Anonymous wrote:OP here. Many thanks to all who have replied, and for the PP who posted a workout, thank you so, so much!

I think I may join a gym so I can incorporate some strength training before or after fitness classes. I don't know how much weight I can lose in a few months but I think some is better than none.

OP, if your gym has good trainers the money can be well worth it. I train with 2 different trainers at my gym because their styles are different and I've lost 20lbs (with diet changes as well) and toned up a lot. One trainer does HIIT with exercises that work many muscles and core at the same time. The other trainer focuses more on one muscle at a time. One helps more with weight loss and core strengthening and the other helps more with gaining more muscles in specific areas (arms, legs, etc.).

Where are you looking for a gym? Maybe someone can recommend one with good trainers for you.

OP here. Many thanks to all who have replied, and for the PP who posted a workout, thank you so, so much!

I think I may join a gym so I can incorporate some strength training before or after fitness classes. I don't know how much weight I can lose in a few months but I think some is better than none.

For those of us who don't have hours to spend in the gym, hiit is great for an all around workout. You can just do 20 mins on the elliptical - one min hard and one min recovery - and get a great workout.

Np...you guys are motivating me to start working out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I do a lot of HIIT/Tabata type workouts in combination with kickboxing, strength training and a little bit of running. They have been very effective for me. The HIIT workouts really jumpstarted my weight loss when I had reached a plateau with diet and cardio alone. I was able to lose 40 pounds in a little less than 4 months with exercise and eating ~1500 calories/day. My workout schedule looks something like this:

Monday: 60 minutes kickboxing
Tuesday: 60 minutes step aerobics
Wednesday: 40 minutes Tabata + 30 minutes low impact kickboxing
Thursday: 30 minutes kickboxing + 30 minutes strength
Friday: 60 minutes HIIT + 30 minutes low impact cardio
Saturday: 60 minutes high impact step aerobics + 15-30 minutes strength training
Sunday: 30 minutes easy kickboxing + 30 minute run

PP, where do you do all of this kickboxing? Do you belong to a boxing gym, or just a regular gym with specialized classes? or videos?

Thanks,

PP here. I do all of my workouts at home. I use The Gymbox. It's an online video service with new videos every week. They have kickboxing, HIIT, step aerobics, strength training, core, yoga and a lot more. I have weighted gloves at home and a decent range of weights from 5-25lbs, a Bosu, a step with 4 risers, a few kettlebells, a couple medicine balls, resistance bands and a jump rope. It's more than enough for me to get a lot of variety in my workouts. I think I do want to add a bar with weight plates, so I can try lifting heavier now that I've built a lot more strength. I will say that the Tabata and HIIT workouts are what really jumpstarted my weight loss. Additionally, they have really improved my strength. My arms are now ripped. Kickboxing with weighted gloves has given me some major ab muscles, especially my obliques. I disagree with the previous poster that cardio won't help you lose weight. If you add strength to your cardio, it will, and a lot of HIIT workouts incorporate strength moves like squats, lunges and push ups with plyometric movement. It worked for me.

Anonymous wrote:OP, I do a lot of HIIT/Tabata type workouts in combination with kickboxing, strength training and a little bit of running. They have been very effective for me. The HIIT workouts really jumpstarted my weight loss when I had reached a plateau with diet and cardio alone. I was able to lose 40 pounds in a little less than 4 months with exercise and eating ~1500 calories/day. My workout schedule looks something like this:

Monday: 60 minutes kickboxing
Tuesday: 60 minutes step aerobics
Wednesday: 40 minutes Tabata + 30 minutes low impact kickboxing
Thursday: 30 minutes kickboxing + 30 minutes strength
Friday: 60 minutes HIIT + 30 minutes low impact cardio
Saturday: 60 minutes high impact step aerobics + 15-30 minutes strength training
Sunday: 30 minutes easy kickboxing + 30 minute run

PP, where do you do all of this kickboxing? Do you belong to a boxing gym, or just a regular gym with specialized classes? or videos?

Thanks,

Lift!!! And then lift some more. Three days a week, 45-60 min full body routine.

Walk/run/sprint the remaining days. The chronic cardio will not build muscle.

OP, I do a lot of HIIT/Tabata type workouts in combination with kickboxing, strength training and a little bit of running. They have been very effective for me. The HIIT workouts really jumpstarted my weight loss when I had reached a plateau with diet and cardio alone. I was able to lose 40 pounds in a little less than 4 months with exercise and eating ~1500 calories/day. My workout schedule looks something like this:

Monday: 60 minutes kickboxing
Tuesday: 60 minutes step aerobics
Wednesday: 40 minutes Tabata + 30 minutes low impact kickboxing
Thursday: 30 minutes kickboxing + 30 minutes strength
Friday: 60 minutes HIIT + 30 minutes low impact cardio
Saturday: 60 minutes high impact step aerobics + 15-30 minutes strength training
Sunday: 30 minutes easy kickboxing + 30 minute run

You cannot do HIIT training alone. It's too much. It should be part of your training but not the only thing you do.

Yes, HIIT works very well. I can't say with any scientific proof that it works better than other methods, but I think the idea is that you can get the same results by doing it for much less time than other workouts take. NYTimes has done articles on it - check them out. Also google Fitness Black Book and Turbulence Training for more workout suggestions - those are the programs I use and they definitely work. Good luck!!

I liked Jilian Michael's 30-day shred. I think there are more like that too (Insanity, px90?, etc). Might be a good way to get started doing something.

And there are some great classes out there too at a gym (body pump, Pilates, body combat). Plus at a gym you can work with a personal trainer who can help you develop some kind of schedule for HIIT, strength, etc.

OP, I would train for a 5K with a running group. They will help give you motivation and not let you slide about "Oh, I'll just do the treadmill tomorrow." There are plenty of 5Ks that will be in the spring/summer. How far can you run now? (If none, you can look at a "Couch to 5K" program.)

Anonymous wrote:you didn't mention diet...all the exercise in the world will not help you unless you have your diet under control. Weight loss is 80-90% diet.

That said weight training is best. HIIT is great but you can not realistically do just HIIT. you need to mix in other exercise like weights.

also the best exercise for weight loss is the one you will stick with.

She did mention diet and she said it was going well.

you didn't mention diet...all the exercise in the world will not help you unless you have your diet under control. Weight loss is 80-90% diet.

That said weight training is best. HIIT is great but you can not realistically do just HIIT. you need to mix in other exercise like weights.

also the best exercise for weight loss is the one you will stick with.

I have a lot of weight to lose (ideally 60 pounds) and would like to shed a good bit of weight before my brother's wedding in May. Realistic? Perhaps not, but maybe it could be if I'm willing to do the work? (Joined WW for the eating and that's going well.)

My options are:
Train for 5K
Workout on treadmill
Join a gym and attend classes
Workout videos at home

I also have access to weights in our building's gym.

I would love to drop at least half the weight by May. What's the smartest way to tackle this challenge? If HIIT, how does it work? How long and how many days a week? If I could get a sense of what a weekly HIIT regimen of weights and cardio would look like I would be so grateful. My biggest concern is making sure I don't get burned out, and I heard once that HIIT has the advantage of not getting boring. Thanks in advance for all your advice!