Do programs like Curves or Contours Express work?!
Question: I am a 23 year old female, I have been struggling with my weight since I was a little girl. I have tried many diets that have been difficult to stick to. I am taking charge of my life this year and I am going to take the weight off. I have been TRYING to work out 3 days a week at the YMCA in my town. Its usually overcrowded, filled with HS kids and big muscle bound guys. I sometimes do not feel comfortable when I work out there. I feel very lost, there is tons of equipment and I don't have any guidance or motivation. I have been thinking about joining Curves or a smiliar program Contours Express, and I have been reading mixed reviews. I have read that those programs works because your body can burn calories and your muscles can get working in the 30 min workout. I have also read that those programs do not work for those who need to loose alot of weight because 30 min. is not long enough. Do these programs actually work? Or should I eat the cost and get a personal trainer at my gym?
Answers: I am a 23 year old female, I have been struggling with my weight since I was a little girl. I have tried many diets that have been difficult to stick to. I am taking charge of my life this year and I am going to take the weight off. I have been TRYING to work out 3 days a week at the YMCA in my town. Its usually overcrowded, filled with HS kids and big muscle bound guys. I sometimes do not feel comfortable when I work out there. I feel very lost, there is tons of equipment and I don't have any guidance or motivation. I have been thinking about joining Curves or a smiliar program Contours Express, and I have been reading mixed reviews. I have read that those programs works because your body can burn calories and your muscles can get working in the 30 min workout. I have also read that those programs do not work for those who need to loose alot of weight because 30 min. is not long enough. Do these programs actually work? Or should I eat the cost and get a personal trainer at my gym?
A couple months ago I was working at the YMCA and was working out but I found myself making up every excuse in the book to avoid working out. So I went into my local Curves and got myself a membership. I absolutely loved it there. I immediately had great results. The manager of the Curves club asked me if I would like to join their team and because I loved the program so much I was so excited. I have been working there for a 2 months now and I have lost a little overf 20 lbs. We have such a great support team and they encourage you to come in 3 times a week ((or more)) for only 30 minutes. The Curves program is scientifically proven to work for women. You get a complete workout in 30 minutes. ((Strength & Cardio, as well as stretching)) Its also the only program that can fit anyones ability due to the hydraulic resistance. The harder you work, the harder the resistance. If you have any other questions feel free to shoot me an email : amy.n.andy@hotmail.com or call your local Curves and set up a Figure Analysis & Tour, its free. Check it out, each Curves is individually owned so there will be a difference from club to club and some clubs are...well terrible to be honest. So go in and see it for yourself. :) Either way, best of luck to you !! Remember: the only place that success comes before work is in the dictionary!!
it depends
The programs are alright, the question is how you eat as well. Keep in mind that 80 % of your weightloss is diet. 30 minutes doesn't seem enough to me personally, but for some people it works. You can always do the workouts and add another 30-1 hr of cardio on a treadmill at home, or go for walks. That will help with the weight tremendiously. The YMCA is good, just go when there's no kids there. Mothers tend to go in the morning, while there's babysitting, and thats a good time for you to go. Most of the hs kids/ muscle guys come later in the day, at least at my YMCA. You can even as the Y when their peak hours are, and avoid those. Good Luck.
Programs like Curves are great exercise programs for those who are new to exercise or just restarting workout programs. But here is the problem with the workout routines: Our bodies quickly adapt to exercise unless we vary the program regularly. And when our bodies become comfortable, our bodies stop changing. So when you consider you will be doing the exact same exercises every workout, you will plateau VERY quickly.
Now, I understand feeling uncomfortable in the types of health clubs you have access to---so, what do you do? My best advice is to find one or two friends you trust to become exercise partners with. Hopefully friends who have similar fitness goals. And maybe with the exercise partners, the gyms you have access to will be a more comfortable environment. If not, perhaps you could try exercise videos or a walking/jogging club.
Good Luck!
http://workoutsondemand.com/
Pascale Vandenbroucke
I re-joined the local gym this year and felt the same way you do. Fortunately, the gym membership came with a free one-hour session with a personal trainer. It made all the difference in the world!!!
Now I don't feel like I'm drifting from one machine to the other with no purpose. Also, she was able to tell me that some of the machines I was using would not give me the results I wanted. If it is a possibility at your facility, I'd buy just 1-3 sessions with the trainer.
Another thing that really helps me is using an MP3 player while I work out. The music keeps my mind off of the other people in the room.
You have just as much right to be there as anyone else. Keep up the good work.
i lost 15 pounds at curves and it was good enough to up my heart rate but didnt take alot of time.i also liked talking to the other people there.
I'm 22 and have been a member of about 6 gyms since i turned 18. Within literally a few weeks ive lost interest and stop going and then get fed up at spending my money if im not going and then change to a new gym hoping i'll like it better. Last November i joined Contours and i absolutely love it! I go 5 times a week and am probably going to start going on weekends too. Its hard to explain, but its the first gym i have actually enjoyed going to, and because its only 29 minutes, it doesnt take up such a huge chunk of your day, and doesnt mean i have to get up too early to fit in a workout before work. Im still relatively new there so ive only lost a few KGs so far, but have definately noticed my clothes getting looser, more muscle tone and im a lot fitter already. Just make sure you increase your weights whenever you dont really feel like you're working that hard anymore, and you will continue to lose weight. They aslo suggest going for a walk a couple of times a week to speed up results. I recommend going into your local Contours and doing a free trial workout so you know what you're getting before you spend any money. THink you can also get a free 3 day workout pass at some branches. Hope this helps