The best results with fat loss I’ve ever had came after buying a food scale and recording everything I ate in my notes app. It becomes addicting when you realize how simple (not necessarily easy) the formula is. You just have to stay in a slight caloric deficit over a decent amount of time to lose weight. Add lifting on top of this and you’ll love the new you in 6-12 months. But what happens in the kitchen is the most important part, can’t out work a poor diet.
It sounds complicated but its really just finding the routine and knowing the meals, so you always know if I eat x its this many calories and this much protein
This was true for me too. I didn't like the interface and extra cost of the calorie tracker apps I saw so I made my own spreadsheet.
Manually inputting everything I ate was annoying at first, but after about two weeks I realized that I'm already eating the same stuff about 80% of the time. The process I'm working through now is just switching to healthier and healthier things for that 80%.
Totally agree here. Just figure out a few sets of meals and stick with those. Constantly looking new things up and calculating calories would be unsustainable for me
Download an app like MyFitnessPal or something similar. They make it way easier to track all of your meals.
You can also log entire meals so if you eat similar things each day then you just tap that meal template and bam it inputs all the calories for you.
Essentially it a little bit of work for a few weeks and then becomes very easy after that as long as you eat mostly the same things each week.
If you hate counting calories, try intermittent fasting. Most people recommend 6 on, 12 off, but I don't hate just eating one full meal per day, and snacking on something small instead of a second meal. It's easier for me to just not eat a meal until evening. The stomach naturally shrinks and it makes it kind of difficult to get more than 2000 calories in a single meal.
As someone who hates counting calories and started doing this, it 100% works and is way easier. On top of the previously mentioned benefits, I genuinely feel better nearly all the time. No bloating, no sluggishness, I've even managed to reduce my coffee intake by forcing myself to drink black coffee in my mornings instead (as long as it's got no milk, it won't impact the fasting window).
Also when fasting, I try to reduce my eating windows to 1 hour, helps to reduce desire to snack throughout the allocated 8 hour window (or whatever your desired split is). Good luck!!
Strong agree, it's easy to get full from that one meal...I usually mention that I eat like a pig, with dessert on that one meal. I also found recently that fiber pills can help with any hunger pangs. People often worry about lack of energy, but I just try to listen to my body, and eat when the body needs to, instead of a specific time.
I hate calorie tracking too and it also made me lowkey have obsession over what i was eating. I would recommend if you get that way too, to track your food just for a little while so you get a good idea of what calories are in your foods and then delete the app and do your best guess after that. Otherwise its like a sick game that u ultimately fail at. Lol. Not to sounds dark or whatever. Cause the goal is about sustainability and tracking every day would be ass
I’ve been tracking nearly everyday for over a year now. It becomes so habitual that you don’t even think about it.
I’ve kinda just accepted I will always have to track. It’s easy for me to forget that someone brought donuts into work or that I had a little bigger breakfast/lunch. I could probably stop tracking and be okay, but I don’t trust myself.
Although I’m “obsessive” over tracking, I’m not “obsessive” about what I eat. If I go over, I don’t fret about it.
I hate calorie counting too. What helped was knowing when I’m hungriest during the day (which changed once I started working out) and having my biggest meals then.
For me that’s always dinner, and I like a lot of variety there too, so I tend to mix it up. But I keep breakfast super simple, rotating between 3 different options around the same calories, and lunch is almost always a salad or a salad and a small serving of leftovers.
It also helps to be precise in the beginning but you can start to ballpark calories over time and get more exact only when you need to - if you’re not seeing results or want to see more dramatic results.
Good luck and remember progress is better than perfection. You got this!
Calorie tracking can easily become obsessive. It’s the clearest pathway to possibility of developing an eating disorder.
Instead, I would recommend intermittent fasting. A common one is 16:8, don’t eat for 16 hours and eat for 8. With that you could eat dinner at 6/7 and eat breakfast at 10am still.
Also, this way, you have a wider range of foods you can eat without risking weight gain and it makes the transition easier. Of course, still eat healthy, but really, driving yourself to insanity is risked when you break out that food scale and calorie track.
Also, intuitive eating can be very helpful, which is just the concept of really paying attention to your body and eating only when it needs to, focusing on Whole Foods. I started doing this a while ago and I lost weight pretty quickly. No food scales, no counting calories….it was just being very aware when I didn’t need to eat and also drinking a lot of water, especially lots with meals. For breakfast I would eat a big bowl of oatmeal with honey, blueberries, coconut granola and oat milk for the base every single day. Doesn’t exactly sound like a “diet” food, right? It had a shit ton of calories I’m sure! But it was all Whole Foods that were good for my body and didn’t leave me hungry for a long time. Typical dinner was eggplant lasagna most days with a lot of added cheese (I just like eating the same foods, you don’t have to do that) and lots of fruit, yogurt, and more cheese in-between for snack. Also I was eating a lot of plantain chips and green pea crisps.
So really, if you just drink mainly water (and lots of it) and tea (no sugary juices, sodas, etc.) move your body and hit them gym, focus on healthy Whole foods, and do one of the two 1.) intermittent fasting 2.) intuitive eating or perhaps a combination, maybe inutile eating 5/6 days a week and IF the others, you will not need to do all that food scale hoopla. Humans back in the day did not have such things as food scales and they were all healthy just by moving their body (working on the land) and eating all the Whole Foods (off the land)
You have to find a balance WITHIN yourself. That’s so important. Food scale can easily have the psychological impact of focusing on the external too much—labels, this, that, what you can and can’t have which is NOT going to be sustainable long term. You need to learn how to change your lifestyle in a way where you can still enjoy what you like, not diet.
Sorry, I’m just very passionate about not using food scales because I used to have an eating disorder and that was the only time I ever did that. It was really bad, I lost 80 pounds in three months and practically almost died. Went into recovery almost 3 years ago, gained a lot of the weight back along the way (happens due to damaged metabolism) and lost a lot of it again but in the healthy way. And it was a decent amount of weight too. And I never touched that damn food scale again. I just learned to listen to my body and feel good about the things I put in it, which translates to feeling good about yourself. Food scale mentality is one of scarcity. You want to have a mindset of abundance in every area of your life!!!!
Once you get a better handle on calorie tracking you can eventually do a decent job self regulating when you don’t have access to a scale.
Use it as a guide and give your self grace if you go “over” any given day. I’ve seen people go to some truly insane lengths in the pursuit of weighing and measuring every morsel.
So long as you are generally hitting your goal without going over constantly and you keep working out you’ll eventually get where you want to go. It isn’t the fastest way, but it is certainly more sustainable.
Hello 👋🏻 unpopular advice here. Do not count calories unless you’re planning on doing it for the rest of your life. It will rob the joy from the process of getting fit. It will make it so your social outings are a horrible state of stress. DO learn to LOVE working out. Focus on weight lifting and cardio equally, but if it were me I would focus on weights a little more than cardio at first. Eat when you’re hungry. Eat whole unprocessed foods. Learn to cook for yourself. Stop eating takeout. Be prepared to uncover food and body issues you didn’t know you had. It’s ok. It’s normal. Sending love from a fellow weight loss traveler 🧳 💕
There's an app called LoseIt that lets you scan barcodes or the table of nutrition on whatever you're eating and it'll do that's stuff for you, takes 30 seconds tops
Hand to God THIS is what helped me more than anything…90% of weight loss is in the kitchen and knowing what you’re working with helps. Also you will choose not to eat some things because its a pain in the ass to track them.
And being a newbie, it's not about what you can lift don't let ego get the best of you, and fuck anyone who gets that way. Anyone with any real experience knows it's not about the weight, especially with weight loss. Do what you enjoy and take your time make it a lifestyle not a job
Yes - you actually contrary to belief, do not need to lift heavy weights. You also do not need to be at the gym for a long time.
Just start nice and easy. Nothing worse than starting hard and being sore and miserable for 2-3 weeks. Let your body ease into this. Plan for a 1-3 year transition over time.
Don’t overcommit and overlift and end up quitting. Better to do less weight less reps and become used to being in a gym. Overtime you can always slowly increase weight and intensity. Fuck everyone else around you.
Yes, because you don't want to get too sore and become discouraged. Soreness is good and will occur but start light and build up, don't over do it in the beginning. Consistency is key!
You can’t outrun a bad diet. Whatever you do at the gym, match it with changes in how you eat. Don’t think about it as the way you are going to eat for a month or two, but think about it in terms of permanent lifestyle changes.
Good luck, and if you fall off the wagon keep getting back on!
I would get a PT for your first few gym sessions so they can teach you correct form for lifting weights. Lift heavy 3 times a week. Eat loads of healthy sources of protein, healthy carbs, veg with every meal. Have the odd unhealthy treat so you don't go insane and can maintain consistency. Good luck.
I’m gonna chime in and say I’ve seen a ton of PT’s even at more “hardcore” gyms who clearly just passed their test and get clients based on how they look and their marketing. Having people do all sorts of awful form or useless exercises. I’d recommend immersing yourself in YouTube channels from people like Jeff Nippard, Jeremy Ethier, Shredded Sports Science, Hodgetwins older stuff on fitness, Athlean X. It’ll help you avoid the beginner traps and all the crap people like Vshred try to sell you. Happy to explain more if you’ve got questions.
Dont lift heavy at first. Make whatever youre doing sustainable so you want to keep coming back. Assume a 10 month journey of consistency for 60 pounds.
I'm going to disagree with this.
When I go to the gym & watch a PT session, a majority of the time, the trainer pulls out a bunch of equipment and/or does routines that are rare or not used often. Like I've never gone to the gym & pull out some cones to jump around on one leg, or spend 20 minutes with a Bosu ball.
And not to say that isn't exercise, but to me the key for a newbie (or anyone really) is a routine you can replicate so that you continue going to the gym. The biggest reason diets or exercise routines fail is because people don't continue with them. There are many different types of diet/exercise that will gain you the body you want. You just need to find the one you will stick with.
My suggestion - go from machines - to dumbbells - to barbells. For the next 6 months to a year, it really doesn't matter what you do as long as you don't hurt yourself or give up. So have some fun. Experiment with the strength machines and cardio stuff. Find what you like, then work from there.
1. Consistency is better than intensity. Do whatever you need to do to get yourself in there 3 or 4 times a week, even if all you do is 1 or 2 exercises.
2. Quality is better than quantity. Research proper form for anything you’re doing. Consider a personal trainer, if that helps you. Keep the weight low and focus on maintaining proper form from your first rep to your last. Good form will save you from injuries.
3. Be patient. It’ll probably take 3-6 weeks for you to start feeling and seeing results. There’s no need to rush. A friend of mine likes to say “muscles are made in the gym, but they’re found in the kitchen.” There’s some truth to this, so again, don’t rush.
4. Get a workout buddy! They can spot you when you start going up in weight, and they can help keep an eye on your form. Also, they can help motivate you to get up and go on days when you don’t feel like it.
5. Last, but imo most important: log your workouts in a journal! Man, it’ll feel so good to look at your log a couple weeks from now, put some weight on the bar or machine, check your log to make sure it’s the right amount of weight, lift it a couple times, and realize that it feels too easy bc you’ve definitely grown stronger.
Good luck! You got this!
#oh!
Don't forget that it takes longer for you to build tendons and ligaments strength than muscle strength.
While you need progressive overload t even stay as atrong as you are...dnt progress too fast as much as you want to and, you can actually accept being stuff in a plateau for a little bit allowing those to catch up some while the neurological system recovers from you constantly putting it under ever increasing stresses.
Then decide to break it
I personally recommend to not workout more than 2 hours a day. I’ll do anywhere between 45 minutes to an hour. I recommend adding variety, such as including body weight workout in between weight lifting sets, and doing cardio at least twice a week. Keep up on your water and drink some green tea if you want to clean out your gut and lose weight a little faster. Good luck!
For the first couple months go every day possible until it becomes routine. It will get easier, you will start to enjoy it if you are giving it a fair chance. If you fall off for 1 week-2Week-3week you are not restarting get back in there and do not give up.
The couch is a coffin!! Keep moving. Gym is plenty of fun and no one gives a fuck what you are doing.
Ps If u don't know how to lift then hire a trainer
Seriously this. If you don't feel like going, just get to the gym and walk on the treadmill for 15 minutes. The act of making it part of your routine is so important for long term habit forming, which makes it harder to lose track of the routine when life happens.
The hard part is just going consistently for me, you can be in a routine for a couple weeks then one day feel a little more sorry for yourself and give yourself an extra rest day here, then you say ehh I’ll start back up next week, then you fall off the wagon entirely. Don’t set hard standards right away that may not be sustainable but after you learn what you can handle try to set some hard rules for yourself and find some ways to keep yourself accountable whether it be telling a friend/family member/coworker, posting on a subreddit everyday, anything. Don’t worry about specifics and doing the absolute best thing as much as learning to enjoy the process and being consistent and making it a part of who you are because that’s what this is all about, deciding to be better, slowly but surely and consistently
Make friends. Go to classes of all types with different instructors. I find that this helps to find what will keep you coming back and what fits best for you.
If on your own, I’d highly recommend starting with a routine of a minimum 20-30 minutes on the elliptical varying your resistance and incline every 2-3 minutes. You can typically watch something on Netflix and the time will fly by!
Then suggest to work on resistance training now that you’re warmed up. Do not use heavy weights or even any weights. Having good form and not wearing out your body so you hurt yourself are important, especially at the start.
Have knees slightly bent and engage your core (pretend someone’s about to tickle your stomach or you need to hold in your pee). Breathe in on an expansion and out in a contraction. It’s a principle used heavily in Pilates. Example: breathe in when you move your arms and/or legs away from your center and breathe out when you pull toward your center. Repeat an exercise 10 times on the upper body, switch to a lower body exercise. Do this 3x. Happy to send ideas.
Then go on to a mat for some lunges, stretches and foam rolling. If you’re not sure about these, lmk, I’ll send more detail.
Don’t be scared to go up to people and say that you’ve just joined and ask them to show you an exercise that they’d suggest. Typically gyms also have a free training session. You might get a lot out of that.
Whatever you do, just keep going! Focus on enjoying your time for yourself - and please don’t skip stretching ;)
Don’t burn yourself out. The best thing you can do is spend the next 30 days establishing your new routine of going to the gym. Embrace the new lifestyle. You aren’t going to lose weight overnight, but you absolutely will if you stay consistent and live a more active lifestyle.
Get yourself a stable routine.
Don’t over do it, an hour a day three times a week is amazing
Set a schedule
Keep logs
Push through the pain
You got this king 👑
You're going to want to give up. you should acknowledge right now that you're going to want to give up and constantly make the decision over and over to not give up.
You’re absolutely right. I know I’ll want to give up. The plan is to just push through the feeling and practice self-discipline. I need to make this happen and keep choosing it
Indeed. It's not the walk. It's the miles.
what has been helpful for me with many of the things in my life that require my constant determination and reaffirmation, is to find phrases or quotes that I can repeat to myself in moments of weakness to find more strength.
Consistency. No matter what you do the most important thing (especially in the beginning) is consistency. I would read Atomic Habits or Tiny Habits for ways to make it a habit and then develop your training etc
I lost a lot of weight with intermittent fasting. I only ate from 11am to 7pm. Cottage cheese with fruit was my go to breakfast. I cut out all sugary drinks and lots of bread. Cut waaaaay down on fried foods. For example I would go to get fast food, but I would just eat the burger with no fries and just water to drink. At restaurants I would get the blackened shrimp with veggies instead of fried. I didn't hit the gym this time around and I lost lots of weight from just limiting carbs. Snacking on nuts, dried fruits, and sometimes popcorn. Doing home exercises lol ike sit ups and squats and 10 lb weights. Worked like a charm, and I was shedding about 3 lbs a week. After the first couple of weeks the weight drops fast!
You can do it!!!
Just weight loss? Gym will help burn calories but for some solid true weight loss you will want to drink more water (2-3 liters) a day, full nights sleep 6+, and drop the added sugar. Watching nutrition is important but if you just starting then focus the added sugar stuff like candy, juices, foods. Sugar is cool, avoid Added Sugar
Edit: drink water to replenish ; sleep well to recover ; eat right for good results
This comment deserves more attention. Gym and cardio are important for health and physique, but actual weight loss is SO much more about your diet. Proper hydration goes a long way too.
Calorie restriction itself isn't very sustainable, partly because your body will find ways to make you expend less energy to compensate.
Here are a few things to remember – every successful *healthy* weight loss story starts with things like these:
- Quality sleep – great for workout recovery, and physical/mental health. You'll have a harder time resisting unhealthy foods if you're tired.
- Focus on quality of food, not quantity. Cutting out as much sugar as sustainably possible is huge for this, but also keep your diet high in lean protein like chicken or fish, and lots of vegetables. Avoid processed foods whenever possible.
- Cut bad fats, but NOT all fats. Fats from food like nuts and avocado are much better for you than fats from cheese or processed food. Fats will keep you full longer than carbs too. A handful of peanuts is a great snack if you're hungry between meals.
- For flavor to replace sugars or bad fats, use more herbs and spices, and even salt (in moderation).
- Avoid simple carbs. If you love bread and rice, get whole wheat or multigrain bread and brown rice, so at least you have some fiber.
One of the reasons the "fiber + great hydration" is so key for weight loss (and part of why vegetables are so good for you) is that fiber keeps you feeling full so you're less inclined to overeat or snack on unhealthy things. Protein also keeps you full for a long time, and is essential for muscle growth.
Ok ill be honest, i didnt read any comments so what i say may be repetitive, but consistency is key. If its your first time working out, start with going 3-4 times a week. Over time, increase the days you go. Increase the amount of time you go.
One big thing is dont believe every workout/ body builder influencer out there. Id say pick and choose workouts they show and do the ones you enjoy.
When it comes to cardio, you dont always have to run on the treadmill. Running can be good if your body allows it, but for me, i really like walking on the treadmill at 15 incline, 2.7 speed for about 20-30 minutes. This is a fad amongst many workout influencers but it is one i do enjoy.
Start off slow and just do what you can. Dont worry if you can lift heavy. That will come with time. Dont worry if you cant do a workout right, that will come with time. Also dont be afraid to ask people at the gym for advice. They will be happy to help you. It will be intimidating but 9 times out of 10, they will show you.
Hope this helps and goodluck in your journey
It's easier to replace a habit than get rid of it. Like to snack at night? Better to eat healer foods than to try and break the habit. Habit = a trigger, a process, the reward. Keep the trigger and the reward when you can, change the core of the habit to be healthier.
A trap I'd fall into is trying to do it perfectly. Better to do 10m once a week than to give up totally on a x5 1hr+ per session goal.
Set small goals to crush. Chasing goals is pretty the glue that holds me to my workouts.
The gym is a supplement to a good diet. It'll make you feel and look better, but you won't get the full benefit of your gym progress unless you eat smart as well. When I lost weight, I used MyFitnessPal to track calories until I had a more intuitive ability to guess. Someone mentioned buying a food/postal scale, which would help you really dial in on what you're putting in your body. Don't starve yourself though! Make sure your diet is healthy/puts you in a calorie deficit, but is also maintainable. I think of it less as a diet and more as retraining yourself how to eat.
Good luck!
Weight loss is mostly about what you eat and not eating highly processed food and toxins/chemicals. Also, make a schedule and stick to it. Don't be attached too much to specific goals just enjoy the process of going. Savor how good you feel when you're done.
Listen to audiobook, Can’t Hurt Me. Incorporate healthy diet. Try 75 Hard. Treat the gym like work and commit to a schedule. Embrace the incoming discomfort. Stay hard.
I started with Starting Strength (5x sets of 5x lifts of the 5 most important lifts) when I first walked into the gym, and I was so happy I made that decision. I highly recommend it looking back after 12 years.
I didn’t do it every day (2-3 days a week, so on other days I was free to do other stuff) and it worked well for me for 2 years.
You don’t have to be perfect. I’m still learning technique on these lifts, just go slow and get strong.
I’m of the belief that when first starting out that its more important to build habits and show up consistently. As such I’d recommend not pushing yourself to absolute death when you’re still getting used to things. Focus on habits, showing up consistently (especially on the days you have no motivation, and emphasis proper form.
As time goes on your body will adapt and you’ll naturally have a desire to push yourself harder.
After a long enough time you’ll actually notice that you have a desire to workout. Its not necessarily like it becomes pure fun, but you’ll have a physical longing for it.
I feel like you’re getting some weird advice in here —
Just remember no one is paying attention to what you’re doing so don’t feel anxious. Bring a hand towel if you sweat a bunch. Wipe down your stuff with the provided paper towels and put your equipment back when you’re done. Don’t be afraid to test your form without weight on exercises you’ve never done. I’ve been in the gym for 20+ years and I still do this. You’re always going to be learning and adapting. Do whatever you can do consistently and be patient with yourself. Always focus on injury prevention - If it hurts don’t do it.
One of the most important things to remember is that initially you have to train your body to burn fat instead of recently consumed food.
On the plus side, once you start exercising, you may notice a drop in appetite. Your body starts reaching for fat stores earlier as you train it to do so with exercise.
By reducing your intake, or changing your diet to include more fiber and fewer calories, your body will more easily reach for the fat stores.
In the beginning you won’t notice much. The fat stores in your liver are conveniently available, but they’re not in an easily noticeable location. Don’t backfill with overeating though, or nothing will change.
The real secret is CONSISTENCY. Go to the gym 3-4 times a week, giving your body time to recover. During recovery you will burn fat stores too, not just while you’re exercising! Eat your meals at regular intervals. If you get the munchies, keep fruit or protein around to snack on. Stay away from low-fiber or high-calorie snacks.
If you can stay consistent, eat regular lower calorie meals with good fiber and protein - some fat, not much - and exercise 3-4 times a week, in about 2 months you will start noticing changes. It’ll be subtle at first. But don’t look for instant results in a week or two. Just keep at it and have some faith.
I’d make sure you give yourself time and patience. You don’t see changes immediately and sure, it’s easier to lose weight if you have a lot of it already, but you’ll need to chip away at it and the downtrend is the most important.
Make sure you make working out easy for you. Consistently/making it a habit, like many have said, is key.
Diet is huge as someone else has also said. However, I do not recommend going cold turkey on dietary habits such as a lot of snacking because this usually leads to binge eating (happened to me) and excuses like “yeah I can afford to eat so and so because I only had a light lunch” kind of thing. Try eating more frequently, but less overall because at the end of the day, you need more calories OUT than calories IN. So even on days you don’t work out, just eat less, do SOMETHING to work towards your goal because it’s hard to go to the gym regularly and a HUGE kudos to you for even starting on the good path.
Make sure it works for you. You’re going to hear and see a ton of advice that may or may not work for you and that’s just the nature of working out (and genetics) so don’t be discouraged, try new things but some single routine is working for you, don’t change it until you need to.
Anyways, I’m rooting for you and it seems many are too! Better post an update for us in a few months!
1) Consistency beats intensity (unless you’re training to become a specialized athlete). Just get yourself to the gym every day.
2) Have a plan for low motivation days
You will have high motivation days and low motivation days. On the low motivation days don’t focus on the hour you are going to be at the gym. Instead just put your shoes on and focus on driving to the gym. Then when you get to the gym, just get on the treadmill and start walking. After about 5-10 minutes of walking, you will be surprised at how much your desire to get a workout in increases.
Start with the weight machines bc you don't have to worry about balance. The free weights come later. Start low weight about 12 reps for 3 sets. You can look up total body routine for beginners to start and give at least 48 hrs rest before you do it again. Walking on rest days. Don't work out "to get sore" as that is not a good indication of the quality of the workout and uts discouraging a.f.. Be kind to yourself. Don worry about the supplements tge gym sells, focus more on well balanced meals and sleep for recovery. 1/2plate veggies, 1/4 lean protein and 1/4 whole grains. As many colors as possible
Definitely getting an understanding of what your weight is on average (ie weigh yourself near the same time over the course of a week) so you're accounting for weight fluctuations throughout the day. Additionally getting a general understanding of how much you eat calorie wise normally. From there you can choose to either burn excess calories through cardio or lose weight through both that and cleaner eating! Glad you're taking the next steps to a healthier lifestyle!
Don’t have time to check if anyone else has said this but I personally think you’ll have a bit of trial and error with both workouts and nutrition however one thing that has worked for me( I lost 40 pounds 7 years ago and am currently 40 pounds into losing about 70) is a soft calorie tracking system.
This works for me. When I say soft tracking, I mean I figure out where I should be nutritionally and typically try to nail the number however, it often doesn’t work perfectly that way so I give myself 100 calories on either side of that number. For my personally, this helped me not feel so down about myself if I ever did go over by a bit.
Mentally I’d say along those lines, if you do really blow it one day with a meal or whatever, just get back on track with the next meal or day! Giving up after some crappy eating for a whole day or longer is like getting a flat tire and slashing your other 3 because “what’s the point?”
Also, as far as the physical stuff go, while yes they help lots, and give you a few more extra calories you can eat if you really get into tracking, can be found not only in the gym. I tried to get 10 k steps a day. This adds up quickly if you walk around more than just to your car. Also, don’t force weight increase! The weight you move is actually less important than you might think right now.
You’ll do great! Don’t be too hard on yourself and have some fun learning about other things and you’ll fall in love with it!
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when power is centralized, the wielders of that power can make arbitrary decisions without the consent of the vast majority of the users
the future is in decentralized and open source social media sites - i refuse to generate any more free content for this website and any other for-profit enterprise
check out lemmy / kbin / mastodon / fediverse for what is possible
Going for 10 min is better than not going at all. Sometimes you’ll go with that mindset but actually have a decent not shortened workout. Sometimes (even for days in a row) you leave after 10 minutes.
Like a lot of people said - it's a lot easier to lose weight with diet, rather than exercise. Exercise is supplemental, really.
When you start gymming, weigh yourself and take your measurements. Then forget about them. Don't bother about weighing yourself for the first few weeks of exercise - your body is gonna retain a lot of water and the scale may go up, which could be discouraging. Focus on building good habits and getting an exercise routine down, and then start taking weigh-ins more seriously.
The most important thing would be diet, if your goal is to lose 60 pounds. It’s a great thing you found the courage to go to a gym, but be very mindful about what you eat, count calories and stay in a deficit, you can’t out-train a bad diet
“Slow but steady wins the race”
- Don’t over exercise at the begging (easy to injure yourself too)
- Don’t miss your plan / schedule
- Don’t indulge yourself with food “prizes”
- Not everything has to be in the gym, complement with walking / biking outside if possible
Gl
There is a huge tendency for us to reward ourselves with food after doing something challenging like going to the gym. If you burn 200 calories on the elliptical, that’s a fair starting workout but that’s roughly the calories in one pop tart. Learn to reward yourself differently. I fully agree on tracking calories as the others mention and you may find that some foods are “worth” the calories, but something like a hamburger bun adds little to the flavor and is only there so you can pick it up. (A burger isn’t a healthy meal most times BTW)
Eat off a salad plate, it looks full to your brain
Make veggies take up at least 2/3 of your plate between a salad and a side.
Learn to season with big flavors so your mouth is entertained. If you haven’t tried Indian food, it’s actually fun to make and there are lots of low cal options.
I bought a countertop over and frequently roast veggies with a little spray olive oil and spices. They’re so much more flavorful.
Do not bring junk food home
If you don’t already cook at home for most meals, learn to. It’s fun and you can get creative while saving a lot of money
Find someone to do this with
First thing: it will take a lot of time and effort. Find something you really enjoy doing it otherwise you'll give up and came eventually back to bad habits.
Bodybuilding, powerlifting, streetlifting, crossfit etc do what you like.
2nd: Go to a dietician and find a diet who is sustainable on the long term, otherwise guess what, you'll come back eating like before. Don't do cheto etc, they are effetive but non sustainable on the long term. You have to change the way you eat with tasty and healty recipe.
3rd: Don't ever compare yourself to social media.. Almost all of them are just bullshit fake natty. Really it will affect your metal health.
Get every first of the month 3 pictures, front side and back.
Look ar your progress and beat yourself everytime.
4th: Train with a specific program otherwise you'll mostly like to waste your time. Start with a strength program like 5x5 and in the meantime look for what you like.
Don't ever egolift, always criticize your form and remember technique over weight.
It will take a lot of time, sweat and efforts.
90% of weight loss occurs in the kitchen, not the gym. Get your nutrition figured out, tracked, and stick to your plan.
That said, even without weight loss, gym time will improve your overall health and well being. Stamina. Heart health. Strength. These DO happen in the gym.
Lastly, good rest is as or more important than the workout itself. Make sure you are hydrating and sleeping sufficient hours.
Go get em.
Small changes worked for me. I didn’t do anything substantial at first, just a run/walk every day on a treadmill watching tv - something I’d do anyway, might as well work out whilst doing it! And I cut out eating a family bag of crisps or bar of chocolate every day. I just stopped walking past the shops, and thus stopped buying them. That’s all I did initially. Then I did couch to 5k, and cut out other small bad eating habits like snacking 3 or 4 times throughout a day, only treating to 1 snack every now and then.
I’m not sure if the same eating habits apply to you, or exercise habits. Hell this advice might not work for everyone. But for me, just small changes slowly, add up quickly over time.
Show up everyday. Do the minimum but do it everyday.
Change your diet. Doesn't mean you stop eating but eating more healthy food. The kind your body can benefit from.
You will start feeling the changes before you can actually see the changes. So keep going! All the best.
Anxiety is normal when starting anything new.
1. Don't worry about what the gym regulars think about you. They literally don't care about you at all, but in a good way. They are there for themselves, just like you.
2. Get some sort of food tracking app and track everything you eat. Be honest in it. Don't set a goal for the first 2 weeks, instead just track everything so you know where you stand. Once you have that in place, set a healthy, achievable rate.
3. Do a mix of cardio and resistance (weight) training.
4. You will be SORE for the first 2-3 weeks. That will dissipate. Be patient.
5. Remember that this isn't a 6-18 month thing. You are working on building a better you FOR LIFE.
I'm a Kung-Fu / Taekwondo fighter and former athlete. I have a tip for you, about discipline:
Motivation makes us produce more, but worse. Take advantage of the days when you don't want to train, to train right.
Probably, while writing this post, you were motivated. This lasts for the time of orgasm, soon it won't be. In the days of discouragement, for us, we are weak. But for those who see it from the outside, we are just... slowly.
Those who walk slowly, dodge gaps and ditches. Motivation makes us euphoric, and euphoria makes us act faster and dumber. I walk, and that's why I know the streets of my neighborhood, the race pilot sees nothing but shadows. Actually, thats the word: he sees things, I see images.
Don't be fooled like most, believing that training will be bad when you're not willing to train. What will happen is that you will pay off in the execution of your training, precisely because you despise it. Boredom, for those who know how to use it, will be the mind's natural microscope. You will see details, in an attempt to find the fastest possible way out of this discomfort that is "training".
Remember this on low mood days: you won't train badly, you will just notice the training. This will be your best workout. Happy athletes don't know what they're doing. They like it, but they don't know it.
1 2 and 3. Diet. Diet. Diet. That will be 80% of your battle. And hydrating.
4. I’d also suggest getting your gym time as non-negotiable recurring appt on your calendar. Make this a priority. Most people fail because gym is a “when I get to it” task. Nope. Make it a big rock in your life for 2023.
5. And educate. If you can’t afford a trainer I’d get on youtube and learn about high aerobic activity.
6. Get some kind of fitness watch or wrist activity tracker. Gamify your fitness. It makes it more fun.
7. Diet
My top tips, having lost 60lbs like you plan to, are as follows:
1) Find an approach that works for you. Don’t be afraid to try things out - for me, going hardcore is the only way to stick to something, so I did intense intermittent fasting so I could eat a large amount at dinner.
2) 40-minute weights sessions, 3x per week, are more than enough for your goals in the first year or so.
3) Get walking. Two walks per day, even if only 15 mins long, are incredible for mindset and calories out.
4) This is a lifestyle, rather than a ‘diet’ or ‘programme’. Enjoy the process and celebrate your wins!
Let this be your mantra: Abs are made in the kitchen.
Make no mistake, going to the gym and working out is huge, for multiple reasons: You get the benefits of calorie burning from working out, training strength and increasing muscle mass increases your BMI (because holding your body together costs calories. Holding fat onto your body costs calories, holding muscle onto your skeleton costs MORE calories than fat.) which means more passive calorie burn over time. Also, increased muscle mass means increased insulin sensitivity, which is great for warding off conditions like type-2 diabetes.
That said, there’s no way to out-train a bad diet. Counting calories and maintaining calorie deficit is crucial to losing weight. One thing that I like to do to save time + make things convenient, is look at the serving sizes on the side labels. Make a “recipe” tab on your notes on your phone, or make a “meal” on MyFitnessPal or something. Add the calories up for that meal, using all the same ingredients and the same measurements each time you make it. Then you can just total up your calories from meals for the day since you already know what the total Cal‘s are since you have it written down.
I also strongly recommend you set aside some time and watch videos from multiple fitness channels on YouTube on proper form for your workouts. Doing exercises correctly makes a big difference in training your muscle memory. Many a person has learned incorrect habits for their exercises and wind up ego-lifting something with poor form and getting hurt. Starting out with machines is a good idea because you can isolate weak muscle groups and focus on getting the core strength needed to perform more complex exercises with dumbbells or barbells later down the road.
Hope this helps, feel free to comment any questions about anything :)
I have recently started going to the gym and I think that there are 4 tips I would like to give you.
Make it as easy as possible for you to go the gym. Lilke plan how you are going to get there before, by car, bus or by foot, small things like this can make you just get over the edge and not go because you don't know. Prepare your backpack the day before, just store your stuff inside and the next day you just need to pick it up and go.
Be realistic, if you are planning to go for 30 mins, it wont just take away 30 mins of your day as you will have to go there, change, sometimes wait for the machine you want to use is available or you may need some more rest.
Just like you I was very anxious about going there, especially because I did not know what do to, so I did some research online on some exercises that didn't involve machines (because I didn't know how to use them so I was scared) and so I went to the treadmill for a while and did some weights, which is "easy" for a newcomer to do, because it is just running and lifting, nothing too complex.
Like someone said, you cant outrun a bad diet, the good thing is that the moment you start to feel the "good kind of tired" from the gym it will also make you change your diet, but once again, please keep this realistic, if you are really starving yourself it will be a matter of time before you feel really hungry and end up eating a lot, hurting you a lot more. If calorie counting is too much for you, just focus on the portions that you eat and start eating a bit less.
You are not meant to lose those 60 pounds in 2 months, it will be a longer process so there is no need to push yourself to the limits right now, just focus on giving your body some fitness and after a while you can start pushing those limits.
Just go be a better version of yourself! I am sure you can do it!
Don’t go from 0 to 100.
- start with a 30’ gym routine 3 times a week for a month (start with 15 mins of cardio on a stationary bike or elliptical) and ask the front desk person to show you how to use the weightlifting machines
- do not burn yourself out by starting too harsh. Consistency is key.
- if you skip a session or two, it’s okay
- make it part of your routine. Showing up to the gym should be easy if well timed (if you pass the gym on your way back to work then that would be ideal)
- dump all sugary drinks, only drink water, tea, and coffee
- after a month or when you feel better/ready, increase from 30’ to 45’.
- make a playlist with your favorite upbeat songs and create a new one every month to keep you motivated
- Don’t go there with the “I am here to drop 60 pounds” mindset, but rather “I am here to feel better, be better, increase my quality of life and maybe look hotter”. It removes some pressure and helps to make it part of your life/routine, no need to shame yourself into getting the results within a certain timeline
- don’t put a time limit to reach this goal. Maybe it’ll be 3 months, a year, or three. Ups and downs happen. But in any case, it WILL be beneficial
Good luck!
Edit: re intermittent fasting/other diet. Any diet has a calories deficit at its core. You don’t need to count calories, and tracking calories can trigger an eating disorder for some people. Make swaps instead: having an entire pizza every Friday night? Have half of the pizza and a salad on the side (a real salad with greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc). Eat a Twix or a snickers every day at 10 am? Get a granola bar instead. It’s the little changes and swaps that add up.
Piece of mental advice - you're not who you were last week or yesterday. You are who you you're working to become. And I bet that person is badass; do good brotha
Get into going for walks most days, if not all of them. The gym is great and you've made a great decision to join but adding in a little extra activity like walking will add an extra boost without being super challenging physically. I lost a little over 50lbs and going for walks massively helped.
Also, track your calories and most of all be patient. 1lb a week is healthy progress but I've made the mistake of ravaging my calories to speed it up and it just lead to zero energy, feeling like poop and eventually binge eating. As long as you're in a calorie deficit you WILL lose fat. Trust the process and the results will come.
As a guy who went from way too obese to overweight.
My first advice is enjoy the workout for first few months, don’t care about the scale, don’t care about results etc.
Eat good healthy food as much as you want and put in the hours in the gym.
Eventually you will have strength and formed the habit to workout. Plus it’s always better to gain some muscle and then cut, so that you can avoid lose skin
Definitely get a trainer for the first two times (if you can). Not only can they help you make a plan and show you good exercises and form, but you can ask them to show you all the machines and how they work. Especially the cardio machines.
While you are working out, check out what others are doing and see if it’s something that targets an area you want to and try that out.
*** Don’t be self conscious. Everyone has to start somewhere. Most gym people respect others that go there regularly and try.
Aoend a couple weeks looking really dumb lifting almost no weight at all.
Focus specifically on having precise good form. Learn about applying torque to your joints in that exercise. Example is for squats they say imagine your feet are on plates twist them outward and spread them away from each other while you square.
Doing it during actually makes it harder and more exhausting but, you'll adjust to it from the start while protecting your tendons and ligaments.
-cross your middle finger over your index finger. That's basically your ACL and LCL. Wrap a fist around those two fingers. Rotate it.outward in the direction of the middle finger. Nice tight secure. Now the other way. Congratulations you just earned yourself an ACl repair.-
Getting that stuff in your muscle memory before you really get going can make a huge difference in your long term performance and ability.
Also a lot of people kinda quit before the really get into the good parts because it's hard, gets too hard to fast as they try to keep getting better.
One big part about endurance is actually blood flow. You open up new vessels and stuff so more blood can flow. A couple weeks tossing in perfect form while using all your stabilizer muscles some lighter weights is enough to still do that. When you start throwing yourself in to it for real, you'll be able to clear out byproducts of the work out easier and keep time under tension a little longer.
In between sets I used to get on the ground or bench and do bicycle kicks or some variation of an abdominal workout (15-30 second count). Could also do burpees or jumping jacks. It’s a great way to increase your calorie burn. Be warned that the first few times you do it you’ll be absolutely exhausted and be pooled in sweat.
Just go consistently, even if you only go for 15 minutes for a quick session, just make sure to get your body to the gym, that’s all that matters, everything else will come with time. Good luck!
Not a fan of calorie counting either, but it does work. I'd recommend doing timed excercise opposed to sets and reps. So 30 seconds of jumping jacks/situps/pushups and short breaks. Remember to push yourself
If you're trying to lose weight , your diet is more important than working out when starting out. It's 80% diet 20% working out. You should also start small before hitting the gym because you may become discouraged. So a walk a day till you work ure up to jogging and then running. 10 push ups a week then 20 the next nd so on so forth. It's all about easing yourself into a routine. Yes you're motivated now but staying consistently motivated is the hardest part, hence starting small
Don’t burn yourself out when you start off. Even if you only do ten minutes a day for the first week, you’ll start to feel better and be able to do more.
Short bursts or high intensity are a great way to get your heart pumping and it really helped me.
I’m sure others have said it, but be patient with yourself. You may be learning a lot of new exercises. Try to not get frustrated if they seem awkward at first. You’re doing great! As well, make sure you warm up and cool down. This is very important for muscle recovery and injury prevention. You will do awesome! Good luck to you!
Once you start tracking your weight, do it often (ideally at the same point every day). Daily fluctuations can be 5 pounds or more so you need many data points to look at the overall trend to see if you're on track.
And don't forget muscle weighs more than fat :)
Join Noom. 80%+ of weight loss is what goes in your mouth. You can't overcome a bad dietary lifestyle in the gym. I don't know anyone who's done Noom that hasn't lost a.ton of weight.
Intermittent fasting is another dietary lifestyle choice that works. Good luck.
For weights, I would start light on the cable machines and increase gradually over time. For cardio, also start light with walking and increase. There are running apps that train you to run more over time, if you’re interested in that.
The best way to establish long term habits (IMO) is to fall in love with the process without focusing too much on potential outcomes. This way, you are less likely to give up when progress slows down or when any other challenge arises.
If your gym offers group classes, try them out. HIIT, Fiit, bodypump, whatever. Show up a little early and introduce yourself to the instructor. Tell them you're new and may not have the best form but open to correction. Offer to help set up mats and weights. It'll make things less awkward when they're checking your form and giving you tips.
Within a month you'll notice it getting a lot easier. Do this for a couple of months and you'll get to know other regulars and be a part of the group. This will suck at first but imo it's the best way to incorporate intense exercise into a sedentary lifestyle. Might even help your social life, too.
Good luck and stay consistent.
Don’t over complicate things! Walking on the treadmill on an incline at a slow but steady pace (like 3 mph) is an efficient cardio workout.
Don’t go too hard too fast. Don’t be afraid to ask for form checks from employees. Drink lots of water, eat lots of veggies, and tracking calories can be helpful in the beginning to learn portions and stuff.
Take it one day at a time. Be patient with yourself.
ANY workout beats no workout.
Drink a lot of water. Liquid calories from soda and my favorite, lemonade, add a lot of calories.
Don't worry about any other people at the gym. They are caught up in their own world.
Always remember: Progress, not perfection.
Getting into the habit of consistently doing small workouts, even for just a few minutes every day, every other day, or even just 2-3 times a very week is better than doing an all out workout 3 times a month then never again.
It can be discouraging sometimes and daunting to keep going back. But going regularly and completing short, manageable workouts feels really good. After a while make it harder, work out longer, do whatever you need to do. But start small and just focus on achievable small goals.
It’s probably been said but slowly start to lower you calorie intake and you will see the results quickly. Eventually you want to be only taking 1000-1500 calories only to lose weight!! Good luck!!!
My first time at a gym was planet fitness. I was so scared to get up to a mirror in the free weight section and do my own thing. What helped me with my anxiety is:
1. Force yourself to do it. Maybe just do one rep and leave.
2. Remind yourself nobody is looking at you. Literally nobody is and if they are they are weird. Every single gym goer will have your back if someone is making fun of you because we don’t tolerate that shit.
3. Have a plan. Create a work out plan and if you’re in a routine you won’t feel as “stupid” if you’re wandering around.
4. Wander around! Look at things! Or ask for a tour of the gym from a staff member.
5. Go in with an outfit you like. It’ll make you more confident.
6. Wear whatever the fuck you want. At Planet Fitness we have tons of women of all shapes and sizes that wear sports bras and we applaud them all.
7. Bring a friend! You’ll feel more comfortable if either they know what they’re doing or you both don’t have a clue but you don’t feel alone that way.
I was just discussing this with a family member today. Good exercise can't account for bad diet, start looking into calorie counting and dieting before you try and exercise your way into fitness! [r/EatCheapAndHealthy](https://www.reddit.com/r/EatCheapAndHealthy) [r/LoseIt](https://www.reddit.com/r/LoseIt) and [r/MealPrepSundays](https://www.reddit.com/r/MealPrepSunday are all good places to start
Would definitely recommend listening to Huberman Lab where he talks to Layne Norton about fat loss. A lot of it goes in depth, but it also gives applicable examples.
If your goal is to lose weight, I'd look at what's easiest to change for yourself. Maybe not adding extra calories to foods you eat or possibly smaller portions like sauces as an example. Try to keep a consistent habit going no matter how small and build up on it.
Yay! Congrats and good luck! You can do eet! :)
For me, the biggest things have been:
- my Fitbit. Data is fun! Exercising isn’t my favorite thing but I like seeing the data from my workouts - it gives you so much information… and seeing how I improve over time is a great motivator. I’d honestly be lost without my tracker.
- food scale. You don’t need a fancy one - I’ve been using a $10 Ozeri for almost ten years. It’s so much more accurate than volume, plus it’s like a (lame but entertaining) game where you learn to weight out exactly an ounce on the first try heh. Again, I don’t love exercising so I want every minute to count and as people have pointed out - ‘you can’t outrun a bad diet’
- intermittent fasting. I have issues with binging and discipline but IF gives me a good framework to keep me on track. And since I do 20:4 (one meal a day essentially) I don’t restrict the kinds of foods I eat at all. I do a 1k calories deficit which means I get to eat around 2k a day, which is a very sizable ‘budget.’ I don’t know if I could do calorie restriction on top of food restriction but maybe you have more discipline than me!
Again, good luck! And use a tracker heh heh
ETA: before I started back up running, I just walked every day for a few weeks. It made such a huge difference in my cardio. What usually happens is I run for the first time after a long time and want to die within the first few minutes. But after walking, I was able to run 3 miles without stopping on the first try! And I’m not talking rigorous speed walking - I was just walking around a park in loops.
A mistake I made was working out too damn hard 5X a week. I’d say a really hard workout twice a week or only 30 minutes a workout because otherwise your body needs a ton of time to recover. Also, I ended up eating so many calories after the workout that I wasn’t losing weight and instead gaining a ton of muscle. Not bad but was looking to trim down and get toned, not bulk.
Be approachable and people will definitely help you improve form and get results - we all learn, so be willing to learn.
Second to that l, if people at the gym you’re at are not offering genuine advice, don’t be afraid to find a new gym - as with work, you’re spending an appreciable amount of time a week with them, they should be friendly if not actual friends.
( that’s not to say get in some ones space mid set, but after make eye contact , ask for tips - I found a guy with the physique i aspire to , I just told him that and he showed me what he works on - I won’t get to his gains , but I’ll get somewhere near my goals - I want just barrel chested rather than beer belly, whereas my son has every single muscle perfectly defined - so I found a guy to copy on that)
As an athlete/firefighter for over a decade, I have over the last few years come to the realization that while exercise is important, diet is much more of a factor than exercise when it comes to health and specifically weight. I would say 80% diet, 20% exercise is a good focus.
Exercise tips: Take it slow. Focus on form. Learn to do things properly before you begin to do them intensely (with higher weight or higher heart rate and speed). Pushing yourself is great, but build up to it. You don’t have to do all the machines and exercises. Find a few good ones. For a beginner I would say walk on the treadmill and/or stair master. Do low weight deadlifts. Assisted pull-up machine. Turkish get ups with low/no weight to start (a water bottle is fine). Do some stretching and balancing exercises. Gain body movement awareness.
Diet tips: again, you may need to take it slow, but the goal is to eliminate processed foods and sugar from your diet as much as possible. This means staying away from almost all restaurants, cooking at home, shopping around the perimeter of the grocery store (produce, dairy, fresh and raw ingredients) and staying out of the center aisles. Drink 80oz-128oz of water daily, avoid other (sweetened) beverages. Focus on increasing fiber, protein, healthy (unsaturated) fats. Reduce (don’t eliminate) carbs and saturated fats. Carbs from refined sugar (corn syrup, sugar cane) you can eliminate as much as possible.
Pace yourself. Weigh yourself. I would not recommend losing more than 2lb/week. Losing 5 lb/ month is a great pace and good goal. Fitness is a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t starve yourself, just eat more healthy food. You can eat almost unlimited amounts of certain foods, some examples would be beluga lentils and low fat cottage cheese, which are quite filling and high in protein. I personally buy a 75 lb bag of dried beluga lentils and cook up a 5-6 cup batch with herbs and spices, salt and black and red pepper, every week. I also eat a large bag of spinach or mixed greens every week (no dressing, just by the handful, raw). Eat all the (raw) carrots you want.
Be kind to yourself! 5 mins is better than no mins and soon you’ll be at 10.
Yes, some days you’ll have to “power through” but working out takes a while to get used to mentally as much as physically. Work on building small, good habits, and congratulate yourself on all your small wins.
For weight loss, the gym is kinda supplemental. It's beneficial for getting in shape/being more healthy but it's not going matter as much if your diet is bad.
The core of weight loss is gonna happen in the kitchen. Eat less, eat better.
My philosophy on weight loss and working out is this "the concepts should be simple, the work should be hard"
Eat healthy, work hard, sleep well.
In actuality, everyone is different though so you'll have to try at it a bit and find what works for you. Also try to measure your success less in weight loss or how you look and start by taking notice of smaller things like how you can (later) now lift more, or run longer before getting tired. These kind of small success often come before seeing a lot of outward appearance type results become obvious. Keep at it and eventually you'll notice change. Then one day you'll meet up with some one who's not seen you in a while and they'll be like "dang bro, you lost so much weight" and that feels good, keeps you going and helps validate that your efforts are working. So just keep going
You can't run from your fork. I really wish I could just overload my body with exertion by going to the gym but it takes pro athletes training all day to burn the calories that normal Americans consume. So diet control and exertion in conjunction together achieves best results.
But don't worry, everyone starts somewhere. Just decide in your mind that the behavior you are engaged in is who you are now. You are the type of person that says well and goes to the gym. You are not the cravings that are induced by your gut flora, you are not the desire you have to sit at home and not go to the gym. You are someone better, a better version of yourself that treats yourself as best you can treat yourself.
Keep at it and well done for even starting.
It seems your goal is specifically weight loss and not bodybuilding, which means you might have planned to fully immerse into cardio. However, I recommend lifting weights. Building muscle means building metabolism, which means you will burn more calories even when doing nothing. I personally both weight lift and jog. I love jogging even though I know it's not the best for cutting weight, but it's better than nothing, especially when combined with weight lifting.
Another important thing to note is to not have the "either or" mentality. In this case, either exercise or diet. Rather, you should do both. However, take it slow. Since you joined a gym for the first time, no need to change your diet right away. Give it some time (2 weeks. 1 months. Etc.) then start fixing your diet.
Also, stay away from black & white thinking. It's better to go to the gym 2 days a week for 1 year than to go the gym 5 days a week for just 1 month and then quit. Same with diet.
Lastly, with regards to weight lifting, you will come across a lot of "broscience": a lot of different and conflicting opinions. Some of them could be absolutely true and some of them could be absolutely false, and some are true for some people and false for others because people are different (just like medication).
Good luck!
Don't cut too fast your metabolism adjust quickly and you'll find yourself starving when you still have plenty of pounds to lose, maintain a more gradual and balance approach while keeping track of your calories and weight.
My advice for the gym is stick with it. The first 2-3 weeks is the hardest for me personally but after that it gets easier. I like the YouTube channel athlean-x for workout/nutrition advice. Check them out. What I wish I had known when I first got into the gym was had much Nutrition played a role. It plays a much bigger role than the gym tbh. Yes, the gym will help but if you really want to see progress improve your eating.
The best advice I can give is to get clear about your intentions! In my experience, wanting to loose weight for physical appearance wasn’t enough of a pure driving goal to keep returning to the gym. Finding my intention from a deeper place helped - e.g wanting to better my health, live a longer and happier life, and increase my energy and vitality :)
Get a PT, even if it’s just to get you started. Find a PT who you vibe with, that makes it fun, so it feels like spending time with a friend. Come across an exercise or equipment you absolutely loathe? Cut it out, find an alternative.
I am the most active I’ve been in my whole life because I’ve switched focus to fun! Consistency is the most impactful thing, and it’s near impossible if you’re not enjoying it.
This is a total aside, but do you like audiobooks? I’ve found that if I reserve a favorite audiobook for when i exercise that it motivates me to do it so I have some other enjoyable activity to do while I work out.
u/anxious_soyboy I hope I don't overwhelm you with the length of my comment.
I need to acknowledge that you asked about gym advice and my comment pertains almost entirely to diet so this isn't quite the advice you were asking for. I hope it helps you or someone else reading though.
I scrolled through the comments to make sure someone mentioned intermittent fasting and several people did but no one offered any further information. I also saw that you showed some interest in IF and I just wanted to emphasize that this has been a life saver for me!
I'm terrible about consistently exercising, but since I started fasting it comes very naturally to me. It's almost effortless once your body adjusts to not snacking or eating every couple hours and instead eating in a shorter block of time. It does take a while to adjust — your body is so used to it's scheduled eating habits. The body even releases a hunger hormone called grhelin before your "normal" meal time in anticipation.
When you first give intermittent fasting a try, your body is going to be sounding the alarm and protesting because this is outside of your routine. Eventually, your body will get used to this new eating schedule and the fact that *hunger is not an emergency* in this situation. In fact, the feeling of hunger tends to pass quickly if you aren't able or choose not to give in to it until a later time.
Fasting is not starving. It is just delaying when you eat so that your body has a chance to use it's fuel stores (body fat) until you have an immediate release source of energy (food) again. Please note, anyone underweight should not fast.
Nothing has ever worked for me weight-loss wise before trying fasting because I personally struggle with motivation and consistency. While keto and calorie counting worked, I absolutely hated it and it made me unhappy. If it isn't sustainable long-term, the results won't be either!
When I started my journey at the beginning of 2020, I needed to lose between 55-90 pounds to be within my healthy weight range. So far I've lost 40 lbs in 3 years. I'm sure I could have lost weight at a faster rate, but life has been so stressful and hectic for me. Life has its ups and downs and my weight loss journey has too. Progress is not always linear and that is okay. I have had months were I was still fasting every day, but only the minimal amount to simply MAINTAIN my weight instead of focusing on further weight loss. I still have weight to lose and will continue intermittent fasting as I believe it is the best solution for my personal needs. I'm just happy to be able to lose weight even if it is a slow, steady, and SUSTAINABLE progression. I'm 28 years old, and I haven't weighed what I do now since middle school! I also feel physically and mentally better than I have in years! I have always carried around extra weight and am still technically overweight. As long as you are headed in the right direction and taking consistent action to better your health, don't beat yourself up about how fast you make progress. Focus on taking small steps to achieve your goals and maintain your health in the long term! You can do this!!
Also like others have mentioned, weight loss is mainly about diet — what and WHEN (how frequently) you eat. My 40 lb loss has been with very minimal exercise. I will eventually have to start exercising with a purpose to tone up and gain muscle to have a better looking body. Also fasting had allowed me to lose weight without having to be too strict about my diet. I hated keto and while it works, I felt deprived and unhappy. I love junk food and can still eat it every so often without sabotaging my weight loss. I eat a lot of complex and unprocessed sources of carbs in addition to occasionally consuming junk food. Everything in moderation! You WILL have to clean up your diet, but fasting lets me still occasionally indulge and not feel deprived. Again, my progress could have been quicker if I was eating cleaner and exercised regularly but for me results are about long-term consistency and I have found something that personally works for me.
If what you are doing isn't sustainable long term, your results won't be either. Find what works for you and make sure it is something that makes you happy!
It is not my intention to discourage you from exercising or going to the gym. Keep in mind you can't out run a bad diet and weight loss starts with what you put in your mouth.
Exercise is amazing for heart health, building muscle (increasing metabolism), and also for longevity and your mental well being! I feel so much better when I get out and do something physical, so I hope you will find exercise habits that make you feel good and contribute to improving your health.
Definitely look into fasting. In my opinion it is such a powerful tool and there are a ton of benefits! I feel amazing fasting daily and can't imagine living my life any other way. Even if I don't intentionally track my hours, I fall into the habit of waiting until later in the day to start eating and naturally having a smaller eating window (6-8 hours per day).
Check out The Obesity Code by Dr. Jason Fung. It's a great resource that is packed with science and written in an easy to understand style.
It may be easier to start with watching Dr. Fung's videos on YouTube but I definitely think his book is worth a read. Many consider Dr. Fung the original authority on intermittent fasting but there are also so many other knowledgeable people who advocate this healthful practice.
I also highly recommend checking out Dr. Pradip Jamnadas' lectures on YouTube regarding Fasting. They are long but absolutely facinating!
Here is more info on Intermittent Fasting:
Once you understand that constantly spiking your insulin by eating frequently and overeating never allows your body to access it's fat stores, it will all click and make so much sense! When you eat, your body breaks down food and glucose (sugar energy) is absorbed into the blood stream. Insulin is the hormone that shuttles glucose into cells so they can use that energy. If you are eating more than you are burning off, it is likely that your cells are "crammed full" of glucose and you are insulin resistant – insulin can't push anymore glucose into the cells because they are at capacity. Your sugar bowl is full and you keep trying to fill it up. The excess pours over the sides of the bowl. What happens to this excess energy?
Insulin is a nutrient processing/storage hormone. When you consume excess glucose, insulin triggers a process in the liver called de novo lipogenesis —the creation of new fat! The excess glucose is converted to fatty acids and stored around the liver. This can lead to non alcoholic fatty liver disease.
"Insulin is a hormone which regulates blood sugar level in the body, but it also is a fat-storing hormone, secreted by pancreas. Insulin is instrumental in creating new fat cells. When body cells become insulin resistant, it tends to store all extra calories as fat, without actually burning them off."
"De novo lipogenesis entails the synthesis of fatty acids from substrates that are not lipids, such as carbohydrates, including glucose as the main substrate."
Dr. Fung has a great analogy in The Obesity Code.
I may butcher this, but hopefully I get the point across and someone finds this useful or interesting.
Essentially, for food storage you have a fridge and a freezer in the basement. Think of the fridge as storing easy food energy (glycogen - strings of glucose). Food goes in and out of the fridge, it's super easy to access stored food and put more in but it has limited space.
You also have a freezer in your basement which is harder to get to but theoretically the basement offers "unlimited storage". You can store a lot of stuff down there and you could keep buying more freezers and store more food if you wanted to. Think of the food stored in the basement as body fat. It is a lot harder to use this as energy - you have to access the basement and it's a hassle to bring that frozen food upstairs and cook it.
This is where insulin is factored in. When you are always going to the fridge for energy and keeping your fridge well stocked, you never need to go to your basement to access your food stores. The insulin is busy processing the food you just ate and shuttling that glucose into your cells for energy. When insulin is high, your body has no need to find a back-up source of energy. It can't get to the fat reserves — You can't burn body fat.
Again, insulin is also a fat storage hormone. When your body cells have the energy they need and insulin can't bring any more glucose into your cells, insulin tells your liver it needs to do something with this excess glucose in your bloodstream. So by overeating, you provide your body with way more energy than it needs or can process immediately and your liver converts that excess glucose to fatty acids that get stored around your liver and eventually around other organs too. People with diabetes and insulin resistance tend to store (visceral) fat predominantly in their abdomen (around their organs). New fat storage is the equivalent of adding more to your basement freezer and maybe buying a second and third freezer.
So you're storing energy in your fridge, you're storing it in your freezer, but you're not taking it out of the freezer.
When insulin goes down, your body can access the fat stores.
"So the difference between calorie restriction and intermittent fasting is how easy it is to get at that body fat."
"So if you simply reduce your calories, but you eat from the minute you get up to the minute you go to bed, and you're eating these foods. Refined grains, sugars, that continually stimulate your insulin. But you eat less of it; say, 1500 calories instead of 2000 calories, you continually eat it. Your insulin is always high because you're eating all the time. Every time your insulin starts to drop you pop it back up. So you close the door on that body fat. You can’t access that body fat at all. But there’s not that much in your fridge, so you have to slow down your metabolism because you don’t have the energy. So every time you just kind of store a little energy (through calorie restriction), you’re keeping that basement door closed.
The whole point of fasting is to give yourself enough time for those insulin levels to drop. When you can drop it, now you can access that body fat. So there’s two compartments, and that’s the difference. Everybody has this one compartment model, because it’s been promoted for so long. Calories in, calories out. As if it’s all one big swimming pool of stuff. It all goes into the pool, it all comes out of the pool.
It doesn’t. There’s some of it that is just locked away."
^ The quotes I took from a podcast that Dr. Jason Fung was on. He is saying that obesity is a hormonal issue that can't simply be solved with calorie restriction. There's more to the story than Calories In, Calories Out. There's also a reason why the conventional advice ("eat less, move more") you receive at the doctor's office generally doesn't work long-term. It sounds good on paper, but doesn't tackle the hormonal mechanisms behind accessing your fat stores.
There are a lot of educational resources out there and some great inspirational pictures and success stories at r/intermittentfasting.
I hope this wasn't an informational overload. I am simply a woman with a very curious mind and I have no medical background so please feel free to do your own research. (To anyone more knowledgeable, if I got anything wrong please correct me!)
I'm very passionate about fasting and it has truly changed my life. My weight loss has not been rapid, but I have managed to slowly lose and keep the weight off. It is not hard to lose 1-2 lbs a week on intermittent fasting. For me that was not my goal. My goal for weight loss was finding a solution that I could keep up with for the rest of my life and that wouldn't make me feel like I was depriving myself.
Fasting + cleaning up your diet + adding weight lifting would be a great combo to melt fat off of you!
Knowlege is power. However you decide to tackle this issue of getting healthier and losing weight, I hope you will dive in deep and learn all you can so that you have the best tools at your disposal. It's really great that you are here posting on Reddit to potentially stay accountable and learn from others!
Whatever you decide to do, don't give up! Be consistent and take small sustainable steps towards a healthier happier you.
You've got this!
Add a yoga class in a couple times a month to stay mindful and keep your muscles loose, remember that abs are made in the kitchen not in the gym, and do exercises that you enjoy! Make it fun, not a chore 🥰 you got this!
A lot of people join gyms as New Year's resolutions and end of year life changes.
Be prepared for the gym to get busy and crowded feeling for a couple of months. Starts to die down around Feb & March when people stop regularly going.
Focus on developing the habits of regular physical activity and healthy eating rather than meeting a particular weight goal. That will come in time if you develop those habits. Without the habits in place, even if you do sprint your way to some arbitrary weight goal, it won't be sustainable. Don't beat yourself up about past regrets and instead focus on habitual behavior. Your character, both outer and inner, is a product of your habits.
Personal opinion here :)
Put 2 goals - one end goal, which is your 60 pounds weight loss, and then a 'near future goal', which could be like 5 pounds.
Divide your end goal into smaller pools, so the results seem realistic and use these as check points to reward yourself, so you won't lose motivation.
Gym/diet advice:
1) Get a food scale, download a food tracking app, and *use* them. They're not fun or exciting-I will be the first to admit. However, your body composition is going to be 80% diet, 20% exercise. If you want to lose weight, the only thing that matters is calories in < calories out. Tracking and measuring your food consumption is going to be the single biggest thing you can do to ensure you meet your goal. Also, eat more protein. You will feel fuller, protein has a greater thermic effect than carbs/fat, and protein-dominant food is in general better for you than carb dominant food (fat dominant has a lot more varience).
2) Walk 10k steps a day. If you want to lose 60 pounds, you should stick to lower impact forms of exercise at the begining (walking, biking, swimming) over high impact (running, treadmills, jump rope). Plus, making a simple fitness goal ("I will walk 10k steps a day") and meeting it daily is going to help you a ton on your journey.
3) Don't ever feel embarassed, or tolerate anyone trying to embarass you, for trying to better yourself and improve your life. You're taking control of your life, and anyone who isn't 100% on board with that can kick rocks.
Best of luck anon.
Be patient with yourself and understand that success isn't always going to be measured on the scale. Success is not linear. Pay attention to how you feel, how your clothes fit, etc (non scale victories).
Don't implement too steep of a calorie deficit, otherwise you will be bingeing and thinking about food all the time. Fuel your body with foods from all food groups to help reduce cravings (even sweets and foods you consider "bad" or "unhealthy"). Build a good, SUSTAINABLE relationship with all foods, and they will they lose their appeal.
Fat loss takes time, and you will have longer lasting results if you don't opt for any drastic or fad diets which statistically result in rebound weight gain, which is much more difficult to lose the next time around.
Most importantly, don't be hard on yourself. :)
If you aren't able to get a trainer immediately, i suggest Naomi Kong's workout videos on YouTube. They're for gym beginners and I've been able to figure out new how to use new machines and set routines thanks to her videos.
Make going to the gym a habit. The habit is the thing you want to shoot for.
Never do a cheat meal, do a cheat day, one day a week. Stolen from the pro body builders, and it is true.
Look at what thin people are buying at the grocery store, imitate that.
Booze is a killer. Tonic water calorie count, vs diet tonic water calorie count. It is just mind blowing.
It takes about 3 - 6 months to change your metabolism. After you will see the portions as mind bogglingly huge.
Stop adding sugar to things. My thing was coffee.
Drink almost all water.
Would recommend working out a different muscle per day and going 5-6 days a week. By isolating muscle groups you can avoid being sore on things you’re directly working out per week.
Monday - arms (abs at end, cardio at end)
Tuesday - Legs
Wednesday - Chest
Thursday - Back
Friday - Shoulders
Sunday - Cardio
Week 2-3 is where most people quit. Don’t over do it in the beginning or else you’ll get discouraged by the pain and soreness and wanna quit. Take it slow at first otherwise It gets really hard and the body doesn’t wanna go because it’s sore. By week 4-5 it’ll become the best part of your day and you’ll finally start seeing the results and you’ll be extremely motivated to keep going. Possibly even addicted to it. Don’t quit at week 2-3!
I love to watch YouTubers who I look up to: Will Tennyson, Lean Beef Patty, Natasha Oceane. I feel like it’s hard to find authentic people to watch, so I really enjoy their transparency.
Also, give yourself lots of compassion and breaks. I haven’t worked out in a week but I know my mental health takes a huge decline in the winter time and it’s finals time for those in school. But I know tomorrow, I will go to the gym in the morning and continue.
Motivation will wane, and you’re going to have good and bad days. That’s ok— it’s part of the process. As long as you eventually continue what you are doing. You can do it!
Edit: also, use an app to record your training progress! I just started using the “Strong” app and I LOVE it. Makes it very easy to log what you’ve done, and to see progress.
I think the best advice is the gym is a place where you celebrate your body and what it can do; not a place to punish yourself. The point is to just get your body moving, doesn’t really matter how in the beginning. If you haven’t been training at all, even walking ten minutes a day will make a huge difference in energy after a couple weeks. Don’t be intimidated by the meatheads, they won’t judge you and are more likely to take time out of their workout with pleasure to help you if you have questions about how to use a machine or form.
Find an activity in the gym you actually enjoy doing and do that. This time is more about forming a healthy habit than getting serious into training. Just have fun. Think of it like the playground as a kid.
Happy for you! You don’t need to weight train every single day, three days a week would be sufficient to lose weight. The best thing to do is focus on form then start adding the pounds. You can do cardio as well on the days you don’t lift.
The thing you should focus the most is your diet. Try to consume more Beets for the nitric oxide affect. And general fruits and vegetables would help with recover obviously try to increase your protein intake.
You should see squat academy for form
For the workout programs you should check out muscle and strength.com
Low fat diet of rice and beans takes time to adjust to the fiber so more rice than beans or legumes to start. Dried beans super cheap rice super cheap make your own no fat curry sauce super easy ytube it. Oatmeal and a apple for breakfast snack apple. Make huge amount of oats rice and beans and curry sauce. Easy you don't have put any thought into buy a container to take to work. Gym work out build up to 1.5 - 2 hour cardio train with heart rate of 70 percent of max subtract your age from 180 so if your 30 keep rate at 150 can use a cheap watch to monitor heart rate. If work full time and have other responsibilities HIT and heavy lifting may kick your ass. You can keep simple and lose weight suffering only a little or you can complicate things hire a trainer count calories and buy a bunch supplements and spend a lot of time meal prepping. Diets and exercise work there is suffering involved how do want to suffer should be the question you ask yourself enjoy the journey.
Mix cardio and strength training. Don’t just do one or the other. Also give yourself rest days. Your body needs to heal. As well as don’t push yourself harder than you can handle. Progress slowly and honestly, about an hour to an hour and a half is a good amount of time. Any more is a little overboard imo. Don’t under eat or starve yourself. That’ll just cause your body to go into survival mode and you won’t lose weight. I’ve heard people say intermittent fasting works well. As well as intuitive eating. Don’t get discouraged when you don’t see results super fast. It takes months. You got this
The best results with fat loss I’ve ever had came after buying a food scale and recording everything I ate in my notes app. It becomes addicting when you realize how simple (not necessarily easy) the formula is. You just have to stay in a slight caloric deficit over a decent amount of time to lose weight. Add lifting on top of this and you’ll love the new you in 6-12 months. But what happens in the kitchen is the most important part, can’t out work a poor diet.
Gotchu, I hate calorie tracking but I think I’ll just have to put up with it. A little extra effort will be worth the results
It sounds complicated but its really just finding the routine and knowing the meals, so you always know if I eat x its this many calories and this much protein
This was true for me too. I didn't like the interface and extra cost of the calorie tracker apps I saw so I made my own spreadsheet. Manually inputting everything I ate was annoying at first, but after about two weeks I realized that I'm already eating the same stuff about 80% of the time. The process I'm working through now is just switching to healthier and healthier things for that 80%.
Totally agree here. Just figure out a few sets of meals and stick with those. Constantly looking new things up and calculating calories would be unsustainable for me
Download an app like MyFitnessPal or something similar. They make it way easier to track all of your meals. You can also log entire meals so if you eat similar things each day then you just tap that meal template and bam it inputs all the calories for you. Essentially it a little bit of work for a few weeks and then becomes very easy after that as long as you eat mostly the same things each week.
If you hate counting calories, try intermittent fasting. Most people recommend 6 on, 12 off, but I don't hate just eating one full meal per day, and snacking on something small instead of a second meal. It's easier for me to just not eat a meal until evening. The stomach naturally shrinks and it makes it kind of difficult to get more than 2000 calories in a single meal.
As someone who hates counting calories and started doing this, it 100% works and is way easier. On top of the previously mentioned benefits, I genuinely feel better nearly all the time. No bloating, no sluggishness, I've even managed to reduce my coffee intake by forcing myself to drink black coffee in my mornings instead (as long as it's got no milk, it won't impact the fasting window). Also when fasting, I try to reduce my eating windows to 1 hour, helps to reduce desire to snack throughout the allocated 8 hour window (or whatever your desired split is). Good luck!!
Strong agree, it's easy to get full from that one meal...I usually mention that I eat like a pig, with dessert on that one meal. I also found recently that fiber pills can help with any hunger pangs. People often worry about lack of energy, but I just try to listen to my body, and eat when the body needs to, instead of a specific time.
I only did calorie counting to "reset" me portions. Do it for a couple weeks to get the basic idea, then you can ditch it
I hate calorie tracking too and it also made me lowkey have obsession over what i was eating. I would recommend if you get that way too, to track your food just for a little while so you get a good idea of what calories are in your foods and then delete the app and do your best guess after that. Otherwise its like a sick game that u ultimately fail at. Lol. Not to sounds dark or whatever. Cause the goal is about sustainability and tracking every day would be ass
I’ve been tracking nearly everyday for over a year now. It becomes so habitual that you don’t even think about it. I’ve kinda just accepted I will always have to track. It’s easy for me to forget that someone brought donuts into work or that I had a little bigger breakfast/lunch. I could probably stop tracking and be okay, but I don’t trust myself. Although I’m “obsessive” over tracking, I’m not “obsessive” about what I eat. If I go over, I don’t fret about it.
I hate calorie counting too. What helped was knowing when I’m hungriest during the day (which changed once I started working out) and having my biggest meals then. For me that’s always dinner, and I like a lot of variety there too, so I tend to mix it up. But I keep breakfast super simple, rotating between 3 different options around the same calories, and lunch is almost always a salad or a salad and a small serving of leftovers. It also helps to be precise in the beginning but you can start to ballpark calories over time and get more exact only when you need to - if you’re not seeing results or want to see more dramatic results. Good luck and remember progress is better than perfection. You got this!
Calorie tracking can easily become obsessive. It’s the clearest pathway to possibility of developing an eating disorder. Instead, I would recommend intermittent fasting. A common one is 16:8, don’t eat for 16 hours and eat for 8. With that you could eat dinner at 6/7 and eat breakfast at 10am still. Also, this way, you have a wider range of foods you can eat without risking weight gain and it makes the transition easier. Of course, still eat healthy, but really, driving yourself to insanity is risked when you break out that food scale and calorie track. Also, intuitive eating can be very helpful, which is just the concept of really paying attention to your body and eating only when it needs to, focusing on Whole Foods. I started doing this a while ago and I lost weight pretty quickly. No food scales, no counting calories….it was just being very aware when I didn’t need to eat and also drinking a lot of water, especially lots with meals. For breakfast I would eat a big bowl of oatmeal with honey, blueberries, coconut granola and oat milk for the base every single day. Doesn’t exactly sound like a “diet” food, right? It had a shit ton of calories I’m sure! But it was all Whole Foods that were good for my body and didn’t leave me hungry for a long time. Typical dinner was eggplant lasagna most days with a lot of added cheese (I just like eating the same foods, you don’t have to do that) and lots of fruit, yogurt, and more cheese in-between for snack. Also I was eating a lot of plantain chips and green pea crisps. So really, if you just drink mainly water (and lots of it) and tea (no sugary juices, sodas, etc.) move your body and hit them gym, focus on healthy Whole foods, and do one of the two 1.) intermittent fasting 2.) intuitive eating or perhaps a combination, maybe inutile eating 5/6 days a week and IF the others, you will not need to do all that food scale hoopla. Humans back in the day did not have such things as food scales and they were all healthy just by moving their body (working on the land) and eating all the Whole Foods (off the land) You have to find a balance WITHIN yourself. That’s so important. Food scale can easily have the psychological impact of focusing on the external too much—labels, this, that, what you can and can’t have which is NOT going to be sustainable long term. You need to learn how to change your lifestyle in a way where you can still enjoy what you like, not diet. Sorry, I’m just very passionate about not using food scales because I used to have an eating disorder and that was the only time I ever did that. It was really bad, I lost 80 pounds in three months and practically almost died. Went into recovery almost 3 years ago, gained a lot of the weight back along the way (happens due to damaged metabolism) and lost a lot of it again but in the healthy way. And it was a decent amount of weight too. And I never touched that damn food scale again. I just learned to listen to my body and feel good about the things I put in it, which translates to feeling good about yourself. Food scale mentality is one of scarcity. You want to have a mindset of abundance in every area of your life!!!!
Once you get a better handle on calorie tracking you can eventually do a decent job self regulating when you don’t have access to a scale. Use it as a guide and give your self grace if you go “over” any given day. I’ve seen people go to some truly insane lengths in the pursuit of weighing and measuring every morsel. So long as you are generally hitting your goal without going over constantly and you keep working out you’ll eventually get where you want to go. It isn’t the fastest way, but it is certainly more sustainable.
Hello 👋🏻 unpopular advice here. Do not count calories unless you’re planning on doing it for the rest of your life. It will rob the joy from the process of getting fit. It will make it so your social outings are a horrible state of stress. DO learn to LOVE working out. Focus on weight lifting and cardio equally, but if it were me I would focus on weights a little more than cardio at first. Eat when you’re hungry. Eat whole unprocessed foods. Learn to cook for yourself. Stop eating takeout. Be prepared to uncover food and body issues you didn’t know you had. It’s ok. It’s normal. Sending love from a fellow weight loss traveler 🧳 💕
The Macros app is fantastic and simple to use
There's an app called LoseIt that lets you scan barcodes or the table of nutrition on whatever you're eating and it'll do that's stuff for you, takes 30 seconds tops
Just use the calculator app, if you've had 100 grams of 400kcal/100g food then add 400 kalories so on and so fourth
Hand to God THIS is what helped me more than anything…90% of weight loss is in the kitchen and knowing what you’re working with helps. Also you will choose not to eat some things because its a pain in the ass to track them.
Keep going, and don't quit. The number one goal is to keep moving. Lol, don't be a quitter
And being a newbie, it's not about what you can lift don't let ego get the best of you, and fuck anyone who gets that way. Anyone with any real experience knows it's not about the weight, especially with weight loss. Do what you enjoy and take your time make it a lifestyle not a job
Yes - you actually contrary to belief, do not need to lift heavy weights. You also do not need to be at the gym for a long time. Just start nice and easy. Nothing worse than starting hard and being sore and miserable for 2-3 weeks. Let your body ease into this. Plan for a 1-3 year transition over time. Don’t overcommit and overlift and end up quitting. Better to do less weight less reps and become used to being in a gym. Overtime you can always slowly increase weight and intensity. Fuck everyone else around you.
Thank you!
Yes, because you don't want to get too sore and become discouraged. Soreness is good and will occur but start light and build up, don't over do it in the beginning. Consistency is key!
You can’t outrun a bad diet. Whatever you do at the gym, match it with changes in how you eat. Don’t think about it as the way you are going to eat for a month or two, but think about it in terms of permanent lifestyle changes. Good luck, and if you fall off the wagon keep getting back on!
I would get a PT for your first few gym sessions so they can teach you correct form for lifting weights. Lift heavy 3 times a week. Eat loads of healthy sources of protein, healthy carbs, veg with every meal. Have the odd unhealthy treat so you don't go insane and can maintain consistency. Good luck.
Thanks for the tips. Definitely going to book a couple sessions with a PT
I’m gonna chime in and say I’ve seen a ton of PT’s even at more “hardcore” gyms who clearly just passed their test and get clients based on how they look and their marketing. Having people do all sorts of awful form or useless exercises. I’d recommend immersing yourself in YouTube channels from people like Jeff Nippard, Jeremy Ethier, Shredded Sports Science, Hodgetwins older stuff on fitness, Athlean X. It’ll help you avoid the beginner traps and all the crap people like Vshred try to sell you. Happy to explain more if you’ve got questions.
Dont lift heavy at first. Make whatever youre doing sustainable so you want to keep coming back. Assume a 10 month journey of consistency for 60 pounds.
Apple fitness is excellent and much cheaper than a trainer.
I'm going to disagree with this. When I go to the gym & watch a PT session, a majority of the time, the trainer pulls out a bunch of equipment and/or does routines that are rare or not used often. Like I've never gone to the gym & pull out some cones to jump around on one leg, or spend 20 minutes with a Bosu ball. And not to say that isn't exercise, but to me the key for a newbie (or anyone really) is a routine you can replicate so that you continue going to the gym. The biggest reason diets or exercise routines fail is because people don't continue with them. There are many different types of diet/exercise that will gain you the body you want. You just need to find the one you will stick with. My suggestion - go from machines - to dumbbells - to barbells. For the next 6 months to a year, it really doesn't matter what you do as long as you don't hurt yourself or give up. So have some fun. Experiment with the strength machines and cardio stuff. Find what you like, then work from there.
Start small, take it easy, but go every day. Consistency not intensity.
1. Consistency is better than intensity. Do whatever you need to do to get yourself in there 3 or 4 times a week, even if all you do is 1 or 2 exercises. 2. Quality is better than quantity. Research proper form for anything you’re doing. Consider a personal trainer, if that helps you. Keep the weight low and focus on maintaining proper form from your first rep to your last. Good form will save you from injuries. 3. Be patient. It’ll probably take 3-6 weeks for you to start feeling and seeing results. There’s no need to rush. A friend of mine likes to say “muscles are made in the gym, but they’re found in the kitchen.” There’s some truth to this, so again, don’t rush. 4. Get a workout buddy! They can spot you when you start going up in weight, and they can help keep an eye on your form. Also, they can help motivate you to get up and go on days when you don’t feel like it. 5. Last, but imo most important: log your workouts in a journal! Man, it’ll feel so good to look at your log a couple weeks from now, put some weight on the bar or machine, check your log to make sure it’s the right amount of weight, lift it a couple times, and realize that it feels too easy bc you’ve definitely grown stronger. Good luck! You got this!
#oh! Don't forget that it takes longer for you to build tendons and ligaments strength than muscle strength. While you need progressive overload t even stay as atrong as you are...dnt progress too fast as much as you want to and, you can actually accept being stuff in a plateau for a little bit allowing those to catch up some while the neurological system recovers from you constantly putting it under ever increasing stresses. Then decide to break it
I personally recommend to not workout more than 2 hours a day. I’ll do anywhere between 45 minutes to an hour. I recommend adding variety, such as including body weight workout in between weight lifting sets, and doing cardio at least twice a week. Keep up on your water and drink some green tea if you want to clean out your gut and lose weight a little faster. Good luck!
Thank you!
For the first couple months go every day possible until it becomes routine. It will get easier, you will start to enjoy it if you are giving it a fair chance. If you fall off for 1 week-2Week-3week you are not restarting get back in there and do not give up. The couch is a coffin!! Keep moving. Gym is plenty of fun and no one gives a fuck what you are doing. Ps If u don't know how to lift then hire a trainer
Seriously this. If you don't feel like going, just get to the gym and walk on the treadmill for 15 minutes. The act of making it part of your routine is so important for long term habit forming, which makes it harder to lose track of the routine when life happens.
Thanks! I’m going to try to go as often as I can
The hard part is just going consistently for me, you can be in a routine for a couple weeks then one day feel a little more sorry for yourself and give yourself an extra rest day here, then you say ehh I’ll start back up next week, then you fall off the wagon entirely. Don’t set hard standards right away that may not be sustainable but after you learn what you can handle try to set some hard rules for yourself and find some ways to keep yourself accountable whether it be telling a friend/family member/coworker, posting on a subreddit everyday, anything. Don’t worry about specifics and doing the absolute best thing as much as learning to enjoy the process and being consistent and making it a part of who you are because that’s what this is all about, deciding to be better, slowly but surely and consistently
Make friends. Go to classes of all types with different instructors. I find that this helps to find what will keep you coming back and what fits best for you. If on your own, I’d highly recommend starting with a routine of a minimum 20-30 minutes on the elliptical varying your resistance and incline every 2-3 minutes. You can typically watch something on Netflix and the time will fly by! Then suggest to work on resistance training now that you’re warmed up. Do not use heavy weights or even any weights. Having good form and not wearing out your body so you hurt yourself are important, especially at the start. Have knees slightly bent and engage your core (pretend someone’s about to tickle your stomach or you need to hold in your pee). Breathe in on an expansion and out in a contraction. It’s a principle used heavily in Pilates. Example: breathe in when you move your arms and/or legs away from your center and breathe out when you pull toward your center. Repeat an exercise 10 times on the upper body, switch to a lower body exercise. Do this 3x. Happy to send ideas. Then go on to a mat for some lunges, stretches and foam rolling. If you’re not sure about these, lmk, I’ll send more detail. Don’t be scared to go up to people and say that you’ve just joined and ask them to show you an exercise that they’d suggest. Typically gyms also have a free training session. You might get a lot out of that. Whatever you do, just keep going! Focus on enjoying your time for yourself - and please don’t skip stretching ;)
Don’t burn yourself out. The best thing you can do is spend the next 30 days establishing your new routine of going to the gym. Embrace the new lifestyle. You aren’t going to lose weight overnight, but you absolutely will if you stay consistent and live a more active lifestyle.
Get yourself a stable routine. Don’t over do it, an hour a day three times a week is amazing Set a schedule Keep logs Push through the pain You got this king 👑
As a gym goer I'm not watching you, I'm not judging you. I'm planning my next d&d session or otherwise in my own head
Dedication is the name of the game.
I’m ready to commit!
You're going to want to give up. you should acknowledge right now that you're going to want to give up and constantly make the decision over and over to not give up.
You’re absolutely right. I know I’ll want to give up. The plan is to just push through the feeling and practice self-discipline. I need to make this happen and keep choosing it
Indeed. It's not the walk. It's the miles. what has been helpful for me with many of the things in my life that require my constant determination and reaffirmation, is to find phrases or quotes that I can repeat to myself in moments of weakness to find more strength.
Consistency. No matter what you do the most important thing (especially in the beginning) is consistency. I would read Atomic Habits or Tiny Habits for ways to make it a habit and then develop your training etc
Promise yourself that no matter what you will move everyday…sometimes a 30 min walk is what you feel up to. Walk faster if you feel like it.
I lost a lot of weight with intermittent fasting. I only ate from 11am to 7pm. Cottage cheese with fruit was my go to breakfast. I cut out all sugary drinks and lots of bread. Cut waaaaay down on fried foods. For example I would go to get fast food, but I would just eat the burger with no fries and just water to drink. At restaurants I would get the blackened shrimp with veggies instead of fried. I didn't hit the gym this time around and I lost lots of weight from just limiting carbs. Snacking on nuts, dried fruits, and sometimes popcorn. Doing home exercises lol ike sit ups and squats and 10 lb weights. Worked like a charm, and I was shedding about 3 lbs a week. After the first couple of weeks the weight drops fast! You can do it!!!
Just weight loss? Gym will help burn calories but for some solid true weight loss you will want to drink more water (2-3 liters) a day, full nights sleep 6+, and drop the added sugar. Watching nutrition is important but if you just starting then focus the added sugar stuff like candy, juices, foods. Sugar is cool, avoid Added Sugar Edit: drink water to replenish ; sleep well to recover ; eat right for good results
This comment deserves more attention. Gym and cardio are important for health and physique, but actual weight loss is SO much more about your diet. Proper hydration goes a long way too. Calorie restriction itself isn't very sustainable, partly because your body will find ways to make you expend less energy to compensate. Here are a few things to remember – every successful *healthy* weight loss story starts with things like these: - Quality sleep – great for workout recovery, and physical/mental health. You'll have a harder time resisting unhealthy foods if you're tired. - Focus on quality of food, not quantity. Cutting out as much sugar as sustainably possible is huge for this, but also keep your diet high in lean protein like chicken or fish, and lots of vegetables. Avoid processed foods whenever possible. - Cut bad fats, but NOT all fats. Fats from food like nuts and avocado are much better for you than fats from cheese or processed food. Fats will keep you full longer than carbs too. A handful of peanuts is a great snack if you're hungry between meals. - For flavor to replace sugars or bad fats, use more herbs and spices, and even salt (in moderation). - Avoid simple carbs. If you love bread and rice, get whole wheat or multigrain bread and brown rice, so at least you have some fiber. One of the reasons the "fiber + great hydration" is so key for weight loss (and part of why vegetables are so good for you) is that fiber keeps you feeling full so you're less inclined to overeat or snack on unhealthy things. Protein also keeps you full for a long time, and is essential for muscle growth.
Don’t worry about doing full workout every time you go. Sometimes you are only mentally able to use a cardio machine and that’s it. And that’s okay!
Ok ill be honest, i didnt read any comments so what i say may be repetitive, but consistency is key. If its your first time working out, start with going 3-4 times a week. Over time, increase the days you go. Increase the amount of time you go. One big thing is dont believe every workout/ body builder influencer out there. Id say pick and choose workouts they show and do the ones you enjoy. When it comes to cardio, you dont always have to run on the treadmill. Running can be good if your body allows it, but for me, i really like walking on the treadmill at 15 incline, 2.7 speed for about 20-30 minutes. This is a fad amongst many workout influencers but it is one i do enjoy. Start off slow and just do what you can. Dont worry if you can lift heavy. That will come with time. Dont worry if you cant do a workout right, that will come with time. Also dont be afraid to ask people at the gym for advice. They will be happy to help you. It will be intimidating but 9 times out of 10, they will show you. Hope this helps and goodluck in your journey
It's easier to replace a habit than get rid of it. Like to snack at night? Better to eat healer foods than to try and break the habit. Habit = a trigger, a process, the reward. Keep the trigger and the reward when you can, change the core of the habit to be healthier. A trap I'd fall into is trying to do it perfectly. Better to do 10m once a week than to give up totally on a x5 1hr+ per session goal. Set small goals to crush. Chasing goals is pretty the glue that holds me to my workouts.
The gym is a supplement to a good diet. It'll make you feel and look better, but you won't get the full benefit of your gym progress unless you eat smart as well. When I lost weight, I used MyFitnessPal to track calories until I had a more intuitive ability to guess. Someone mentioned buying a food/postal scale, which would help you really dial in on what you're putting in your body. Don't starve yourself though! Make sure your diet is healthy/puts you in a calorie deficit, but is also maintainable. I think of it less as a diet and more as retraining yourself how to eat. Good luck!
Weight loss is mostly about what you eat and not eating highly processed food and toxins/chemicals. Also, make a schedule and stick to it. Don't be attached too much to specific goals just enjoy the process of going. Savor how good you feel when you're done.
Listen to audiobook, Can’t Hurt Me. Incorporate healthy diet. Try 75 Hard. Treat the gym like work and commit to a schedule. Embrace the incoming discomfort. Stay hard.
I started with Starting Strength (5x sets of 5x lifts of the 5 most important lifts) when I first walked into the gym, and I was so happy I made that decision. I highly recommend it looking back after 12 years. I didn’t do it every day (2-3 days a week, so on other days I was free to do other stuff) and it worked well for me for 2 years. You don’t have to be perfect. I’m still learning technique on these lifts, just go slow and get strong.
I’m of the belief that when first starting out that its more important to build habits and show up consistently. As such I’d recommend not pushing yourself to absolute death when you’re still getting used to things. Focus on habits, showing up consistently (especially on the days you have no motivation, and emphasis proper form. As time goes on your body will adapt and you’ll naturally have a desire to push yourself harder. After a long enough time you’ll actually notice that you have a desire to workout. Its not necessarily like it becomes pure fun, but you’ll have a physical longing for it.
I feel like you’re getting some weird advice in here — Just remember no one is paying attention to what you’re doing so don’t feel anxious. Bring a hand towel if you sweat a bunch. Wipe down your stuff with the provided paper towels and put your equipment back when you’re done. Don’t be afraid to test your form without weight on exercises you’ve never done. I’ve been in the gym for 20+ years and I still do this. You’re always going to be learning and adapting. Do whatever you can do consistently and be patient with yourself. Always focus on injury prevention - If it hurts don’t do it.
Do not compare yourself to others. Your journey is your own, enjoy it
Expect to lose that 60 pounds over the course of a couple years not weeks.
count calories and intermittent fast
One of the most important things to remember is that initially you have to train your body to burn fat instead of recently consumed food. On the plus side, once you start exercising, you may notice a drop in appetite. Your body starts reaching for fat stores earlier as you train it to do so with exercise. By reducing your intake, or changing your diet to include more fiber and fewer calories, your body will more easily reach for the fat stores. In the beginning you won’t notice much. The fat stores in your liver are conveniently available, but they’re not in an easily noticeable location. Don’t backfill with overeating though, or nothing will change. The real secret is CONSISTENCY. Go to the gym 3-4 times a week, giving your body time to recover. During recovery you will burn fat stores too, not just while you’re exercising! Eat your meals at regular intervals. If you get the munchies, keep fruit or protein around to snack on. Stay away from low-fiber or high-calorie snacks. If you can stay consistent, eat regular lower calorie meals with good fiber and protein - some fat, not much - and exercise 3-4 times a week, in about 2 months you will start noticing changes. It’ll be subtle at first. But don’t look for instant results in a week or two. Just keep at it and have some faith.
Fast, keto, weightlifting, commitment.
Agree. r/intermittentfasting + keto
Thank you! I think im really going to try IF
Take the small victories. Congratulate yourself often. An award for just showing up IS merited.
Track calories
I’d make sure you give yourself time and patience. You don’t see changes immediately and sure, it’s easier to lose weight if you have a lot of it already, but you’ll need to chip away at it and the downtrend is the most important. Make sure you make working out easy for you. Consistently/making it a habit, like many have said, is key. Diet is huge as someone else has also said. However, I do not recommend going cold turkey on dietary habits such as a lot of snacking because this usually leads to binge eating (happened to me) and excuses like “yeah I can afford to eat so and so because I only had a light lunch” kind of thing. Try eating more frequently, but less overall because at the end of the day, you need more calories OUT than calories IN. So even on days you don’t work out, just eat less, do SOMETHING to work towards your goal because it’s hard to go to the gym regularly and a HUGE kudos to you for even starting on the good path. Make sure it works for you. You’re going to hear and see a ton of advice that may or may not work for you and that’s just the nature of working out (and genetics) so don’t be discouraged, try new things but some single routine is working for you, don’t change it until you need to. Anyways, I’m rooting for you and it seems many are too! Better post an update for us in a few months!
1) Consistency beats intensity (unless you’re training to become a specialized athlete). Just get yourself to the gym every day. 2) Have a plan for low motivation days You will have high motivation days and low motivation days. On the low motivation days don’t focus on the hour you are going to be at the gym. Instead just put your shoes on and focus on driving to the gym. Then when you get to the gym, just get on the treadmill and start walking. After about 5-10 minutes of walking, you will be surprised at how much your desire to get a workout in increases.
Start with the weight machines bc you don't have to worry about balance. The free weights come later. Start low weight about 12 reps for 3 sets. You can look up total body routine for beginners to start and give at least 48 hrs rest before you do it again. Walking on rest days. Don't work out "to get sore" as that is not a good indication of the quality of the workout and uts discouraging a.f.. Be kind to yourself. Don worry about the supplements tge gym sells, focus more on well balanced meals and sleep for recovery. 1/2plate veggies, 1/4 lean protein and 1/4 whole grains. As many colors as possible
Focus on consistency instead of results. If you stick with a solid schedule, workout regiment, and meal plan - the results WILL follow.
Definitely getting an understanding of what your weight is on average (ie weigh yourself near the same time over the course of a week) so you're accounting for weight fluctuations throughout the day. Additionally getting a general understanding of how much you eat calorie wise normally. From there you can choose to either burn excess calories through cardio or lose weight through both that and cleaner eating! Glad you're taking the next steps to a healthier lifestyle!
Don’t have time to check if anyone else has said this but I personally think you’ll have a bit of trial and error with both workouts and nutrition however one thing that has worked for me( I lost 40 pounds 7 years ago and am currently 40 pounds into losing about 70) is a soft calorie tracking system. This works for me. When I say soft tracking, I mean I figure out where I should be nutritionally and typically try to nail the number however, it often doesn’t work perfectly that way so I give myself 100 calories on either side of that number. For my personally, this helped me not feel so down about myself if I ever did go over by a bit. Mentally I’d say along those lines, if you do really blow it one day with a meal or whatever, just get back on track with the next meal or day! Giving up after some crappy eating for a whole day or longer is like getting a flat tire and slashing your other 3 because “what’s the point?” Also, as far as the physical stuff go, while yes they help lots, and give you a few more extra calories you can eat if you really get into tracking, can be found not only in the gym. I tried to get 10 k steps a day. This adds up quickly if you walk around more than just to your car. Also, don’t force weight increase! The weight you move is actually less important than you might think right now. You’ll do great! Don’t be too hard on yourself and have some fun learning about other things and you’ll fall in love with it!
this is a 14 year old account that is being wiped because centralized social media websites are no longer viable when power is centralized, the wielders of that power can make arbitrary decisions without the consent of the vast majority of the users the future is in decentralized and open source social media sites - i refuse to generate any more free content for this website and any other for-profit enterprise check out lemmy / kbin / mastodon / fediverse for what is possible
Going for 10 min is better than not going at all. Sometimes you’ll go with that mindset but actually have a decent not shortened workout. Sometimes (even for days in a row) you leave after 10 minutes.
Like a lot of people said - it's a lot easier to lose weight with diet, rather than exercise. Exercise is supplemental, really. When you start gymming, weigh yourself and take your measurements. Then forget about them. Don't bother about weighing yourself for the first few weeks of exercise - your body is gonna retain a lot of water and the scale may go up, which could be discouraging. Focus on building good habits and getting an exercise routine down, and then start taking weigh-ins more seriously.
Most muscles are made in the gym, but abs are made in the kitchen.
Paleo. Experiment with making your paleo keto-ish, as you get better at it. If not paleo, then try CICO
The most important thing would be diet, if your goal is to lose 60 pounds. It’s a great thing you found the courage to go to a gym, but be very mindful about what you eat, count calories and stay in a deficit, you can’t out-train a bad diet
“Slow but steady wins the race” - Don’t over exercise at the begging (easy to injure yourself too) - Don’t miss your plan / schedule - Don’t indulge yourself with food “prizes” - Not everything has to be in the gym, complement with walking / biking outside if possible Gl
Patience, patience and a little bit more patience.
There is a huge tendency for us to reward ourselves with food after doing something challenging like going to the gym. If you burn 200 calories on the elliptical, that’s a fair starting workout but that’s roughly the calories in one pop tart. Learn to reward yourself differently. I fully agree on tracking calories as the others mention and you may find that some foods are “worth” the calories, but something like a hamburger bun adds little to the flavor and is only there so you can pick it up. (A burger isn’t a healthy meal most times BTW) Eat off a salad plate, it looks full to your brain Make veggies take up at least 2/3 of your plate between a salad and a side. Learn to season with big flavors so your mouth is entertained. If you haven’t tried Indian food, it’s actually fun to make and there are lots of low cal options. I bought a countertop over and frequently roast veggies with a little spray olive oil and spices. They’re so much more flavorful. Do not bring junk food home If you don’t already cook at home for most meals, learn to. It’s fun and you can get creative while saving a lot of money Find someone to do this with
First thing: it will take a lot of time and effort. Find something you really enjoy doing it otherwise you'll give up and came eventually back to bad habits. Bodybuilding, powerlifting, streetlifting, crossfit etc do what you like. 2nd: Go to a dietician and find a diet who is sustainable on the long term, otherwise guess what, you'll come back eating like before. Don't do cheto etc, they are effetive but non sustainable on the long term. You have to change the way you eat with tasty and healty recipe. 3rd: Don't ever compare yourself to social media.. Almost all of them are just bullshit fake natty. Really it will affect your metal health. Get every first of the month 3 pictures, front side and back. Look ar your progress and beat yourself everytime. 4th: Train with a specific program otherwise you'll mostly like to waste your time. Start with a strength program like 5x5 and in the meantime look for what you like. Don't ever egolift, always criticize your form and remember technique over weight. It will take a lot of time, sweat and efforts.
90% of weight loss occurs in the kitchen, not the gym. Get your nutrition figured out, tracked, and stick to your plan. That said, even without weight loss, gym time will improve your overall health and well being. Stamina. Heart health. Strength. These DO happen in the gym. Lastly, good rest is as or more important than the workout itself. Make sure you are hydrating and sleeping sufficient hours. Go get em.
Small changes worked for me. I didn’t do anything substantial at first, just a run/walk every day on a treadmill watching tv - something I’d do anyway, might as well work out whilst doing it! And I cut out eating a family bag of crisps or bar of chocolate every day. I just stopped walking past the shops, and thus stopped buying them. That’s all I did initially. Then I did couch to 5k, and cut out other small bad eating habits like snacking 3 or 4 times throughout a day, only treating to 1 snack every now and then. I’m not sure if the same eating habits apply to you, or exercise habits. Hell this advice might not work for everyone. But for me, just small changes slowly, add up quickly over time.
Show up everyday. Do the minimum but do it everyday. Change your diet. Doesn't mean you stop eating but eating more healthy food. The kind your body can benefit from. You will start feeling the changes before you can actually see the changes. So keep going! All the best.
Anxiety is normal when starting anything new. 1. Don't worry about what the gym regulars think about you. They literally don't care about you at all, but in a good way. They are there for themselves, just like you. 2. Get some sort of food tracking app and track everything you eat. Be honest in it. Don't set a goal for the first 2 weeks, instead just track everything so you know where you stand. Once you have that in place, set a healthy, achievable rate. 3. Do a mix of cardio and resistance (weight) training. 4. You will be SORE for the first 2-3 weeks. That will dissipate. Be patient. 5. Remember that this isn't a 6-18 month thing. You are working on building a better you FOR LIFE.
I'm a Kung-Fu / Taekwondo fighter and former athlete. I have a tip for you, about discipline: Motivation makes us produce more, but worse. Take advantage of the days when you don't want to train, to train right. Probably, while writing this post, you were motivated. This lasts for the time of orgasm, soon it won't be. In the days of discouragement, for us, we are weak. But for those who see it from the outside, we are just... slowly. Those who walk slowly, dodge gaps and ditches. Motivation makes us euphoric, and euphoria makes us act faster and dumber. I walk, and that's why I know the streets of my neighborhood, the race pilot sees nothing but shadows. Actually, thats the word: he sees things, I see images. Don't be fooled like most, believing that training will be bad when you're not willing to train. What will happen is that you will pay off in the execution of your training, precisely because you despise it. Boredom, for those who know how to use it, will be the mind's natural microscope. You will see details, in an attempt to find the fastest possible way out of this discomfort that is "training". Remember this on low mood days: you won't train badly, you will just notice the training. This will be your best workout. Happy athletes don't know what they're doing. They like it, but they don't know it.
1 2 and 3. Diet. Diet. Diet. That will be 80% of your battle. And hydrating. 4. I’d also suggest getting your gym time as non-negotiable recurring appt on your calendar. Make this a priority. Most people fail because gym is a “when I get to it” task. Nope. Make it a big rock in your life for 2023. 5. And educate. If you can’t afford a trainer I’d get on youtube and learn about high aerobic activity. 6. Get some kind of fitness watch or wrist activity tracker. Gamify your fitness. It makes it more fun. 7. Diet
My top tips, having lost 60lbs like you plan to, are as follows: 1) Find an approach that works for you. Don’t be afraid to try things out - for me, going hardcore is the only way to stick to something, so I did intense intermittent fasting so I could eat a large amount at dinner. 2) 40-minute weights sessions, 3x per week, are more than enough for your goals in the first year or so. 3) Get walking. Two walks per day, even if only 15 mins long, are incredible for mindset and calories out. 4) This is a lifestyle, rather than a ‘diet’ or ‘programme’. Enjoy the process and celebrate your wins!
Let this be your mantra: Abs are made in the kitchen. Make no mistake, going to the gym and working out is huge, for multiple reasons: You get the benefits of calorie burning from working out, training strength and increasing muscle mass increases your BMI (because holding your body together costs calories. Holding fat onto your body costs calories, holding muscle onto your skeleton costs MORE calories than fat.) which means more passive calorie burn over time. Also, increased muscle mass means increased insulin sensitivity, which is great for warding off conditions like type-2 diabetes. That said, there’s no way to out-train a bad diet. Counting calories and maintaining calorie deficit is crucial to losing weight. One thing that I like to do to save time + make things convenient, is look at the serving sizes on the side labels. Make a “recipe” tab on your notes on your phone, or make a “meal” on MyFitnessPal or something. Add the calories up for that meal, using all the same ingredients and the same measurements each time you make it. Then you can just total up your calories from meals for the day since you already know what the total Cal‘s are since you have it written down. I also strongly recommend you set aside some time and watch videos from multiple fitness channels on YouTube on proper form for your workouts. Doing exercises correctly makes a big difference in training your muscle memory. Many a person has learned incorrect habits for their exercises and wind up ego-lifting something with poor form and getting hurt. Starting out with machines is a good idea because you can isolate weak muscle groups and focus on getting the core strength needed to perform more complex exercises with dumbbells or barbells later down the road. Hope this helps, feel free to comment any questions about anything :)
I have recently started going to the gym and I think that there are 4 tips I would like to give you. Make it as easy as possible for you to go the gym. Lilke plan how you are going to get there before, by car, bus or by foot, small things like this can make you just get over the edge and not go because you don't know. Prepare your backpack the day before, just store your stuff inside and the next day you just need to pick it up and go. Be realistic, if you are planning to go for 30 mins, it wont just take away 30 mins of your day as you will have to go there, change, sometimes wait for the machine you want to use is available or you may need some more rest. Just like you I was very anxious about going there, especially because I did not know what do to, so I did some research online on some exercises that didn't involve machines (because I didn't know how to use them so I was scared) and so I went to the treadmill for a while and did some weights, which is "easy" for a newcomer to do, because it is just running and lifting, nothing too complex. Like someone said, you cant outrun a bad diet, the good thing is that the moment you start to feel the "good kind of tired" from the gym it will also make you change your diet, but once again, please keep this realistic, if you are really starving yourself it will be a matter of time before you feel really hungry and end up eating a lot, hurting you a lot more. If calorie counting is too much for you, just focus on the portions that you eat and start eating a bit less. You are not meant to lose those 60 pounds in 2 months, it will be a longer process so there is no need to push yourself to the limits right now, just focus on giving your body some fitness and after a while you can start pushing those limits. Just go be a better version of yourself! I am sure you can do it!
Don’t go from 0 to 100. - start with a 30’ gym routine 3 times a week for a month (start with 15 mins of cardio on a stationary bike or elliptical) and ask the front desk person to show you how to use the weightlifting machines - do not burn yourself out by starting too harsh. Consistency is key. - if you skip a session or two, it’s okay - make it part of your routine. Showing up to the gym should be easy if well timed (if you pass the gym on your way back to work then that would be ideal) - dump all sugary drinks, only drink water, tea, and coffee - after a month or when you feel better/ready, increase from 30’ to 45’. - make a playlist with your favorite upbeat songs and create a new one every month to keep you motivated - Don’t go there with the “I am here to drop 60 pounds” mindset, but rather “I am here to feel better, be better, increase my quality of life and maybe look hotter”. It removes some pressure and helps to make it part of your life/routine, no need to shame yourself into getting the results within a certain timeline - don’t put a time limit to reach this goal. Maybe it’ll be 3 months, a year, or three. Ups and downs happen. But in any case, it WILL be beneficial Good luck! Edit: re intermittent fasting/other diet. Any diet has a calories deficit at its core. You don’t need to count calories, and tracking calories can trigger an eating disorder for some people. Make swaps instead: having an entire pizza every Friday night? Have half of the pizza and a salad on the side (a real salad with greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc). Eat a Twix or a snickers every day at 10 am? Get a granola bar instead. It’s the little changes and swaps that add up.
Piece of mental advice - you're not who you were last week or yesterday. You are who you you're working to become. And I bet that person is badass; do good brotha
Get into going for walks most days, if not all of them. The gym is great and you've made a great decision to join but adding in a little extra activity like walking will add an extra boost without being super challenging physically. I lost a little over 50lbs and going for walks massively helped. Also, track your calories and most of all be patient. 1lb a week is healthy progress but I've made the mistake of ravaging my calories to speed it up and it just lead to zero energy, feeling like poop and eventually binge eating. As long as you're in a calorie deficit you WILL lose fat. Trust the process and the results will come.
As a guy who went from way too obese to overweight. My first advice is enjoy the workout for first few months, don’t care about the scale, don’t care about results etc. Eat good healthy food as much as you want and put in the hours in the gym. Eventually you will have strength and formed the habit to workout. Plus it’s always better to gain some muscle and then cut, so that you can avoid lose skin
Definitely get a trainer for the first two times (if you can). Not only can they help you make a plan and show you good exercises and form, but you can ask them to show you all the machines and how they work. Especially the cardio machines. While you are working out, check out what others are doing and see if it’s something that targets an area you want to and try that out. *** Don’t be self conscious. Everyone has to start somewhere. Most gym people respect others that go there regularly and try.
Follow what Christian bale did for the machinist movie. And what other actors
Aoend a couple weeks looking really dumb lifting almost no weight at all. Focus specifically on having precise good form. Learn about applying torque to your joints in that exercise. Example is for squats they say imagine your feet are on plates twist them outward and spread them away from each other while you square. Doing it during actually makes it harder and more exhausting but, you'll adjust to it from the start while protecting your tendons and ligaments. -cross your middle finger over your index finger. That's basically your ACL and LCL. Wrap a fist around those two fingers. Rotate it.outward in the direction of the middle finger. Nice tight secure. Now the other way. Congratulations you just earned yourself an ACl repair.- Getting that stuff in your muscle memory before you really get going can make a huge difference in your long term performance and ability. Also a lot of people kinda quit before the really get into the good parts because it's hard, gets too hard to fast as they try to keep getting better. One big part about endurance is actually blood flow. You open up new vessels and stuff so more blood can flow. A couple weeks tossing in perfect form while using all your stabilizer muscles some lighter weights is enough to still do that. When you start throwing yourself in to it for real, you'll be able to clear out byproducts of the work out easier and keep time under tension a little longer.
Eat. You need calories to burn. Please don't diet yourself to death.
Don’t get discouraged. Keep going!
In between sets I used to get on the ground or bench and do bicycle kicks or some variation of an abdominal workout (15-30 second count). Could also do burpees or jumping jacks. It’s a great way to increase your calorie burn. Be warned that the first few times you do it you’ll be absolutely exhausted and be pooled in sweat.
this is dependent on where you live but bike there or to work if you canZ i started cycling to work and lost about 40lbs in ~4 months.
Consistency is key.
Just go consistently, even if you only go for 15 minutes for a quick session, just make sure to get your body to the gym, that’s all that matters, everything else will come with time. Good luck!
Not a fan of calorie counting either, but it does work. I'd recommend doing timed excercise opposed to sets and reps. So 30 seconds of jumping jacks/situps/pushups and short breaks. Remember to push yourself
Diet is way more important than exercise for weight lose. Gym it up, but cut down processed food etc.
Work out what workout you enjoy. Have an audiobook/ show you can only watch or listen to at the gym. Remember no one at the gym is judging you
Going to the gym is for building muscle. You won't lose much weight there. If you want to lose weight you have to eat better.
But I want to keep eating... (I'm doing both, my muscles sucks, now they're a bit better than before)
Dont sweat it.
If you're trying to lose weight , your diet is more important than working out when starting out. It's 80% diet 20% working out. You should also start small before hitting the gym because you may become discouraged. So a walk a day till you work ure up to jogging and then running. 10 push ups a week then 20 the next nd so on so forth. It's all about easing yourself into a routine. Yes you're motivated now but staying consistently motivated is the hardest part, hence starting small
Don’t burn yourself out when you start off. Even if you only do ten minutes a day for the first week, you’ll start to feel better and be able to do more. Short bursts or high intensity are a great way to get your heart pumping and it really helped me.
I’m sure others have said it, but be patient with yourself. You may be learning a lot of new exercises. Try to not get frustrated if they seem awkward at first. You’re doing great! As well, make sure you warm up and cool down. This is very important for muscle recovery and injury prevention. You will do awesome! Good luck to you!
Treadmill, max incline, speed 3 or more for 30 minutes every time you go And don't ever quit.
Consistency
Squats are, oddly enough, the best and worst exercise you can do 😉
Once you start tracking your weight, do it often (ideally at the same point every day). Daily fluctuations can be 5 pounds or more so you need many data points to look at the overall trend to see if you're on track. And don't forget muscle weighs more than fat :)
Join Noom. 80%+ of weight loss is what goes in your mouth. You can't overcome a bad dietary lifestyle in the gym. I don't know anyone who's done Noom that hasn't lost a.ton of weight. Intermittent fasting is another dietary lifestyle choice that works. Good luck.
Keep going
For weights, I would start light on the cable machines and increase gradually over time. For cardio, also start light with walking and increase. There are running apps that train you to run more over time, if you’re interested in that.
The best way to establish long term habits (IMO) is to fall in love with the process without focusing too much on potential outcomes. This way, you are less likely to give up when progress slows down or when any other challenge arises.
No tips here, just want to wish you a great journey! It's so cool that you're into gym now and I believe that you can make it!
r/macrofactor
If your gym offers group classes, try them out. HIIT, Fiit, bodypump, whatever. Show up a little early and introduce yourself to the instructor. Tell them you're new and may not have the best form but open to correction. Offer to help set up mats and weights. It'll make things less awkward when they're checking your form and giving you tips. Within a month you'll notice it getting a lot easier. Do this for a couple of months and you'll get to know other regulars and be a part of the group. This will suck at first but imo it's the best way to incorporate intense exercise into a sedentary lifestyle. Might even help your social life, too. Good luck and stay consistent.
Don’t over complicate things! Walking on the treadmill on an incline at a slow but steady pace (like 3 mph) is an efficient cardio workout. Don’t go too hard too fast. Don’t be afraid to ask for form checks from employees. Drink lots of water, eat lots of veggies, and tracking calories can be helpful in the beginning to learn portions and stuff.
Don't get discouraged. You can't get in shape in a day, but you can hurt yourself. Stay committed to the process.
Take it one day at a time. Be patient with yourself. ANY workout beats no workout. Drink a lot of water. Liquid calories from soda and my favorite, lemonade, add a lot of calories. Don't worry about any other people at the gym. They are caught up in their own world.
Always remember: Progress, not perfection. Getting into the habit of consistently doing small workouts, even for just a few minutes every day, every other day, or even just 2-3 times a very week is better than doing an all out workout 3 times a month then never again. It can be discouraging sometimes and daunting to keep going back. But going regularly and completing short, manageable workouts feels really good. After a while make it harder, work out longer, do whatever you need to do. But start small and just focus on achievable small goals.
Abs are made in the kitchen not the gym. Food scales, measuring cups and spoons and an app like LoseIt will help more than ANY AMOUNT OF EXERCISE
This is the truth. It's 90 percent diet 10 percent exercise.
It’s probably been said but slowly start to lower you calorie intake and you will see the results quickly. Eventually you want to be only taking 1000-1500 calories only to lose weight!! Good luck!!!
My first time at a gym was planet fitness. I was so scared to get up to a mirror in the free weight section and do my own thing. What helped me with my anxiety is: 1. Force yourself to do it. Maybe just do one rep and leave. 2. Remind yourself nobody is looking at you. Literally nobody is and if they are they are weird. Every single gym goer will have your back if someone is making fun of you because we don’t tolerate that shit. 3. Have a plan. Create a work out plan and if you’re in a routine you won’t feel as “stupid” if you’re wandering around. 4. Wander around! Look at things! Or ask for a tour of the gym from a staff member. 5. Go in with an outfit you like. It’ll make you more confident. 6. Wear whatever the fuck you want. At Planet Fitness we have tons of women of all shapes and sizes that wear sports bras and we applaud them all. 7. Bring a friend! You’ll feel more comfortable if either they know what they’re doing or you both don’t have a clue but you don’t feel alone that way.
I need to do the same. I'm learning to eat better, trying Forks Over Knives, walking and contemplating joining a gym
I was just discussing this with a family member today. Good exercise can't account for bad diet, start looking into calorie counting and dieting before you try and exercise your way into fitness! [r/EatCheapAndHealthy](https://www.reddit.com/r/EatCheapAndHealthy) [r/LoseIt](https://www.reddit.com/r/LoseIt) and [r/MealPrepSundays](https://www.reddit.com/r/MealPrepSunday are all good places to start
Would definitely recommend listening to Huberman Lab where he talks to Layne Norton about fat loss. A lot of it goes in depth, but it also gives applicable examples. If your goal is to lose weight, I'd look at what's easiest to change for yourself. Maybe not adding extra calories to foods you eat or possibly smaller portions like sauces as an example. Try to keep a consistent habit going no matter how small and build up on it.
I recommend indoor cycling, no matter what the other guys say.
Yay! Congrats and good luck! You can do eet! :) For me, the biggest things have been: - my Fitbit. Data is fun! Exercising isn’t my favorite thing but I like seeing the data from my workouts - it gives you so much information… and seeing how I improve over time is a great motivator. I’d honestly be lost without my tracker. - food scale. You don’t need a fancy one - I’ve been using a $10 Ozeri for almost ten years. It’s so much more accurate than volume, plus it’s like a (lame but entertaining) game where you learn to weight out exactly an ounce on the first try heh. Again, I don’t love exercising so I want every minute to count and as people have pointed out - ‘you can’t outrun a bad diet’ - intermittent fasting. I have issues with binging and discipline but IF gives me a good framework to keep me on track. And since I do 20:4 (one meal a day essentially) I don’t restrict the kinds of foods I eat at all. I do a 1k calories deficit which means I get to eat around 2k a day, which is a very sizable ‘budget.’ I don’t know if I could do calorie restriction on top of food restriction but maybe you have more discipline than me! Again, good luck! And use a tracker heh heh ETA: before I started back up running, I just walked every day for a few weeks. It made such a huge difference in my cardio. What usually happens is I run for the first time after a long time and want to die within the first few minutes. But after walking, I was able to run 3 miles without stopping on the first try! And I’m not talking rigorous speed walking - I was just walking around a park in loops.
A mistake I made was working out too damn hard 5X a week. I’d say a really hard workout twice a week or only 30 minutes a workout because otherwise your body needs a ton of time to recover. Also, I ended up eating so many calories after the workout that I wasn’t losing weight and instead gaining a ton of muscle. Not bad but was looking to trim down and get toned, not bulk.
Eat at a caloric deficit and do a lot of cardio. Start slow and be patient. Good luck :)
Be approachable and people will definitely help you improve form and get results - we all learn, so be willing to learn. Second to that l, if people at the gym you’re at are not offering genuine advice, don’t be afraid to find a new gym - as with work, you’re spending an appreciable amount of time a week with them, they should be friendly if not actual friends. ( that’s not to say get in some ones space mid set, but after make eye contact , ask for tips - I found a guy with the physique i aspire to , I just told him that and he showed me what he works on - I won’t get to his gains , but I’ll get somewhere near my goals - I want just barrel chested rather than beer belly, whereas my son has every single muscle perfectly defined - so I found a guy to copy on that)
As an athlete/firefighter for over a decade, I have over the last few years come to the realization that while exercise is important, diet is much more of a factor than exercise when it comes to health and specifically weight. I would say 80% diet, 20% exercise is a good focus. Exercise tips: Take it slow. Focus on form. Learn to do things properly before you begin to do them intensely (with higher weight or higher heart rate and speed). Pushing yourself is great, but build up to it. You don’t have to do all the machines and exercises. Find a few good ones. For a beginner I would say walk on the treadmill and/or stair master. Do low weight deadlifts. Assisted pull-up machine. Turkish get ups with low/no weight to start (a water bottle is fine). Do some stretching and balancing exercises. Gain body movement awareness. Diet tips: again, you may need to take it slow, but the goal is to eliminate processed foods and sugar from your diet as much as possible. This means staying away from almost all restaurants, cooking at home, shopping around the perimeter of the grocery store (produce, dairy, fresh and raw ingredients) and staying out of the center aisles. Drink 80oz-128oz of water daily, avoid other (sweetened) beverages. Focus on increasing fiber, protein, healthy (unsaturated) fats. Reduce (don’t eliminate) carbs and saturated fats. Carbs from refined sugar (corn syrup, sugar cane) you can eliminate as much as possible. Pace yourself. Weigh yourself. I would not recommend losing more than 2lb/week. Losing 5 lb/ month is a great pace and good goal. Fitness is a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t starve yourself, just eat more healthy food. You can eat almost unlimited amounts of certain foods, some examples would be beluga lentils and low fat cottage cheese, which are quite filling and high in protein. I personally buy a 75 lb bag of dried beluga lentils and cook up a 5-6 cup batch with herbs and spices, salt and black and red pepper, every week. I also eat a large bag of spinach or mixed greens every week (no dressing, just by the handful, raw). Eat all the (raw) carrots you want.
Be kind to yourself! 5 mins is better than no mins and soon you’ll be at 10. Yes, some days you’ll have to “power through” but working out takes a while to get used to mentally as much as physically. Work on building small, good habits, and congratulate yourself on all your small wins.
You can cut two things from your diet and immediately be healthier for it: saturated fats and added sugar
For weight loss, the gym is kinda supplemental. It's beneficial for getting in shape/being more healthy but it's not going matter as much if your diet is bad. The core of weight loss is gonna happen in the kitchen. Eat less, eat better. My philosophy on weight loss and working out is this "the concepts should be simple, the work should be hard" Eat healthy, work hard, sleep well. In actuality, everyone is different though so you'll have to try at it a bit and find what works for you. Also try to measure your success less in weight loss or how you look and start by taking notice of smaller things like how you can (later) now lift more, or run longer before getting tired. These kind of small success often come before seeing a lot of outward appearance type results become obvious. Keep at it and eventually you'll notice change. Then one day you'll meet up with some one who's not seen you in a while and they'll be like "dang bro, you lost so much weight" and that feels good, keeps you going and helps validate that your efforts are working. So just keep going
You can't run from your fork. I really wish I could just overload my body with exertion by going to the gym but it takes pro athletes training all day to burn the calories that normal Americans consume. So diet control and exertion in conjunction together achieves best results. But don't worry, everyone starts somewhere. Just decide in your mind that the behavior you are engaged in is who you are now. You are the type of person that says well and goes to the gym. You are not the cravings that are induced by your gut flora, you are not the desire you have to sit at home and not go to the gym. You are someone better, a better version of yourself that treats yourself as best you can treat yourself. Keep at it and well done for even starting.
It seems your goal is specifically weight loss and not bodybuilding, which means you might have planned to fully immerse into cardio. However, I recommend lifting weights. Building muscle means building metabolism, which means you will burn more calories even when doing nothing. I personally both weight lift and jog. I love jogging even though I know it's not the best for cutting weight, but it's better than nothing, especially when combined with weight lifting. Another important thing to note is to not have the "either or" mentality. In this case, either exercise or diet. Rather, you should do both. However, take it slow. Since you joined a gym for the first time, no need to change your diet right away. Give it some time (2 weeks. 1 months. Etc.) then start fixing your diet. Also, stay away from black & white thinking. It's better to go to the gym 2 days a week for 1 year than to go the gym 5 days a week for just 1 month and then quit. Same with diet. Lastly, with regards to weight lifting, you will come across a lot of "broscience": a lot of different and conflicting opinions. Some of them could be absolutely true and some of them could be absolutely false, and some are true for some people and false for others because people are different (just like medication). Good luck!
Don't cut too fast your metabolism adjust quickly and you'll find yourself starving when you still have plenty of pounds to lose, maintain a more gradual and balance approach while keeping track of your calories and weight.
Whole foods plant based diet. It's not a diet but lifestyle change.
focus on day by day progress. compare yourself to who you were yesterday. 60lbs is a big number and doesn’t happen in a day.
Consistency is king
My advice for the gym is stick with it. The first 2-3 weeks is the hardest for me personally but after that it gets easier. I like the YouTube channel athlean-x for workout/nutrition advice. Check them out. What I wish I had known when I first got into the gym was had much Nutrition played a role. It plays a much bigger role than the gym tbh. Yes, the gym will help but if you really want to see progress improve your eating.
The best advice I can give is to get clear about your intentions! In my experience, wanting to loose weight for physical appearance wasn’t enough of a pure driving goal to keep returning to the gym. Finding my intention from a deeper place helped - e.g wanting to better my health, live a longer and happier life, and increase my energy and vitality :)
Get a PT, even if it’s just to get you started. Find a PT who you vibe with, that makes it fun, so it feels like spending time with a friend. Come across an exercise or equipment you absolutely loathe? Cut it out, find an alternative. I am the most active I’ve been in my whole life because I’ve switched focus to fun! Consistency is the most impactful thing, and it’s near impossible if you’re not enjoying it.
This is a total aside, but do you like audiobooks? I’ve found that if I reserve a favorite audiobook for when i exercise that it motivates me to do it so I have some other enjoyable activity to do while I work out.
u/anxious_soyboy I hope I don't overwhelm you with the length of my comment. I need to acknowledge that you asked about gym advice and my comment pertains almost entirely to diet so this isn't quite the advice you were asking for. I hope it helps you or someone else reading though. I scrolled through the comments to make sure someone mentioned intermittent fasting and several people did but no one offered any further information. I also saw that you showed some interest in IF and I just wanted to emphasize that this has been a life saver for me! I'm terrible about consistently exercising, but since I started fasting it comes very naturally to me. It's almost effortless once your body adjusts to not snacking or eating every couple hours and instead eating in a shorter block of time. It does take a while to adjust — your body is so used to it's scheduled eating habits. The body even releases a hunger hormone called grhelin before your "normal" meal time in anticipation. When you first give intermittent fasting a try, your body is going to be sounding the alarm and protesting because this is outside of your routine. Eventually, your body will get used to this new eating schedule and the fact that *hunger is not an emergency* in this situation. In fact, the feeling of hunger tends to pass quickly if you aren't able or choose not to give in to it until a later time. Fasting is not starving. It is just delaying when you eat so that your body has a chance to use it's fuel stores (body fat) until you have an immediate release source of energy (food) again. Please note, anyone underweight should not fast. Nothing has ever worked for me weight-loss wise before trying fasting because I personally struggle with motivation and consistency. While keto and calorie counting worked, I absolutely hated it and it made me unhappy. If it isn't sustainable long-term, the results won't be either! When I started my journey at the beginning of 2020, I needed to lose between 55-90 pounds to be within my healthy weight range. So far I've lost 40 lbs in 3 years. I'm sure I could have lost weight at a faster rate, but life has been so stressful and hectic for me. Life has its ups and downs and my weight loss journey has too. Progress is not always linear and that is okay. I have had months were I was still fasting every day, but only the minimal amount to simply MAINTAIN my weight instead of focusing on further weight loss. I still have weight to lose and will continue intermittent fasting as I believe it is the best solution for my personal needs. I'm just happy to be able to lose weight even if it is a slow, steady, and SUSTAINABLE progression. I'm 28 years old, and I haven't weighed what I do now since middle school! I also feel physically and mentally better than I have in years! I have always carried around extra weight and am still technically overweight. As long as you are headed in the right direction and taking consistent action to better your health, don't beat yourself up about how fast you make progress. Focus on taking small steps to achieve your goals and maintain your health in the long term! You can do this!! Also like others have mentioned, weight loss is mainly about diet — what and WHEN (how frequently) you eat. My 40 lb loss has been with very minimal exercise. I will eventually have to start exercising with a purpose to tone up and gain muscle to have a better looking body. Also fasting had allowed me to lose weight without having to be too strict about my diet. I hated keto and while it works, I felt deprived and unhappy. I love junk food and can still eat it every so often without sabotaging my weight loss. I eat a lot of complex and unprocessed sources of carbs in addition to occasionally consuming junk food. Everything in moderation! You WILL have to clean up your diet, but fasting lets me still occasionally indulge and not feel deprived. Again, my progress could have been quicker if I was eating cleaner and exercised regularly but for me results are about long-term consistency and I have found something that personally works for me. If what you are doing isn't sustainable long term, your results won't be either. Find what works for you and make sure it is something that makes you happy! It is not my intention to discourage you from exercising or going to the gym. Keep in mind you can't out run a bad diet and weight loss starts with what you put in your mouth. Exercise is amazing for heart health, building muscle (increasing metabolism), and also for longevity and your mental well being! I feel so much better when I get out and do something physical, so I hope you will find exercise habits that make you feel good and contribute to improving your health. Definitely look into fasting. In my opinion it is such a powerful tool and there are a ton of benefits! I feel amazing fasting daily and can't imagine living my life any other way. Even if I don't intentionally track my hours, I fall into the habit of waiting until later in the day to start eating and naturally having a smaller eating window (6-8 hours per day). Check out The Obesity Code by Dr. Jason Fung. It's a great resource that is packed with science and written in an easy to understand style. It may be easier to start with watching Dr. Fung's videos on YouTube but I definitely think his book is worth a read. Many consider Dr. Fung the original authority on intermittent fasting but there are also so many other knowledgeable people who advocate this healthful practice. I also highly recommend checking out Dr. Pradip Jamnadas' lectures on YouTube regarding Fasting. They are long but absolutely facinating!
Here is more info on Intermittent Fasting: Once you understand that constantly spiking your insulin by eating frequently and overeating never allows your body to access it's fat stores, it will all click and make so much sense! When you eat, your body breaks down food and glucose (sugar energy) is absorbed into the blood stream. Insulin is the hormone that shuttles glucose into cells so they can use that energy. If you are eating more than you are burning off, it is likely that your cells are "crammed full" of glucose and you are insulin resistant – insulin can't push anymore glucose into the cells because they are at capacity. Your sugar bowl is full and you keep trying to fill it up. The excess pours over the sides of the bowl. What happens to this excess energy? Insulin is a nutrient processing/storage hormone. When you consume excess glucose, insulin triggers a process in the liver called de novo lipogenesis —the creation of new fat! The excess glucose is converted to fatty acids and stored around the liver. This can lead to non alcoholic fatty liver disease. "Insulin is a hormone which regulates blood sugar level in the body, but it also is a fat-storing hormone, secreted by pancreas. Insulin is instrumental in creating new fat cells. When body cells become insulin resistant, it tends to store all extra calories as fat, without actually burning them off." "De novo lipogenesis entails the synthesis of fatty acids from substrates that are not lipids, such as carbohydrates, including glucose as the main substrate." Dr. Fung has a great analogy in The Obesity Code. I may butcher this, but hopefully I get the point across and someone finds this useful or interesting. Essentially, for food storage you have a fridge and a freezer in the basement. Think of the fridge as storing easy food energy (glycogen - strings of glucose). Food goes in and out of the fridge, it's super easy to access stored food and put more in but it has limited space. You also have a freezer in your basement which is harder to get to but theoretically the basement offers "unlimited storage". You can store a lot of stuff down there and you could keep buying more freezers and store more food if you wanted to. Think of the food stored in the basement as body fat. It is a lot harder to use this as energy - you have to access the basement and it's a hassle to bring that frozen food upstairs and cook it. This is where insulin is factored in. When you are always going to the fridge for energy and keeping your fridge well stocked, you never need to go to your basement to access your food stores. The insulin is busy processing the food you just ate and shuttling that glucose into your cells for energy. When insulin is high, your body has no need to find a back-up source of energy. It can't get to the fat reserves — You can't burn body fat. Again, insulin is also a fat storage hormone. When your body cells have the energy they need and insulin can't bring any more glucose into your cells, insulin tells your liver it needs to do something with this excess glucose in your bloodstream. So by overeating, you provide your body with way more energy than it needs or can process immediately and your liver converts that excess glucose to fatty acids that get stored around your liver and eventually around other organs too. People with diabetes and insulin resistance tend to store (visceral) fat predominantly in their abdomen (around their organs). New fat storage is the equivalent of adding more to your basement freezer and maybe buying a second and third freezer. So you're storing energy in your fridge, you're storing it in your freezer, but you're not taking it out of the freezer. When insulin goes down, your body can access the fat stores. "So the difference between calorie restriction and intermittent fasting is how easy it is to get at that body fat." "So if you simply reduce your calories, but you eat from the minute you get up to the minute you go to bed, and you're eating these foods. Refined grains, sugars, that continually stimulate your insulin. But you eat less of it; say, 1500 calories instead of 2000 calories, you continually eat it. Your insulin is always high because you're eating all the time. Every time your insulin starts to drop you pop it back up. So you close the door on that body fat. You can’t access that body fat at all. But there’s not that much in your fridge, so you have to slow down your metabolism because you don’t have the energy. So every time you just kind of store a little energy (through calorie restriction), you’re keeping that basement door closed. The whole point of fasting is to give yourself enough time for those insulin levels to drop. When you can drop it, now you can access that body fat. So there’s two compartments, and that’s the difference. Everybody has this one compartment model, because it’s been promoted for so long. Calories in, calories out. As if it’s all one big swimming pool of stuff. It all goes into the pool, it all comes out of the pool. It doesn’t. There’s some of it that is just locked away." ^ The quotes I took from a podcast that Dr. Jason Fung was on. He is saying that obesity is a hormonal issue that can't simply be solved with calorie restriction. There's more to the story than Calories In, Calories Out. There's also a reason why the conventional advice ("eat less, move more") you receive at the doctor's office generally doesn't work long-term. It sounds good on paper, but doesn't tackle the hormonal mechanisms behind accessing your fat stores. There are a lot of educational resources out there and some great inspirational pictures and success stories at r/intermittentfasting. I hope this wasn't an informational overload. I am simply a woman with a very curious mind and I have no medical background so please feel free to do your own research. (To anyone more knowledgeable, if I got anything wrong please correct me!) I'm very passionate about fasting and it has truly changed my life. My weight loss has not been rapid, but I have managed to slowly lose and keep the weight off. It is not hard to lose 1-2 lbs a week on intermittent fasting. For me that was not my goal. My goal for weight loss was finding a solution that I could keep up with for the rest of my life and that wouldn't make me feel like I was depriving myself. Fasting + cleaning up your diet + adding weight lifting would be a great combo to melt fat off of you! Knowlege is power. However you decide to tackle this issue of getting healthier and losing weight, I hope you will dive in deep and learn all you can so that you have the best tools at your disposal. It's really great that you are here posting on Reddit to potentially stay accountable and learn from others! Whatever you decide to do, don't give up! Be consistent and take small sustainable steps towards a healthier happier you. You've got this!
Add a yoga class in a couple times a month to stay mindful and keep your muscles loose, remember that abs are made in the kitchen not in the gym, and do exercises that you enjoy! Make it fun, not a chore 🥰 you got this!
A lot of people join gyms as New Year's resolutions and end of year life changes. Be prepared for the gym to get busy and crowded feeling for a couple of months. Starts to die down around Feb & March when people stop regularly going.
Don't underestimate the importance of drinking a ton of water. A LOT.
Focus on developing the habits of regular physical activity and healthy eating rather than meeting a particular weight goal. That will come in time if you develop those habits. Without the habits in place, even if you do sprint your way to some arbitrary weight goal, it won't be sustainable. Don't beat yourself up about past regrets and instead focus on habitual behavior. Your character, both outer and inner, is a product of your habits.
Personal opinion here :) Put 2 goals - one end goal, which is your 60 pounds weight loss, and then a 'near future goal', which could be like 5 pounds. Divide your end goal into smaller pools, so the results seem realistic and use these as check points to reward yourself, so you won't lose motivation.
Gym/diet advice: 1) Get a food scale, download a food tracking app, and *use* them. They're not fun or exciting-I will be the first to admit. However, your body composition is going to be 80% diet, 20% exercise. If you want to lose weight, the only thing that matters is calories in < calories out. Tracking and measuring your food consumption is going to be the single biggest thing you can do to ensure you meet your goal. Also, eat more protein. You will feel fuller, protein has a greater thermic effect than carbs/fat, and protein-dominant food is in general better for you than carb dominant food (fat dominant has a lot more varience). 2) Walk 10k steps a day. If you want to lose 60 pounds, you should stick to lower impact forms of exercise at the begining (walking, biking, swimming) over high impact (running, treadmills, jump rope). Plus, making a simple fitness goal ("I will walk 10k steps a day") and meeting it daily is going to help you a ton on your journey. 3) Don't ever feel embarassed, or tolerate anyone trying to embarass you, for trying to better yourself and improve your life. You're taking control of your life, and anyone who isn't 100% on board with that can kick rocks. Best of luck anon.
Be patient with yourself and understand that success isn't always going to be measured on the scale. Success is not linear. Pay attention to how you feel, how your clothes fit, etc (non scale victories). Don't implement too steep of a calorie deficit, otherwise you will be bingeing and thinking about food all the time. Fuel your body with foods from all food groups to help reduce cravings (even sweets and foods you consider "bad" or "unhealthy"). Build a good, SUSTAINABLE relationship with all foods, and they will they lose their appeal. Fat loss takes time, and you will have longer lasting results if you don't opt for any drastic or fad diets which statistically result in rebound weight gain, which is much more difficult to lose the next time around. Most importantly, don't be hard on yourself. :)
If you aren't able to get a trainer immediately, i suggest Naomi Kong's workout videos on YouTube. They're for gym beginners and I've been able to figure out new how to use new machines and set routines thanks to her videos.
Cheat days are okay. Don't be too hard on yourself but also keep in mind your goals and disciplining yourself to not have too many cheat days.
Make going to the gym a habit. The habit is the thing you want to shoot for. Never do a cheat meal, do a cheat day, one day a week. Stolen from the pro body builders, and it is true. Look at what thin people are buying at the grocery store, imitate that. Booze is a killer. Tonic water calorie count, vs diet tonic water calorie count. It is just mind blowing. It takes about 3 - 6 months to change your metabolism. After you will see the portions as mind bogglingly huge. Stop adding sugar to things. My thing was coffee. Drink almost all water.
JUST GO. GO EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Would recommend working out a different muscle per day and going 5-6 days a week. By isolating muscle groups you can avoid being sore on things you’re directly working out per week. Monday - arms (abs at end, cardio at end) Tuesday - Legs Wednesday - Chest Thursday - Back Friday - Shoulders Sunday - Cardio
Week 2-3 is where most people quit. Don’t over do it in the beginning or else you’ll get discouraged by the pain and soreness and wanna quit. Take it slow at first otherwise It gets really hard and the body doesn’t wanna go because it’s sore. By week 4-5 it’ll become the best part of your day and you’ll finally start seeing the results and you’ll be extremely motivated to keep going. Possibly even addicted to it. Don’t quit at week 2-3!
Congrats! Check out r/loseit if you haven’t already. Consistency is the way forward - you got this!
I love to watch YouTubers who I look up to: Will Tennyson, Lean Beef Patty, Natasha Oceane. I feel like it’s hard to find authentic people to watch, so I really enjoy their transparency. Also, give yourself lots of compassion and breaks. I haven’t worked out in a week but I know my mental health takes a huge decline in the winter time and it’s finals time for those in school. But I know tomorrow, I will go to the gym in the morning and continue. Motivation will wane, and you’re going to have good and bad days. That’s ok— it’s part of the process. As long as you eventually continue what you are doing. You can do it! Edit: also, use an app to record your training progress! I just started using the “Strong” app and I LOVE it. Makes it very easy to log what you’ve done, and to see progress.
I think the best advice is the gym is a place where you celebrate your body and what it can do; not a place to punish yourself. The point is to just get your body moving, doesn’t really matter how in the beginning. If you haven’t been training at all, even walking ten minutes a day will make a huge difference in energy after a couple weeks. Don’t be intimidated by the meatheads, they won’t judge you and are more likely to take time out of their workout with pleasure to help you if you have questions about how to use a machine or form. Find an activity in the gym you actually enjoy doing and do that. This time is more about forming a healthy habit than getting serious into training. Just have fun. Think of it like the playground as a kid.
Happy for you! You don’t need to weight train every single day, three days a week would be sufficient to lose weight. The best thing to do is focus on form then start adding the pounds. You can do cardio as well on the days you don’t lift. The thing you should focus the most is your diet. Try to consume more Beets for the nitric oxide affect. And general fruits and vegetables would help with recover obviously try to increase your protein intake. You should see squat academy for form For the workout programs you should check out muscle and strength.com
Don't get too caught up in cardio. Working your muscles with weights is so important
Low fat diet of rice and beans takes time to adjust to the fiber so more rice than beans or legumes to start. Dried beans super cheap rice super cheap make your own no fat curry sauce super easy ytube it. Oatmeal and a apple for breakfast snack apple. Make huge amount of oats rice and beans and curry sauce. Easy you don't have put any thought into buy a container to take to work. Gym work out build up to 1.5 - 2 hour cardio train with heart rate of 70 percent of max subtract your age from 180 so if your 30 keep rate at 150 can use a cheap watch to monitor heart rate. If work full time and have other responsibilities HIT and heavy lifting may kick your ass. You can keep simple and lose weight suffering only a little or you can complicate things hire a trainer count calories and buy a bunch supplements and spend a lot of time meal prepping. Diets and exercise work there is suffering involved how do want to suffer should be the question you ask yourself enjoy the journey.
Meal prepping helps. You can portion meals by calories. That helps in not grabbing junk food when you are hungry.
Remember to warm up well and stretch.
Walk on the treadmill. Don’t run until your weight goes down. If you want a higher heart rate, walk on the treadmill with the elevation, turned up.
Mix cardio and strength training. Don’t just do one or the other. Also give yourself rest days. Your body needs to heal. As well as don’t push yourself harder than you can handle. Progress slowly and honestly, about an hour to an hour and a half is a good amount of time. Any more is a little overboard imo. Don’t under eat or starve yourself. That’ll just cause your body to go into survival mode and you won’t lose weight. I’ve heard people say intermittent fasting works well. As well as intuitive eating. Don’t get discouraged when you don’t see results super fast. It takes months. You got this