Something(s) you wish you knew when you first started working out?

Analsphincter
Analsphincter Posts: 9 Member
edited November 21 in Getting Started
hey all! I just started going to the gym a month ago & am still new to everything. I feel like there's so much to learn & I just want to get fit, tone up my body a little bit... there's so much & I don't know where to begin. I didn't even expect to get a gym membership, but my dad spontaneously asked one day (even tho I had asked so many times before that) so I didn't really have time to research. Plus I work 9 1/2 hours a day, I don't have wifi & my phone is a pain in the neck to do any type of research. So I need your guys' help :)

So before I do anything wrong, I wanted to know some tips or things you WISH you knew earlier!

Replies

  • secretsydney
    secretsydney Posts: 14 Member
    www.stronglifts.com/5x5

    Wish someone gave me that website when I 1st started, its life changing imo
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    I wish I knew about my scar tissue.
  • glassofroses
    glassofroses Posts: 653 Member
    Correct posture.

    It's not something I've had a problem with but you can really do some damage if you don't hold yourself correctly.
  • Sofia_Aleman
    Sofia_Aleman Posts: 17 Member
    The importance of strength training. In the past 4 months I've lost roughly the same amount of weight as a year of doing only cardio.
  • jld0411
    jld0411 Posts: 29 Member
    I wish I'd known I could be successful without stressing myself tracking every single macro. MFP is a good guideline, but it should be taken only as that. Try typing in "cooked chicken" and see how many variations you get. There's no way to be dead on, so you just have to do your best. Avoid heavily processed "Frankenfoods." Eat whole foods. Eat lots of veggies. Keep treats in check. Eat enough to be sated but not so much that you're full and bloated (which likely won't be an issue if you're eating whole foods). If you want to get a TRUE feel for your calorie burn, buy a heart rate monitor with a chest strap - the stuff listed in MFP database is all over the place and not everyone burns calories at the same rate. Keep it simple and don't stress!
  • acorsaut89
    acorsaut89 Posts: 1,147 Member
    edited July 2015
    Biggest things I learned were:

    A) to keep track of your progress - know where you started and record all the progress you make: ran 1.15 miles instead of 1? Write it down. Squatted 75lbs instead of 70? Write it down. Every single little thing you do to progress. It seems tedious, I know. But know that I look back - especially at running - I can only remember not even being able to run for a minute . . . and now I can run 2 miles without stopping. I do not have even a notion of where I made jumps . . . and I wish I would have so that if someone asks me, I can give an honest answer as to how realistically I progressed. And write down how you felt that day . . . at an apple fritter and your run sucked? But had a day full of whole foods and ran early, feeling on top of the world? You can start making connections with what works for your body just by writing down what you ate, what you did and how you feel. It may not seem to make sense at the time, but over time patterns might come out and you might realize certain foods negatively impact performance.

    B ) The other thing - and this will seem counterproductive to being on MFP - is to not worry so much about calorie counting. I did in the beginning, and it worked to help me get a better idea of portioning and such. But now I've been working with a registered dietitian and what has worked amazing for me (and I feel great, by the way!) is to just better understand what I'm eating, how to portion it and the calories will work themselves out. It can be information overload and way too overwhelming worrying about numbers all the time. I'm also a runner, so my dietary needs are or may be different from yours which is why I started seeing the dietitian because what had previously worked wasn't helping me in my running.

    Although to get yourself started I would recommend it, but as someone else said don't take it too seriously.
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
    Exercise related: lift weights. Man, I wish I would have started earlier.

    Food related: there is no bad food (unless you have a medical condition that dictates otherwise). Carbs don't make you fat. Fat doesn't make you fat. Sugar isn't the devil. It's ok to eat everything, it's the moderation that matters.
  • kellyship17
    kellyship17 Posts: 112 Member
    I wish I had really understood how weight loss is not linear. My body holds onto weight for weeks and then in one day I'll drop three pounds. I wish I had started tracking my weight daily earlier, so I could learn the trends instead of being frustrated. Also, more protein from the start!
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    Don't work through an injury. That will often make it worse and sideline you for a longer period of time.
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    xcalygrl wrote: »
    Exercise related: lift weights. Man, I wish I would have started earlier.

    Food related: there is no bad food (unless you have a medical condition that dictates otherwise). Carbs don't make you fat. Fat doesn't make you fat. Sugar isn't the devil. It's ok to eat everything, it's the moderation that matters.

    Yep, this! All you need to know!
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    edited July 2015
    This content has been removed.
  • jnoegrah
    jnoegrah Posts: 119 Member
    edited July 2015
    diet is more important (to me) than the exercise.

    95%/5%
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
    You don't have to start fast. If you're just starting out or have a medical condition, it's ok to start very slow! I had to start with very slow walks that weren't very long and work my way up due to asthma. Still not where I should be, but at least now an hour walk at a pace to match my husband's is doable now!
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    edited July 2015
    xcalygrl wrote: »
    Exercise related: lift weights. Man, I wish I would have started earlier.

    Food related: there is no bad food (unless you have a medical condition that dictates otherwise). Carbs don't make you fat. Fat doesn't make you fat. Sugar isn't the devil. It's ok to eat everything, it's the moderation that matters.

    This. Lift weights and do cardio, don't kill yourself with too much cardio.

    Also, the number on the scale isn't the end-all-and-be-all. I've discovered that I'd rather be 10 pounds heavier and still fit in the clothes I want without the jiggle. That leads to, grab a tape measure and track your measurements, too. I wish I'd done that all along.
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
    xcalygrl wrote: »
    Exercise related: lift weights. Man, I wish I would have started earlier.

    Food related: there is no bad food (unless you have a medical condition that dictates otherwise). Carbs don't make you fat. Fat doesn't make you fat. Sugar isn't the devil. It's ok to eat everything, it's the moderation that matters.
    Exactly this!
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    I wish I had known for real that it would get better, that I actually would improve and get stronger. At first I felt like I was going to be weak forever.
  • 1973AR
    1973AR Posts: 5 Member
    Recovery times and diet, mind you when I started training there was no WEB as we know it and cellphones were te size of a briefcase.

    Do not follow a routine if it doesnt feel right for you, we are all built differently.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    Also, I kinda wish I would have taken analsphincter as a username.
  • Analsphincter
    Analsphincter Posts: 9 Member
    glassofroses wrote: »
    Correct posture.

    It's not something I've had a problem with but you can really do some damage if you don't hold yourself correctly.
    Thanks, I try to keep correct posture. I noticed my dad doesn't, so I'll let him know it's more important than he thinks.
    jld0411 wrote: »
    I wish I'd known I could be successful without stressing myself tracking every single macro. MFP is a good guideline, but it should be taken only as that. Try typing in "cooked chicken" and see how many variations you get. There's no way to be dead on, so you just have to do your best. Avoid heavily processed "Frankenfoods." Eat whole foods. Eat lots of veggies. Keep treats in check. Eat enough to be sated but not so much that you're full and bloated (which likely won't be an issue if you're eating whole foods). If you want to get a TRUE feel for your calorie burn, buy a heart rate monitor with a chest strap - the stuff listed in MFP database is all over the place and not everyone burns calories at the same rate. Keep it simple and don't stress!
    Thank you so much! :) yeah, yeah there are so many variations on something so simple, sometimes there aren't even things I've eaten. I'm gonna switch my diet when I can buy my own foods, because right now my dad just buys what he wants/can afford at the time. So if I'm eating out every day, mainly fast food or mall food, what kind of results will I see? I'm not really trying to lose weight, just tone. I've gained only a few pounds, I think it's muscle, but I'm not 100% sure. Also when I get back into town, I'll be eating more homemade foods.
    acorsaut89 wrote: »
    Biggest things I learned were:

    A) to keep track of your progress - know where you started and record all the progress you make: ran 1.15 miles instead of 1? Write it down. Squatted 75lbs instead of 70? Write it down. Every single little thing you do to progress. It seems tedious, I know. But know that I look back - especially at running - I can only remember not even being able to run for a minute . . . and now I can run 2 miles without stopping. I do not have even a notion of where I made jumps . . . and I wish I would have so that if someone asks me, I can give an honest answer as to how realistically I progressed. And write down how you felt that day . . . at an apple fritter and your run sucked? But had a day full of whole foods and ran early, feeling on top of the world? You can start making connections with what works for your body just by writing down what you ate, what you did and how you feel. It may not seem to make sense at the time, but over time patterns might come out and you might realize certain foods negatively impact performance.

    B ) The other thing - and this will seem counterproductive to being on MFP - is to not worry so much about calorie counting. I did in the beginning, and it worked to help me get a better idea of portioning and such. But now I've been working with a registered dietitian and what has worked amazing for me (and I feel great, by the way!) is to just better understand what I'm eating, how to portion it and the calories will work themselves out. It can be information overload and way too overwhelming worrying about numbers all the time. I'm also a runner, so my dietary needs are or may be different from yours which is why I started seeing the dietitian because what had previously worked wasn't helping me in my running.

    Although to get yourself started I would recommend it, but as someone else said don't take it too seriously.
    YES, I've thought about tracking every little detail so I can actually see where I'm improving & the patterns. But I haven't taken the step to do so yet. Thank you for giving me motivation to do so :) because every little change you do impacts your body. The foods you eat, your mood, just everything will affect how I am that day. I want to be at my best. Yeah I'm calorie counting a bit, to see what foods I should eat or avoid. It helps me keep up with my health a bit. Thank you :)

  • Analsphincter
    Analsphincter Posts: 9 Member
    I'll try to reply to everyone else after work!!
  • ElisaJtsu
    ElisaJtsu Posts: 97 Member
    I wish I had bought food scales right away - estimating does NOT work! And I wish I had taken 'before' pictures - do it NOW! Also, if you're short on time & money, the 'couch to 5K' plan fits in nicely and it's free. Good luck!
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    secretsydney wrote: »
    www.stronglifts.com/5x5

    Wish someone gave me that website when I 1st started, its life changing imo

    Yes.
  • msfoxy_25
    msfoxy_25 Posts: 40 Member
    Hours of cardio will only make me ravenously hungry.
    Walking and weight/strength training is all you really need to do.
    Weight loss is more about diet than exercise.
    Skipping meals or saving calories for events is a bad idea, it leads to overeating typically on junk.
    It's ok to have a cheat day.
  • beauchampsara
    beauchampsara Posts: 19 Member
    edited July 2015
    I've made some progress since I've started. Almost two months of tracking & gym however, I do wish I realized two months ago that:
    1. Eating 1200 calories and then burning 600 with exercise would hurt my weight loss and isn't good for my body since you need to fuel and nurture your body with the right foods to see results
    2. Cardio isn't the end all, be all to lose weight
    3. You can treat yourself once in a while without ruining your progress
    4. Lift weights from the start - in such a short amount of time I've noticed changes in areas of my body just from incorporating lifting into my routine*****
    5. Don't stress yourself out over the scale. Sometimes you'll see changes in your body before the number on the scale changes. It's about how you feel, how your clothes fit, how you progress and get better, and about living a healthy life
    6. This isn't a diet - this is a lifestyle change so NEVER give up, once you start don't stop
    7. Motivating and encouraging others is actually good personal motivation
    8. Weight loss is slow and some people lose weight quicker than others

    :)
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
    Patience and good form. I learned the form by watching videos, mostly on bodybuilding.com. I am still working on patience.
  • beauchampsara
    beauchampsara Posts: 19 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    secretsydney wrote: »
    www.stronglifts.com/5x5

    Wish someone gave me that website when I 1st started, its life changing imo

    Yes.

    Just looked into this. Starting this on Monday. Can't wait!
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
    That it wouldn't do me a damn bit of good if I didn't have my eating straightened out. Lots of wasted attempts at weight loss that way.
This discussion has been closed.

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