someone please help me!!

sventers

Hey everyone! Okay here is the deal. I currently weigh 185lbs and I do go to the gym. My problem is I don't know what to do at the gym! I need someone to help me with a workout plan because honestly I AM SOOOOOOO LOST!!!!!

Stage14

What sorts of things do you LIKE to do? I go to the gym to lift weights because I've found it is really enjoyable for me. I hate cardio machines with a passion though because I get bored, so I run outside for cardio, weather permitting. I think the biggest thing is to find an activity you enjoy (I know people who love spin or classes like Body Pump, or even just working out in their living room to music) and then find a plan that fits that.

BIRD0

Do what YOU like to do. Don't know what that is? Explore the whole gym until you find out.

Does your gym offer a free personal training session with your membership? That's how I got my routine, which I hated on day 1 as an overweight, out of shape, out of breath n00b. I'm approaching 2 months and I love my routine now. Weights/strength/core Monday Wednesday Friday, yoga Tuesday Thursday and cardio Monday through Friday.

(edited for a case of the dumbs)

jmadams111

You need to define your goals at the gym; are you going just to burn calories? Or do you want to build muscle (which actually helps weight loss as well)?

Many gyms affer a free hour with a personal trainer, but even if they don't you can google weight training, physical training routines etc., and get more info than you can handle!

Good luck with it and feel free to ask for more help if you need it.

PikaKnight

Stronglifts 5x5 (make sure to get the free pdf and don't just read the summary)

Starting Strength

AllPros (from bodybuilding.com I believe)


Or/and see about a few sessions with a personal trainer for form critique. Or you can research youtube videos.

The Eat Train Progress group (as does a few other weight training groups here) have a section to post videos for critique if worried about form.

FunkyChopstick

Hey Sventers!
I weigh the same, but I'm only 5'2". I just started going to the gym and I am far from a muscle head lol. I do the elliptical on the weight loss setting for a couple of reasons.

1) I don't like the fact of everyone looking at me as I try to figure out which piece of equipment does what and even though my gym offers a free personal training session I am too chicken to take them up on it...yet

2) The elliptical has settings and it blinks and shows you what you are working out (calves, butt, thigh,ect) so it lets you kind of customize what you do. I love the weight loss setting where I can pick the incline and intervals.

3) its timed and I can see progress. You can see how high your heart rate is and if your in cardio or weight loss ranges based on your age and weight. You can also see how many calories you burn at the end of your workout which is great for entering in your exercise portion of MFP

4) You can listen to your headphones and read a magazine or on the elliptical. I hate working out. I really don't like it. I like the results though. Anything to take my mind off of the fact that I am red in the face and sweating is fine by me. Thank god for Pandora

Good luck and keep at it!

1capybara

Hey Sventers! .............
4) You can listen to your headphones and read a magazine or on the elliptical. I hate working out. I really don't like it. I like the results though. Anything to take my mind off of the fact that I am red in the face and sweating is fine by me. Thank god for Pandora
Good luck and keep at it!

cardio is best for weight loss, and use headphones so it wont be totally boring. try it it works, you'll see!

Confuzzled4ever

Resistance training.
And HIIT workouts.. (hi-intensity)

LOVE THEM!

i get bored with just weights or just cardio. I mix it all up.
Do all kinds of classes, and I do hit the weights quite often.

I do a kick *kitten* calisthenics workout, that I have added weights to and I am sore all over the next day. It's wonderful!

If your gym has the trax resistance training system, ask how to use it. I only know a few exercises on it so far and it's a great workout!

Confuzzled4ever

Hey Sventers!
I weigh the same, but I'm only 5'2". I just started going to the gym and I am far from a muscle head lol. I do the elliptical on the weight loss setting for a couple of reasons.

1) I don't like the fact of everyone looking at me as I try to figure out which piece of equipment does what and even though my gym offers a free personal training session I am too chicken to take them up on it...yet

2) The elliptical has settings and it blinks and shows you what you are working out (calves, butt, thigh,ect) so it lets you kind of customize what you do. I love the weight loss setting where I can pick the incline and intervals.

3) its timed and I can see progress. You can see how high your heart rate is and if your in cardio or weight loss ranges based on your age and weight. You can also see how many calories you burn at the end of your workout which is great for entering in your exercise portion of MFP

4) You can listen to your headphones and read a magazine or on the elliptical. I hate working out. I really don't like it. I like the results though. Anything to take my mind off of the fact that I am red in the face and sweating is fine by me. Thank god for Pandora

Good luck and keep at it!

Don't rely on what that machine tells you though. It's an average of calories burned, not actual. And I've taken my pulse and come up with a really different number then that machine has given me.

No one is looking at you. Don't worry about what others are thinking. I don't pay attention to anyone when I'm working out. Unless they are on the machine/weights I want to use, then I might politely ask them how many sets they have left.

Use your personal trainer free session but don't let them have total control. Go to them knowing what you want to learn from them and ask all your questions. (that's where i went wrong), If they are putting you on the treadmill and you want to learn free weights, then insist he shows you weights. I know the free session I got the trainer said that i didn't need to lift. He was wrong. He didn't listen to my goals and I didn't know any better.

Read all the posted directions on each machine. You'll learn quick which muscle group they work and it'll tell you how to use the machine. Then just try it. Again, no one is looking at you, no one is judging you.

Remember no matter what you do, you are ahead of every person who is home sitting on the couch complaining about how hard it is to lose weight.