Looking for advice to get started losing weight.

randomperson2097
randomperson2097 Posts: 5
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been looking to lose weight for a long time now. In the past I've tried 500-1000 calorie diets, and while that helped me lose a lot of weight, I still looked awful and I gained it all back in no time.

Currently around 175 pounds, male 5' 7"

I'm looking to start a serious 1800 calorie diet with light exercise. I live on a college campus and spend around an hour per day (sometimes more) walking to classes. I'm also looking to do roughly 30 minutes of exercise in my room every day. I'm not sure what exercises I should be doing, though. I've been starting off with stretching, then doing a combination of jumping jacks, sit ups, push ups, and wall sits. I also have a barbell with roughly 20 pounds of weight attached to it; should I even bother doing curls to get muscle before I'm actually "lean"? Also, I'm not even sure if I can start building muscle on a 1800 calorie diet.

*I've read that burpees are really great for working out without equipment. Any merit to this?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks for your time.

Replies

  • samxhsiang
    samxhsiang Posts: 7
    Create Calories Deficit then you will lose weight and do strength training to maintain muscle :)

    Burpees definitely get the heart rate going.
  • randomperson2097
    randomperson2097 Posts: 5
    Create Calories Deficit then you will lose weight and do strength training to maintain muscle :)

    Burpees definitely get the heart rate going.

    Thanks for the reply. As far as sit-ups go, what is the best way to do them? I've heard random things about how 1/3 crunches are better, etc. I just find crunches incredibly hard to do -_-
  • samxhsiang
    samxhsiang Posts: 7
    Create Calories Deficit then you will lose weight and do strength training to maintain muscle :)

    Burpees definitely get the heart rate going.

    Thanks for the reply. As far as sit-ups go, what is the best way to do them? I've heard random things about how 1/3 crunches are better, etc. I just find crunches incredibly hard to do -_-

    I personally do crunches, not complete sit-up. If you have hard time doing certain exercise, you can always start with a low volume and gradually increase the reps as you get better :)
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    you should start a strength training program consisting of barbells, and it should revolve around the four main lifts- squats, dead lifts, overhead press, and bench press.

    things like curls are okay, leave them for the end. if i have the energy to do more than two sets of curls at the end of an upper body day, then i probably didn't push myself enough with the compound movements.

    crunches are also best left for the end of a work out, as throughout a proper barbell work out, you'll be engaging your core a lot. if you must do crunches, do swiss ball crunches, as they target your ab muscles the best. and do yourself a favor and grab a plate and hold it behind your head (not to your chest) when you do your crunches.
  • randomperson2097
    randomperson2097 Posts: 5
    you should start a strength training program consisting of barbells, and it should revolve around the four main lifts- squats, dead lifts, overhead press, and bench press.

    things like curls are okay, leave them for the end. if i have the energy to do more than two sets of curls at the end of an upper body day, then i probably didn't push myself enough with the compound movements.

    crunches are also best left for the end of a work out, as throughout a proper barbell work out, you'll be engaging your core a lot. if you must do crunches, do swiss ball crunches, as they target your ab muscles the best. and do yourself a favor and grab a plate and hold it behind your head (not to your chest) when you do your crunches.

    Do you have a link that explains those lifts by chance?

    Also, what is the benefit to putting your hands behind your head and not on your chest while doing crunches? I thought both were acceptable methods. :P
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    you should start a strength training program consisting of barbells, and it should revolve around the four main lifts- squats, dead lifts, overhead press, and bench press.

    things like curls are okay, leave them for the end. if i have the energy to do more than two sets of curls at the end of an upper body day, then i probably didn't push myself enough with the compound movements.

    crunches are also best left for the end of a work out, as throughout a proper barbell work out, you'll be engaging your core a lot. if you must do crunches, do swiss ball crunches, as they target your ab muscles the best. and do yourself a favor and grab a plate and hold it behind your head (not to your chest) when you do your crunches.

    Do you have a link that explains those lifts by chance?

    Also, what is the benefit to putting your hands behind your head and not on your chest while doing crunches? I thought both were acceptable methods. :P

    squats- http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/03/03/strength-training-101-how-to-squat-properly/

    dead lifts- http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/07/22/deadlift-the-ultimate-exercise-not-just-for-zombies/
  • randomperson2097
    randomperson2097 Posts: 5
    you should start a strength training program consisting of barbells, and it should revolve around the four main lifts- squats, dead lifts, overhead press, and bench press.

    things like curls are okay, leave them for the end. if i have the energy to do more than two sets of curls at the end of an upper body day, then i probably didn't push myself enough with the compound movements.

    crunches are also best left for the end of a work out, as throughout a proper barbell work out, you'll be engaging your core a lot. if you must do crunches, do swiss ball crunches, as they target your ab muscles the best. and do yourself a favor and grab a plate and hold it behind your head (not to your chest) when you do your crunches.

    Do you have a link that explains those lifts by chance?

    Also, what is the benefit to putting your hands behind your head and not on your chest while doing crunches? I thought both were acceptable methods. :P

    squats- http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/03/03/strength-training-101-how-to-squat-properly/

    dead lifts- http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/07/22/deadlift-the-ultimate-exercise-not-just-for-zombies/

    Thank you for these!

    I actually meant to say that I have a dumbbell with weights on it, not a barbell. This is what 3 hours of sleep does to me. Any other variations for strength training with a dumbbell, by chance?

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