Best use of gym time for weight loss

kelziemba · May 2015

Hi

So I am almost 3 weeks in to my weight loss journey. Started at 238 lbs (17 stones) and lost 9.75 lbs the 1st 2 weeks. I'm a 5'4" 38 year old woman.

I joined a local low budget gym with the aim of working out a) to burn more calories to allow me to eat a bit more and b)to generally improve my fitness as it is currently rock bottom. c) to improve my mental health and d) to get me out of the house and time for me

So, tried the treadmill. I can manage approx 20 mins of walking at an increased rate but before I even get out of breath I start to feel pain/burn in my knees and shins. There is no way I can even jog at this point.

I have tried the imcumbent cycle. This I have managed 13 minutes where I alternate between 1 minute giving it my all and then 1 minute of less effort. This gets my heart rate pumping. 13 minutes is all my thighs could take.

I've then done the elliptical. I can just about manage 10 minutes on the lowest setting.

Finally I tried the weight machines and worked my arms and chest. I can just about manage 8 reps with the lightest weight and I did two sets of each.

Ok so that gives you an idea of where my fitness level is. I have tried to do sit ups and I literally can't do one! I feel like my body is so weak.

So I'm looking to lose over 100 pounds (8 1/2 stones to be exact) over the next year or two.

I am able to go to the gym 4 times a week. This is the only real time I have to work out so im not planning to do anything extra at home.

I don't mind using the cardiovascular machines,weight machines, or doing classes but I'm not interested in free weights at this time. Oh and I don't really like the treadmill so I don't want to focus on running.

What do you think I should focus on at the gym in order to burn the most calories? Is what I'm doing a reasonable start or could I do something different to maximise my time at the gym? What type of work out is best for weight loss?

Also I have read that you can't gain muscle while eating at a deficit. Is this true? Does that mean I can't make my muscles stronger while losing weight? I feel like such a weakling and I want to improve this.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

GreenIceFloes · May 2015

You will end up losing a fair amount of muscle if you don't work with weights and only do lots of cardio. Your muscle will become stronger even though you are in a deficit if you do work with weights. And it will minimise muscle loss. Focus on building core strength through bodyweight exercises first. Also, HIIT workouts burn a lot of calories in a short period of time.

kelziemba · May 2015

Hi thank you. So by weights is it ok to use the weight machines? What are body weight exercises? And I know what HIIT stands for but what would be an example of this? Is it what I did with the cycle?

taentea · May 2015

Just a little advice on elliptical from a novice to another novice here.

It's a very nice and low risk cardio machine but the first time I tried it I thought I was dying after 5 minutes or less. I can do a proper 30-50 minute workout on it now and no, it was not my shape that drastically improved. I've only started exercising recently and I'm still recovering from a months long sickness. So it's not that. The game changer for me was a chest strap. I've found that watching my heart rate and keeping it stable at the zone I pick helps me to go for longer time. I do higher intensity sprints too but I don't let my heart rate be all over the place, as it tends to build up to the point where it's not sustainable quickly. Breathing well is also very important. As long as my breathing is stable I can go on with the workout. Music is a huge help. It takes my mind off how my body is feeling and raises my mood and energy. Also lowest setting is not always the most comfortable one. I find that having some incline and resistance actually makes the workout more comfortable, so you may want to experiment with that.

I use my elliptical at home and I don't know if similar advice could be applied to other cardio machines but I don't see why not. Either way, good luck with your journey!

lemonsnowdrop · May 2015

Here's my personal opinion: cardio can be done at home for free, so why pay money to do it at the gym? I say walk/run a mile/do cardio for fifteen minutes to warm up, then focus on weights. Not only will you burn fat that way, but you'll also preserve muscle.

DMLC2014 · May 2015

It will take time to build up......not going to happen over night. Just keep track of it....and push yourself to do that extra minute each time you get on the machines. Here is a site with lots of body weight exercises and more. http://darebee.com/workouts.html

Seigla · May 2015

Hi Kelziemba!

If you want to lose weight for the long term than the most important activity you can do is one that you enjoy, that you look forward to. You mentioned that you go to the gym to to get out of the house and have some time for yourself, so I guess you already enjoy it!

I say this because many people force themselves to go to the gym. They do it for some time and, who knows, succeed in getting some or all of their excess weight off, but then they quit because they have no motivation to exercise anymore - they just did it for burning the calories.

This is much different for me - for me being alive means being active, so I find it hard to understand why people just do exercise to do some kind of goal. I like a lot of different sports, but there are some that I don't enjoy (at least not yet); fitness is one of these activities that I don't really enjoy most of the times (though other people enjoy this, hopefully you, so this is just personal preference) - so I don't force myself to do this a lot more than necessary. But I love running, swimming and cycling, which is why I do triathlon; I feel really good when training and extremely good when doing competitions, so it is clear that this is the right activity for me. I love being in nature (while training), getting rid of some stress when I go for a run/swim/bike ride after work, I love the freedom I feel when running or cycling (which is why I don't like team sports as much), I have the best conversations with people when I train with them, I love challenging myself and improving my time, I could go on.

This means that training is sustainable for me. I can't imagine not exercising. This has been different in the past, but since I've connected my needs (freedom/nature/socializing/getting rid of stress/challenges/adrenaline etc) with exercising and have discovered how exercising could fulfill those needs I can't imagine ever giving up being active while alive. Even more, I can't imagine giving up in trying to reach my full potential!

For most of human history we needed to be active to survive (get food, flee from predators, migrate to new hunting grounds), but nowadays we can easily survive with minimal activity. However, I think it's in our nature to have the need to be active, we just have to reconnect to that. Fortunately there is a lot of choice! I hope you find something that you like, or better, something that you LOVE to do!

Cheers,
Jasper

arditarose · May 2015

I like your bike workout the best. Sounds like you can get some intervals in and get your heart rate up the best. And you don't mention anything hurting.

You can't really gain muscle in a deficit, except for some overweight beginners who have the proper heavy lifting training and nutrition-and even then, it would be minimal. But, you can get a bit stronger or your muscles can at least become more efficient at the work being done. When I started lifting in my deficit I started with a 45 lb bar, and now I can squat 175 lbs.

kindrabbit · May 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0fJ2lu0Er8

This is the workout I started with 2 years ago. I wrote all the exercises down and took my little book to the gym. I did a 5 minute warm up walk, then this workout, then walked on the treadmill inclined for another 5 minutes. I still do it now, it's my favourite

melissamarah · May 2015

Do they have trainers there? I'm not saying you should hire one, they can be expensive! But the last time I joined a gym they offered a free trial with a trainer. He showed me how most of the weight machines worked, a decent level I should jog at to warm myself up, a couple of free weight exercises and some stretches. He was super nice, and completely understood when I thanked him, but told him I just didn't have the budget for a trainer. From there, I did whatever I liked the best.

missomgitsica · May 2015

lemonsnowdrop wrote: »

Here's my personal opinion: cardio can be done at home for free, so why pay money to do it at the gym? I say walk/run a mile/do cardio for fifteen minutes to warm up, then focus on weights. Not only will you burn fat that way, but you'll also preserve muscle.

I'm exactly the opposite, I do my cardio @ the gym and then lift weights at home. My gym membership is free, though.

Emilia777 · May 2015

arditarose wrote: »

I like your bike workout the best. Sounds like you can get some intervals in and get your heart rate up the best. And you don't mention anything hurting.

You can't really gain muscle in a deficit, except for some overweight beginners who have the proper heavy lifting training and nutrition-and even then, it would be minimal. But, you can get a bit stronger or your muscles can at least become more efficient at the work being done. When I started lifting in my deficit I started with a 45 lb bar, and now I can squat 175 lbs.

Woot, that’s amazing! Agree with all this - I’m also lifting in a deficit (free weights/barbell) and have seen great progress.

In my personal opinion, the best use of gym time is weight training, to maintain muscle mass. On that note, I would recommend considering free weights, but if you’re not comfortable with that at this point, machines are better than nothing. As for cardio, the bike exercise does sound great. You have to start somewhere, OP, and you will see endurance improvements as you keep at it!

kickassbarbie · May 2015

Your just starting out on your fitness journey so I'm going to say something a little different. Maybe look into classes and find one you enjoy? Enjoyment is the thing alot of people starting out seem to miss and it helps a ton at keeping at it. Same goes for the cardio machines.

Any exercise is good for health, happiness and weight so try something you enjoy, the elliptical can be a weird feeling at first and takes a while to get used to but it is very low impact whereas treadmills are great because you can set them to a speed and incline you are comfortable with but knees can be a problem. It sounds like you did awesome on the bike!

As to the weights, I would agree with above that you should continue to use them a little on each body part till you are more comfortable with them then think about free weights perhaps? I regret neglecting weights when I lost the amount you are looking to use.

Enjoy your fitness journey however you choose to do it! You sound like you know what your doing and going to get there!

galgenstrick · May 2015

I second the bike option. I also think that resistance training should be the priority in your program if your goal is to lose weight. Cardio is great for overall health and fitness but not necessary for weight loss. No need to start killing yourself on cardio machines, walking is perfectly fine if that's where your fitness level is at. Once your weight is lower you'll have more energy and less pain, at that point you might just have the sudden urge to do sprints for fun.

For resistance training, stick with compound movements, which are usually not the machines at the gym. If you like weights, then use a proven program like stronglifts, starting strength, new rules of lifting etc. if you're not to into barbell training then try some body weight exercises that focus on large muscle groups, planks, squats, wall sits, push-ups, pull-ups etc. Dont fall into the endless ab workouts that I see a lot of people doing. They will do nothing for you unless you're already down to 20% body fat or lower.

Great progress BTW keep up the good work!

colors_fade · May 2015

Well, the age old advice of "find something you enjoy so you'll stick to it" is what I'm going to repeat here. That's probably primary; the most important advice.

Beyond that, I'd encourage learning the Olympic bar lifts (compound lifts that work multiple muscle groups at the same time; squat, deadlift, rows, bench press, etc.) and using a progressive load plan so that you (a) get stronger and (b) retain muscle mass while cutting calories to lose body fat. Good starting points for these are plans like Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5.

Cutting body fat is all about what you do in the kitchen; it's totally about managing your calories in vs. calories out. And honestly, the little work you do in the gym is not going to create a large enough calorie deficit for you eat a bunch more food. You have to eat at a deficit to lose the body fat.

Problem is, as you go into a caloric deficit, your body isn't going to exclusively utilize extra fat stores for energy; it's going to also chew on your muscle for energy. You might lose 20 lbs. of body weight over the course of several months, but half of that could be lean muscle loss. The ONLY way to negate this is to lift HEAVY. And the best way to do that is the Olympic bar and the compound lifts. (another advantage of this method: compound lifting plans like Starting Strength and Stronglifts 5x5 are plans that can easily be accomplished in 30-45 minutes 3x per week; they don't take huge amounts of time and you will see results).

Only other thing I'd recommend is walking. It's simple and very effective for adding to the calorie deficit. If you enjoy riding a bike, going to the gym and using a bike, elliptical, or anything else, go for it. But walking is an incredibly effective means of adding simple, low-impact cardio to your fitness plan. And it's easy-peasy.

Good luck.

jgnatca · May 2015

If your knees and hips are bothering during cardio - before you run out of breath - you need to regain flexibility all around and strengthen your muscles in your core and your quads.

I suggest ten minutes cardio on the treadmill, elliptical, or bike to warm up your muscles. Then do some stretches. Look up an all around routine.

Follow up with something like the seven minute workout and then finish up with either more cardio or a strength routine.

Working out challenges three systems; your cardiovascular, strength and your tendons. Learn the signs when one or the other is challenged.

Out of breath is good. That is cardio. It is OK to push yourself a little farther and you will be rewarded with greater endurance within days.

The burning sensation is good too; your muscles are being challenged and they similarly will respond within weeks to your new routine.

Joint and tendon pain are a signal that you've taken things too far. Slow down and do more stretching.

JenniferInCt · May 2015

Karen_libert wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0fJ2lu0Er8

This is the workout I started with 2 years ago. I wrote all the exercises down and took my little book to the gym. I did a 5 minute warm up walk, then this workout, then walked on the treadmill inclined for another 5 minutes. I still do it now, it's my favourite

Holy moly that looks like a good workout! Lol at the little boy in the background

azulvioleta6 · May 2015

Your fitness level is so low right now that it probably doesn't matter much what you do--just keep moving. Try new things and see what you like. Try some classes and keep using the weight machines.

I hope that you are going to at least do some walking on your three rest days per week.

bbontheb · May 2015

SirJaseph wrote: »

Hi Kelziemba!

If you want to lose weight for the long term than the most important activity you can do is one that you enjoy, that you look forward to. You mentioned that you go to the gym to to get out of the house and have some time for yourself, so I guess you already enjoy it!

I say this because many people force themselves to go to the gym. They do it for some time and, who knows, succeed in getting some or all of their excess weight off, but then they quit because they have no motivation to exercise anymore - they just did it for burning the calories.

This is much different for me - for me being alive means being active, so I find it hard to understand why people just do exercise to do some kind of goal. I like a lot of different sports, but there are some that I don't enjoy (at least not yet); fitness is one of these activities that I don't really enjoy most of the times (though other people enjoy this, hopefully you, so this is just personal preference) - so I don't force myself to do this a lot more than necessary. But I love running, swimming and cycling, which is why I do triathlon; I feel really good when training and extremely good when doing competitions, so it is clear that this is the right activity for me. I love being in nature (while training), getting rid of some stress when I go for a run/swim/bike ride after work, I love the freedom I feel when running or cycling (which is why I don't like team sports as much), I have the best conversations with people when I train with them, I love challenging myself and improving my time, I could go on.

This means that training is sustainable for me. I can't imagine not exercising. This has been different in the past, but since I've connected my needs (freedom/nature/socializing/getting rid of stress/challenges/adrenaline etc) with exercising and have discovered how exercising could fulfill those needs I can't imagine ever giving up being active while alive. Even more, I can't imagine giving up in trying to reach my full potential!

For most of human history we needed to be active to survive (get food, flee from predators, migrate to new hunting grounds), but nowadays we can easily survive with minimal activity. However, I think it's in our nature to have the need to be active, we just have to reconnect to that. Fortunately there is a lot of choice! I hope you find something that you like, or better, something that you LOVE to do!

Cheers,
Jasper

This is a great post!!

kelziemba · May 2015

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions to go through. I really appreciate the input.

Best use of gym time for weight loss

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