Workout Routine??

mmjr89

Hey I'm just starting and wanting to lose about 45 pounds. I can understand how to eat healthy, however the one thing I'm not sure about is what kind of exercises are best to do at the gym to lose weight? Should weights be involved during that first period of trying to lose weight? If so what kind of gym routines are best??

Thanks!!

abmvb

Cardio, cardio, cardio! Definitely find some cardio routines you feel like you might be able to stick with. Popsugar and SkinnyMs.com both have some good routines for ellipticals, treadmills, and exercise bikes. A combination of cardio and strength exercises will help you gain muscle mass and lose fat, too!

mmjr89

Awesome, thanks!!!

cwolfman13

Actually, you don't have to do any exercise to lose weight...I wouldn't recommend it, but exercise is not necessary to lose weight.

Weight loss is all about energy balance...your body requires so much energy (calories) to function and maintain the status quot...when your energy consumption is more than required, you gain weight as excess energy is stored as fat for later use. When you eat less than required your body has to compensate by dipping into energy reserves (i.e. fat stores)

You can do all of the exercise you want but if your energy consumption is not less than required to maintain the status quot you will not lose a single ounce of fat. Just look around the gym...I've seen the same people for years doing hours and hours of cardio and they still look exactly the same...because they over eat.

Exercise does have the added benefit of increasing your body's energy requirements which make it easier to maintain an energy deficit...but it certainly doesn't guarantee one. For example, without exercise I can lose about 1 Lb per week eating around 1800 calories with a maintenance around 2300 calories....but with regular exercise I can eat around 2300 calories and lose that same 1 Lb as before....because my maintenance with regular exercise is around 2800 calories.

Really, though, it's all about diet for weight control; exercise for fitness. I would highly recommend a balanced fitness approach including elements of both cardiovascular work and resistance training.

loulamb7

Eating at a calorie deficit is 90% of the battle to losing weight. Exercise for better health and strength. If you really want to feel strong, lift weights. Check out fitnessblender on youtube. They have plenty of beginner's routines. If you decide you really enjoy lifting check out NROLFW, SL 5x5 or Bodybuider's Allpro routine. Good luck.

Tedebearduff

mmjr89 wrote: »

Hey I'm just starting and wanting to lose about 45 pounds. I can understand how to eat healthy, however the one thing I'm not sure about is what kind of exercises are best to do at the gym to lose weight? Should weights be involved during that first period of trying to lose weight? If so what kind of gym routines are best??

Thanks!!

Go on youtube and look up workouts and just try and do what they do in the videos. . . I used youtube as my personal trainer and still do

natashajbs

I'm currently doing charlotte crosby's 3 min belly blitz DVD as a work out 4 times a week I'd recommend it x

Tedebearduff

What kind of work out are you doing in 3 minutes??? unless you do it 20 times a day?

ahoier

to cut weight/fat, cardio is going to be your best friend......be it the elliptical, stepper, or the treadmill.....or a mix of all 3....

also want to incorporate weight lifting......be nosy, watch what other people are doing.....and take mental notes and do similar workouts.....don't go right next to them and do them or anything lol.....that's like borderline creeper status, if you know what I mean lol......but yea.....i tend to not follow any "routine"......i mix up my routines every day at the gym.......to keep the body parts guessing what i'm gonna "attack" next haha.

Tedebearduff

ahoier wrote: »

to cut weight/fat, cardio is going to be your best friend......be it the elliptical, stepper, or the treadmill.....or a mix of all 3....

also want to incorporate weight lifting......be nosy, watch what other people are doing.....and take mental notes and do similar workouts.....don't go right next to them and do them or anything lol.....that's like borderline creeper status, if you know what I mean lol......but yea.....i tend to not follow any "routine"......i mix up my routines every day at the gym.......to keep the body parts guessing what i'm gonna "attack" next haha.

Weight lifting would actually be better. Push pull legs repeat

trentangiers

One thing that has helped me is tracking my calories burned during cardio. It helps take out a lot of guess work because 20 minutes walking on the treadmill is a lot different from walking 20 minutes on the stair climber for example.

yoovie

you dont need a routine!

you need a whole program!

good luck!

RoxieDawn

I personally do the elliptical trainer! I bought one about a month a go and love it! You can do strength training, cardio, fat burning and other workouts! This allows you do a lot all in one.

The treadmill and stationary bike are both good as well. I actually do elliptical and stationary bike.

You have to find what you enjoy (or what you will enjoy) and do that. If you do not like it, you will not keep doing it!

There are MFP members that are into weight training will encourage you add this on alternate days of your cardio, etc.. And you can add this too and it does help with weight loss (fat loss).

I cannot do weight training (nor do I care about it) as I am 46 and I just want to have a healthy heart and lungs and exercise to feel better!

Find what you like and stick to that! I started small and then found something I enjoyed daily!

Sued0nim

Weight lifting beats cardio hands down

Strong curves or new rules of lifting for women - both books

Plus programmes like strong lifts

Or nerdfitness has good bodyweight exercises for beginners http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

Cardio ...meh ...a couple of 20 min sessions a week is plenty

Resistance work preserves lean muscles

af_wife2004

I don't like the gym when I'm first starting out. I get so intimidated so I go to the library and get workout videos. I usually have a yoga/pilates and a cardio based one.

erickirb

abmvb wrote: »

Cardio, cardio, cardio! Definitely find some cardio routines you feel like you might be able to stick with. Popsugar and SkinnyMs.com both have some good routines for ellipticals, treadmills, and exercise bikes. A combination of cardio and strength exercises will help you gain muscle mass and lose fat, too!

Cardio is not needed for any weight/fat loss, though it will improve health and allow you to eat more while losing. I would suggest a program of 3 day full body strength training, with 2-3 days of cardio on non-lifting days (could be swim, jog, walk, etc)

loveliftlaughxo

I am personally a weight fan. Bodybuilding.com has lots of free programs and shows you all the moves. Shortcut to Shred might be a good choice because it involves cardio between sets.

corinic91

abmvb wrote: »

Cardio, cardio, cardio! Definitely find some cardio routines you feel like you might be able to stick with. Popsugar and SkinnyMs.com both have some good routines for ellipticals, treadmills, and exercise bikes. A combination of cardio and strength exercises will help you gain muscle mass and lose fat, too!

No. Cardio will help you burn a few extra calories, but you cannot "gain muscle mass" on a caloric deficit.

ew_david

Tedebearduff wrote: »

ahoier wrote: »

to cut weight/fat, cardio is going to be your best friend......be it the elliptical, stepper, or the treadmill.....or a mix of all 3....

also want to incorporate weight lifting......be nosy, watch what other people are doing.....and take mental notes and do similar workouts.....don't go right next to them and do them or anything lol.....that's like borderline creeper status, if you know what I mean lol......but yea.....i tend to not follow any "routine"......i mix up my routines every day at the gym.......to keep the body parts guessing what i'm gonna "attack" next haha.

Weight lifting would actually be better. Push pull legs repeat

Dis right here, with some cardio on the side if you want.

MelonFlower

Everyone here is a winner! Or... a portion of a winner!

Four things (Do them all):

1. Monitor your diet; this is huge (90%, as stated)
2. Lift weights: lifting weights will build muscle, thereby increasing your basal metabolic rate. The more muscle you have on your body, the more calories you burn, even if you're just sitting around and reading MFP blogs. Studies have shown your BMR is temporarily further supercharged even after you're done lifting. Weight lifting is important for increasing bone density so when you fall as a 80 year old you can just pop back up and brush yourself off, rather than need a hip replacement.
3. Cardio... for more than 20 minutes. The first twenty minutes, your body is burning carbohydrates (or, if you're on freakishly low carbs, protein... but if you're doing freakishly low carbs and high intensity workouts, I feel badly for your muscles and kidneys. That's another story.) After 20 min, you burn fat.
4. Find things you like. For example, I do Zumba for cardio so I can pretend I'm just dancing and not flailing around in slow agonizing death. And for weight lifting, I don't particularly care for it, but I care for the candied men that come alongside weight rooms, so I zone out and just enjoy them as I pump iron. As mentioned, New Rules of Weight Lifting is a great book for women... if you don't have elevated testosterone. If your testosterone is elevated (PCOS), watch out for bulking up too much with high weights and low reps [unless this is what you're going for]. Yeahhhh She-Hulk!

Be sure to eat within 30min following your workouts, and ideally, this meal should have protein to help build muscle. If you don't eat, your body will break down muscle (it still needs glucose to function) and then what was the point of the workout?

mmjr89

Thanks so much all of this really helps!!

lilRicki

MelonFlower wrote: »

Everyone here is a winner! Or... a portion of a winner!

Four things (Do them all):

1. Monitor your diet; this is huge (90%, as stated)
2. Lift weights: lifting weights will build muscle, thereby increasing your basal metabolic rate. The more muscle you have on your body, the more calories you burn, even if you're just sitting around and reading MFP blogs. Studies have shown your BMR is temporarily further supercharged even after you're done lifting. Weight lifting is important for increasing bone density so when you fall as a 80 year old you can just pop back up and brush yourself off, rather than need a hip replacement.
3. Cardio... for more than 20 minutes. The first twenty minutes, your body is burning carbohydrates (or, if you're on freakishly low carbs, protein... but if you're doing freakishly low carbs and high intensity workouts, I feel badly for your muscles and kidneys. That's another story.) After 20 min, you burn fat.
4. Find things you like. For example, I do Zumba for cardio so I can pretend I'm just dancing and not flailing around in slow agonizing death. And for weight lifting, I don't particularly care for it, but I care for the candied men that come alongside weight rooms, so I zone out and just enjoy them as I pump iron. As mentioned, New Rules of Weight Lifting is a great book for women... if you don't have elevated testosterone. If your testosterone is elevated (PCOS), watch out for bulking up too much with high weights and low reps [unless this is what you're going for]. Yeahhhh She-Hulk!

Be sure to eat within 30min following your workouts, and ideally, this meal should have protein to help build muscle. If you don't eat, your body will break down muscle (it still needs glucose to function) and then what was the point of the workout?

This! Also, add James Fell, Alan Argon and science babe on your facebook...they have tons of great fitness advice that's backed by scientific research (Please don't add food babe, she's a disaster lol)

ShellyBell999

Eat at a deficit to lose weight

Exercise for health and stamina

Lift weights to build strength and re- composition your body


Weight lifting from the get go is my first choice when I need to drop lbs without feeling flabby. Example; Went from 170 to 145 once and got into a size 10 nicely. Gained back about 20, added weight training to my renewed goal, went from 165 to 145 but now wear a size 6 and sometimes a 4...............Good Luck!!

lawlifehanna

If you're new to exercising, just pick something you like. After you've made exercising a habit, try to figure out what's best for you and your goals.

In my opinion, all exercise is good for you, just start somewhere. The lifting vs. cardio debate can come later, when you're actually doing something. Either of those is better than doing nothing.

skullshank

Tedebearduff wrote: »

What kind of work out are you doing in 3 minutes??? unless you do it 20 times a day?

lol

"Richard Callender – from ITV’s Biggest Loser devised these ‘short, sharp, shock’ workouts. Join him, Charlotte and weight loss expert David Souter for:

FAST FAT LOSS – Special moves to turn on the body’s fat burners super quick.
12 ROUTINES – Start with just one 3 minute round and build up to all 12.
EXTRA ABS – Blitz the belly jelly with 10 mins of killer abs.
DIET – Speed up fat loss with Charlotte’s yummy eating plan."

the success comes from the "special moves", duh.

plus it's from someone from biggest loser...they know all about healthy weight loss.

JennJayBee

Cardio AND lifting. Cardio will burn calories, but muscle will help your body burn calories even faster. (Don't worry about getting "bulky." It's incredibly hard to do if you're a woman without specifically trying.)

How much you do depends on what will keep you going and what will drive you to quitting. Something is better than nothing, so if you can just get started with walking a few days a week, do that. If you feel you can take on more, then do it. Find something you love. Don't make it too tedious.

With weight lifting, you want to give your muscles a few days to recover. I split mine up. I do upper body and abs on Tuesdays, lower body and abs on Thursdays. I don't do a whole lot-- just 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps per exercise. I also walk or run 3-5 days a week, depending on how busy I am.

txteachermom

I don't even go to the gym. I do 10,000 steps a day, either walking at the park or on a treadmill, with a Fitbit tracker, which is between 4-5 miles of walking. It's really working out for me, it's cardio which is great for weight loss, and I'm finding it easy to meet the goal AND fun too! Once I lose a bit, I want to start weight lifting, but for now, the cardio is what I'm focusing on.

ToniaH75

I just started and today is my third day. Im not into the gym scene really so im doing Jillian Michaels 30 day shred and it will kick your tail..

MelonFlower

lawlifehanna wrote: »

If you're new to exercising, just pick something you like. After you've made exercising a habit, try to figure out what's best for you and your goals.

This is a VERY good point. Establishing the habit is first and foremost.