Newbie Advice to Gym use

alanwooldridge13

Hi All

I am back in the gym now they have re opened and really want to start losing some fat and gaining some muscle, i am not sure on what equipment or weights i should be using and would really appreciate any advice given.

I am also going back to work full time now and that means i will be completing around 25k steps a day so i will be tired from that but still want to work my upper body at the gym.

Should i start taking protein supplements to help with recovery and can any one recomend any routines to try to help build muscle and lose weight.

Many Thanks

Alan

Theoldguy1

If you're totally new to resistance training I would suggest doing a couple circuits of the weight machines (including the leg machines) 2-3 times a week. After some acclimation, 1-2 months or so you can start subbing out free weights for the machines and following a structured lifting program based on your goals.

Weight loss will happen in the kitchen. I would suggest table pushaways and fork put downs as exercises to help. If your nutrition is sound now probably don't need to supplement. Many people who do resistance training will look to get around .8g of protein per pound of bodyweight most days.

hipari

Many gyms offer a free personal training session when you sign up. Does your gym offer that, and have you used it already? They will, of course, try to sell you their services, but you might get some good beginners’ tips out of that.

It’s not clear from your post how comfortable you’re in a gym setting, but whenever I start going to a new gym or go back after a longer break, I tend to first just go a couple of times, do a little bit of something, get used to my surroundings and see where everything is. Only then I start getting comfortable enough to push myself in workouts.

Supplements aren’t necessary unless you have some dietary restrictions that cause deficiencies or you start doing something really intense that needs fine-tuning in terms of nutrition and supplements. Not necessary for a regular gym-going beginner.

DoubleG2

I think we need a bit more information. How much weight would you like to lose; do you have specific fitness goals? To echo others...weight loss is manifested by consuming less than your body expends. It's a very simple concept, but can be challenging to execute. Discipline, or habit of tracking and accurately logging everything that passes your lips is key to success. Also managing expectation is important. Placing yourself in large a calorie deficit while beginning an aggressive fitness regime is not sustainable. Ultimately, you're looking for a lifestyle change I think.

For the diet part, you'll need to calculate how many calories you need just to maintain your current weight and create a deficit from there. Most experts recommend slow, steady weight loss. Assuming you've already completed this, hopefully you have a good understanding of how many calories to consume daily. The other key is to weigh and log everything - yes, everything you eat. You need a food scale - they are relatively inexpensive but invaluable. I would not worry about macros or supplements at this point. Focus on eating things you like and food that is satiating. Without knowing your food preferences, I wouldn't begin to make a recommendation. But focus on eating at a calorie deficit as calculated by MFP.

For the exercise part, 25K steps/day is admirable, but is it sustainable for you? Walking is great cardio if done at a moderate pace and will certainly help boost your calorie deficit. You can choose how many exercise calories to eat back. Strength training is anaerobic and hence not a good way to burn calories - but has many many other tangible benefits.

My sense is your exercise plan is not sustainable. 25K steps is somewhere between 10 and 12 miles a day. Maybe think about it in terms of time. 30 minutes three times weekly walking at a moderate pace and 30 minutes two or three times a week at the gym focusing on a full body workout utilizing the machines. I would focus on a few key movements: chest press, overhead press, rows, leg presses and maybe throw curls in the mix, or flys, or whichever machine looks fun. As @Theoldguy1 wrote; do that for 4 - 8 weeks and you can always switch to a more structured program. Same for cardio, you can always switch to longer walks or even Couch25K. Good luck; you can do this.

Theoldguy1

DoubleG2 wrote: »

I think we need a bit more information. How much weight would you like to lose; do you have specific fitness goals? To echo others...weight loss is manifested by consuming less than your body expends. It's a very simple concept, but can be challenging to execute. Discipline, or habit of tracking and accurately logging everything that passes your lips is key to success. Also managing expectation is important. Placing yourself in large a calorie deficit while beginning an aggressive fitness regime is not sustainable. Ultimately, you're looking for a lifestyle change I think.

For the diet part, you'll need to calculate how many calories you need just to maintain your current weight and create a deficit from there. Most experts recommend slow, steady weight loss. Assuming you've already completed this, hopefully you have a good understanding of how many calories to consume daily. The other key is to weigh and log everything - yes, everything you eat. You need a food scale - they are relatively inexpensive but invaluable. I would not worry about macros or supplements at this point. Focus on eating things you like and food that is satiating. Without knowing your food preferences, I wouldn't begin to make a recommendation. But focus on eating at a calorie deficit as calculated by MFP.

For the exercise part, 25K steps/day is admirable, but is it sustainable for you? Walking is great cardio if done at a moderate pace and will certainly help boost your calorie deficit. You can choose how many exercise calories to eat back. Strength training is anaerobic and hence not a good way to burn calories - but has many many other tangible benefits.

My sense is your exercise plan is not sustainable. 25K steps is somewhere between 10 and 12 miles a day. Maybe think about it in terms of time. 30 minutes three times weekly walking at a moderate pace and 30 minutes two or three times a week at the gym focusing on a full body workout utilizing the machines. I would focus on a few key movements: chest press, overhead press, rows, leg presses and maybe throw curls in the mix, or flys, or whichever machine looks fun. As @Theoldguy1 wrote; do that for 4 - 8 weeks and you can always switch to a more structured program. Same for cardio, you can always switch to longer walks or even Couch25K. Good luck; you can do this.

It sounds like he gets 25k steps from work:

"I am also going back to work full time now and that means i will be completing around 25k steps a day so i will be tired from that but still want to work my upper body at the gym."

DoubleG2

It sounds like he gets 25k steps from work:

"I am also going back to work full time now and that means i will be completing around 25k steps a day so i will be tired from that but still want to work my upper body at the gym."

Reading comprehension is a thing - apparently not for me.