I had my baby 5 weeks ago, and lost 20 pounds of the baby weight, but still have 40 more pounds to go (I gain a lot when I'm pregnant.) I just started riding the eliptical for about 30 minutes a day, but need some ideas on other exercises to do and how often to do them, since I'm pretty clueless when it comes to this. What does everyone else do, and what does your weekly schedule look like?

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Jessica

http://ilove2skate.livejournal.com/

http://www.myspace.com/sk8fabulous

Er - skate! I should do more off-ice work, but am horrendously lazy about it. I do try to do some walking, though, but the weather has been so horrible that this hasn't happened.

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Here's what I'm trying to do:

Skate 4 times per week.
Cardio 2-3 times per week.
Yoga 2 times per week.
Stretching daily.

This will be once summer ice starts. Our summer ice schedule is not geared toward adults who work during the day so all I can get are 4 hrs/week

Monday:
Early AM: Cardio (30-45 min)
Evening: Weight training (sometimes I go during lunch instead), play softball

Tuesday:
Early AM: Cardio (30-45 min)
Evening: 90 min yoga class

Wednesday:
Evening: skate 2 hrs (with 30-45 min stretching, off-ice jumps, etc before)

Thursday:
Early AM: Cardio (30-45 min)
Evening: 90 min yoga class

Friday:
Early AM: Cardio (30-45 min)
Noon (lunch hour): weight training

Saturday:
Skate 2 hrs (with 30-45 min stretching, off-ice, etc before), usually play golf, bike, walk, something active with friends in evening.

Sunday:
Be lazy or play golf

Cardo=usually running, sometimes exercise bike (or 20-25 min of both), sometimes swimming laps

Right now I do weights M/W/F, Yoga Tues/Thurs, skate 2 or 3 mornings a week and cardio the other mornings before work, and skate 2 hrs Saturdays.

(Long post lol)


Stretches - Everyday
• Hamstrings: straddle, hands to floor, foot in hand overhead (Kwan spin)
• Quadriceps: front full lunge (hip flexor-knee down), heel to rear end
• Calves: lean-to-wall (bent knee & straight knee)
• Torso: trunk twists, side leans
• Lower back: cat/cow
• Abdominals: bridge/backbend, cobra

Interval Training/Jump Drills – 1x per week
• 10 Air Turns – 2 feet to 2 feet – 0.5 revs
• 10 Air Turns – 2 feet to 2 feet – 1 rev.
• 5 Click Waltzes
• 5 1 foot axel take off/land on same foot
• 10 Cross foot checkouts
• 5 Waltz Jumps for height

Strengthening – 2x per week
• 10 Crunches
• 20 Bicycle Crunches
• 5 Push Ups (start on toes, go to knees)
• 20 Walking Lunges
• 3 on each foot - Sit Spin Drill
• 3 on each foot - Camel Drill
• 10 Cobra Lifts
• 10 Chair Dips
• 10 Squats

Balance – Everyday
• Spiral from 2 feet: very slowly, lift free leg keeping it straight, as high as you can. Hold in spiral position for 30 seconds.

Flexibility – Stretching
Do every day; Work up to holding each stretch 2 minutes per leg, don't bounce. Hold cobra 30 seconds and work up to one minute.
• Hamstrings - (foot on table/couch, keep knee straight, bend from waist and don't hunch shoulders. Bring chin to knee)

Abdominal Strength - Crunches
• Feet on floor, hands on opposite shoulders, lift shoulders off floor
• Start with 10 and add 2 per day until you get to 40
• Can be done every day, don't increase # done if muscles are sore the next day

Upper Arm Strength - Push Ups
• Start at 5; Work to 10 or more
• Start on knees; keep hips pushed toward floor/back straight, bend elbows until your chest or stomach hits the floor. It's better to do fewer in correct form than more with less than full elbow bend
• Do every other day
Lower Back Strength - Cobra Lifts
• Start at 5 and work to 10 or more
• Lie on stomach with hands down to hips or on small of back; use lower back muscles to lift your shoulders off the ground as high as possible; hold for 2 seconds, lower
• Do every other day

Full Revolution Jump Drill - 20
• Land on both feet until you get the hang of it
• Jump off both feet, spin counterclockwise or clockwise 180 degrees, land on 2 feet, hold for 3 sec
• Pull arms into chest after you are in the air (jump then rotate)
• Concentrate on spring/height of jump, posture, feel the up/down motion
• Do every day

Copied that off my word document.

I was always a little ambitious I only skate about 2-3 hours a week though - so I try and make up for it off the ice.

Skating alone isn't enough for me, it's not nearly aerobic enough. I try to do cardio every day, 30-45 minutes, usually fast walking outside or biking (in the nicer months) and elliptical in the colder months. Weight training 2-3 times a week for 45 minutes. Bikram (the very hot sweaty kind) yoga on Wednesday evenings for 90 minutes. Sundays are off totally for rest and recovery. This spring/summer I am going to really focus on a lot of stretching and flexibility and core work....I'll probably add one or two days of Pilates to replace cardio.

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"Where are we going and why are we in this handbasket?"

It turns out that skating burns more calories than carido. At least for me it does. Basically burning calories and dieting are the only way to lose weight. Lifting weights doesn't burn much. Although skating is a great way to lose weight, it's good to do other forms of excercise to keep your body balanced.

Kevin

I lost a lot of weight at various times in my life but I've found that diet is really key more than exercise (for me at least). I can be active but if I'm putting butter on everything I don't lose. Anyway, this was my regular routine before I got pregnant:

T/Th/Sun - 50 mins. weight lifting. I was doing Mark Rippletoe's program which is a less reps/heavier weight philosophy.

Wed/Sat - 1.5 to 2 hours skating.

M/F Biking, or just using equipment at the gym. I like the rowing machine and the cross-trainer the best.

In the warm months we try to add hikes on the weekends.

I had to give up the weight lifting & biking when I got pregnant. I've skated a little but I'm all psyched out to do anything more than stroke around.

Well, now that I'm in spring skates school and the whether is nicer, this is what I hope to do.

My skating sessions:

Mon 2 PM2 PM to 3:50 PM
Tues 2 PM to 3:50 PM
Wed 8 PM to 9 PM
Thur 2 PM to 3:50 PM
Fri 2 PM to 3:50 PM

Goodlife Fitness 2 times a week:

Wed morning
Sat morning

Start out with doing the stationary bike for 5 to 10 minutes, just long enough to warm up the body and then stretch. Then use the weight machines working on almost everything but the back and leg press. I get enough back and leg press skating (jumping and spinning). Then head to the therapy pool to do my after work-out stretches. This allows me to stretch farther without injury.

I do stretches before every skate and after every skate 5 days a week at the rink. I skip to warm up before stretching. If I have my way though, on days that our nice and not rainy, I'll be riding my bike to the rink with my skates in a bagging system attached to the carrier. First I have to raise the handle bars (herniated discs and carpoltunel (sp)) and find a carrying bike bag that is large enough for my skates, guards, tights, skating skirt, music and water bottle. So far all I've seen in stores are those bags that are too small.

I haven't really gone on a diet but more of a change in the way I go about eating. It's helped me to lose almost 30 lbs since starting this past fall. When I do this, I didn't have to change what I ate at all. What I've done is slow down how fast I eat by taking smaller bites, chewing longer to make sure my food is broken down which allows my system to take in the nutrients better and pausing in between bites allows me to not feel gassy as much too. The only thing that I've limited was my intake of pop. I use to drink it way too much. This way I can eat what ever my little heart desires. I call it my take smaller bites, chew more non- diet. Just remember though everything in moderation. This won't work if all you do is eat Big Macs, drink pop and fries, cookies and ice cream all the time.

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"It's not age that determines but the heart." "Skating is not just a sport for the young but it's a passion for the soul of the young at heart." Brigitte Laskowski

I am a nomadic adult skater who is a member of Windsor FSC (Skate Windsor) WOS SC again since Sept. 1st, 2008.

http://eastcastlemusic.tripod.com

Singerskates Sports Music Editing

Since I'm still not allowed to lift weights heavier than 10 lbs, I have to be creative. I'm not creative so I joined an online exercise group.

So, I do bodyweight exercises at a cardio pace 3-4 times per week; on off days I do interval drills. I also do some yoga, ballet exercises (for my weaker leg/foot) and stretching.

And, I also watch what I eat (mostly). My routine doesn't take more than 45 minutes and I'm drenched in sweat!!!! Woo!!!

ps-I'm not skating right now, rink is shut down for the summer (boo!!!!!)

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Monday - Cardio (30 min/elliptical) & Nautilus (weights/30 min)
Tuesday - Freestyle skate (50 min)
Wednesday - Yoga (1.5 hour)
Thursday - Cardio (30) & Nautilus (30)
Friday - Free day!
Saturday - Cardio (30) & Nautilus (30)
Sunday - Yoga (1.5 hour), Freestyle skate (2 hours), Ice Dance (1 hour)

I also probably walk on average 25 minutes getting to and from work (I take the train and have to walk to/from the station and home/work).

Breakfast on workdays: yogurt with fruit & small amount of granola or low cal cereal

Weekend breakfast: Bagel with cream cheese and then a small lunch, or giant omelet/homefries/toast breakfast and skip lunch

Work week lunch: Lean Cuisine or healthy salad (not too much cheese, low cal dressing)

Dinner: whatever I want, normal-sized portion, and of course my vino! I try to cook low fat/use skim things, but I do go out to eat twice a week and have no control over that food!

I don't ever snack and keep the house free of tempties like cheese doodles. I've managed to lose 20 pounds with this regimen.

I've never had a baby. All my weight gain was the result of partying too much on the weekends (snacks and mixed drinks) in my 20s!

Heavy Training...Comp Prep

Skate 6x per week

Work out 4-5 times per week
3 mile intense stationary bike...high resistance...work towards sub 7min three mile

Weights, abs, stretching for 50 minutes
I dont do weight training on legs any more due to right knee arthritis

Water Water Water push towards 1 gal per day(usually about 3 quarts)
Cut back on Caffeine and Carbs
2 miniature bagels per day(whole wheat)
egg whites
No bread or reg pasta..occassional whole wheat pasta.

No Social Life!
6am freestyles SUCK!!!

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Why are you skating so slowly? Get out of my way!

If you skate faster, it makes everything look better!

When I skate, I'm usually taking in about 2500-3000 calories/day...but that is for skating 15-30 hrs/week (varies). I skate more the closer a competition or show is...

But I've cut back because I''m not skating, down 1400-1600/day. but the weight is finally coming off.

Don't cut back too much-you need a minimum of 1200 cals/day. Just watch what you eat-WRITE DOWN EVERYTHING!!! Be honest with your food log.

And lift weights!!!

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Skating

I skate hard. I always come off the ice sweating, even in the middle of winter. And I skate 4-5 times a week.

I actually had a gym membership (and went 3x a week for for 2 years) and lost no weight. Then I started skating again and the pounds melted off. Goodbye, gym membership! I've lost 31 pounds so far

I try to do crunches and stretching every night too. Sometimes I jump on my elliptical machine for 5 minutes or so, just to warm up my muscles before stretching.

The only thing I'd like to add to my exercise routine is weight-lifting 2 or 3 times a week.

I have lost 50 lbs before. The key to doing it for me is to be on the elliptical or stair cross trainer for about 30-45 minutes 5-6 days a week --- consistently---.

The most important part : Make sure that your heart rate is in the fat burn zone. If you work too hard, the fat doesn't come off and you end up burning off your last meal instead.

Drink lots of water, eliminate sodas in your diet. Instead drink tea or coffee. Try to eat lots of veggies.

For toning up the muscles and building core strength, weight training and pilates are great. But to drop just pounds, cardio is best for me.

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Keep Evolving. "From this moment forward, every voice that told you - You Can't - , has been silenced." - Freedom Writers

My weekly schedule is as follows:

SUNDAY: Skating, 1 hour
MONDAY: Yoga, 1 hour 30
TUESDAY: Skating, 1 hour 30
WEDNESDAY: Skating, 1 hour 30 (including 30 minute lesson)
THURSDAY: Walk the 5 miles home from work OR swim 40 lengths
FRIDAY: Walk the 5 miles home from work OR yoga, 1 hour
SATURDAY: Just started to run - currently a mile running, staggered with half a mile of walking

I am also thinking of starting some weights work at the gym, even though I hate 'em. Mostly because I have recently been inspired by Carl Poe's book (Off Ice Training).

And as weight loss has been mentioned, this combined with healthy eating and calorie counting, has led to a 42 pound weight loss since November!!!

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Amanda

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance . . . "

My Skating Journal

While a 45 min strength training session may not burn as many calories as 45 min of cardio, it is equally as important. Regular weight training builds muscle, and muscle tissue burns far more calories by simply existing than fat tissue, thus increasing your metabolism. You need to be doing both--cardio to burn fat, weight training to build/maintain muscle. Otherwise you end up being "skinny fat" (ever see those people who are thin but all flab?)