Care to share? Gym hacks?

lovethelegacy

Hey, I'm trying to lose about 40lbs and I'd like to start going to the gym about 5 days a week? Any idea what routine I could use? I've never gone before. I'd like to Target my stomach!

livingleanlivingclean

You can't spot reduce, and to lower the fat around your stomach (and whole body in general) you need to focus on your diet and be in a calorie deficit consistently.

Exercise is great for health, and body composition. Being more active (ie, cardio based workouts) makes you burn more calories, so you get to eat more and still lose weight. Resistance training, whilst not burning a lot of calories, helps maintain muscle as you diet, so that you are more likely to achieve a "toned" look when you reach your goal.

kommodevaran

I think that if you haven't exercised before, going to the gym 5 days a week is an unrealistic goal. Any increase in activity is good (as long as you're doing it safely), so just going from inactive to daily 10 minutes walks, would be an improvement to your health. Weightloss is simple, but you have to do, not try, and in order to do, you have to understand how it works. You don't have to exercise to lose weight, but you have to eat less. This means consistently taking in fewer calories than you burn, and do it for real, and for a long time. MFP can help you keep track. You choose to use the tools correctly or half-arsedly.

sijomial

Start slow (not straight from zero to 5 days!), build up progressively, try everything, set goals, make a plan, make a commitment as motivation will wax and wane.

Challenge yourself but enjoy yourself too or it's unlikely to be sustainable long term.

TavistockToad

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1