Setting your goals when you want to lose weight can be a little tricky. I hate giving out unsolicited advice when it comes to diet and exercise, because well, people can be judgmental with what you have to say and what you have achieved. But I want to give a little hand so that you won't have to go through what I have been through that took me years to understand and apply. This is based on my own experience, we all have different body types and tolerance (hehe!), find one that will work for you.
I began working out with one thing on my mind (well, everything else followed), that I can lose weight faster than those people who called me fat! (by the way, that was just 3 months after I gave birth) Every time they'd see me, they'll be like "ang taba taba mo na tine.." I was like, "Hello! I just gave birth, give me a break"!! I was deeply saddened by their rude comments, so I decided to work out six months after I gave birth. Didn't want to hurry myself, baka mabinat..
I already planned on doing Hip-Hop Abs, for me, it's the easiest workout to follow and I love the way Shaun T motivates me while working out (yes, I take his words seriously!) I think it affects the way I look at my workouts. My diet plan; eat less carbs and eat more veggies which I failed to do because I wasn't fond of veggies back then.. After months of doing HIP HOP Abs, I felt like I wasn't losing weight anymore, my body got used to the workouts that it doesn't hurt anymore, so I had to do something else, something more challenging. I searched the net for new and intense workouts, then I found Insanity by Shaun T. Luckily, a friend lent me her DVD's. I encouraged hubby to join me in this challenge but it was exhausting.. I had a hard time doing it because it was so intense! I wasn't looking forward to doing it everyday. So, I decided to look for another workout. Then, I found HIIT, High Intensity Interval Training ~~ is an enhanced form of interval training, an exercise strategy alternating periods of short intense anaerobic exercise with less-intense recovery periods. HIIT is a form of cardio vascular exercise, usual HIIT sessions may vary from 4-30 minutes. These short, intense workouts provide improved athletic capacity and condition, improved glucose metabolism, and improved fat burning. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_training)
My workout takes 30sec work and 10sec rest for 30-45mins of intense workout. I found a website that provides a free workout video called BodyRock.tv. Although it may look like insanity, this one has 10sec rest which really helped me take a breather and then get back again with enough energy to finish a 30 sec work. While doing this, I made some changes on my diet, just to get the result that I wanted. I ate less at dinner, less carbs, less sweets on weekdays, gave myself cheat weekends so I won't deprive myself too much.
Oh, and to track my weight loss, I measured my body instead of weighing myself, because muscles are heavier than fats.
Now, I'm adding yoga to my workout routine, and I find it better than getting a massage for my sore muscles.
I know I don't have that "biggest loser" kind of story or a big transformation story because I didn't need to reach that state before I decided to change something about myself.. And I don't want to wait for something "life changing" before I change something..
