me! thank you

I hate the cross trainer with a passion, I am so un-coordinated! ?

What you're doing sounds pretty good to me, though I'd through some weight training into the mix (not massive big man weights or anything) to tone as well as shift weight. If you build a bit more muscle it'll make your cardio workouts more effective as well.

Something I found really helped was to write down the machine, distance, time and calories burned and try to beat my own achievement the following week - so for example I'd have Day 1: Cardiowave - 20 mins. 9.8km, 203 calories; Rowing Machine - 100 cal; 9:12 mins; 1500m and so on and the next week on Day 1 I'd try to get further or burn more calories in the 20 minutes or burn through my 100 cals faster. After you've been doing the same routine for 4-8 weeks change it because your body gets used to doing the same exercise over and over so becomes more efficient (therefore buring fewer calories).

I never thought I would hear (see) myself say (type) this but I really miss going to the gym. I used to do Body Attack on Mondays, Body Balance on Tuesday, Body Combat on Wednesdays, Body Jam on Thursdays and Body Pump on Fridays. I didn't do all the classes every week (that would take far too much dedication) but I tried to do at least 3 a week on the build up to the wedding. Body Pump is fab for toning up. I didn't lose that much weight (maybe 20lb altogether) but I definitely saw a difference in my body. Now I am just a pregnant heifer.

Good idea CG aboutu keeping a record of where I am, will do that from now I think. I cycle 5km in about 12 minutes which was taking 16 so I know I have improved. I did 60minutes of weights and toning last night, even using the big weights (from the big scary body builders section ?) and he has given me some I can do at home - how does this help with fat burning?

I love Body Pump, and also the NHS Couch to 5k!

It's amazing when you look back after a year or whatever and realise that the jog that used to leave you a big wheezing blob is now what you'd consider a warm up ?. Bigger muscles use up more energy to move (I think, I'm a bit sketchy on the science bit!) and just to fuel throughout the day so say if you've got 2 people who weigh 12 stone but one is mostly muscle and the other is mostly fat the more muscley one will burn more calories just doing everyday stuff. I think that's the idea anyway.

I have downloaded the C25K onto my Ipod, not tried it yet though ?

That is why I am focusing on my body fat % with my trainer I think CG - would make sense?

I think so - by concentrating on body fat rather than just weight loss your trainer is also making sure that any weight you're losing is actually fat and that you're not undereating to the point where you start losing muscle.