What to do at the gym

I've only been going to the gym since the middle of January 2015. I am now up to 45 minutes on the elliptical at a level 4. After I do the elliptical, I head to the weight machines and use sporadic ones for about 20 minutes. Then home I go! :0)

my husband and I do work with a trainer once a week, and I've found it very beneficial because she works up a routine and explains to us what muscles we're working and will give us other circuits to do on days we don't meet with her. she also watches our form...HOW we're doing the exercises...and corrects us, which can save a lot of aches and pains, especially in your back. that being said, it can be expensive and there are plenty of good resources online that you can check out and see what appeals to you. first, do a basic google search on "resistance training" and you'll find a bunch of links to some good starter exercises. also check out the website blondeponytail.com...this gal has a great beginner workout routine which I think is easy to find on her home page. She also posts other workouts, and best of all she has youtube video links where she shows you how to do the different workouts so that you can see the proper form. when you take these workouts to the gym, I encourage you to do them in front of a mirror so that you can watch your own form...I know that I pay way more attention to my form when I can see myself, rather than just "feeling" my form.
cardio is important too...I try to do 1/2 an hour in the morning outside, then another 15-30 minutes at the gym, and perhaps another 1/2 hour in the evening walking the dogs...I try to focus on getting my 10,000 steps a day (a fitbit is a great investment).
I've also found that most people at the gym are pretty nice and willing to share their knowledge...just find someone that's doing something that you want to try and ask them how to get started.

callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »

im really liking the arctrainer, and it burns through some pretty major calories. 30 minutes is all i can do on it- and thats at varying levels of intensity (from a low of level 4 to a high of level 15 (does it go higher? i dont know LOL) )

after the arctrainer, depending on how im feeling ill do the elliptical for awhile and then weight machines or go straight to the machines.

with everything, i pretty much just watched other people and then tried it on my own. when i first started i thought the arctrainer looked like it would kill me. and it might still, but im stronger now than i was LOL

Cardio is the most overrated thing for losing weight. In fact cardio can and in a lot of cases hinders fat loss. Eat a 500 calorie deficit and weight train 3 days a week. Any more exercise than that you will lose lots of weight but most will be muscle and that's not good and in long run will gain more weight. Less is more. 90% diet. Only reason for weight lifting is to preserve muscle 1 or 2 sets max at the heaviest you can. 6-8 different exercises. Fat loss matters not weight

I never said cardio isn't great for health. I don't disagree people lose weight doing cardio. My point is losing fat is more important than weight. You will lose more fat and less muscle and have far greater success if you follow what I said. If you have a 500 calorie deficit which is optimal for most people you can lose fat while maintaining muscle. You aren't getting enough calories to be doing weight training and cardio. There's a place for both but not if fat loss is the main goal

pinkinnocence08 wrote: »

I really like the arc trainer too. It really works your thighs. When I first got on it, I was afraid that I was going to fall off or that it had the potential to mangle or eat me if I wasn't careful. But l really like it. I HATE THE TREADMILL.

I am just now hearing about the arctrainer. I don't believe my YMCA has it, but I will definitely check it out! If they don't, I'll ask if they plan to get some. I cannot use the elliptical because it has crunched my right knee twice now (two years apart; both times as soon as I started) and I couldn't walk for nearly two weeks. I'm not crazy about the treadmill, however, I do plan it around tv shows I want to watch to decrease the boredom level. Also, there are some great workouts online where you play around with the incline and speed. It's helped a lot towards my weight loss. Also, I love doing different classes at the gym. Spinning, kettlebells, Zumba, etc. and best of all, they are free! Haven't done many in a while because of health issues, but can't wait to get started back again. The good thing about classes is even if you can't keep up, it's okay. They always supply modifications for you until you get used to it.

patches1975 wrote: »

Recently I got a gym membership. I cannot afford to get a trainer and the gym doesn't offer any training unless you sign up for a year of training on top of monthly fees.
So far I go 5 days a week. I do the treadmill (c25k) but have gotten to a place where I need to lose more weight before I can do a steady run. I have about 100lbs to lose. Then I do the bike and then I do a few minutes on weight machines. There are lots of other weights and stations I don't go to because I am just unsure.

What should I be doing on a daily basis?