Workout questions (best time and type of workouts).

42andatowel42andatowel United StatesSilver Member Posts: 325
Fitness/Exercise is still a big red for me.  I want to put together a plan so I can kick it off with back-to-school in September.

I've tried intermittently since January and could just never get a good routine together that I would stick with.  I tried a pushup, situp, squat program for about a month, I tried some dumbbell exercises for a few weeks, I tried a couple of different body-weight type programs for a couple weeks each.  I just never seemed to be able to keep up with it.

In the past what worked best for me was 3 days a week a the gym with a personal trainer.  However, I don't think I can afford the cost of the trainer right now.  So I'm just looking for some general all-around advice/suggestions.

1.  When do you workout? (Morning, Lunch, After work, night, weekends)
2.  Where do you workout? (Home, Gym, Trainer, Crossfit, etc.)
3.  If I go the gym route do I need a personal trainer?
4.  If I choose the at home route, what do I really need equipment wise?
5.  Can anyone recommend a good at-home program?

Schedule wise for me the easiest would be to find three nights a week to go to the gym for an hour, but that would also be the most prone to getting skipped?

Thanks in advance.

Comments

  • nubbynubby Right HereSilver Member Posts: 1,964
    @42andatowel I'm the opposite. I can always find something at home to do rather than working out. I got a membership at my community college and lift there. It's fully equipped and well maintained. 

    I usually go during the day just after normal lunch hour for day workers when it isn't too busy. Once I'm there I don't have any reason not to work out like I would find at home. 

    I usually work side jobs in the evening so I'm pretty much left with time to take a long walk with my wife and the dog. 
    You have to do what's best for you. You also have to make it as much a priority as going to work or eating etc. 

    I figured when I first started lifting my wife would be upset that I was gone for a couple hours and not helping around the house. Boy was I wrong. She fully supported it from the get go. 
    42andatowel
  • MariaMaria EuropeCategory Moderator** Posts: 5,323
    edited August 4
    I always wanted to work out, bought dumbbells and other stuff to to work out at home and didn't keep up with it.
    I bought gym memberships, chose gyms where I could come anytime I wanted, because I thought this flexibility would help me stay on board. Nope.
    I joined running groups with friends, thought, they would keep me accountable. Worked only for a couple of months.

    Now I've been working out constantly three times a week, come rain come shine, for more than a year. I only skipped twice and that was because I was sick.

    What worked for me was a combination of finding something that I really love AND fixed hours.

    1. I pay for the whole year and can attend any of the training sessions. They are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 6 to 7:30 in the evening.  I decided to come to all three weekly trainings, period. Scheduled it in my calendar and that's it.
    2. Krav MAga at the police sports union.


    _____________________________________________________________________________
    If you want us to be unapologetically feminine, be unapologetically masculine.
    42andatowel
  • forestleafforestleaf At the farmGold Women Posts: 1,703
    For me, I absolutely have to workout first thing in the morning or it's not gonna get done, and I have to work out at home.  Evening workouts just get skipped.  Going to a gym takes up too much time for me.  Owning our own workout equipment means no monthly fees, too. 

    I used to start/stop workout or exercise programs regularly just as @Maria described.  Then when I started this morning thing it became completely addictive.  I also used the be the kind of person who couldn't pull myself out of bed early.  Now I just do it no matter what.  I think there is one key to it: do it every single day.  That creates the habit.  So if you're only lifting weights three times a week, go jogging or do HIIT on your other days.  Do something every. single. day.
    42andatowelIvyLittlejoe
  • amblrgirlamblrgirl ATXSilver Member Posts: 1,328
    I workout in the mornings (before I have a chance to get derailed by other things). I prefer the gym and I like working with a trainer. It gives me accountability, helps me keep me interested because we're always doing new stuff, and my trainer pushes me harder than I would on my own. But they can be expensive. My trainer is moving and he mentioned that he will be offering online training. I think there are several services that offer that and it's much cheaper than in-person training. May be worth checking out if using a trainer has worked well for you in the past.

    If you prefer in-person training, you might book just once a week with a gym trainer to keep you accountable and motivated while keeping costs down. Many trainers are willing to assign you workouts on the days you're not with them. And if you let them know that you need the accountability, they'll even have you bring in your food/exercise log when they meet with you.

    As @nubby said, the key for me (especially early on) was to make workouts a priority. I really had to make the time.
    amblrgirltx@gmail.com
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    42andatowelBlueWolf
  • fredlessfredless Silver Member Posts: 2,842
    crossfit for me.  shared group pain.  almost always in the evening as I work off the stresses of the day.

    PaladinBlueWolf
  • RorschachRorschach "Just ask the axis ..."Silver Member Posts: 1,458
    Really it's a matter of what you can do, factored in with what you enjoins are likes to do. I LOVE weights. So doing it is no problem. Ideally I would train at about 10:30 a.m. But I have a job like the rest of us. I used to train at night. Then DD was born. So, now I work out at 6:00 in the morning.
    BlueWolf
  • BlackwulfBlackwulf Leading the pack. Silver Member Posts: 1,782
    I work out at home 3-4/week,  I have the space in my basement for 500 sq feet devoted to weights, power rack, barbells, etc. I also like my alone time and my kids come out and hang out/workout too on the weekends.  
    BlueWolf
  • PaladinPaladin USASilver Member Posts: 88
    Here is what I do:

    1.  When do you workout? (Morning, Lunch, After work, night, weekends) Work out 6 days a week. M-5 5pm-630pm/ Sat. I work out 9-1030am
    2.  Where do you workout? (Home, Gym, Trainer, Crossfit, etc.) I strictly do Crossfit. Its varied and allows me to use the fitness elsewhere. 
    3.  If I go the gym route do I need a personal trainer? No, I have had trainers before. I think with determination and drive, you can do the same on your own. Many people crossfit in their own homes. Its about the output of energy... If you can talk after working out or during it, you arent doing it right. 
    4.  If I choose the at home route, what do I really need equipment wise? Honestly, I think the first thing people need are good running shoes. Start there. Run 1 mile as hard as you can for 1 week. Add a 1/4 mile a week ( week 2, you are running 1.25 miles as fast as possible, etc)... Start there. If you cant beat your time from previous day, then stay at that mileage til you can. The Lbs will start coming off if you combine this with diet.  Then slowly, start adding in weights and or crossfit. Get to a stable starting point, then tackle the strength. 
    5.  Can anyone recommend a good at-home program? Honestly, as much as i hated it, the P90x programs were good. Felt like a damn pyramid scheme with the shakeolgy stuff, but it literally is a great program if oyu do it daily. But just getting up and running is a perfect place to start. 

    #6 by me.... Fix your diet first. After hitting the gym religiously for last 10 years ( 5 of regular gym, 5 of crossfit)... You cannot ever outwork a bad diet. Until this year, I ate however i thought worked. I ate Paleo ( made me weak)... low carb etc... none of that worked for me. I started counting macros and boom, down to 12%BF in a few months. Abs are popping and i get lots of compliments. I swear that 85% of looking better is diet, and 15% is working out. Swear by it. A really fit buddy told me that one time and i didnt listen til this year. And its true. 
    42andatowel
  • ddadddad Silver Member Posts: 791
    When I had a gym available at the office Lunch workouts were best.  I could snack through the day and get a good 45 minute workout in without being missed.  When I had a site assignment and was living away from home evenings worked because after work there were no demands on my time. 

    When I am home I find no one is looking for me early (very rarely if they need a ride to an early activity/practice).  So then early is the best for me.  Like a few have said it is you need to have the determination get it done.

    I agree with Generalzod about the stronglifts.  I did that for 18 months until an unrelated injury.  Great results, easy to get started, easy to follow.  I worked with a trainer to rehab and develop my program to go to the next level and the new program still has about 80% of the stronglifts program as it's core.  These really are the best lifts.
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