I had major back surgery in December so I am limited on what type of exercise I can do.  I am currently, since starting the plan, riding a stationary bike.  Will this be enough to get me through?

 When I do to much, like I did this weekend mopping the house, I hurt my back.

Any suggesting will be greatly appreciated.

Sandra P 

Have you checked into "chair exercises" - I found a few on YouTube that are well worth trying.

Sher

I've never had back surgery, but I do have serious back problems, so I know a little about how you feel.  It's so frustrating when you are motivated, but physically unable to do too much.  My advise, is swimming.  I know it's such a pain to find a pool and all, but I'll tell you, swimming is by far, for me at least, the best exercise I know of that doesn't cause more back pain. 

 Also, just plain walking.  My doctor warned me not to use the incline if you have a bad lower back.  Since my back is doing well these days, i've added an eliptical trainer, and it's been going pretty well.

Hope those ideas help,

Christine S.

Hi Sandra,

I'm sorry to hear about your back.  You do need to exercise caution so that you don't further aggrevate it and cause an injury.  A stationary bike should be fine, although some people with back problems prefer the recumbent bikes because of the positoning.  They tend to place less stress on the lower back.  If you have access to a pool, swimming is excellent.  Being in the water is very low-impact, provides a bit of resistance, so that you can help to safely strengthen the muscles, while getting a good cardio workout in.  Yoga and pilates may also be for you. If walking doesn't bother you, this is also good exercise.  You want to aim for at least three days per week of cardio exercise, approximately 30 minutes each time.   

You may want to check with your doctor or a phyical therapist to see what he/she recommends as far as safety for you.  There are many great stretching exercises that can help.  For burning an optimal amount of calories and fat, strength training is also important.  A good physical therapist can help guide you through the exercises you can do (and amount of weight, if any to use) that will benefit you. 

The good news is, you can still get in a good workout.  Keep up the diet as well, and you should see some great results.

Good Luck,

Paul

How much rest should I take between reps when working with weights? Should I work the weights before or after doing cardio?

Thanks 

Hi Portiers,

If your goal is losing weight, you should limit rest between sets to approximately 60 seconds. Between reps - it should be a constant motion, with no stopping.  You should never jerk or allow the weight to drop or rest during reps. 

If you want to perform cardio and strength training on the same days, it depends on your goals.  If building strength and muscle is your primary goal, you'll want to lift first, then follow it with the cardio.  Any exercise you perform second is going to have less of your energy, so it's a matter of prioritizing.  My recommendation is to either limit your cardio work to a light warm-up and then strength train, or strength train, followed by some light cardio.  You can always seperate these days as well.  Mix it up to keep it interesting. 

Good Luck,

Paul