Newbie fitness advice ?

I just moved into a nice apartment complex and they happen to have a state of the art fitness center...being a newbie at trying to get fit..I have a question for you fitness buffs . how the hell do I get started ? I know I need to start slow and work my way up to the harder stuff like weight machine..I dont want to injure myself but I want to get it going ..

I have tried out the treadmill and the bike ..but what next ? any help would be greatly appreciated ..and please be kind.. I have been walking every day and I love it. I mean I live in the perfect neighborhood for it but I want more ...Ive lost alot of weight but just not enough its time to tone..lol

What are you looking to do? Weight loss only? That'll be cardio mostly. Weight loss and tone? That's cardio again, including light weights.Nevertheless, when working with weights, you can't do the same routine everyday. Anyhow, in my opinion and it has worked for me, make a long term goal for yourself. Because the short-term goals usually lead to failure.

Oh..and one more thing...caffeine pills.get them...very affordable....don't bother with the supplement energy crap, because they mostly consist of caffeine anyhow.

weight loss and some toning , Ive been losing slowly because I have heard if you lose real fast it tends to come back on you full force..I do have a screwed up back (herniated disk lower back L5.) so I do need to be somewhat careful ...

Take in lots of extra protein....Lol

Take in lots of extra protein....Lol Originally Posted by Russ38

Im sure you wouldnt mind helping me with that

Stay focused on your goal....Hard work with determination goes a long way.
Good luck... :-)

Cause of ur back..stick with jogging....slow....for example, on treadmill,I'd stay at 5 setting....besides, jogging is the best way to lose the pounds.....

Invest in a professional trainer and make a definite lifestyle change.

Invest in a professional trainer and make a definite lifestyle change. Originally Posted by Alyssa XOXO

Great Tip from Alyssa.

The guidance of a trainer will save you from injuries, it will make your initial effort a lot more productive and your learning curve a lot shorter.

Fitness is not a destination but a journey and a very rewarding one. Unlike many other things in life, with this one you have full control because it depends entirely on you and only you.

As with everything else in life...intensity and passion will make a huge difference.

And lastly but not the least No matter how much determination you put it, remember that indulging once a week is perfectly ok and necessary ;-)

Go for it you will never be sorry of such decision.

My 2 cts to your plan.... if you do a full month 6 days a week - I will sponsor an indulging and lavish lunch/dinner

K

Great Tip from Alyssa.

The guidance of a trainer will save you from injuries, it will make your initial effort a lot more productive and your learning curve a lot shorter.

Fitness is not a destination but a journey and a very rewarding one. Unlike many other things in life, with this one you have full control because it depends entirely on you and only you.

As with everything else in life...intensity and passion will make a huge difference.

And lastly but not the least No matter how much determination you put it, remember that indulging once a week is perfectly ok and necessary ;-)

Go for it you will never be sorry of such decision.

My 2 cts to your plan.... if you do a full month 6 days a week - I will sponsor an indulging and lavish lunch/dinner

K Originally Posted by 4karlos

All that bullshit aside....no substitute for chemicals.

But seriously.....usually a combination of cardio and light resistance training will yield the results your looking for however, with a lower back injury you have to be extremely careful not to re-injure yourself again. About 4-5 years ago I herniated 3 disks in my lower back and underwent 8 grueling weeks of spinal decompression therapy as an alternative to surgery. The safest way for you and your back may be paying for a few session with an experienced personal trainer to teach you the proper form when using weights to avoid aggravating an old back injury.

AofH, you want to be very careful with a screwed-up back. Get a trainer but be very selective. A bad trainer is worse than no trainer.

R38, did decompression therapy fix it for good or is that something that you will have to do on a regular basis?

R38, did decompression therapy fix it for good or is that something that you will have to do on a regular basis? Originally Posted by cabletex7

I haven't had any problems since completing the therapy but I'm a lot more cautious these days.....at that time my insurance didn't cover the procedure because it was still considered experimental so I had to cover it out of pocket and it wasn't cheap by any means but it prevented me from having to undergo surgery.

Thanks for all the advice and trust me I'm very careful when it comes to my back , years ago before I knew what was really wrong with my back I went to a personal trainer at 24 hour fitness...well needless to say the next day I couldn't walk had to have a friend call an ambulance and go to the hospital that's when I found out why I had been in so much pain for so long, he told me to never ever do that shit again unless the trainer knew...