Had a fitness assessment, feel even more confused

mrbyte

Your assessor wants to increase LBM. Higher LMB results in higher base rate allowing you to eat more and burn more while doing nothing. It's very sound advice.

strassenkoenigin

I don't know. I have been a member of a gym on and off for forty years and during this time I got so many different recommendations and assessments. :Personally I do not like weight lifting. I found that bar bells of a few pounds are all I need to stay toned. There is a wonderful lady on PBS, a former dancer, who does a morning routine of half an hour. Her name is Esmond White. If you follow her routine, you will have a perfect body and she just uses her body no weights. So you get a lean body not a bulky body. I do not want to look like a body builder.

As for cardio, please do something you love doing. All the other things you will never stick with. I love cycling, swimming, hiking and dancing and Yoga. I also love windsurfing, but unfortunately that is not an option where I live.. But I hate stepmasters, treadmills and stationary bikes. Try to find something which you can do with other people, maybe playing ball, tennis, surfing, rollerblading, anything fun.

meshashesha2012

I want long term, sustainable results and maybe this is the way to get them, but it scares me.

Suck it up buttercup. You've been given the answer, and its taking you out of your comfort zone but thats what life's about.
Take measurements, report back in 3 months with your results

this..

i dont understand what there is to be scared of.. it's the gym, you're not climbing into a rocket ship and being blasted off into a space ship.

dbmata

I want long term, sustainable results and maybe this is the way to get them, but it scares me.

Suck it up buttercup. You've been given the answer, and its taking you out of your comfort zone but thats what life's about.
Take measurements, report back in 3 months with your results

this..

i dont understand what there is to be scared of.. it's the gym, you're not climbing into a rocket ship and being blasted off into a space ship.

If they did that, then said ok, swim back to earth.

We could call it the Master Chief workout.

meshashesha2012

I want long term, sustainable results and maybe this is the way to get them, but it scares me.

Suck it up buttercup. You've been given the answer, and its taking you out of your comfort zone but thats what life's about.
Take measurements, report back in 3 months with your results

this..

i dont understand what there is to be scared of.. it's the gym, you're not climbing into a rocket ship and being blasted off into a space ship.

If they did that, then said ok, swim back to earth.

We could call it the Master Chief workout.

i would never ever complain bout plate pushes again if this were my workout :laugh:

martinel2099

So I had a fitness assessment this morning as a part of joining a new gym and left in tears. Not because I found out I am seriously out of shape, I knew that. But because I'm just so lost. MFP gives me 1200 calories but I know that is not sustainable for me. I've done that and lost and then crashed and burned and gained tons back. So, I allow myself 1500 with the mental agreement that I will burn at least a few hundred a day. Well the woman I met with was wonderful and she said I need to stop focusing on cardio so much and lift heavy. I know that is the popular thing these days and probably for great reasons and if I had 10 pounds to lose, maybe it would be right for me, but I have 40 to lose. I'm afraid of not doing cardio. She said I should be doing heavy weights followed by about 20 minutes of interval cardio. I'm just so scared to do that. That would be 3 days a week and I know I could do more cardio than she suggests but I just feel like I have no clue what to do. She also thinks I should set up some personal training sessions to at least get a start/program but I don't know, I'm just so lost and confused and afraid and feel like I need to cut down to 1200 calories if I am going to have any success. I want long term, sustainable results and maybe this is the way to get them, but it scares me.

Hello beth,

First 1,200 is way to low and you should not be trying to maintain that. 1,500 also sounds better if you are sedentary, but if you are an active person going to the gym you are going to need to eat a little more than that to maintain the level of effort you want. You do not have to starve yourself to lose weight, get that out of your head.

If you are consistent with your activity each week I would pick a higher calorie amount that takes account for your activity and do not eat back your exercise calories. There are women who are losing .5 to 1lb per week and eating 1,800 to 2,000 calories per day. How do they do it, they are exercising and need to fuel their bodies.

Now heavy lifting. The women in your article said that heavy lifting was good for you but she didn't say why. It's not just the popular thing now days, heavy lifting is a great way to mitigate muscle loss while eating at a calorie deficit. You can't gain muscle mass effectively while eating at a deficit, but you can improve strength and you'll love how you feel after.

Heavy lifting is also great for after you reach your weight goal. Remember the perfect body you want isn't just hiding under the fat, you'll have to lift weights and gain muscle to achieve the look you desire, and it doesn't matter if you are a man or a woman. Check out the women in the free weights posts, they are amazing.

Check out this guy's youtube channel, I want you to learn what flexible dieting is, and I also want you to check out his other videos, like how to determine your calorie goal per day. Vismal really knows his stuff and he's been there.

http://youtu.be/9CO2kzur_cU

mrbyte

I want long term, sustainable results and maybe this is the way to get them, but it scares me.

Suck it up buttercup. You've been given the answer, and its taking you out of your comfort zone but thats what life's about.
Take measurements, report back in 3 months with your results

this..

i dont understand what there is to be scared of.. it's the gym, you're not climbing into a rocket ship and being blasted off into a space ship.

Two great answers. My LBM is 180. I'm 200#. I lift weights. I need 3500 calories a day just to maintain. If you love food like I do, who woudn't want to lift.

You will not end up looking like a bodybuilder unless you want to. I cringed when I see posts that say you will get to big and bulky and look like a BBr. You will look like a BBr if you train like one. That means a routine that is way beyond the average MFPr. We are talking mass food consumption and at least 6 hours + a week in the gym.

citalk2much

okay first note I have not read the 3 pages of comments so if this has been said I am about to repeat it
She is telling you to lift because lean muscle burns better then fat does, you do NOT need to become a body build and you do not need to lift heavy, it is not about hurting yourself its about increasing your lean muscle mass. A year ago I joined a gym and had kind of the same reaction to lift as you seem to be having, I thought clearly these people a insane HELLO I am way to fat for that stuff. My body fat % was around 90 ya ohhh bad well now I am at 48 lost over 20lbs and 4 dress sizes. I did go with a trainer every other week and I do a mix of both weights and cardio. Now I do yoga, Pilates, free weights, zumba, cardio sculpt. my life has changed so much I am healthier stronger and happier and now a days I will try any class to see if I like it tonight is going to be fit camp!
So you don't have to be thin to use weights a trainer is a good idea clean eating and knowing most of all YOU ARE NOT ALONE

YOU GOT THIS

dbmata

I want long term, sustainable results and maybe this is the way to get them, but it scares me.

Suck it up buttercup. You've been given the answer, and its taking you out of your comfort zone but thats what life's about.
Take measurements, report back in 3 months with your results

this..

i dont understand what there is to be scared of.. it's the gym, you're not climbing into a rocket ship and being blasted off into a space ship.

Two great answers. My LBM is 180. I'm 200#. I lift weights. I need 3500 calories a day just to maintain. If you love food like I do, who woudn't want to lift.

No **** dude? That's basically my current goal.

WalkingAlong

Your assessor wants to increase LBM. Higher LMB results in higher base rate allowing you to eat more and burn more while doing nothing. It's very sound advice.

They've discovered that a pound of muscle only burns like 6 calories a day. Trying to add more while losing weight in order to increase your BMR isn't very realistic. But strength and maintaining what LBM you have are both good!

mrbyte

Your assessor wants to increase LBM. Higher LMB results in higher base rate allowing you to eat more and burn more while doing nothing. It's very sound advice.

They've discovered that a pound of muscle only burns like 6 calories a day. Trying to add more while losing weight in order to increase your BMR isn't very realistic. But strength and maintaining what LBM you have are both good!

I've lost 6% BF in 4 months while only losing 5 pounds. I started at 205 and now 200. It's possible. Just takes a very intense diet and routine. I'm beat up from it but I'm basically where I want to be so I'm maintaining now until my joints recover and I can start up with high intensity again in 2 months. I don't pretend to be typical.

mrbyte

Your assessor wants to increase LBM. Higher LMB results in higher base rate allowing you to eat more and burn more while doing nothing. It's very sound advice.

They've discovered that a pound of muscle only burns like 6 calories a day. Trying to add more while losing weight in order to increase your BMR isn't very realistic. But strength and maintaining what LBM you have are both good!

Interesting data though. I just don't like the emaciated look that results from losing to much LBM from big weight loss with no resistence training.

knitapeace

I said from the beginning that I had no desire to lift heavy; I wanted to run. That's it, just run. I kinda got a little pissed off when reading the forums at the amount of pushy "just lift" posts I kept seeing. Took it really personally.

Then in the winter I switched out running for YouTube videos (Fitness Blender) which incorporate lots of workout techniques: HIIT, weights, bodyweight, yoga, Pilates. It was fun. I saw muscles. I made progress on my goals and now I'm doing less cardio and the Body By You progressive bodyweight strength program. If I had tried to start there, I may have been OK but I more likely would have given up.

Do what you enjoy and what gives you results. If you stop seeing results, try something else. Something that seems scary today might seem a lot more doable in 6 months. BTW, I had checked out the Body By You book from the library back many moons ago and returned it the next day because I knew I could "never" do it. And now I am. Tru fax.

parkscs

You will not end up looking like a bodybuilder unless you want to. I cringed when I see posts that say you will get to big and bulky and look like a BBr. You will look like a BBr if you train like one. That means a routine that is way beyond the average MFPr. We are talking mass food consumption and at least 6 hours + a week in the gym.

Natty bodybuilders are not big and bulky, and I think you're forgetting one important aspect of professional bodybuilding. No amount of training and eating will get you an IFBB pro card without them.

dbmata

Your assessor wants to increase LBM. Higher LMB results in higher base rate allowing you to eat more and burn more while doing nothing. It's very sound advice.

They've discovered that a pound of muscle only burns like 6 calories a day. Trying to add more while losing weight in order to increase your BMR isn't very realistic. But strength and maintaining what LBM you have are both good!

I've lost 6% BF in 4 months while only losing 5 pounds. I started at 205 and now 200. It's possible. Just takes a very intense diet and routine. I'm beat up from it but I'm basically where I want to be so I'm maintaining now until my joints recover and I can start up with high intensity again in 2 months. I don't pretend to be typical.

Good work, what's your workout schedule looking like?

WalkingAlong

Your assessor wants to increase LBM. Higher LMB results in higher base rate allowing you to eat more and burn more while doing nothing. It's very sound advice.

They've discovered that a pound of muscle only burns like 6 calories a day. Trying to add more while losing weight in order to increase your BMR isn't very realistic. But strength and maintaining what LBM you have are both good!

I've lost 6% BF in 4 months while only losing 5 pounds. I started at 205 and now 200. It's possible. Just takes a very intense diet and routine. I'm beat up from it but I'm basically where I want to be so I'm maintaining now until my joints recover and I can start up with high intensity again in 2 months. I don't pretend to be typical.

I have a feeling that it's harder for females, since we don't easily build muscle tissue.

emtjmac

The sole purpose of the "free" fitness assessment is to sell you personal training. It exists for no other purpose and the trainer is a salesperson. Relax, breathe, do the exercises you like to do. You got this!

Not at our center. Our first goal is to get people started on workout programs that are designed for them, and that are focused on meeting their goals.

And by doing the right thing up front, guess what? People feel confident and satisfied--and we end up selling a buttload of training packages.

This is a proof for my entire assertion.

emtjmac

Op, I see little value in hiring a personal trainer. If you have the money to spare and you think that you'll go to the gym more often if you've shelled out even more money that your gym already charging you, then go for it. If not, the internet has more than enough information on what exercises to do and how to do them. It's not complicated or scary, I promise. Spend some time looking around and find something that you think will work for you. Start small, start simple. Doing a free c25k program is what started me exercising regularly and I highly recommend it for people who have little experience with fitness as I did. Good luck!

adiggs2777

This is going to make me feel old, but I had the best results doing interval workouts using the Firm DVDs back in the early aughts. I lost 70lbs doing them. And I am not a small girl, but I lost weight very quickly doing those interval workouts. I don't do them now because I live in a 3rd floor condo. But man those interval workout DVDs were the best. I take a class at my gym that feels similar to those DVDs. I think you should give it a try. Mix things up! I find myself doing other things like swimming and heavy weights as opposed to straight cardio these days. There is only so much time I can spend on a treadmill before I die mentally of boredom.

AlliSteff

Your assessor wants to increase LBM. Higher LMB results in higher base rate allowing you to eat more and burn more while doing nothing. It's very sound advice.

They've discovered that a pound of muscle only burns like 6 calories a day. Trying to add more while losing weight in order to increase your BMR isn't very realistic. But strength and maintaining what LBM you have are both good!

I've lost 6% BF in 4 months while only losing 5 pounds. I started at 205 and now 200. It's possible. Just takes a very intense diet and routine. I'm beat up from it but I'm basically where I want to be so I'm maintaining now until my joints recover and I can start up with high intensity again in 2 months. I don't pretend to be typical.

I have a feeling that it's harder for females, since we don't easily build muscle tissue.

Eh, I lost just under 5% body fat in 6 weeks earlier in the year. Definitely possible