I try to at least three times a week.

I work out at least three times a week, mostly with weights, sometimes I do the Firm upper/lower body split, and I TRY for one yoga workout.

lovelyivy, you are a better woman than I! I'm too scared to attempt the UBS/LBS set!

I love to work out but I hate gyms and ESPECIALLY hate running, so I work out at home with videos 5 or 6 times a week. I like the Firm videos the best, especially Classic Vols. 1, 4, and 5, Cardio Split 1, and Cardio Sculpt. Maximum Body Shaping and Body Sculpt are good for all-weights workouts, but I find that I get better results doing more cardio. I also enjoy Pilates, especially Jennifer Kries.

If you can do all of those Firm workouts then you can do the Upper and lower body split! Just use light/no weights the first time, and take as much time between as you need to- I find that if I rest between sets instead of trying to match their pace, that I can do a lot more. That is what the pause button is for, lol.

And even with all that, I STILL can't do that last set of squats with the barbell! Oh well!

It's so funny to me that women are afraid to use weights, and afraid to use heavy weights- my legs did not start to get leaner and slimmer UNTIL I started using weights! THe lower body workout in particularly has been VERY effective- I am wearing jeans I wore in high school now. I am not a huge fan of the upper body split to be honest.

Question for the exercisers: Do you guys do a lot of ab work?? I confess that I really don't and my abs look tight. It seems that just getting my body fat% down was what made the difference. But I just feel like I SHOULD be doing the ab work. Hmm...

I work out everyday I can

every other workout I do a circuit on the weight machines, pretty low weights so I dont get too bulky

every workout I do TONS of ab exercises... I tend to put weight on there (I will never have "thunder thighs" though, no matter how much weight I gain - i guess its one of those "you win some, you lose some" type deals)

every workout I also do 30 min cardio, but due to an old injury I'm pretty much limited to the elliptical or the exercise bike... low-impact only

I try to to yoga or pilates whenever I can... my mom teaches yoga and shes in AMAZING shape


p.s. sigmagrrl congrats on the amazing weight loss!

WOW! That is fantastic!! I've lost 50 pounds and only have 10 more pounds to go and I thought I accomplished a lot...anyways...wow again! :D

Do you find that to be very effective?

It is almost impossible for women to bulk up- we just don't have the body chemistry to get those huge muscles you see on guys. Using low weight generally just takes LONGER to exhaust the muscle and effect changes. I try for enough weight that I can ONLY do 3 sets of 8.

I carry my weight in my lower body, and itonly started to get smaller after I started to seriously lift weights.

I am starting to think that abs are the same- exercise them, but with weight, and you will see the best results in the least amount of time. Since you can't spot reduce, doing thousands of crunches sounds goood, but just isn't particularly effective.

THat's just my experience though, whatever works for individuals is cool! As long as your bf% is down, you'll see them looking nice.

Yoga is a GREAT workout- people don't understand the amount of strength and coordination some of those positions take! THe jury's still out on pilates though, lol.

I agree, and I do the same thing -- usually 3 sets of eight or sometimes 3 sets of 10 -- with the heaviest weights I can lift that many times. Since I've been doing that regularly, my arms look SO much better. They're muscular but I don't think they're too bulky at all. Plus it's SO amazing to feel strong and to be able to carry all my groceries up 4 flights of stairs in one trip. Yeah!!!

I try to do weights twice a week (an hour or more each time) and an hour of cardio (elliptical machine, biking or running) 4 times a week, but sometimes I'm a slacker. At worst, I work out 3 to 4 days per week.

I have to give mad props to those of you who have had such dramatic weight loss. That is amazing!!!

Last semester I took a step aerobics class for credit, and it was an easy way to get back in shape. However, it's a different story in the summer when I'm at home. I try to lift weights at least 3 or 4 days a week and have really toned my upper body, particularly my shoulders, triceps and upper back. I also do an ab workout with weights and have found quicker results by doing ab excercises that requires you to be in a standing position instead of the normal crunches.

Updates Please!!!!

Any news/suggestions/success stories?

I go to the gym everyday for an hour where I run 2 miles and then do 9 miles on the bike. I also do a lot of ab workouts and squats (not the kind with weights but the kind that tone your thighs). I love to workout b/c it makes me feel so awesome and in the mean while it also helps me look good too. :) I have gone down 2, almost 3 sizes since I started this kind of workout a few months ago. That's not why I do it of course, but it's a nice benefit nonethless. ;)

I just started working out majorly a couple weeks ago. I missed it so much! :) I go 5 times a week for about 2 hours. I go about 20 min's on the treadmill, 20 min's on the bike, 10 min's on the stair-kill-your-thighs-machine, and then about 45 min's to work-out on the various machines. Man, I used to work out all the time, then I got my boyfriend so I quit! lol!

the only thing that i can get my lazy butt to do is stomach crunches. i have been doing a lot each day. i am working on flattening my stomach. it seems to be working!:D :D

Amycat- no onder you look so good! That is increadible!

I used to work out all the time. But since I quit skating competitvely, not so much. It's gone downhill over the past 6 years. lol

-M

I go to Curves for Women 3 times a week. I would love a treadmill for the other days, but I don't have anywhere to put it!