Gym mewbie - help with timing/routine please

ghoti_fish

Hi,
I have just joined a gym and would like some advice on how to best use my time. I joined mostly to lose a bit of weight; I am also eating healthier too. At the moment I am on school holidays (I'm a teacher) and have been going most weekday mornings with my husband from 6-7am. I have mostly been doing cardio which is in a different room to the weight machines: free weights in another different room. But today I plucked up the courage to going into the weights room which has always seemed frightening as its full of men in vests! Getting over my insecurities is another mission entirely. I did a few arm things and enjoyed it but wondered whether once a week is enough to do strength stuff and spend the rest of the week doing cardio and swimming?
Also when I go back to work it's likely that my gym session may reduce down to 30mins a morning and maybe an evening or two. Is half an hour enough to be benefitting?
Any advice on gyming is very much appreciated: especially how long? When? What to do? Any suggestions of routines received gratefully!

Becky_charles29

Guidelines suggest 150 mins of moderate intensity exercise per week so if you can manage 5 days of 30 mins you are spot on. Up the intensity (eg HIIT) and it is 75 mins so you could do this and then have time for weights too