Starting out again... Tips for best fat loss?

AprilEternity · November 2014

So I'm getting a lot of different info from people and what I read out there, there is obviously just sooo much information out there. Also everyone has their opinions. I took a super long break... Went through some stressful times and fell off for a while, I didn't gain but I didn't lose... My husband is in the coast guard and we were trying to sell out house so we could follow him to his new boat unit, but that didn't work out, so now I'm living here with the kids, he's over there... and it sucks. I want to start looking better, every time he gets to come home to visit and I need some tips for better usage of my time... being alone here with the kids and lack of extra funds is stressful. I've looked into some gyms that have the kid drop off area but they are either waaay too far, or way out of my budget right now.

So I'm mainly looking to burn fat right now, tone later on, I've just started lifting weights, starting out with 25lb dumb bells, which are already getting too easy and doing push ups, I'm hoping to join coast guard reserves when he is done with his 3 years on the boat he's attached to now. One thing I have noticed is my left side is a lot weaker? It's harder to lift a certain weight over my head, my right side kind of seem to compensate for my push ups (I know this is kind of off topic but something I wanted to address also)

Is it better to work out in the morning or a certain time before bed to burn optimal amount of fat? It's harder for me to say do 60 minutes of fitness at a time because the kids are young and don't allow for a lot of 'me' time so to speak, lol. So 20 minutes here and there is EASIER for me, but if it's not better for fat loss I can try and find a way.

Should I just concentrate on cardio right now or stick to lifting weights? I have a weight machine in my garage and a punching bag also... but I feel like I still with cardio longer because I like it more? I've also considered looking for one of those big tires to flip... but I may be getting ahead of myself, lol.

Protein shakes... one before and after work outs or just after? Also chia seeds? Do you like them or no? I've usually heard about most 'fad or trend' things and have tried them sadly to say. But a lot of the guys at my husbands shop swear by the chia seeds and put them in the shakes and everything so I always have a bunch of bags.

Breakfast, someone was telling me only eat fruit in the morning for fat burning and proteins later... then I've heard the opposite... so I'm rather confused here. I want to basically write up and print out a complete and daily routine that I can follow daily that will kick my *kitten* into shape, I also do better if everything is laid out before me to follow, I feel like I have all the tools but not a proper map to follow.

Chrisparadise579 · November 2014

Ok youve asked alot of questions here so Ill try to answer every one, my apologies if I miss a few.
First off, that is great you are getting back into this and it is a great way to spend the extra time you have. First thing you want to do is set your calorie goal to 1600 total, you are not eating back exercise calories. next you want to pick your macro split, I would suggest 20% fat 30% carbs 50% protein. the protein will be difficult to reach for a few weeks but you will get there.
You said you want to burn fat now and tone later which is mostly controlled by diet, I have picked the above calories and macros for you to hit that goal. Weight lifting is perfect for weight loss, but some HIIT workouts once or twice a week would be great to help speed your metabolism.

If you want to start working out at home (that is what I do) I would suggest buying 5-20lbs dumbells along the way for the more difficult exercises, And even then it wont be as expensive as a gym membership. As for time constraints if you keep your pace up and the intensity up, all you need is 30 minutes a day and if you workout at home you can even have them in the same room as you to keep an eye on them. And the time of day you workout isnt that important, there are benefits to working out mid day but in reality the best time of day to workout is whatever time you can fit it in, that way you can stick with it for the long run.

Protein shakes. IF you want to have a protein shake they are great for breakfast and for post workout. That will help restore your glycogen levels and increase results and decrease soreness but they are not needed. Chia seeds are actually great for you but very high in fat so much be eaten in moderation.

Breakfast, you want a pretty even mix of protein and carbs for breakfast, a good example is eggs and vegetables in an omelet or a smoothie with yogurt or a protein shake like stated above. You want the carbs to restore your body from the low blood sugar of sleep and the protein to keep you fuller longer. Hope this helps, if you have any more questions feel free to ask

galprincess · November 2014

for fat loss strength training and some HIIT and eat at deficit

galprincess · November 2014

I would recommend 30 day shred ive lost way more inches than lbs and look tighter

esjones12 · November 2014

Losing weight is as simple as burning more calories than you consume. The "best" way to do it, is what works for you. If you are doing exercise you hate and eating food you don't enjoy you will probably fail. The best way to learn what to eat and when is by trial and error. Only time and consistency will tell you if what you are doing is correct.

Piece together a plan from what you think is right and give it a try. Are you losing or gaining weight? Do you feel tired and hungry all the time? Make adjustments and see what happens.

jrline · November 2014

Cardio for the first several weeks then add in strength training

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SnuggleSmacks · November 2014

esjones12 wrote: »

Losing weight is as simple as burning more calories than you consume. The "best" way to do it, is what works for you. If you are doing exercise you hate and eating food you don't enjoy you will probably fail. The best way to learn what to eat and when is by trial and error. Only time and consistency will tell you if what you are doing is correct.

Piece together a plan from what you think is right and give it a try. Are you losing or gaining weight? Do you feel tired and hungry all the time? Make adjustments and see what happens.

This is great advice.

I would add: Definitely lift. Most of us do, and those of us who do usually get great results, and most of us wish we'd started earlier.

Also, if you don't have a digital food scale, get one, and use it. It's impossible to keep a calorie deficit if you don't know how much you're really eating. You will never, ever, ever be accurate eyeballing portions or even using measuring cups.

annpatalexa · November 2014

OK lots of stuff going on here.

My thoughts: Weight Train 3 days a week, Cardio 3 days a week. Rest 1. (MWF Weights, TThS Cardio, Sunday rest) That will maximize it. Muscles burn more calories resting after a workout. Cardio is a fast burn. So mixing it up you can find a good balance of weight loss. Remember eat. Time I don't think matter. The joke with doing it in the morning is you're getting it done before your brain realizes what you're doing.

My left side is always weaker. I don't know if its normal.

But another idea: Freecycle.org look for more weights and kettlebells that people want to get rid of.

SnuggleSmacks · November 2014

annpatalexa wrote: »

OK lots of stuff going on here.

My thoughts: Weight Train 3 days a week, Cardio 3 days a week. Rest 1. (MWF Weights, TThS Cardio, Sunday rest) That will maximize it. Muscles burn more calories resting after a workout. Cardio is a fast burn. So mixing it up you can find a good balance of weight loss. Remember eat. Time I don't think matter. The joke with doing it in the morning is you're getting it done before your brain realizes what you're doing.

My left side is always weaker. I don't know if its normal.

But another idea: Freecycle.org look for more weights and kettlebells that people want to get rid of.

Actually, if you're lifting heavy, you should be careful with cardio. It can interfere with your recovery.

AprilEternity · November 2014

Chrisparadise579 wrote: »

Ok youve asked alot of questions here so Ill try to answer every one, my apologies if I miss a few.
First off, that is great you are getting back into this and it is a great way to spend the extra time you have. First thing you want to do is set your calorie goal to 1600 total, you are not eating back exercise calories. next you want to pick your macro split, I would suggest 20% fat 30% carbs 50% protein. the protein will be difficult to reach for a few weeks but you will get there.
You said you want to burn fat now and tone later which is mostly controlled by diet, I have picked the above calories and macros for you to hit that goal. Weight lifting is perfect for weight loss, but some HIIT workouts once or twice a week would be great to help speed your metabolism.

If you want to start working out at home (that is what I do) I would suggest buying 5-20lbs dumbells along the way for the more difficult exercises, And even then it wont be as expensive as a gym membership. As for time constraints if you keep your pace up and the intensity up, all you need is 30 minutes a day and if you workout at home you can even have them in the same room as you to keep an eye on them. And the time of day you workout isnt that important, there are benefits to working out mid day but in reality the best time of day to workout is whatever time you can fit it in, that way you can stick with it for the long run.

Protein shakes. IF you want to have a protein shake they are great for breakfast and for post workout. That will help restore your glycogen levels and increase results and decrease soreness but they are not needed. Chia seeds are actually great for you but very high in fat so much be eaten in moderation.

Breakfast, you want a pretty even mix of protein and carbs for breakfast, a good example is eggs and vegetables in an omelet or a smoothie with yogurt or a protein shake like stated above. You want the carbs to restore your body from the low blood sugar of sleep and the protein to keep you fuller longer. Hope this helps, if you have any more questions feel free to ask

First of all thanks for the replies I appreciate it! This one is very detailed though and I appreciate you taking the time to read all my questions. I was reading that chia seeds were a little higher in calories but didn't realize they had a lot of fat! I was trying to do 1300 cal a day from what MFP put for me, but felt I was still a little bit more hungry at night, so I'll try 1600 and see if that helps. I have 10lb and 25lb dumb bells so I'm set there! I'm not super familiar with HIIT but I'll go google that. Thanks again for your reply!

AvalonAdelaide · November 2014

For the exercise part: I would definitely recommend Jillian Michaels. Loads of her workout videos are on youtube and for many of them you only need yourself and some motivation. As stated earlier: 30 day shred is great (if you stick with it and give it your all). I've had great results and most people can fit a 20 minute workout in if they want to.

myheartsabattleground · November 2014

My advice would be to take baby steps. Don't drop everything and adopt a healthier lifestyle. Drink more water, eat more fiber and protein, and do some short workout videos on YouTube.

Kalikel · November 2014

Eat right. Try to work in as much healthy food as you can. http://www.fitness.gov/eat-healthy/how-to-eat-healthy/

Exercise. Do whatever you're in the mood for - cardio or weights. Many people do them both, alternating days. Do your exercising whenever it works out for you. In the morning, during kid naps, at night - whenever.

Don't make it harder than it needs to be.

Good luck!

ninerbuff · November 2014

It's actually pretty simple.

Eat at a moderate deficit. Resistance training to help retain muscle. Cardio is optional.
Get ENOUGH REST. Body fat is burned at rest contrary to what a lot of people think.

Protein shakes aren't needed unless you're short on essential protein.

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

Liftng4Lis · November 2014

Eat at a deficit and you lose weight. You want to incorporate the resistance training in asap to maintain muscle mass while you're losing. Personally, I try not to drink my calories as I want food.

Edie30 · November 2014

I think it's just plain hard work. I agree with upping your calories a bit, there's a million threads on here about that. Read heaps I think it really helped me to understand. All the macro stuff I don't quite get yet but I seem to hit the targets regardless. Are the kiddies little? Can you run with a stroller? Maybe a couch to 5 k programme. I learnt to run doing that. Use a scale and measure everything. Pack up your lunch the night before ( you may be at home but I do that for work and find planning has helped me heaps) do heaps of weights, there seems to be programmes for free out there for that. A couple of times a week if not 3 seems good for that. So yep eat, workout, sleep and repeat is what works. There's no magic thing eh just plain old hard work! Maybe put a pic of someone you admire and aspire to look like on your phone. I have a motivation pic like that on runkeeper of a fitness model. Oh and download some really good pumping tracks on your music app... I revisit this regularly and find it really keeps me going :-) good luck... You can do it :-)

Edie30 · November 2014

Oh and I know not everyone agrees with this and still says they lose weight anyway but I don't eat anything with a barcode! Nothing processed! Eat fresh, if it grows eat it. Eat like the Rastas :-)

Starting out again... Tips for best fat loss?

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