Trying to get in shape, will this do it?

[mccollins]

I am the kind of person who has never really worked out regularly. I really want to get in shape for the summer but I feel kind of like its hopeless...

I always seem to mess up on my diet and I'm not sure how I can keep it under control...any suggestions?

Also I am not sure if I am doing enough as far as exercise. I have been working out every other day. Here is my routine:

I start with 20mins of cardio by alternating between the treadmill and the elliptical ( I run for 5mins walk for 2mins then do the elliptical for 5mins and switch back and forth.)

Then I do wall sits, three sets for 2mins each.

Then I do three sets of hip raises for as long as I can hold it

Then 3 sets of 15 crunches

And then 3 sets of 15 squats with weights.

And I finish by doing a plank for a minute

Is that enough? I really want to go from a size 6 to a size 4 before the end of the summer

[Prof_Don]

This answer is long but useful...I promise. :)

I like the workout that you constructed. The only thing I would change about the routine itself is the fact that you have no upper-body work (as in above the abs; chest, shoulders, arms, etc.).

Also...don't forget to change-up your routine every few weeks to keep your body from "adapting". Use heavier weights for the squats, do more reps/sets, hold your wall sits & planks for longer, go longer on the elliptical, or change up the circuit that you do altogether.

When it comes to my food/drink intake (I hate the word "diet"; the words denotes temporary change)...I simply follow these rules:

1) almost every food & drink MUST have solid nutritional value (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants [i hate how that word's overused lol], phytochemicals, protein, good fat, good carbs, substantial amounts of fiber, etc)

2) if the food has no nutritional value (aka "junk"), get a "healthier" version if possible:

"plain" (aka unsweetened iced tea or black coffee)

baked

reduced sugar

sugar-free

no sugar added

no HFCS

"made with real sugar" (kinda pathetic that's a healthy statement nowadays, huh? lol)

diet [I read the label b4 I buy it]

packed in water/juice rather than oil/syrup

reduced sodium

hint of salt

sodium free

diluting my Kool-Aid with 2 parts water

no trans fat [I actually read the ingredients to see if it has any]

Except for dairy products, I'm not really into "reduced fat"...I'd rather have the fat than the added sugar.

3) If there is no "healthier" augment, eat/drink a small amount. 2 servings @ the most.

4) I RARELY add salt to my food after it's done cooking.

5) 8 glasses of liquid (bubbly drinks, energy drinks & coffee counts as 1/2 because of dehydration factor), combined with water content in your food, is plenty of H2O for your sexy body. :)

6) When it comes to binging for junk..."binge complete, binge few". That means when you have a severe craving, give in to it COMPLETELY (no healthier augments), then It will disappear instead of nagging you for weeks. I usually do this with big burgers & ice cream. One B&J pint or one double cheeseburger with fries...craving is gone for weeks or months.

7) I do drink alcohol; I simply try to primarily drink liquor, dry wine & light beer. Alcohol @ 7 cals/gram is already empty calories. Since I know I need (not want lol) to munch when I'm under the influence, I try to avoid consuming too many empty carbs in my alcohol. I noticed most light beers are so weak on the alcohol content. The ones that are the best balanced between low cals, low net carbs & solid alcohol content are Coors Light & Michelob Ultra.

8) Most importantly...following the above, there is no food or drink that I feel is "bad" & have to avoid. Binge occasionally, eat primarily nutritional foods, continue your (constantly changing) workouts...& you should be good. :)

[ArtistBboy]

Toning is more about the burn of the exercise and what you eat, than it is about the workout plan itself.. You could have the best plan in the world, but if your not doing it right - it won't give you the maximum rewards.

If you can manage the diet, just make sure your workout is giving you the sense of a burn. If it's not, then try and adjust it to where it is.. maybe add more resistance, or try things like slow-training.. But over-all, I think the mere fact that your going after what you want is good.. Don't make your goal so intense, cause either way, if you are going to the gym - then your GONNA look even better before summer.. Just mere logic in that last sentence.. But it's true!

~ ArtistBBoy

[vmw2008]

If you can afford it, I've always been a huge fan of beach body workout videos. I've done so many of them to keep from getting bored, like P90X, hip hop abs, etc. I'm currently doing Leandro's Brazil Butt Lift. They set up a plan for you and include all of the proper cardio and strength training you need. I'm kind of like you in that I've never been overweight, but I was starting to lose tone or getting to be a bit too curvy. I've been doing this last plan for about 2 months and have lost about 10 lbs. So it's something to think about.

As for the diet, those plans often come with a diet to follow, but I don't usually. Common sense is always the best. Pass on white carbs, easy on the grease and fats, get things grilled not fried, and limit your sugar/junk food. Cheating is fine, you need to cheat every once in a while to keep from feeling deprived. Just make sure you stay within the recommended calorie limit for your height/weight/age most days and a little cheating won't hurt. Good luck!

[janelle615]

Sounds like a good plan.Just eat right and be consistent! I went to the gym for two months and lost 13lbs! Now, I am getting INSANE with insanity to lose inches and tone! Day 6! Wohoo! Good luck!

[Aikapan]

First of all... you are in shape already!

then you are much more in shape than lots others!

then you are sexy though too!

and then, if you wanna improve all that, I recommend everyone kung fu, wing tsun or similar stuff. maybe even tricking (your muscles are getting dynamic, strong, but not big, and you actually use your muscles (cardio, and "gym stuff" is nice, and important too, but to actually form your "machine" you should really USE them, as example in martial arts, tricking, trampoline, and so on...)

hope that helped :)

[Aikapan]

(you also get even more confidence, you get to know your body more and more. in my case, it changed my life :D)

[Voltaire]

That's more than most people would do, so it's not bad. More running probably wouldn't hurt, especially if it's every other day. Maybe like 2 miles or 20 minutes of running, whichever comes first, to start with, and work up. The cardio is probably the most important part, even though it sucks the most.

[girlknowsbest65]

this sounds like a good workout plan. just make sure that you switch up your exercise routines and the muscles you're working on.

[Spacemen3]

Aren't you in shape already?

[mccollins]

I want to be in better shape lol I am thin but I have no tone