Give me the basics! Critique my plan!

Check out Nia Shank's blog: http://www.niashanks.com/

She has a bunch of fantastic programs. The one I'm doing right now is her Beautiful Badass program. She has 3 days or 4 day split programs. My workouts usually take anywhere from 30-60 minutes. Squat days have been my longest, while my chest and arm days run me about 35 minutes.

Also, with you doing all that exercise I would suggest upping your calories. Check out this calculator to figure out your BMR and TDEE: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

The scale can't measure awesome. Remember that!!! You want to transform your body, lose fat, but don't focus on the scale. Take progress pictures and measurements. They are a better way to determine change. It's also recommended not to eat less than 15% of your TDEE so you might want to start there. There is this fantastic group on here called Eat More 2 Weigh Less. I'd suggest you check it out! It's so liberating to EAT and still lose weight.

Personally, unless you really know what you are doing, it is better to purchase a program. Personally I have been lifting since I was a teenager, but even with all the reading I have done in that area, my programs pale in comparison to some of those I have purchased. I personally recommend Turbulence Training 2.0 by Craig Ballantyne. It is a 30 minute workout that will really challenge you. if you have a gym available to you. Google to find out more. I am doing it right now. I have done a bunch of programs from Craig and most have been great. The latest ones seek to maximize your time working out even more.

Help I feel helpless like I'll never GET it. I get impatient, start to doubt myself, lose motivation and that's when I fail.

Hi! Based on what you have said here; I have some suggestions for you: I definitely know how you are feeling - a year ago at this time I was 178 lbs, feeling extremely helpless and hopless! Don't lose motivation! You can do it and you can set a plan that has attainable goals that you can follow and feel good about. My first question to you is: while strength training is definitely important - is there a reason you are focusing most of your workouts around the lifting?

I would recommend - given the time that you want to devote to exercise - that you pursue a combo/bootcamp/HIIT style program instead. You can get a really really great HIIT workout in about 45 minutes that will get your heart pumping, calories burning, sweat going and get you lifting heavy weights at the same time. For me, what got me really motivated was signing up for a class at a local health club. The time sucked, it wasn't convenient at all, and I was constantly lugging around my gym stuff - but if gave me the commitment and accountability to schedule the exercise into my life and get me addicted to it! I would highly recommend looking into something available in your area and making it a mandatory requriement. - if you never start work say before 11 am, schedule something for early in the morning - or on your days off, or whatever you can do to make it a mandatory requriement in your life. As we get older, if is so much more important - I'm 27 and knew I wanted to do it this year because I didn't want to feel even more helpless with the age factor kicking in! if you can find some HIIT stuff the workout is usually under an hour. I can also make some up for you that u can do at home or in the gym.


While being on your feet as a bartender definitely helps from putting on added weight, it's not unfortuantely (in my experience) enough to actually contribute to losing weight either. I say this from experience as I was a server for nine years during which time I still worked out haphazardly - not on a routine basis and gained about thirty pounds over this time.

Further to this, as we all know you can work out as much/little as you want but it's the diet that makes the most significant difference. Are you willing/wanting to tighten up the cleanliness of your diet, even just a couple of days a week? I found that when I started my weight loss journey I was quite "defensive" about what I was eating, insisting it was healthy and that I was on a good path - but if that was the reality then - well - I probably wouldn't be feeling the way I was.

I made a significnat effort to eat squaky clean - low carb - healthy stuff all week, and then allowed some treats on weekends.

The other huge thing for me was giving up alcohol - I used to drink daily and have changed to maybe once a week, twice a week if something special going on ...

Anyway - I might be starting to ramble - but I know exactly how you feel and am happy to offer support/advice if you need it! I can also message you some workouts of your own moves if you're intersted! Don't lose the faith!

I don't like to spend over an hour in the gym (generally speaking..busy life, you know!) so I'm a believer in circuit training. I do 4-5 exercises - usually a combo of free weights and machines - back to back with little to no rest and complete at least 3 circuits. It's a huge time-saver to train this way and since I still classify myself as a beginner, it suffices for me.

www.fitnessblender.com free workouts online. Strength, cardio, whatever you are in the mood for. With or without warm ups can be done under 30 min. Or longer. All at home only needing dumbells, if that. From beginner to advanced. They are AMAZING. I got bored with Jillian michaels and this is NOT that. Much more challenging depending on what you can do and what you want to do. I work out at home only and have gone from size 8-10 to 6ish. Haven't shoppe for a while as none of my pant fit anymore but I have no cash for new ones! This is a Wonderful site that is 100% free. I was tempted to get NTOLFW but I know myself well enough id never follow it 100% all the way through. And if I can't sustain it I better not start. I got rid of my "fat" pants and I ain't goin back.

Wow...lots of great into in here!