Suggested Routines

Start with a Simple Walking Program

Walking for fitness and weight loss must be a "brisk" walk.  Walk fast enough to get your heart rate up to the calorie burning level and keep it going for at least 30 minutes 4-5 days per week.   A slow walk is not going to give you calorie burning benefits, so step it up!  Be sure you begin sweating within 5-7 minutes of the walk for it to be effective and keep it going for as long as you can for best results! Combine this with weight bearing exercises 2-3 days per week.   Do a total body workout and include squats, seated rows, shoulder presses, leg presses, arm curls and a good stomach routine.   If you don't have weights, you can perform a few sets of push ups for a great upper body workout and perform walking squats to work the entire lower body.  Finish your quick routine with continuous sets (at least 10 sets of 10 reps) of stomach crunches. For the ultimate routine, do a third activity such as jumping rope, stair climbing or your favorite sport 1-2 times per week for additional aerobic and calorie burn.

Get the Complete Walking Routine Here

A Super Cross-Training Plan:

If you have access to a gym or fitness machines: Use 3 different aerobic machines, treadmill, elliptical and bike for 10-15 minutes each to alleviate boredom and get enough cardio in your plan.  Follow that with free weights or weight machines. Work both upper and lower body for 15 minutes, going back and forth from one to the other. Remember to work large muscle groups first (squats, row machine, shoulder presses) then smaller groups last (biceps, leg presses, triceps, etc.)   Add a good stomach routine - include at least 10 sets of 10 varied stomach moves.  Use upper stomach presses and cross-overs, obliques and lower pull-in moves for best overall results. Do moves with legs up and legs down so you're using muscles in various ways.  See GetThatBody's basic stomach routine* for a good starter. Do this routine 3-4 days per week for Ultimate Results!  You'll begin shedding weight in no time if you're true to a plan such as this. *Above link will take you to a different website.

Include Some Type of Activity Daily!

Limited time for Exercise?

Note:  Try Interval training:  Intensify your calorie burn by getting your heartrate up several times during your routine then returning it to a lower level.  Run for a minute then walk for 3, etc.  Doing this 6-8 times in 30 minutes on a treadmill (or walk) will give you the best aerobic conditioning and calorie burning results by taking your cardio system to it's peak several times for metabolism boosting results.

Get the most out of your workouts: Use a Circuit Training Routine - combine aerobic exercise with strength training by going back and forth between each exercise without rest between sessions.  For example:  Do 5 minutes on the elliptical, then 7 minutes weight training, back to 10 on the treadmill, then 10 minutes doing weights, etc.  Switch back and forth without rest -- Do this 3 times per week for 1 hour each time for ultimate results! This type of routine gives you an aerobic calorie burn by keeping your heart rate up and builds muscle at the same time.  It does "double-duty" in kicking your metabolism into high gear.

Do Activities you Enjoy!

There are several options for fitting activity into your lifestyle

Take up in-line skating for great calorie burn while enjoying the great outdoors.  This is a great lower-body toner.  Go hiking or trail walking at your favorite park.  Also a great mind-clearing workout! Walk flights of stairs - the more, the better.  When tired walk back down, then up again.  Little-known fact: Walking down stairs is great for blood circulation in the lower legs & feet. Incorporate Yoga and Pilates for additional body toning - both contribute to accomplishment and motivation. Play tennis, Racquetball, Basketball, Soccer or any sport that keeps you moving to add to your aerobic conditioning. Fast dancing is a great way to burn calories without feeling like you're exercising.  Put on your favorite music and burn the night away! Remember that more movement of any kind that gets the blood pumping equals more calories burned.  Just get up and move.  Even marching in place will get your heart pumping, throw in a few extra moves to make it last for 20 minutes!