Re: Update on my weight loss
I think now I'm going to move into strength training. One problem though is I don't have time to hit a gym, nor do I want to pay the monthly fees. At home I have no one to spot me so free weights is limited.
Bowflex is basically a resistance machine, but the dang thing costs an arm and a leg. There are other options to at least get you started, then think about throwing down the big bucks for a lifting system if the starting options are not enough.
I can offer you suggestion that works for me. Cheaper than a bowflex, takes up less room, and you can make the workouts as simple or as challenging as you want.
Use body weight resistance exercise. push-ups, pull-ups, dips, lunges. a hang-in-a-doorway pull-up bar is $30 at Wal-mart. Doesn't even have to hang there permanently. They make them now so that friction holds them in place, and you can put them away when you are done. They even have multiple grip locations so that you can vary your hand/arm position to hit different muscle groups. Muscle confusion is a great tool to help build muscle quickly. Pull-ups are excellent exercises for your back and shoulder muscle groups. If you can't do a full set of pull-ups, you can "spot" yourself by getting a step stool under you and helping out with your legs.
Push-ups are a great chest exercise. Again, you can keep your muscles confused by varying your hand position; close together, spread apart, fingers back, fingers pointing in, etc. you can also vary your lower body position by putting your feet up on a chair, or feet on the ground and your hands on a chair. No danger of dropping any weights on yourself.
Lunges are a great lower body exercise, and I guarantee you that doing them with no weight is challenging enough to start defining your glutes and thighs. Again, you can change the exercise by altering your start or end position, doing lunges up or down stairs, step-ups on a platform, etc.
For some additional challenges, get some resistance bands, basically big ole rubber bands with handles on them. You can use them for added resistance (If you are doing push-ups for instance, you can hold them across your back, and as you extend your push-up, the band is adding resistance pushing you back down) or there are bunches of exercises you can use them for by themselves; curls, overhead press, chest flys, etc.
My final suggestion would be to get yourself a multi-position bench and the dial-a-weight dumbells. Dumbell exercises are limitless for upper body. I personally find them among the most challenging b/c you have to stabilize each weight independently, so that causes you to work out more muscles with every set. Its also easier to maneuver and drop a 50 Lb dumbell than a 100 LB barbell. A nice set of the dial-a-weight dumbells with a bench is still gonna be about half the price of a bowflex.
Sorry to get long-winded on you, but I see people too often get hung up on a big contraption like a bowflex or a home gym system, only to see it getting used as a clothes hanger in 6 months time. Start simple, and once the simple exercises don't do it for you anymore, you are in a much better position to decide whether to step up to an expensive exercise system.
Rgds
and a nice bench should suit your needs.
