LOSING WEIGHT VIA EXERCISING

WHERE TO BURN THE CALORIES

Basically you have two choices, at home or at a fitness center.  First, here is a list of the locally available options for centers. Second, is a list of places to walk, jog, bike, or swim.  Finally, some pointers on how to work out at home.

ATHLETIC CLUBS

YMCA of Southwest Washington   766 - 15th Ave, Longview, 360-423-4770
MINT VALLEY RACQUET CLUB AND NAUTILUS CENTER  4004 Pennsylvania St
Longview, WA -(360) 636-4770
THREE RIVERS ATHLETIC CLUB  - 1946 8th Avenue Longview, WA 98632 - (360) 636-5589
FOREVER FIT  1211 18th Avenue, Longview, WA - (360) 425-5611
PHYSICAL IMPACT 1445 Commerce Avenue, Longview, WA - (360) 577-6015
SNAP FITNESS

• 1940 Cascade Way, Longview, WA 98632 - 360-636-4321

• 3707 Ocean Beach Highway, Longview, WA 98632, 360-425-5900

• 217 Kelso Drive, Kelso

• 1307 Lewis River Rd., Woodland, WA 98674, 360-225-1111
  
  

 

JOGGING/ WALKING

LAKE SACAJAWEA  Longview (3.75 miles under the bridges, 3.4miles along Nichols/Kessler
PACIFIC WAY DIKES Longview (30th Avenue  to 38th  Avenue) 1.4 miles one way, can loop back on street or double back
COWEEMAN DIKE    Kelso (details?????)

BICYCLING

Pacific Way-Lone Oak-Columbia Heights Road and back (10 miles)
Pacific Way, Coal Creek, Willow Grove and back (20 miles)

SWIMMNG

MARK MORRIS POOL-- Longview
GAITHER POOL --Kelso
BRIARCLIFF POOL –Rainier

These school pools have some public swimming hours—contact Longview or Kelso Park Departments or Rainier HS

AT HOME :  ITS THE  BASEMENT OR GARAGE

If you’re going to work out at home, be sure you have a TV or at least a radio handy.  You’ll want the temperature to be in the 60s rather than 40s or 80s of outdoor weather or 70 of the rest of the house.  

Almost everybody I know has a no-longer-used:  Treadmill, Elliptical, Stationary Bike, Stair Stepper, or Rowing machine.  THERE IS A REASON FOR THIS.   Without companionship or entertainment, working out alone quickly becomes very boring.  It is possible to use dumbbells and weight machines for aerobic workouts, if you use low weights and exercise different body parts for a minute or two at a time with no breaks in between, for about 30 minutes.  This is called CIRCUIT TRAINING.

Dumbbells and barbells are somewhat more hazardous than fitness machines, but are more flexible in terms of the wide variety of muscle groups that can be worked.  You’ll need a bench to properly use them.   And wear gloves to prevent calluses and bruises.

 If you get a machine or machines (with pullies and stacks of plates), be sure to try the equipment out to be sure it feels comfortable for you.  You’ll want to be able to work out the following groups of muscles.  I use 4 different groupings:
1.   Lats (back) and  Biceps
2.   Chest (pectorals) and  Triceps
3.   Shoulders (deltoids and trapezius)
4.  Quads via leg extensions,  Hamstrings via leg flexing, Glutes via leg presses or squats,  Calves via toe raises.

Abdominals can be worked without weights, by doing crunches and bicycling leg movements while lying on one’s back.  I’d suggest you do these every morning before getting out of bed.

It might be worthwhile for anybody wanting to work out at home, to get some instruction either from one of hundreds of widely available fitness books, or by talking to a gym teacher or a serious high school or college athlete.