Do you need a gym?

Does the thought of having a trainer or going to the gym sound like something you're going to look forward to? Personally, I think folks who pick an activity (sports, dance etc...) and get "in shape" for it are more motivated than someone who just shleps to the gym because they think they "should". Just and idea! Good luck.

To "Get Fit" and "Get in shape" a gym helps, but for weight loss, no one needs a gym, or even needs to exercise. It helps, but I have a saying I tell people "It's easier to not eat 200 calories than it is to exercise 200 calories". Again, exercise does have the benefit of helping your body, but in terms of weight loss, cutting calories is going to be the easiest option in my opinion.

Do whatever feels comfortable to you. If you feel that a personal trainer would benefit you, give it a try. I personally, am not very motivated by someone telling me what to do, what to eat, and when to do those things. I prefer to do things at my own pace and in the privacy of my own home.

If you decide agains't the gym, you can motivate yourself to stay on track, at home. Make a motivational wall where you have your goal, your progress, quotes, etc. And don't forget that it is okay to indulge every once in a while. Keep that in mind. I always look forward to my "food reward" at the end of the week, the same way a runner looks forward to the end of a race I suppose. It's like a reward for doing so good.

You can do it. Hold yourself accountable for your actions, keep a physical journal of food and exercise and keep it in a place that you will see regularly, or in the kitchen to remind you of your goal. If you need motivation or just want to talk, feel free to let me know! We are all here to support one another.

i will try to make it very simple.

1) eat fewer calories than you burn

2) exercise at least 2-3 times a week - this does not have to happen in a gym. i do step aerobics and bodyweight training at home and it works great for me! i love not having to go somewhere and being able to do it anytime with no money spent (apart from the initial 30 euros for the step)

3) get enough protein (+exercise) so youll keep most of your lean mass while losing fat, instead of losing muscle first. here is what helped me figure it out: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=156380183

4) eat real nutrient dense food, no processed/fast food, sodas, etc..

5) dont eat too little, your BMR should be covered: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator


you cannot out-exercise a bad diet!!

hope this helps

ps: it really is not about age or genetics. ive seen women on here who were 45 and had the body i wanted at 17..

edit: because i cant count to 5

Personally . . . I feel that it takes MUCH, MUCH more than going to the gym when your goal is to lose weight.

Weight loss (at least in my experience) firstly requires being in the right place, mentally & emotionally. Or at least being motivated to GET yourself in the right place mentally & emotionally. If your life is hectic, do things to make your life easier. Try to get better sleep. Don't take on so many responsibilities in your household, and instead start delegating if you can. For me, my lifestyle kept me from losing weight for a long time; I was always stressed out and tired. Until I did something about it and changed my circumstances and general attitude toward certain aspects of my life (change what you can, and accept what you can't change!).

If you're already there, that's great; now you can work on changing your eating habits. Make small changes here and there (e.g. go for skim milk instead of the full-fat version; work on your portion sizes, etc.). What you eat is most likely going to play a bigger role in your weight than how much you work out.

Do I think that going to a gym right now will make you lose weight? Well, that depends on whether you have your eating under control. You can exercise all you want, but if you're still eating more calories, per day, than it takes for you to maintain your weight, then you're out of luck.

With all that said, a part of me DOES feel that if you do go to the gym and get a trainer, you will at least be surrounded by positive people (hopefully your trainer(s) lol) who believe in you and who will push you. You'll be exposed to other health conscious people and maybe that will rub off on you and set you in the right direction.

Good luck, and hope this helped.

EDITED TO ADD:
You know what, exercising will definitely make you feel better in general. It's definitely a mood booster. When you're exercising, you're feeling much better in general-- and when you're feeling much better, it becomes a WHOLE lot easier to eat well.

First, you need the will power to do the work and succeed. A gym will not help if you are not ready to commit and see it through, nor is a gym or trainer needed.

I highly suggest you read this link and then decide:

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

I agree. A gym membership or trainer won't do any good if you aren't ready to commit. I just joined a gym and booked some sessions with a trainer. I told myself I'd have to commit for 30+ days and lose at least 20lbs to prove to myself I was ready to spend the money. My reward was a treadmill at home, a gym membership, and a trainer to show me the basics of lifting. I didn't want to waste the money until I could show myself I was in this for the long haul. So far so good.

Make yourself a deal to commit to changing your eating first. Once you're making consistent progress there and know you are committed, then a gym can't hurt to help you progress.

I need an ice free place to run. Since I have a membership I use the machines for weight training but I'm a runner and there are exercises that can help you get into form without a machine. I don't need a gym 9 months a year, but it's good to be there and it's dirt cheap I wind up paying like 40 dollars a YEAR after my health insurance benefit. it would be 20 bucks a month otherwise...

I just don't go the first monday of the month, the gym is stuffed full of people who don't go the other 30 days of the month and are just there for the free pizza.

You don't need either of those things. What you need is motivation.

So what is going to motivate you?

Maybe to start out, paying for a personal training and having that weekly appointment that you have to make is going to motivate you.

Maybe just paying a monthly gym membership is going to motivate you.

Maybe making appointments with friends to go walk around the park and stop for some circuits (push ups, crunches, jumpingjacks, whatever) will motivate you.

You have to ask yourself the right question.

I once signed up for a gym membership, and it came with three free personal trainer sessions. I spread those out over three months, with the trainer creating a programme for me to use in between sessions. I did really well. But after the three months, when I no longer wanted to pay for the PT sessions, I lost motivation, slacked off going to the gym, and when I did go I wasn't pushing myself. Ended up having to continue paying for membership for several months when I wasn't actually going - ouch!

About a year or so later I did what a lot of people do and signed up for gym membership in January (yep, sorry to all the regular gym-goers who hate the January influx!). On my way into the gym I happened to meet a lady who was starting a beginner's running club - we got chatting and I signed up. Her sessions were really cheap and because her enthusiasm was so infectious, I kept going to that club for over a year until she finally wound it up because she got a new job. I barely used the gym membership, again, and ended up paying for something I wasn't using.

By this time though, I was getting pretty good at running, and through my trainer and friends, I started running with other people. I still run today (although I have had temporary lapses, admittedly!). Most times I go on my own, but I do interact with other runners from time to time, whether in real life or just with friends of facebook or whatever.

What I guess I'm trying to say is that I think it's the motivating effect of other people that keeps me motivated to work out, not the fact I am paying for a gym membership. I also play netball - I love it, and because I'm part of a team, i can't let the team down if I feel 'meh'. I have also recently become part of the Blogilates community (online pilates videos) and even though the community is a virtual one, the trainer (Cassey Ho) is so inspiring and motivating that it really does feel like she's coaching me personally - along with all the other users of the community.

So, while I don't knock the gym, it didn't work for me without a trainer - and they can be expensive. You can do most things you can do at a gym in your own home, or by going out for a run or a cycle, or by taking a class, or by doing a team sport. For me, interaction with other people is the key!

To lose weight, no. You can actually do that with diet/calorie restriction alone. I personally think it's harder that way, but it is possible.

To improve your physical fitness, you have to exercise, but you don't necessarily need a gym.

Some people think if they join a gym it will give them some measure of accountability - like "I'm spending money here so I'll go" - but that seems to be a small percentage of people, as gyms make a fair amount of money on people who sign-up and then don't go. But if you're one of those people who's driven by not wasting money, it might work for you.

Personal training is a little different, because then you have an actual person you're accountable to - "I have to show up or Roger's going to think I'm a slacker/be disappoints/mad/etc.". This does work for some people. Although there are still people who will buy training packages at gyms and just never use them. So, if you're one of those people who's really focused on never letting someone else down, this might work for you.

What it amounts to is knowing yourself and what makes you tick. And you have to be brutally honest about it, otherwise, you're just going to end up spending a bunch of money and likely just being disappointed with yourself.