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<p>No I don’t. I’d cut my own hair if I thought I’d look okay. I do have my taxes done, but I need to replace the guy because the “expert” caused me to have to pay a penalty last year. Maybe because I’ve had little success with the experts, I don’t have much faith in them. I realize that this is hypocritical, because I need people to hire me for my expertise. (But I always consider myself as highly competent and as adding value.)</p>
<p>Missypie – Try the internet. Sites like [SELF</a> Magazine: fitness, nutrition, health and beauty advice: self.com](<a href=“http://www.Self.com%5DSELF”>http://www.Self.com) and others offer good advice, even videos on how to do various moves, and there is <em>no one</em> judging you. I don’t even like my <em>H</em> in the room when I’m working out so I feel for you. I guess I want it all to look effortless.</p>
<p>And thanks to this discussion, I’ve stepped up my routine (added in rowing, thanks ILoveagoodbrew…which I always figured meant he’s a coffee addict), and lost a couple of lbs in the last 2 weeks. So smooches all 'round, y’all.</p>
<p>Just like to say how much I have enjoyed this thread; thanks for starting it Missypie and thanks to all who have contributed. I have incorporated a few ideas I have found on here starting with those darn intervals and increasing my weights. Agree wih lots I have seen written but mostly that you need to change your routine up every four weeks or so. Muscles are smart at adapting and you need to keep challenging them.</p>
<p>Wishing we had a Wii fit…iced in, can’t get to loathed LA Fitness.</p>
<p>Missypie, I use this site as a motivator/faux personal trainer:</p>
<p>[Free</a> Diet Plans at SparkPeople](<a href=“http://www.sparkpeople.com/]Free”>http://www.sparkpeople.com/)</p>
<p>they have articles, routines, videos, message boards, experts, dietitians, they’ll track your calories and tell you how many calories you’re expending through exercise…making sure you’re eating enough or too much.</p>
<p>I march a bit to my own drummer, I hated gyms and machines and latest exercise dvds…but I was totally out of shape and finding myself unable to walk downstairs or pick things up without effort. I was miserable. I didn’t want to do ‘exercise’. Then I bought a good rebounder, tons of 80’s music and just danced like, well it’s the 80’s.(Because of this, I can now run 6 miles at a great clip outside) For strength training I chopped wood, used a punching bag and recently have discovered kettlebells. Kettlebells are like having your very own marine sgt at your beck and call to whip you into shape. My philosophy is if you HAVE to exercise,make it work. If you want to become strong, do what is going to make you feel like a beast.</p>
<p>There’s an exercise out there for everyone, you just have to find one that works for you. If you don’t like the idea of someone dictating to you then challenge yourself. Lots of things will work, on my 50th bday I’m making all my girlfriends play paintball. They won’t have a clue that they’ll be burning off almost a whole pound for the day. Also remember that your body becomes used to routines, you’ll start to burn less as your body becomes efficient at whatever it is.</p>
<p>I know you don’t want to lose weight per se, I just found that after years of dieting, I had always been eating too few calories and was sabotaging myself, not getting enough fuel for my muscles. I also mentioned kettlebells because they are both cardio and strength training at the same time. I think they could really help your training. I know the military loves them for this reason.</p>
<p>@DMD: You’ve hit in several reasons why it’s important to do strength exercises as well as cardio. And Hekau has shown that there are many ways to combine these and some fun ways as well – or at least variations that reduce boredom. I don’t find most of the exercise I do to be fun, to be sure; though bike riding is fun (not stationary biking), and getting to know some of the regulars at the gym also makes the activity less solitary (with people on their machines with earplugs listening to music or watching TV in their own little worlds). I avoid “classes,” because I don’t need that as a motivator. So it’s basically “man and machine” stuff. However, I do get some true enjoyment out of being more active and more mobile (if only it would reduce hair loss…).</p>
<p>There’s another thread going here about losing those extra seasonal pounds, in which 90% of the posts that I read concerned diet, while exercise (cardio and strength training) was hardly mentioned. The three together are part of a health suite that reinforce one another. It’s probably true on the whole that watching what you eat and drink will be responsible for a majority of the weight loss, but using exercise to add muscle and reduce fat also affects your metabolism rate as well as burns calories directly.</p>
<p>But after half an our on the treadmill, when I’m all sweaty and out of breath, the machine says I’ve burned something like 110 calories…what is that? Two Girl Scout cookies? It’s so much easier to just not eat the Girls Scout cookies than to drive somewhere, huff and puff and sweat on a treadmill and then drive home and shower.</p>
<p>Missy: after half an hour, it’s more like 300 calories for me because I’m moving more weight (mine) and probably also going faster/harder on the machine.</p>
<p>If I work out 5 days a week at that rate (I really am not able to work more than three days in a row), then I burn close to 1/2 a pound in calories just on the treadmill. It’s cumulative. But more important, I am healthier, stronger, more agile so I have gained something more for my effort than just burned calories.</p>
<p>I love Girl Scout cookies. But because I have learned how hard I have to work out to burn off those empty calories, I find it easier to “just say no.” It’s as if I say, “Cookies? Dare I start? Could I have just 1? Is it worth 20 minutes on the treadmill?” Same with rich deserts generally. Except around the holidays…</p>
<p>My gym has trainers that are included in the fee- and the fee is very reasonable. They also are very nice- they work there because they want to see people get & stay in shape= not because they are smug.
Yes they are closer to my daughters age than mine- but they aren’t Greek gods.
I know scheduling is a problem. I used to go in the morning, but as most of the people were either elderly or young moms who had recently given birth, I had no competition.
I like going when the guys who are in their 30’s go, as I then have more incentive ;)</p>
<p>I think all of the LA Fitness employees are commisioned salesmen in shorts.</p>
<p>^ That’s true, missypie. However, I look at it this way (esp re: the free instruction): if this person is giving me something I want (improved techiques for better fitness/appearance) then I’m satisfied. Their attitude is their issue – as long as they give me what I want (in my case, info without charge, lol) then that’s okay w/me. Not everyone shares this approach, though! :-)</p>
<p>Btw–I also lose weight quickly by not eating. But, cardio provides overall health benefits & the weight stays off longer (metabolism runs faster) than by eating less.</p>
<p>THe calories burned calculations on machines are not at all accurate. A good rule of thumb is 100 calories a mile. This varies by efficiency and other factors, but it gives you a general idea. If you run 10 minute miles, you can count on about 600 calories in an hour. I know I can put that back on really fast!</p>