Starting to get in shape.

[Guest Amanda Whyte]

About a month ago, I started getting really interested in loosing weight. I have never felt this way before. I have always been overweight and have lost weight before but just gained it back. But for some reason I really want to loose weight and get in shape this time. Coincidentally about a month ago is when I went to my first GT appointment. Hmmm???

The last time I weighed in was in October at my physical and I weighed 283. On the 12th I weighed 277 and today I weighed 273. This is just with watching what I eat and cutting down my portions. But now I am ready to start excersing. I have access to a gym at work but no trainer. Does anyone know where I can find some good workout pointers. I know I should do cardio one day then weights the next or something like that. Also I havent start HRT so should I work out according to what they say for men since that is my current bio-sex? If so, at what point should I switch from male oriented workouts to female oriented ones?

[Guest Megan_Lynn]

Hmm. I am all for loosing weight for sure. If I was you I would stay away from weights at all costs last thing you want is to build male musle mass. Best way is to do repedidtive excersizes to tone musles insted of bulcking up..Cardio is best for burning away fat and repeditive light weight stuff is great for toneing up musle. Even back in the days when I was still pretending to be male I would aviod weights at all costs last thing I wanted was to bulk up...These are my opions..

[Guest Lacey Lynne]

Rock on, honey!

As I so often say, getting in shape is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing anybody can do for their transition. I'm starting work now and don't have time to say much. If you want to slim down and shape up, do a female workout. Let me know if you want expert instruction on how to do so. I'll direct you to a book that will show you all you need to know. Several factors HAVE to be done right SIMULTANEOUSLY, but they're easy to learn and do.

Contrats!

Peace Lacey

[JJ]

Does your gym have a pool? Many consider swimming to be the best exercise there is. I did a modified commando swim for an hour to an hour and a half a day all summer and it is how I got my muscle strength back to the point I could walk and hike. It builds long, lean attractive muscle regardless of gender and in that hour and a half I burned more calories and could work at a higher cardio level than I can in 3 1/2 hours hiking.

Of course you have to build up to it. And you have to be very careful when you are overweight and not just toning up with any exercise program or regime because the weight can cause joint wear or serious damage which can plague you for life. And derail any exercise for awhile-so till you are near an appropriate weight for your height or have toned your muscles to support your joints please start with zero or very low impact exercises.

Johnny

[Guest Donna Jean]

.

Lizzy and I have been working out in the gym at our apartment 4-5 nights a week.....

When we first went, I could only do 3 sit-ups...

Now I can do 41......lol

Treadmill and bicycle....

We have a salt water pool, but, it's outside and we have to wait for better weather....

We'll be getting our bikes out of storage soon, too.....New Orleans is a GREAT place to bike...lots to see....and run into!

Dee Jay

[Guest Elizabeth K]

Gymwork? I do the cross-country ski machine - mainly for leg strength and upper thighs. It also gently tones your arms. Weights? Well a machine, the butterfly pull for the muscles behind the breasts (pecs - blush) . And sit-ups! Situps have really sculpted my body! Good stufff.

None of what I do really burns calories en masse but it forces my body to 'respect my dieting' by NOT going into 'starvation' mode. Women have that starvation mode tendancy - to protect the body fat deposits, so we can get pregnant and nurture a fetus, I think. Nevermind we don't have that capability - the estrogen thinks we do.

Lizzie

[Guest Karen K]

Amanda,

There have been many great tips here and I agree with them all. Swimming is best for both cardio and ease on joints. In fact with the right equipment, you can get a full body workout in the water.

http://www.lifescript.com/diet-fitness/articles/m/make_a_splash_8_pool_exercises_to_burn_fat_fast.aspx

As for land based cardio, I prefer the elyptical trainer. It's easier on the leg joints than the treadmill and also, with the arm movement, gets the heart rate up fast. I put my I-pod on and off I go, after 30 minutes, I have a good sweat going. As was said before, work up gradually.

Since I mentioned heart rate, a caution here: before starting a workout routine, talk with your physician and get a physical. Need I remind you of Jim Fix, who wrote The Complete Book of Running? He had always been over weight. One day he started walking. Moved up to jogging and very shortly dropped a lot of fat and got fit. Though there was a history of coronary heart disease in his family, he never saw a doctor, ever.

While on a book tour, touting the beifits of jogging, he went for his usual morning jog. he didn't come back. He was found, face down in the gutter. Dead at the age of 36 of a massive heart attack. So see your doctor and have a complete blood work up.

Laura Jane

[Guest Amanda Whyte]

Sorry guys, I let this thread drop some way. No pool here but they do have an eliptical. I saw my doctor and she gave me the green light but no road work. I have had problems with my knees already.

I went to my first Weight Watchers weigh in and have lost 4 pounds. I was very happy with that. The only problem I had was they said I wasnt eating enough. But with fresh fruits and vegetables being "free" I dont see how I could possible eat 52 points worth of food. To give you an example, a chicken fajita meal with rice and beans was 24 points. I could have 2 of those a day? I dont think so. I have decided to go with the amount of points my wife gets. A typical meal is a bagel thin with peanutbutter, a fruit, and coffee for breakfast, left overs from the night before for lunch (one day it was a cup of bow tie pasta with spinach and chicken) more fruit, and for supper a "diet" microwave meal at work, more fruit and some almonds (I love almonds). I dont think a day like that is too bad but that barely gets me to 30 points.