Good ieas for my routine?

[heartman]

About 1 year ago I had heart surgery to replace my atrial valve. Arteries and viens were fine, no blockage. I am 52. About 7 weeks ago I got tire of my BP being too high and no energy so I started at the YMCA. We have a good one. Plenty of equipment, pool raquet ball, etc.

After 2 1/2 weeks my BP was down to normal. and I noticed the body was tightening up in about 4 weeks a good deal. I only have about 11 pounds of weight loss.

I go 6 days a week. Every day I get on the treadmill where i go for a minimum of 35 minutes of a fast pace walking(2 to 2.5 miles). On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday I do situps and very little weight, will do some leg presses. On Monday, Wednesday and Fridays I do the weight machines...include most of the machines there, legs, shoulders, chest, arms, etc. I am feeling great, more energy, looking trimmer, more muscle and less fat. I want to know where I need to go from here? I would really love to tighten the abs, butt and chest. I would also like to lose some weight but I realize a lot of the fat has turned to muscle. I don't know much so keep it simple.

[anniehall]

Sounds like you're doing a good job of staying motivated. Your weight loss, energy gaining and lowered bp are all a result of regular exercise.
Now if you want to continue to improve you need to advance your work out. If you still like the treadmill, you could increase the speed, incline and/or time. Even take it to a light job. Remember the more intense the work out the more calories burned and then result in weight loss.
As for legs, abs and so forth. Machines are good for toning. I'd add some new exercises, squats, using the stability ball, adding free weights. There are sites that show how each exercise is done.
lastly, if you haven't already done so, diet has an huge impact on weight loss, energy levels and muscle development. It would help to know what you're eating too.

[heartman]

I eat very light in the morning, coffee, fruit, V-8 or orange juice. I normally eat a balanced meal at lunch, meat veggies... I am not snacking much. The for dinner I usually eat a big salad, like with shrimp on it, very light dressing. On Fridy nights I will usually go out and eat a good size meal. A glass of wine here and there. Proabably under 2200 calories a day. I started out about 245 lbs, 6' 1" 6 or 7 weeks ago, now I am at 231. My belt has come in 2 holes and most of my pants are a bit loose.

Should I be trying to exercising every muscle group the same time on the 3 days or go heavier on one on each day? I hear different ideas. I am not trying to gain a lot of mass, I just want to have a little less stomach and butt along with toning up the rest. I am on several medications still from the surgery last year, but on my last check up reduced and hope I can reduce the meds more. The blood thinnner will always be there.

[anniehall]

If you don't want to build muscle bulk, you don't need to be using higher weights. To tone up and also build endurance increase the amount of reps and keep a weight that you're comfortable with. By the last rep of the x set, you should start to feel the muscle fatigue. As you build up your endurance (adding more sets), the muscle will take longer to fatigue.
Keep up the motivations. Sounds like your progressing!

[heartman]

I wouldn't mind building a little bulk, more defination. So I guess where I want to get that I need to do higher weights?

How does the diet sound? Some have said I need to add some protein also. I just started to take a good vitamin.

[heartman]

I have been doing some additional research about how to work out. I am varying my treadmill work to put more incline portions and changing speeds. I can see a difference in calories burned and the impact on my legs. My legs and thighs got back in shape pretty quickly, in fact I am goingto lower weights more reps now, because I didn't want that much more size/bulk. I need to still tighten up my butt. so for my lower body I am doing more reps and lighter weights. I have started to increase the weights for my upper body and doing 4 sets. I need more size up top. I can feel a difference and see some small advances.
Not as heavy as I would like, but I guess just do what I can do and try to build to the heavier weights.

Any addiitonal ideas from anyone?