Looking for workout recommendations - gym routines, cardio schedules, DVD (The Firm, Tae Bo, etc), machines. What works for you and why? Especially looking for ways to make quick progress but also for ways to avoid boredom.

What workout works out (no pun intended ) for you?

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

I love Tae-Bo, always have, and I always see results, I really need to start working out again, just can't seem to get the time, energy or motivation yet....We also have a Treadmill that I would like to get rid of for an elliptical machine. I have one of the Firm sets, but they are still in plastic, so no help there......We do have some of the dance workouts like hip hop abs, and I think those are fun to break up the boredom.....

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"You can never really pay back. You can only pay forward."

Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes

O-H-I-O

I have just started doing Jazzercise and it's pretty good - as far as workouts go. I hate to workout.

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

Nothing I do at home really "sticks" with me...

I need to go to the gym. I like classes because the boredom factor is low. I like Step Class. It's cardio but not too intense. I have asthma so I can't do something like tae bo because I puff away on my inhaler the whole time. Body Pump and Yoga I like as well. I try to do 2 classes a week and do a different once each time. I also like the elliptical and treadmill. I use these while in the "theatre" room of our gym. They play a different movie in there every day. It really helps me keep going (and usually longer than I normally would because I'm wrapped up in the movie).

For home, I have a kick bag and I like that when I'm angry LOL My kids use it too. If my elliptical had a TV near it and earphone capability (so I can hear without cranking it up so loud), I would use it more.

good luck!

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

I have been going to the YMCA- They have a program where you can work with a trainer to set up a work out/weight lifting plan. It is nice because it is tailored to you.

I am not a home work out person- I wish I had room for an elliptical.

I started going to Curves for Women about 3 years ago. I feel better and don't ache so bad now. I go right after work so I don't have an excuse that I don't want to go out.. I lost 15 lbs. but gained back 5 last year at Thanksgiving. I like to snack too well.

I absolutely see results with Pilates. The workout I use takes only 20 minutes a day and can see results in just a few weeks. I use the Winsor Pilates. I just put in the DVD -- no equipment necessary. Then I do some small weight lifting for my arms. I have neck problems, so I have to be really careful about lifting. Then I'll go to the basement and walk on my treadmill a few times a week.

I used to go to the gym and really loved it, but it was such a hassle getting dressed, driving 20 minutes to get there and then driving back, it got boring after a while. And now with the MRSA outbreak, I'm kind of leery about using other people's equipment anyway.

I really enjoy my WATP DVD's. You break a sweat and get a great workout at your own pace. You can use handweights for a full body workout too.

Selena

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God is not Santa Claus

What is WATP?

__________________
"You can never really pay back. You can only pay forward."

Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes

O-H-I-O

Yoga for me. It builds strength and flexibility. Then you just feel better and healthier and calmer and in turn eat better.

I also walk. Outdoors mostly - then to the mall in the really bad weather.

I think it's 'Walk Away The Pounds'; a DVD workout series with Leslie Sansone.

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l/ l/ l/
Dont go through life,
GROW through life

Real eyes...realize...real lies.

I second the Yoga vote. If I start out the day with a basic Yoga workout and follow it on the elliptical or something else, I feel better all day. Centered somehow.
I am trying to learn a workout with a fitness ball, but being a "women of size" it's tough. But I won't give up. I'll just keep falling off the ball.

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Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass
It's about learning to dance in the rain.

The treadmill is my best friend. I have The Firm DVD's and will be giving them to my sister when I see her at christmas, because I've never stuck to it, but I go running everyday on my treadmill, 2-3 miles a day and that works like nothing else. Just make sure you get an MP3 player with good music.

I can no longer work out without it having to have a secondary advantage...

For example, I do volunteer work at a ranch (muck and walk horses), the local dog shelter (take dogs for walks), or take my own dog for a walk.

As I've gotten older, it just seems that working out for the sake of working out doesn't satisfy me emotionally. Plus, I have a hard time setting aside the time of the day. I guess I'm non-conventional in this aspect but it really works for me and has brought me a lot of satisfaction.

This would probably be hard for someone who works 9-5; especially through the Winter unless you do it at lunch hour???

I am going to add some sort of ab routine crunches to my own music for awhile each day.

Hope that helps?

Sounds like a good routine for you given your interests...and that's really all that matters...but anything involving animals would not be motivating at all for me.

I love to work out and no matter how much I moan and groan about it, I can honestly say that I have never left the gym and said "Dang, I wish I didn't do that!". I am finding, however, that my ability to run long distances many times a week really started to fall off after age 45. I need something to replace it...I think a cardio and weight workout is probably the way to go for me. Because I tend to work out hard, it is somewhat difficult for me to think of any walking routine as a workout, if that makes any sense, but it seems to work for so many people.

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

Someone recommended an "08 Minute Core Workouts: Abs, Arms, Thighs, Buns & Stretch" DVD to me awhile back and it is kind of fun because you target different areas of your body for 8 minutes each and can change it up as you like. I think they have been posted on You Tube too so you could check it out if it works... Inexpensive at: Sports/Recreation - 08 Minute Core Workouts: Abs, Arms, Thighs, Buns & Stretch Not Rated / BayView Entertainment / DVD

Our local library has a card catalog online. Sometimes, I'll get in a workout tape groove and start researching at Amazon then after finding ones that are highly rated, I'll go the library card catalog and add them to my *hold* list. They email me when they come in at the library. Maybe this would be something fun to check into???



I guess my point regarding the exercising animals is that I feel that *I* personally need to do something that has dual purpose and/or is on the creative side because of my personality and level of busy-ness at this point in my life -- I understand that we are all different though. The animals were an example of how I have changed up my workout routine after years of doing exercise tapes, power walking, etc.

I wear a pedometer everyday. I try to get in at least 10,000 steps. I also do two miles on my treadmill about four days a week, and lift weights twice a week. I have a treadmill at home and weights. As soon as I get home from work, I change my clothes, and do my workout right then. So, I have no excuses.
I did step class at our local YMCA for about eight years, but I really like being able to work out at home. My daughter and I also did Pilates for an entire summer and neither of us saw much as far as results...

I love my treadmill. Walk for one hour Monday thru Friday plus walk outside daily year round. On the weekends dh and I walk 2 hours. The last month we have started to pick up trash on one of our walks daily. It is sad how much trash people throw out.

Thanks I was racking my brain, and for the life one me just couldn't figure out what that was

__________________
"You can never really pay back. You can only pay forward."

Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes

O-H-I-O

This is what I do:

Mondays- 20 min on the treadmill.
Tuesday- 20 min on the treadmill (This week I am going to try a triathlon class at the gym)
Wed- butts and guts at the gym (45 min of butt and abs) then 20 min on the treadmill
Thrus- more treadmill
Fri- Kick Boxing class

Usually I run mon or tues (not both). I have been going to the gym for 2 month and just started running 2 weeks ago. I have already gone down 1 belt hole and my stamina is much better. The kick boxing has done wonders to my strength. I can now hurt DH when I hit him (he lets me punch him once a month in the arm to see how much stronger I have gotten. Got to love the man). I can also kick as hard as my Dad when we use the bag in Kick boxing.


It really helps that I have a workout buddy. My Dad got me started going and used to get on my case when I stayed home. Its fun working out with him. We have gotten closer since we started spending 4 hours in the same building (even though we we only take kick boxing together).

My routine looks a little complicated, but it's really not. It is kinda time consuming though, 60-90 minutes/day, five days a week. But, it's what it takes to keep me in the shape that I want to be in.

Here's what I do:
M-W-F - 30 minutes of Cardio. Often broken up into 15 minute segments on two machines (helps with the boredom); 15ish minutes of stretching, sit-ups, push-ups and balance work; 25ish minutes of weights*.
Tues is my easy day. 45 minutes of cardio (normally on the bike) and then 15ish minutes of stretching, sit-ups, push-ups and balance work.
Thursday is class day. 20-30 minutes of slightly lighter than usual cardio and 10ish minutes of stretching, push-ups and balance work (times depend on how much time I have). Then 15 minute abs class (very intense) and 30 minutes cario kick-boxing class. I love the kick-boxing. I think it should be called percussive therapy. Great workout, great stress reliever and a lot of fun.

*For the weights, I had a trainer at the gym put together a workout for me (which is free a couple of times a year at my gym). I was very specific about what I wanted to accomplish - in terms of activities I do and want to be able to do, including things like carry a 50 pound duffle bag through the airport and wrestle my 8 foot ladder in from the garage at 3am to change smoke alarm batteries - the amount of time that I had and the fact that I've got a twitchy back and a cranky knee. My weights workout is mostly pyramid sets (three sets of eight reps, increasing the weight for each rep) starting with large muscle groups and moving on to the smaller muscle groups. I do both upper and lower body specific weights both using machines and some free weights. I don't do any specific core exercises other than my sit-ups, but the weight machines that I use help out with my core enough that I don't have to do anything else. The workout is fairly intense, especially at first, but it's pretty quick to get through (which is what I wanted). I saw results right away and, as I progress (increasing the weight levels) I continue to see progress.

If you have the opportunity to join a gym, I would recommend that. And get a trainer to design a workout for you based on exactly what you need, want and can do. It might not be free, but one session with a personal trainer usually isn't that much and you get the added benefit of making sure that you're doing all of the exercises properly, using the equipment correctly, etc.
I find that I'm able to get a better workout and stick with it better when I go to the gym and build that time into my routine (I go on my way home from work). Also, the fact that I've met a lot of people there and we take time to chat with each other helps keep me accountable to going. To help with the boredom factor, I use my iPod. Lots of fast music with new playlists every couple of weeks to help me get through the cardio. Podcasts and podiobooks to listen to while I'm doing everything else.