The Strength Training Critic Blog

I’ve gained about 20 pounds in the last year and have also developed plantar fasciitis in my right foot. I’m currently doing stretching exercises and wearing shoe inserts. I had planned to start walking but that’s not an option right now. What is the best cardio exercise equipment for me that won’t put unnecessary pressure on my foot?

Aqua Jogging, go to the local swimming pool and see if they run classes. Best of Luck

I’m 30 years old and female, 5′4" and 160 pounds. I gained 25 of those pounds in the last 6 years or so. (And I’ve had no pregnancies to excuse me!)

My blood pressure, cholesterol and heart rate are all in very healthy parameters.

I’m pretty happy with my diet. I generally eat about 1400-2000 calories per day of whole foods with just a little junk. I’m trying to cut down on the trash, which should save me a couple hundred calories per day.

My question: Will I lose any of this extra 25 pounds by walking and weight training? I am planning on walking about 45 minutes per day, at a brisk 4 mph pace, five or six days per week. My strength training routine is four days a week and comes from Wini Linguvic’s "Lean, Long & Strong." It’s not strenuous, but it is comprehensive.

Thank you!

Definitely….You should do cardio for about 30minutes a day so 45 minutes of walking is good and one of the best ways to lose weight is by gaining muscle since it raises your metabolism and BMR so you burn more calories while resting…sounds like a good plan good luck and don’t quit on it and you’ll accomplish your goals i lost 40lbs in 4 months because of my weight training and 30 minutes of cardio and of course eating healthier but not starving myself

I want to have slimmer hips and a flatter stomach without going on a diet or using exercise equipment.
For those of you who think I don’t want to do anything…I said without equipment. I’m fine working out without equipment. As in cruches, push-ups, running, etc.
I don’t want to do a dieting program, but maybe just cutting back on junk food. Ideas?

so you want to loose weight without acutally doing anything. Best of luck with that.

i want to try out for the volleyball team but i need some tips and exercises explanation. What kind of strength training and the exercise?

Like they all said squats are definitely good and so are lunges. You want to be in good shape so go for longer steady jogs and if you want short sprints would help too. Another important thing is to keep your shoulders, arms, and abs strong so you can hit well. Lift weights (they don’t have to be too heavy) do push ups, pull-ups work if you have gym access. Also crunches work to make your abs strong all you have to do is about 50 a day (more or less if that’s too easy or hard) and you’ll have ripped abs having strong abs realllllly helps your hitting so thats important. Good luck! Hope i helped!

I’m 25, good health, but I do have asthma. Not very bad. I weigh 202 pounds. Lean not fat. I do have a little fat but I’m mostly lean. I want to get down to 145. How many calories do I burn? Why is it good for your heart to beat fast or get to a certain level? I really need a little schooling on this. Thanks. Oh, after I eat, how long do I wait to exercise and hoe long do I walk on the threadmill?

after eating wait about 30 minutes to an hour or more if you feel you have to. walk on the treadmill about 30 minutes each day, plenty of water(water makes u feel less hungry), and stretchs before you jog or walk,(jog or walk for about 20 to 30 minutes).split your day up into six small meals eating lots of fruits and vegetables(carrots, broccoli, tomatoes,zucchini.) try making light soups with alot of veggies and seasoned water. hope this helps(p.s. let me know how this worked out, email me at redtulips@hotmail.com thnxx

I need a work out to work my abs, and arms most importantly, and also my chest. i have been doing lots of sit ups and diamond/wide stance/ knuckle push ups. i have no clue what im doing and i dont have any exercise equipment. any ideas? please dont respond with "cough up the dough" or "join a gym"

You are already doing the right things. You could also use objects around your house as weights, such as water bottles, milk gallons, etc, so you can add some chest, bicep and tricep exercises. You can do tricep dips on a chair or sofa. You can do tons of ab exercises on your own. I would recommend looking for a website that demonstrates how to do these exercises properly, and also to make sure you are using the proper form.

I want to slim my legs down and one of my biggest target areas is my inner thighs. I don’t want to build anymore leg muscle, I just want to burn the fat. Any suggestions?

Running,swimming,thigh master and the thigh machine at the local gym. If none of that interests you,do this-sit in a chair,place your hands on outer thigh sides then open your legs while closing you hands for a count of 10 to 15,repetitions 10-15(outer thigh).For the inner thigh-place your hands just inside your knees(palms flat),close your legs while pushing out with your hands,same reps and count as above. i like these because they are portable. i do them at home,on the bus, trolley, and in the car.Peace.

I am looking to loose weight the healthy way with exercise and healthy living. My goal is to loose 1-2 lbs per week and I have decided to utilize the Weight Watchers Flex Point system to help me on the food end. Now I need to know how to work out the right way. How long should I walk/lift weights? Should I alternate days? Is is okay to work out for a half hour or should I go longer? Is it more important to walk a mile in 17 minutes if I can or should I still walk the whole 30 minutes? What kind of strength training should I do and for how long? So much to know. Please Help. Thanks

Burn more calories than you eat.

Cut your fat intake.

Eat three cups of fat free low cal yogurt a day (make sure it has live cultures in it) and pineapples. This helps you break down your food and promotes weight loss. You still need to eat low fat proteins. (baked and grilled fish and chicken and beans)

Do 45-60 min. of aerobic exercise a day (preferably before you eat in the morning). This will attack the fat. Try to supplement your training with some running, running stairs or hills, and cycling. Mix it up, it will keep your body guessing.

Do 30 min of weight training three times a week. This will build lean muscle which will in turn burn fat.

Keep moving all the time. Tap you feet while at the computer, tap you hands on your legs while walking. Keep moving and keep burning calories.

I lost 40 lbs in two months and have kept it off for 18 more months doing this. I did not lose any strength and gained more energy. I also took my body fat % from 30% to 10% and my waist from 36 inches to 31 inches.

I would like to know how I can stay fit and exercise all of my muscles even though I don’t make enough money after my bills to afford a gym membership. I also can’t afford to buy exercise equipment for my place, but I wouldn’t be able to anyway because my studio apartment is too small to contain any gym equipment. On top of it all I work at a desk job so I don’t get any physical exercise during my work hours either. Please help me solve this problem, my mood seems to be souring due to lack of physical exercise. I’m feeling more and more how much I need some kind of exercise because my physical health is suffering and this is affecting my mental and emotional well being. Thank you.

I’m a fitness buff myself who found myself in a similar situation a while back. I came to realize i was sitting on the best piece of equipment available my own body. You will see twice the result lifting your own body wieght from different variations on pushups and other excersise lifting your own body wieght in different more natural positions will double your strenght and boost mind and body awareness this is recommended before hitting the gym any how. But I guarauntee after doing it this way you’ll never stop if not just to hit the gym to show off your results to the gym elite

I want to lose about 10 lbs.
I’ve started eating healthier. I jog for about 20 mins. couple times a week.

I want to know what kind of workouts are there to burn fat?
Videos, instruction sites would be great.

Thanks everyone.

jogging is the best, everyday, try to jog just a little further/longer…

One thing that works for me is: before I eat, I drink a large glass of water, then if I’m still hungry, I won’t eat as much as I would have.

It’s better to eat 5-6 small meals than 2 or 3 regular meals each day.

also, fyi:

1 pound = 3500 calories.

If you burn more calories than you eat, you will lose weight.

ie, if you eat 2000 calories per day and burn 2500, you will lose 1 pound every week.

the average person burns 1000-1500 calories per day, just being alive.

power walking can burn 200-500 calories per hour.
exercise bike can burn 200-600 calories per hour.
swimming can burn 100-800 calories per hour.
jogging/running can burn 300-1200 calories per hour.

Also, try not to eat within 3-4 hours of going to sleep.

*********VERY IMPORTANT************

when trying to lose weight, very important to drink lots and lots of water ! ! !
You should drink at least 10 glasses per day, like 1 glass every hour !

This helps your body get rid of the fat when you are burning calories.