What to do at the gym to lose weight

Ultimately to lose weight all you need to do is eat a calorie deficit. You don't need to eat anything specific or go to the gym. There are of course things that'll help, but just bear that in mind.

First, if you want to improve your upper body strength you should start strength training. Even if you weren't fussed about strength, it would help more than cardio alone anyway. But don't just focus on arms, make sure to do everything. Some people might say to ditch the cardio entirely... if you enjoy it, keep it. Some say it's still useful to do cardio, while others say that strength training is a cardio workout in itself. It's up to you, really.

As for food, try to get enough protein to help maintain your muscles. If you're really focused on getting maximum performance in the gym I'm sure someone can give you a food plan for that which will give you the right macros. Personally I just eat whatever the hell I want as long as I'm within my calories.

I joined the Y in December and want to lose weight and tone up. I also have no upper body strength. The Y has a great program and put me with a staff member who set me up a gym routine of strength training on 9 different weight resistance machines. I do that 3 x week together with 30 min on the recumbent bike. I try to get to the gym for 2 or 3 more times for just cardio on the bike. I also am on a 1200 calorie diet.

Talk to your gym about your goals and see if they can help you with a program.

I go on treadmill for 10 minutes get warmed up and I'm on the weights.

I don't do any cardio! Weights I've been told for long time will keep your metabolism burning for longer than any cardio sesh.

You should talk to a PT at your gym and ask them for a program.

I don't eat any bread, pasta or potatoes.

Swap potato for sweet potato
Eat protein to help with muscle growth.
Eggs, fish, chicken, turkey is pure protein. Lots of vegetables

Minimal dairy! Not much fruit. If your going to eat fruit - any kind of berry!

Water - drink water. Nothing else!

This is what I do anyways. Read up on "Paleo"

I go on treadmill for 10 minutes get warmed up and I'm on the weights.

I don't do any cardio! Weights I've been told for long time will keep your metabolism burning for longer than any cardio sesh.

You should talk to a PT at your gym and ask them for a program.

I don't eat any bread, pasta or potatoes.

Swap potato for sweet potato
Eat protein to help with muscle growth.
Eggs, fish, chicken, turkey is pure protein. Lots of vegetables

Minimal dairy! Not much fruit. If your going to eat fruit - any kind of berry!

Water - drink water. Nothing else!

This is what I do anyways. Read up on "Paleo"

If you like paleo, that's cool but it's totally unnecessary for weight loss. I drink milk, eat pasta, white bread, potatoes of all kind and let's throw in the fact I squeeze ice cream, pizza and fast food in there as well. Nutrient dense foods are important but that's an arbitrary list of nonsense that no one HAD to follow to lose weight. I've lost 50 lbs, gone up in strength in lifting and lowered my body fat % doing all the things you're telling OP not to do.

I go on treadmill for 10 minutes get warmed up and I'm on the weights.

I don't do any cardio! Weights I've been told for long time will keep your metabolism burning for longer than any cardio sesh.

You should talk to a PT at your gym and ask them for a program.

I don't eat any bread, pasta or potatoes.

Swap potato for sweet potato
Eat protein to help with muscle growth.
Eggs, fish, chicken, turkey is pure protein. Lots of vegetables

Minimal dairy! Not much fruit. If your going to eat fruit - any kind of berry!

Water - drink water. Nothing else!

This is what I do anyways. Read up on "Paleo"

If you like paleo, that's cool but it's totally unnecessary for weight loss. I drink milk, eat pasta, white bread, potatoes of all kind and let's throw in the fact I squeeze ice cream, pizza and fast food in there as well. Nutrient dense foods are important but that's an arbitrary list of nonsense that no one HAD to follow to lose weight. I've lost 50 lbs, gone up in strength in lifting and lowered my body fat % doing all the things you're telling OP not to do.

I don't eat pasta, bread anything with wheat due to coeliac disease. I'm not really telling anybody not to do anything if your going to quote me. Read it before you quote. I'm just saying what's working for me.

Everybody is different.

I go on treadmill for 10 minutes get warmed up and I'm on the weights.

I don't do any cardio! Weights I've been told for long time will keep your metabolism burning for longer than any cardio sesh.

You should talk to a PT at your gym and ask them for a program.

I don't eat any bread, pasta or potatoes.

Swap potato for sweet potato
Eat protein to help with muscle growth.
Eggs, fish, chicken, turkey is pure protein. Lots of vegetables

Minimal dairy! Not much fruit. If your going to eat fruit - any kind of berry!

Water - drink water. Nothing else!

This is what I do anyways. Read up on "Paleo"

If you like paleo, that's cool but it's totally unnecessary for weight loss. I drink milk, eat pasta, white bread, potatoes of all kind and let's throw in the fact I squeeze ice cream, pizza and fast food in there as well. Nutrient dense foods are important but that's an arbitrary list of nonsense that no one HAD to follow to lose weight. I've lost 50 lbs, gone up in strength in lifting and lowered my body fat % doing all the things you're telling OP not to do.

I don't eat pasta, bread anything with wheat due to coeliac disease. I'm not really telling anybody not to do anything if your going to quote me. Read it before you quote. I'm just saying what's working for me.

Everybody is different.

I did read what you wrote

You didn't put the "that's what works for me" until the bottom and prior proceeded to tell OP to swap out things for others "sweet potatoes for potatoes, fruits - only berries, nothing but water".

That is why I decided to interject before you confuse OP with a bunch of random things they don't have to do and be successful

The only way to lose weight is to have a calorie deficit. How you reach it is up to you - with common sense that's it. Sure you have an idea of what an healthy diet is made of?
http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/loseweight/Pages/Loseweighthome.aspx
To gain upper body strenght do any resistance training for the upper body. There's a multitude of exercises. Go to your local gym and you can be advised there.

Ultimately to lose weight all you need to do is eat a calorie deficit. You don't need to eat anything specific or go to the gym. There are of course things that'll help, but just bear that in mind.

First, if you want to improve your upper body strength you should start strength training. Even if you weren't fussed about strength, it would help more than cardio alone anyway. But don't just focus on arms, make sure to do everything. Some people might say to ditch the cardio entirely... if you enjoy it, keep it. Some say it's still useful to do cardio, while others say that strength training is a cardio workout in itself. It's up to you, really.

As for food, try to get enough protein to help maintain your muscles. If you're really focused on getting maximum performance in the gym I'm sure someone can give you a food plan for that which will give you the right macros. Personally I just eat whatever the hell I want as long as I'm within my calories.

^^Agree

I'm sure they have trainers there. Probably best to hook up with a good one and learn it right the first time.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Moderate calorie deficit (set weight loss to 0.5 - 1 lb a week, weigh and measure all food).

Reliable Strength training routine (Stronglifts 5x5, Starting Strength)

Moderate cardio if desired.