Where do I start? HELP!!

veteran_labtech_mommy

I aim to lose 140lbs. I have totally revamped my eating habits and I'm doing well with that. I'm also making a habit of getting in the gym nearly everyday. My problem is, once I get there, I have no clue what to do. I usually do a warm-up 10 min of cardio, then make my rounds on about 10 machines, then 10 more minutes to cool down, and that's it. I feel I need some direction. What is the best thing to focus on for weight loss?

canadianlbs

i can't advise you about the weight loss factor, because i personally can eat my way back to parity no matter what kind of workout i do

but as general advice about being new to gyms: it helps so much if you do have something specific you're working on. for me just 'lose weight' was always too nebulous. it meant nothing when i tried to translate it into 'exercise' terms. so for being comfortable in a gym, my pathway was to have a specific fitness goal i was working towards. whether that's a beginner running programme like couch to 5k, or a beginner lifting programme like starting strength or stronglifts or something else . . . that part is your personal preference.

personally, i like to pick really arbitrary goals, like 'i wanna be able to deadlift any developer who irks me at work', or 'i wanna make the ride to/home from work in less time than it takes for the next bus to come', or whatever. that's probably more about my personality than a firm suggestion for someone else though. yours might be totally different.

it is really hard to get your head into it when it's just a space you're wandering around in waiting for the space itself to 'inspire' you. ime until you have something you're already inspired by, taht's all a gym is. just a space.

TavistockToad

Your calorie dificit takes care of the weight loss...

Exercise for health and to shape your body. Maybe see if theres a trainer at the gym who can set you up with a routine, or look up new rules of lifting or strong curves.

Momepro

Alot of gyms have a free trainer session. Yes they are going to try and sell you thier program, but if you are honest in the beginning and tell you can't afford a rsgular trainer, buy you just wanyed to figure out what you should be doing here, tjey ars usually really good at helping you figure out which machines and excercises will do you the most good.

pondee629

"What is the best thing to focus on for weight loss? " Calories in MUST be less than calories out.

TavistockToad wrote: »

Your calorie dificit takes care of the weight loss...

Exercise for health and to shape your body. Maybe see if theres a trainer at the gym who can set you up with a routine, or look up new rules of lifting or strong curves.

This is it.

If your gym does not offer a trainer who can set you up with a routine, either complementary or for a charge, do an internet search, check these message boards, for a plan. Try a plan and, if you like it, continue, if you don't, try another. I like StrongLifts 5x5 using their smart phone app. It keeps track of the exercises, graphs my progress, keeps track of the weight used and times the rest periods between sets. There are MANY plans on line, try one.

RavenLibra

Start with more cardio... use the different machines... elliptical, stationary bike (not recumbent)... avoid the treadmill for now... talk to a doctor to make sure cardio training is okay... avoid high impact... a good cardio program will help strengthen your legs, and the soft tissue in the lower body... it will increase your energy levels and help burn calories... yes, you can lose weight by simply eating fewer calories than you burn sitting around... but you have decided to take the next step... set a base line... get on a machine... bike or elliptical... set it for 1/2 hour... level 2... then toss a towel over the read out... plug into your tunes... and let your body dictate the pace... stop when you have had enough... if you have gone the full 30 minutes awesome... if not... no big deal... record the time, distance, avg heart rate...avg speed and calories burned then set some goals based on your performance... the key is consistency....

My first trip on the elliptical was 12 minutes on level 1... after those looong boring anxiety ridden minutes I had to walk it off for almost 20 minutes... and figured they'd be hauling my *kitten* to the hospital... that didn't happen... I was metely suffering from the rush of adrenaline, endorphin and oxy... that my body needed to pump out so I could make it those 12 minutes... anyway... now a few years later I lift regularly... and my elliptical performance is reasonable... 30-40 minutes level 5... with an avg of 10 min/ mile...

Add me as a friend and we can discuss more if you like

mmapags

As others have mentioned, for weight loss, CICO. To help spare lean mass and burn calories, a good structured strength program combined with cardio works best. The cardio can be as low impact as walking daily on a consistent basis to boost calorie burn and overall health. It doesn't have to be done in the gym. For a good structured strength program, take a look here and find the one that most appeals to you: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1