Helping Hand Alongside Gym...

Lilee

Morning all,

I'm overweight (size 22 on bottom, 18/20 on top, 5ft 3, and 23 years old) and have joined the gym. My membership starts on Monday. I eat relatively well and walk a lot, but from experience, can only really lose weight from intensive training in the gym.

I have some goals - the long term one being to get down to a healthy weight and size for my frame, and the short term one being to look as fabulous as I can manage for my friend’s wedding in July. I want to really wow my friends and family (they all live over in England and I won't see them between now and then).

My question is - while i'm more than prepared to put in all the hard work and commitment of the gym, is there anything else I can be doing at the same time to help things? Obviously eating right etc are a given. But are there any supplements I would benefit from taking in tandem with the gym?

Also, since I figure i've a substantial amount of weight to lose, i'm worried about my skin not shrinking back down. Would it be beneficial to find a really good moisturiser to be using all over my body on a daily basis (rather than the half assed attempts after a shower I do at the moment!) to help it's elasticity?

Thanks in advance,

Lilee

Racing Flat

With 5 full months between now and the wedding, you've enough time to make a significant change. I'll let others more expert than me advise you on specific diet and exercise, but the main thing I'd say is BE CONSISTENT. Whatever exercise you chose, do it regularly, eg set yourself a goal of going to the gym at least 5 times a week and make this a major priority in your life. ie if you get home late from work some evening, rather than having negative thoughts thinking you're tired and it's too late, you'll go tomorrow instead, just try not to think about it - just force yourself to go and by the time you're there you'll be happy enough, by the time you get home you'll be delighted.

To be consistent like this you might need to plan ahead a bit - if people are going out straight from work on Wednesday, you have to get up earlier than normal to exercise that day, or swap your day off to Wednesday that week. I think this consistency is the key. Whatever exercise, if you are working fairly hard, and your diet is reasonably good you'll get the results. Try to be consistent with the diet aswell. Maybe say 'no more scones at coffee break', 'eat out/takeaway max twice a week' type of thing so you have a bit of structure. The odd fall off the wagon diet or exercise wise isn't anything to worry about if overall you are consistently doing the right things.

I'd doubt if moisturises would help but don't know anything about it really.

I'd suggest getting in touch with Rainbow Kirby (I hope she doesn't mind me saying). She has lost 3 stone in the last few months IIRC and has a training log over in the Athletics/Running/Triathlon forum.

Best of luck, and keep picturing everyone's face when they see the new you in July - that will be so worth it, so put up with the 5 months of hard work.


Edit - in relation to a helping hand to the gym, I'm not sure if thsi would suit you, meeting and training with other women, mainly through walking and running I think:

http://www.womensminimarathon.ie/race_preparation/group__training.54.LE.asp

http://womensmeetandtrain.blogspot.com/2007/04/were-to-meet-and-train-by-popular.html

One in Santry, Chapelizod and Phoenix Park all might be near you. The timeline might be good too as they usually look for new people and get lots of beginners this time of year, with view to training for the Womens mini-marathon in June.

Lilee

Racing Flat wrote: »

With 5 full months between now and the wedding, you've enough time to make a significant change. I'll let others more expert than me advise you on specific diet and exercise, but the main thing I'd say is BE CONSISTENT...

Hi - thanks a lot for your reply.

You're right about the consistancy. Thankfully i'm a big one for planning. I love structure and knowing what's happening. The idea is that I will go to the gym 3-4 times a week for now and reasses this in a months time - and since I have to walk past the gym every day to get to and from the DART station to work, i've no excuse.

Moisturisor wise - I really haven't a clue either! I was just throwing it out there so somebody could either tell me it's a stupid idea and will never work or that it sounds like a good thing and to try it.

The womans meet and train links are great - thankyou. I'll get in touch with my nearest one and give it a shot. Like I say - I really am willing to give anything a try. I think i've been talked into joining a Tag Rugby team, too! So hopefully every little bit will help.

The wedding isn't until the 25th July so that gives me almost 6 months to work with. I can't wait

rubadub

Lilee wrote: »

I eat relatively well and walk a lot, but from experience, can only really lose weight from intensive training in the gym.

You might eat healthy food, but I would guess that your portion sizes are just simply too big. I think this is most peoples problem. You really have to get a small kitchen scale and start to weigh stuff out and calculate the calories you are eating.

You can calculate what you should aim for here http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=50956807&postcount=4

Weighing food also will let you realise what things it might be that you are eating to much of. In my case it was muesli, I used to eat up to 1000kcal in a go, and fool myself thinking it was OK, muesli is great, in the correct portions!

I think there are moisturisers & creams that will help, I think cocoa butter is used for stretch marks in pregnant women, I am sure some female members will know a lot more to recommend.

Keep up the waking, maybe increase it, walk to the next dart station, even once a week. Or think of cycling to work, you can get cheaper bikes with the new government scheme.

What are you doing in the gym? I would highly recommend lifting free weights (not machines) which will boost your metabolism a lot, check out
http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/index.php
www.simplefit.org
www.exrx.net

It is good you mention sizes, rather than weight. You should keep track of of few things, not just weight which can remain stable while you actually get thin, especially if doing exercise. Take photos, keep well washed jeans which serve as a thousand tape measures up and down your lower body.

RacoonQueen

I suppose a decent firming lotion might help a bit but I doubt it would make a significant difference. There's loads of things like that on the market they may be more effective while you're actually losing weight than people who just use them in hope that they'll miraculously shave inches from them.

CLA and green tea are believed to aid weight loss as part of a healthy diet and exercise regime. I'm not entirely sure on the research/science behind that though. Many on here would know a lot more about that than me.

I suggest you start keeping a log on here too, then people can comment and help out on your routine and diet etc.

LadyGodiva

hi , i suggest you use Johnsons body oil after a work out and put on some rubby t shirt until u get home as it may stain. However oils are fantastic for nurturing and toning your skin.
Good luck, I think u will do great :-)

Lilee

Thanks a mil, guys!

I found a body lotion in town from Garnier that's a firming one. So i'll give it a shot.

Rubadub - thanks for the food advice - i've been and got myself some kitchen scales too so will give that a go.

Cheers