Let's Get It Started...

Congratulations!!! You made it to the gym or got on your elliptical! You did the obligatory 10 minutes, then 15, then 20. Now you want a little more. (But first you have to get those kids who are out of school for a snow day off of your machines, and tell that lady who has just been sitting on the stationary bike to either start pedaling or let you use it!) Then, start by adding 20 second spurts of intensity to your cardio. Keep a steady pace for about 1:40 and pump it up for 20 seconds. Keep repeating for 10,15, or 20 minutes and work the last 5-10 minutes at a more steady pace if it’s too difficult.
If you’re ready to add some weight training, try a full body workout and opt for two times a week at the beginning. On Day 1, work with heavier weights and just do 8-10 reps each set. On day 2, go lighter, but do 15-20 reps each set. Switch up the heavy day workout and the light day workout the following week.
Day 1
3 sets each-8-10 reps-heavy weight. Next week switch to 15-20 reps, lighter weight
Chest Press-Flat
Bicep curl
Lat Pulldowns
Tricep Lying Skullcrusher
Overhead Shoulder Press
Squats
Calf Raise
Abdominals- 2 sets each –20 reps
Decline bench crunch
Torso Twist

Day 2
3 sets each-15-20 reps- lighter weight. Next week switch to 8-10 reps heavy weight
Incline Chest Flyes
Hammer Bicep Curls
Low Back Rows
Forward Lunges
Side Shoulder Raises
Tricep Kickbacks
Bent Knee Deadlifts
Abdominals- 3 sets–20 reps
Hanging leg raises/or Roman Chair
Weighted Side Bends
When I say heavy weight, I mean heavy for YOU. Don’t pick up a 65 pound dumbbell and expect to do bicep curls if you haven’t worked out with weights in six months (or ever). Choose a weight that becomes difficult by the 6th-8th rep. When you are working with light weight, you should be able to do about 10-12 reps easily, but still be able to complete at least 15 or more.
Working with short rests between sets, you can finish the weight workout in about 30-40 minutes, so combined with your new cardio sprints, you should be out of the gym in about an hour. If you have time for a third day in the gym, use that for a steady 30-60 minute cardio workout and a few sets of abdominal exercises. Try to stick with this for at least 4-6 weeks to actually see some results.
Accomplish this and you will have made it to February or March STILL in the gym. (And the good news is you won’t have to fight to get on a cardio machine by then!) At that point, you might want to mix things up. Maybe isolate your upper and lower body workouts, or work each individual body part on separate days. Maybe hire a trainer, or get a subscription to a fitness magazine, but that can be your REWARD for working through this initial plan (That, and how great you look in your jeans!!).