Workout Question

leslienicole318

I just want to get lean and fit, not build a ton of muscle. I still have 30 pounds to lose, but I heard its better to start building muscle now. Do I have to use weights to "tone" and tighten my body? Or can I just do good bodyweight exercises? I won't ever have time to go to the gym (college and 2 jobs starting) and I'd hate to spend money on weights if I don't have to to achieve what I want

TeaBea

When you are eating at a calorie deficit it's unlikely you will build any appreciable amount of muscle mass. But strength training will help you hang onto the lean muscle you already have. Resistance training helps you lose a larger % of fat.

You absolutely can start with body weight exercises. Google a program called "You are Your Own Gym."

middlehaitch

Here (below) is a beginners bodyweight routine that is simple, effective, won't take up too much of your time, and you can do at home.

If you can't quite do all the moves at the beginning simplify them and split your sets up throughout the day.

If it is a little too easy, add complexity to the moves.

If you don't like jumping jacks, do something like step ups using the JJ arm movement.

Cheers, h.

https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

Oh they have redone the page- there is a video and better instruction than when I started doing it a few years ago.

Aaron_K123

If you are eating at a deficit you won't be gaining muscle so it is not something you have to "worry" about. Gaining muscle is a slow, ardous process that requires caloric excess. You won't do it on accident and you definately won't while dieting.

The point of weightlifting while dieting is not to put on muscle, it is to keep the muscle you currently have so your body doesn't decide "huh well I'm not using this and I'd like to keep my fuel storage (fat) so I guess I'll just consume this nice thigh or bicep muscle"

Lift while dieting so what you lose is fat not muscle and you will end up looking trim. Diet without any sort of exercise or lifting and you will lose weight, but it will be both fat and muscle and you will not be healthier.

Weighttraining can really be done with bodyweight exercises like pushups, modified pullups, core exercises etc...not a big equipment requirement.

Aaron_K123

Chest/Shoulders: Pushups
Chest: Dips
Shoulders: Pike Press
Triceps: Sphinx Pushups, chair dips, close grip pushups
Back/Biceps: Pullups, Australian pullups, inverted rows with underhand grip
Legs: Air squats, Lunges
Core: Plank, crunches (various types)

Lots of ways to modify to make them easier or harder.

All around and general flexibility can always try yoga.