I'm too fat! :-)

[Tamchez]

I have been juggling between free weights and/or the machines at the gym... ( I finally got brave and joined a gym with my fiancee.. I think he's beautiful and doesn't need to workout.. but my self in the other hand.. that's a totally different story)... I know I bet to gain some muscles everywhere... I feel as though I have none.. I love doing cardio.. because it's easy for me and I feel like  if I get my heart rate up and keep it up for 20 min or more I'm doing something...(  I burn calories now instead of later seems like....) annyyywwhhooo... my fiancee keeps telling me"why do you keep busting your *** on the elliptical and treadmill when you need to lift weights.. SO I started just lifting weights. And going the machines, but I DON'T SWEAT NEARLY AS MUCH... am I doing the right thing by listening to him and just doing weights.. what do I do?  I'm 280 soaking wet :) and 5'7".. I'm 37 years old.. I want this weight off I've already lost 40 lbs,(yes I was 320 lbs last  year )by damn near starving myself, now it's time to get serious...I need to toss exercise in there some how but I'm unsure, what to do..

[cuzimdmom]

When I started working out with a friend who totally knew what he was doing in the gym, he would point out the people who were on the treadmill and laugh. He'd tell me that they were going nowhere, literally and physically. They'd spend so much time with such little results. I, personally, love to go on long walks but I completely understand what he was getting at. When you run for an hour on a treadmill, you burn for that hour. When you build muscle, you burn around the clock because muscle burns calories. So do both but know your greatest results are going to come from that muscle. I actually have been lagging in that area, lately, and am really excited to get back in the gym to work those muscles! Good luck!

[Tamchez]

Lol..thanks so much..I will try cardio classes at my gym soon...I feel like I'm doing good just going on in  there.. very difficult to get the courage up to go alone, seeing all those in shape people-like I should have been in there Years ago :-).... at least I'm trying.. and I am eating within my calorie "budget" ..when I work out in the morning I'm very conscious of what I put in my mouth.. this "diet diary" has really helped my hold myself accountable!

[mzrichee]

cardio helps you burn fat while weights help tone you up. i would do both. for example, if you go to the gym 5 days a week, i would set 2 of those days for focusing on weights or body sculpting exercises while the other 3 could be for cardio workouts. sometimes there are classes available at the gym for both those options, cardio and sculpting. cardio is excellent in that it gets your heart rate up easy. but be sure to change it up and get some interval workouts in while on the cardio machines. you don't want to go at a steady pace, mix it up. you burn more calories that way. if you're running on the treadmill, maybe warm up for 5 mins, then run easy for 2-3, then sprint for a min, and back down to easy for another 2-3... etc. whatever you do, mix it up. not only will it help your body burn more calories, but it would kill the time on the machine. and lastly, weight training is important... very important too actually. not only does it help with the toning, you build muscles too and we all know muscles burn more fat, so all the better.

good luck. you've already lost 40 lb, you can lose another 40 or 50 or however many more. don't let all that hard work go to waste. keep it up, eat healthy and stay focus and positive. remember, slow and steady is the way to go. it's a lifestyle change and not a magic pill overnight success. :)

[boz5886]

Tamchez, tell your b/f to butt out.
When you sweat, you lose.
Try some of those cardio classes as well.
You can burn blubber like crazy doing that stuff.