What exercises can I do as a beginner? (And advices on my calorie intake after starting to work out)

Ilona_loves_cats

I want to start working out again to hopefully tone my body and lose weight steadily. The thing is, I haven't worked out for three years now and I don't know what exercises I should do. And!, I can't do running or walking anymore because I need to work early and I finish late, so all I can do are home exercises. Also, I'm curious about how my calorie intake will work if I do decide to start working out again. Thank you!

If it's relevant.....

I'm 5'4 female, 165lbs.

sollyn23l2

I would invest in a set of weights if you can. Strength training is important. Bicep curls, squats, bent over rows etc. Also, is it possible to take a walk when you get home or is your neighborhood particularly dangerous? Maybe walk during a break at work?

Ilona_loves_cats

I have bad experiences walking around our neighborhood so it's hard to go on a walk after work, especially when I get home at night so it's really not an option. Thank you for the advice! I'll try to create a routine for myself with these work outs. (I will buy myself a set of weights as soon as I can, I did hear a lot of people say it is a good thing to have it at home)

TracyL963

Look for walking style videos on Youtube. My favorites are Jessica Smith TV, Walk at Home, and Get Fit With Rick. Many can be done in a small space with no equipment.

Jessica Smith has lots of other workouts as well: strength training and yoga. Try pilates if you don't have weights. Look for beginner options.

If you log exercise into My Fitness Pal, take the calorie burn values with a grain of salt. Some are very generous. Logging exercise under cardio will give you exercise calories to eat back. You might start by eating back half those calories and see if you continue to make your weight loss goals. Adjust as needed.

Weight and height will be relevant. A smaller person burns fewer calories.

briscogun

Congrats on getting started again! The first step is always the hardest!

As far as workout plans, there are a ton of good threads here about what kinds of options you can choose from, in addition there are tons of videos on YouTube with workouts you can follow there.

I workout from home as well, and I just use body weight and dumbbells. You don't need to get crazy with equipment. I'm not trying to be a body builder, just keep myself in shape and tone up a bit.

Now as far as calorie intake and logging, there are different schools of thought here. I, for one, do NOT log my workouts and eat back any additional calories. For one, I work out for the health benefits, NOT for additional calorie burn and eating allowance. Second, working out with weights is a VERY minimal calorie burn, and its notoriously difficult to track/estimate, so I don't bother. Any little bit I get is just a bonus towards my daily deficit. That's just my take on it, others will give you their opinion on working out and eating back calories from their experiences I'm sure.

Find an exercise plan you like and have fun! Keep in mind, when you start exercising, you will experience some muscle soreness at first so go very easy to give your muscles a chance to adapt. Second, you will probably see a temporary uptick in your weight on the scale, as any new exercise plan can cause your muscles to retain water as they adapt and heal from your workouts. It usually only lasts a week or so but be prepared emotionally for it.

Good luck! Let us know what you end up doing!

briscogun

Here's a link to one of the resources I mentioned above:

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

csplatt

I use the free version of an app called FitOn. I put it on my AppleBox / TV and they have videos that you can do at home.

yakkystuff

Pick up some bands and handweights - and explore online vids for ideas... eventually you'll be able to do a self-led workout while watching tv or listening to music...

Eat food you like that helps your body. As you choose foods, check it in the food tracker to figure how much is enough - ok to keep it simple.

I like simple and find it easy to build a 'myplate' type meal - choose a protein (1/4 of plate), choose a carb (2nd quarter of plate) veggies (1/2 of plate - chopped salads, veg sides, broth soups.)

AnnPT77

The thread Brisco linked about strength training includes some strength programs that require minimal or no equipment, mainly bodyweight exercise. That can be a good starting point, before laying out money.

If you purchase weights, check out what may be available locally (via whatever social or want-ad kind of site you like to use). There are a lot of people who buy weights or other exercise equipment in a fit of enthusiasm heading into their New Years Resolution or similar, then don't use them and eventually sell them at a substantial discount. Take advantage of their past bad decision.

Unlike some others, I've always gone the way MFP was designed to support: Log exercise, eat the extra calories. I did that successfully all through a year of loss, and 9+ years of maintenance since. Knowing how to account for exercise has served me well in maintenance: There have been several multi-week periods where I couldn't exercise, or at least had to cut way back (surgical recovery, illness, injuries, etc.). I was able to maintain my weight fine, because I understood what the exercise represented in calorie terms.

I'm meticulous about estimating exercise carefully, sure. But I want my exercise to be effective, to deliver improved strength and other fitness, and that requires some fuel and nutrition. If already losing at a satisfying rate, then eating back reasonably-estimated exercise calories will result in losing at that same sensible rate. I don't exercise to "earn calories"; I agree that would be silly. I don't exercise to lose faster, either: Fast loss increases health risk, and I don't need that. I'm active for reasons unrelated to weight loss, like health and fun. It's a bonus that being active lets me eat a bit more and get more nutrition while losing at the same sensible rate, or maintaining.

I agree that strength exercise is great for anyone, but it's especially good when losing weight in order to keep as much muscle as possible alongside fat loss, by reminding our body that we need and want those muscles. Cardiovascular exercise is also important, though, for health among other reasons.

If you've been inactive for a while, please don't try to do everything all at once, though, or immediately adopt an intensive daily schedule. Phase in exercise, maybe going with 3 days a week at first, and one type of exercise. As that starts to feel easier, add more: More duration, more intensity, more frequency, or new types of exercise. Remember that recovery between workouts is where the magic happens: Our body rebuilding better than before.

The idea that we have to be miserable and exhausted from exercise is a myth, counter-productive. The sweet spot for progress in either weight loss or fitness improvement is a total exercise load that's manageably challenging. It's OK if there's a few minutes of "whew" right after the workout, but overall it should be energizing, not exhausting, for the rest of our day(s). The "manageable" part keeps it from causing counter-productive fatigue, the "challenge" part creates fitness progress.

Best wishes!

PumpkinAndPecans

I'm looking to do the same thing but I've been away from it for 7 years. This is what I enjoyed:

I bought weights. 3lb - 20 lbs. There are plenty of weight lifting plans to follow (internet). If weights are not an option, then search YouTube "calisthenics", "bodyweight workout", "full body workout no equipment". Really, the sky's the limit on the internet. Google play would even have workout apps.

I bought a used treadmill for $70

I danced to routines (type "Zumba" on YouTube) What ever songs I liked, I would type it in along with Zumba. More fun when you like the music.

Load of workouts (FitnessBlender has many on their YouTube channel) *sort videos "oldest" since most newer videos are "members only" videos

I used a Polar watch and chest band calorie tracker. It would measure my HR and tell me how many calories I burned for my age, weight, height.

Hope this helps!😀