Hi

6'2, and weigh in at about 207lbs. Looking to lose fat, have been for months but keep failing. As part of my latest scheme to work off extra calories, I've started:

> Walking to work, 3.2 miles, takes one hour. Usually walk 3 times a week, some of the walk is steep uphill.

> Skipping, (with a rope) 3 times a week for 20 minutes. Low intensity, normally break a sweat though.

Just wanted to know, for a newbie and out of shape man, if this is enough Cardio? Yes I know that diet is important too, but will this alone be a decent start in working towards my target 183lbs?

Many Thanks

Le Guen

First of all, have you got lockers at work? Or a place to change? You could jog to work in the morning, get changed, and then change back and run home. (Some guy in my street does that). You could up the intensity with the skipping? Try HIIT?
But really, doing what you are doing will probably keep you to a fairly decent level of fitness, but realistically it wouldn't be enough to lose weight for long.

Thanks WoodT, you're probably right about the jogging. You got to understand that I've been out of shape for almost 2 years now, and the 3 mile walk alone is a bit of a strain.

Perhaps walking will help me build up to jogging to work? Or am I going about it the wrong way...?

have you tried cross-trainer?

No but I can't afford the gym just now!

Sounds like you are off to a good start. What you are doing now will definetly help. But if you wanna see better weight loss results, woodt is right, you need to start jogging instead of just walking. But you are right, doing the walking right now will help you eventually get to jogging to work. You should gradually just try to work your way up to jogging the whole way to work. Start off just jogging maybe half the time and walking the other half and work your way up to jogging the whole time. Also working up to doing the jump roping and jogging 4 or 5 days a week instead of just three will help alot too.

Save your money and get to a gym, lifting weights is as important, if not more for losing fat, since it is in fact fat you want to lose, and NOT muscle.

I'd have to disagree to a degree.

DIET is the main factor to any physician change really.
Supplementing DIET would be exercise, and of course if he was able to afford a gym membership, that'd be nice.

BUT the case here is. he cannot afford it.
&& judging from your physical activites as you listed above.

I'd have to say that you are on the right track, skipping on a rope is really good, IMO. && I'd suggest you jog to work? Not run/sprint literally but as in jog casually. I figure in the end, you will reach work sooner, and maybe sweat a little bit more

and please visit this website Harris Benedict Equation

figure out what your daily caloric expenditures are. and if you wish to lose body fat. You should change your diet according to how much calories you need to obtain in a day (24 hours) I also advise that you try to split your meals to least 4-5 servings times a day.