Absolute Beginners

So as I wrote about last week...I have started using the BodyBug activity monitor in conjunction with Jillian Michaels.com (JM.com). I laid out the general info about the site but I only alluded to my personal complaints with the site. Today I'm going to cover my issue with the exercise routine that the website has offered to me as its beginner workout plan.

This...more than anything else...proves to me that Jillian Michaels is not actually involved in the website. In theory, she knows that a beginner would look like (Biggest Loser competitor) however she has this incredibly challenging setup for the workout listed as for the beginner.

First off I want to say that I do not consider myself to be a beginner...I'm more like an out of shape dabbler. I never go for more than a month without going to the gym...but I seldom go more than 3 times a week. When I signed up for the program I was given options for the level of experience I had in the gym. I selected beginner, because I wanted to make sure I had the basics down before I advanced too far. I expected the exercises to be not exactly easy...but I did expect them to be do-able.

I realize that exercise is important for weight loss. It needs to be a part of everyones day-to-day life. But I have difficulty doing an exercise routine everyday (How will I ever get it to be routine if I don't work at it everyday?!) JM.com wants me - the beginner - to work out 5 days out of 7. I'm really not sure this is a possibility for any real beginners either for reasons of lifestyle or ability. For me the big issues here are:

1.) I work 9-12 hour shifts and simply don't have the energy or location I can use at 5 am to exercise before my shift.

2.) I'm really sore the day after I do these exercises and need a rest day between or something as I'm not going to be able to do these exercises every day.

More importantly, I feel. I'm not that much of a beginner. What are these exercise expectations going to look like to a true absolute beginner? If you weigh over 300lbs are you going to do squat presses?! No, of course not! It would fuck your knees up.

Here is an example of one of the circuit training routines you - as a beginner- would be asked to do:

Not a bad routine if you are already in shape but not for a weak ass obese person like me. I do what I can in hopes that by pure stubbornness I will get to the point that I can do all of these exercises.

I think that its terrible that JM.com doesn't have truely begining exercises so I'm going to come up with some truely beginner exercises to share with you all so I can do my part to help everyone get healthy.

Here's is today's damage:

 Breakfast: Nothing I was feeling really sick so I stayed in bed until 11

 Lunch: Ham sandwich with mayo and a red bull

 Dinner: Not yet eaten.

 Exercise: Not yet...But now that I'm feeling better I'm feeling like hitting the gym.

Weight:  201