Getting started...exercise suggestions

mariag1294

I'm 20 years old. 5'5". My goal is to lose weight. I know I have to maintain a calorie deficit, but I am looking for workouts for beginners that won't discourage me. I don't have any specific body goals, I'm just trying to get toned.

beanz744

i m a certified fitness trainer n here is my 2 cents. do a utube search for routines for beginners or join some gym classes. here r some excellent utube examples

low intensity
https://youtu.be/8A6Uai5sQVw

high intensity
https://youtu.be/_9Wls5hni0E

these exercises will tone u n help u lose weight because they burn calories. i didnt recommend any weight training because u said u dont want anything heavy duty.

GoldenEye_

I just started exercising again as well. What you should do depends on what kind of exercise you like. A workout can be fantastic, but if you don't like it it's not likely you will stick with it. If you want to do bodyweight exercises I recommend BOHO beautiful on youtube. She does her workouts in a pretty place like the beach most of the time and they are killing! I like to run to change it up.

If you want more cardio and work with light weights I can recommend Jillian Michaels workouts. They can be watched for free around the internet, or purchased for quite cheap.

I personally don't have very good experiences with the gym, so can't help you there.
Good luck!

HamsterManV2

Pick a tried and true beginner program. You mentioned your goal is to get "toned". I am going to assume that means 1)losing weight/fat, and 2)gaining muscle to have an overall aesthetic look.

My personal suggestion: a lifting program on a caloric deficit. You lose the fat and weight through the diet, and you build strength and muscle through the lifting (albeit slower because you are eating at a deficit).

I recommend Strong Lifts or Starting Strength (you canreplace power cleans with chin/pull ups or rows, it's fine). It's a 3 days a week lifting program, starting at light weight, but progressing each time you repeat the exercise. I.e. you squat 3x a week, each time you increase the weight by 5 lbs, or 15lbs per week. In a month, you add 60lbs to your squat. In 3 months, you add 180lbs to your squat (IF you can keep it up). It's an excellent novice program because it builds the most amount of strength/muscle in the least amount of time possible while being simple to follow, and only a novice can progress so quickly (eventually you can't keep adding weight to the bar, and have to switch to an intermediate program with slower progression).

Get an app for tracking your workout (Strong for iPhone, Progression for Android). Do the program as written for the first 2-3 weeks. After that, you can add A FEW extra 'accessory' work after your main lifts (don't go overboard!). Pick 2 each day: Chin ups or Pull ups, Curls, Abs work, Dips. Keep it simple. I like upper body or abs work because the squat and deadlift is enough for your lower body.

Note: Regardless of Starting Strength or Strong Lifts, do 3sets of 5reps, not 5sets of 5reps since you are cutting weight. If it feels too easy, on your last set, go for As Many Reps As Possible (AMRAP). If you can reach 10 reps WITH GOOD FORM, double the weight increase (so +10 to bench, OHP, Squat, and +20 to deadlift).

Edit: More information on the programs here. What is your bodyfat % approximately? If you are cutting weight, ignore #4, that's meant for underweight novices who are afraid to eat (they think they'll get fat, but it's just stalling their progress). However if you are 'skinny fat' (skinny but soft body), I'd recommend a slow bulk of TDEE+250 calories. It all depends where you are at.