Advice for a gym newbie

scb515

Following an induction earlier in the week (my first time stepping foot inside a gym!) I did my first full workout session yesterday, sticking to the plan my trainer put together for me. I was ok afterwards and even went out for dinner with a friend (one of our usual low calorie places).

Today, I am exhausted. My arms hurt, but not unbearably so. It's more the tiredness that is difficult.

Does anyone have any advice on what I should be eating pre and post gym to help minimise this complete wipeout and also how many days I need to leave between gym visits to avoid doing myself an injury? Apart from getting more walking in through RunKeeper, my level of exercise has been pretty non-existent up until now.

My gym is quiet at the weekends, so it's the best time to go, but I'm guessing exercising on a Saturday and Sunday is too much?

Many thanks!

cbhubbybubble

What you need to eat depends on what you are doing at the gym. Lifting will be different than straight cardio

scb515

Rowing (10 mins), bike (20 mins), cross trainer (20 mins), plus leg press, chest press (I hate that one!) and various stretches. I do a few lunges with really light weights, but I don't really do any lifting!

spicegeek

how much are you eating ?

scb515

Most days I eat around the 1,200 calorie mark (I don't feel hungry though, I'm not starving myself or anything!) so I can eat more/different food on gym days if it helps with recovery. I'm trying to get fitter as well as thinner.

Fat2FitMyDrive

The goal you need to be striving toward is feeding your body to sustain energy through your workouts and helping to minimize soreness and exhaustion afterwards. Two things that will help drastically make sure you are staying hydrated on average you should be drinking at least a gallon of water per day on training days maybe a little less on off days and possibly consider a protein supplement as an after workout boost along with a healthy carb meal such as some steamed veggies and brown rice. Now you don't need to supplement protein if you want to boost your intake naturally via your food intake, but protein helps repair your muscle tissue thus helping with the soreness and exhaustion as well. Mind you in the beginning especially if you've never worked out before at all you will be sore and it's a battle your going to have to face head on and be strong pushing through it will probably get a little worse before it gets better, but stretching prior, icing after, and foam rolling are also a few things that will help minimize that terrible soreness that sometimes leaves you not wanting to get out of bed in the morning! Keep up the great work!!! YOU CAN DO THIS! Be strong and believe in yourself and the process... It wont be easy, but it will be totally worth it!

_HeartsOnFire_

Fueling your body properly can really help. 1200 is usually too low for most people, especially if working out.

Read these:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

TL:DR the link right above this one then ->http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

Want to lift heavy things?
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

Stronglifts Summary
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary

Stronglifts Womens Group
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

DavPul

The first week is the toughest and no matter what you eat or do you'll usually end up sore and tired. It's never even close to being as rough in subsequent weeks tho.

Side note: you probably aren't eating enough

scb515

Do you eat more on gym days? If so, do you just eat as extra what you think your workout has/will have burned off, or do you go higher than that?

I can try to work in more protein - I only hit 15% yesterday, which won't have helped. I don't tend to eat a lot of meat, but I can work in more chicken without too much difficulty. I'd rather not go down the supplements route if I can avoid it!

Thanks for the comments so far - btw, Fat2FitMyDriv, that 77lb weight loss is amazing.

spicegeek

If you are only eating 1,200 calories you have to eat really well and at the the right times to sustain a workout regime - you really have no spare calories to deal with - I would try eating a little more - I log 1,200 of good food daily but also easy approx 200 calories of "treats" - I also make sure I eat and hour before working out and also have a good serving of protein after working out - I still occasionally screw up and I know my workouts suffer or I and dragging the next day

Fat2FitMyDrive

Do you eat more on gym days? If so, do you just eat as extra what you think your workout has/will have burned off, or do you go higher than that?

I can try to work in more protein - I only hit 15% yesterday, which won't have helped. I don't tend to eat a lot of meat, but I can work in more chicken without too much difficulty. I'd rather not go down the supplements route if I can avoid it!

Thanks for the comments so far - btw, Fat2FitMyDriv, that 77lb weight loss is amazing.

Thank you! If your overall goal is weight loss then no you need to keep the caloric intake consistent as it's the days you will be in deficit that you will lose the weight. However, you may want to consider different timing on workout days. Eating a higher calorie, but good carb loading and high protein intake such as a nice grilled chicken breast with some brown rice and veggies which is probably a larger meal then you normally would eat. Supplementation is not necessary for everyone it's easier for me because of my schedule etc etc, but if you can try to increase your protein intake to approx 25-30% that will definitely aid in muscle recovery and lean muscle mass. Now I use the term mass loosely because I don't want you to think I mean bulging muscles, but the more lean muscle mass you have the more energy your body uses thus the more calories you burn on a given day. I'm no scientist and I'm sure there are much more knowledgeable people here, but I know what works for me and my family (which consists of 4 ladies), so I hope I am able to help even in some small way! Keep it up!