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Recumbent Bike


Stacey

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I've already completed 1 Whole 30 (in January) I just finished reading It Starts With Food (totally blew my mind!!!). I've discovered that sugar and grains immediately cause joint pain (inflamation?) and dairy makes me phlegmy. It's amazing how this crap causes so many issues!

I wanted a little more information on the excercise.

I'm not able to do HIIT or anything intense because I have knee, back and hip issues. Walking long distances hurts, any standing for any length of time hurts. My job consists of sitting at a computer all day from 10am to at least 6pm. Over the years I've gone from jogging to walking to eliptical and finally a recumbent bike, all to reduce any impact on my joints. I'm hoping these issues will resolve themselves once I've been eating Whole 30 foods for awhile but until then, my best option is my recumbent bike.

I'm trying yoga and it isn't relaxing, it's painful and frustrating!

My questions are, if doing low impact for a longer period of time is best for burning fat, how do you determine the speed and time?

Do you use a heart rate monitor and keep within a certain range and if so, what should that range be?

How long should I ride the bike ?

Thank you,

Stacey

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I'm sure you'll get better answers, but I think weight loss is 80% diet, so doing a Whole30 is probably the best thing you can do there.

I just wanted to comment because of you mentioning yoga. It worries me that you say this is painful. It should never be painful. If it truly is, you're risking injury. I hope you're taking yoga class at a studio. I would talk to teachers and find one that can help you work with your issues for a productive practice.

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You might start with trying to be "active" 15 minutes per day and then work up to 30 minutes per day. I've used a heart rate monitor in the past, but don't think it is necessary or even desirable in most circumstances. Just move enough to break a sweat or get yourself breathing fast. The bike is good, but you should consider doing some body weight exercises too - squats, pushups, leg lifts, etc.

The overall book is hard core, but Convict Conditioning (volume1) is excellent for body weight exercises. It provides 10 progressions to get from easy to difficult variations of exercises. For instance, the first progression for pushups is wall pushups where you don't have to lift your whole body weight. I'm very fit, but made myself sore doing 150 wall pushups in a day. The book did not recommend 150 to start... it was more like 10 to start, but I was going too fast as I often do. One of these days I am going to program an entry level exercise program using the first progressions from Convict Conditioning.

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Melissa and Dallas are big advocates of RKC (Russian Kettlebell Challenge). I have been going to an RKC studio for a year now and am the strongest I have ever been. I'm also hoping that after my Whole 30 I will be in the best shape of my life (28 days until I can report that). I have not been on a piece of cardio equipment since last June and I'm not sure if I will get back on one. There are a lot of folks who go to my gym that have different ailments and they are able to use kettlebells so don't be intimidated. Strength training is a great way to burn fat and gain muscle.

Here is a link to find an RKC trainer:

http://www.dragondoo...kc_instructors/

I think the most important thing is to find something that you enjoy doing. Good luck.

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I'm with Jenny - the most important think is find something you enjoy doing!

Unless you are training for something, your exercise should be something you enjoy doing. Ride for as long as want. Don't worry about hitting a time or heart rate. If you feel like going longer that day stay on the bike. If you feeling strong, go faster! Some days it won't be there and that's ok too.

Just like you listen to your body for how much food you need...listen to your body for what it needs as far as exercise.

Tom has a really good point too. If you need a goal to keep you motivated start at 15 minutes a day and slowly progress your time and speed. Vary intensity and time each day.

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Stacey, I totally understand where you are coming from. I currently have physical issues with my back, hips and knees. Many exercise methods are quite painful at times, and it isn't the instructor or the method. It's my body. I have a job that keeps me in a chair most of the day. (No, I don't have a standing desk. Standing is currently too painful.)

Not everyone can just plunge into a recommended workout immediately. For some, it will take time to build up to it.

I tried many methods and finally settled on walking and recumbent bike. My goal is to complete at least 30 minutes of exercise per day - minimum. On good days, I go much further. On the bad days, I struggle to make the 30-minute goal. I've found that for me, there's no point in doing someone else's exercise routine if it causes me pain. For me, setting a minimum goal was much more effective than a maximum goal. Someday, I may be able to do a more effective Paleo-style workout, but for now, this is as far as my body will go, and I am okay with its pacing. Yes, my goal is a high intensity-interval training workout, but I learned (the hard way) that it will be a while for that to happen. JMO.

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Thank you all so much for your replies. I do have a kettlebell, free weights, pullup bar, resistance bands and hopefully I will be able to use them. I tried the website to search for an RKC trainer but nothing shows up within a 50 mile radius of my home in Annapolis, MD. Maybe if I'm lucky, one will pop up soon!

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