When did you see results?

Wombat468
Wombat468 Posts: 191 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I've been persuaded to exercise...finally! My plan is to go the gym and do mostly weights and a bit of cardio, three times weekly. My question is - how long did it take for you to see a physical difference in yourself after starting exercise? I'm sure this has been asked before but I can't find it!

Replies

  • drwilseyjr
    drwilseyjr Posts: 225 Member
    For the past three months, I've been going hard at the gym. At least an hour a night five days a week, most of the time an hour and a half to two. I've also been honing in my diet after changing it up back in August.

    From August to January, I dropped fifteen pounds from my diet change. Since January, I now have a noticeable difference in muscle mass across the board. My waist is trimmer, legs more muscular, shoulders & arms growing nicely. I'm focusing a lot on my back and traps now to increase their growth.

    It takes time and discipline. And I think that's why a lot of people get discouraged because they don't look shredded within a month.

    70% of the battle is won in your kitchen. The other 30% is making yourself go to the gym and give it your all.

    Make sure you set your goals. Have a plan before you dive in. Failing to plan is a huge downfall and, if you don't have a proper plan, you're not going to be seeing the results you want. Start with a basic foundation and build from there.

    My basic weekly layout is as follows:
    Day 1 - chest, back, abs
    Day 2 - shoulders, arms, abs
    Day 3 - legs
    Day 4 - chest, back, abs
    Day 5 - shoulders, arms, abs
    Day 6 - legs
    Day 7 - "rest day" or a few miles of run
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    I saw instant results eating at maintenance. In the beginning the muscles can swell with water and can give a bulky feel especially with a good layer of fat over it. No change in diet with added circuit training had me squeezing into my jeans for 4 weeks.

    When my body adapted to the new work I began seeing more definition. At that point I began adding resistance to keep the definition and perhaps get a little bit more of it while adjusting my calories for a deficit. I thought I was super muscular until that bulky fat layer revealed my average physique.

    If you are skinny-fat, EAT. Eat all the food and lift all the heavy things.
    If you are fat-fat, CUT. Eat less food and lift all the heavy things.
  • Wombat468
    Wombat468 Posts: 191 Member
    Thanks for your extremely helpful replies, both of you! I'm fat-fat, so I will continue in a deficit (25lb lost since Xmas), and lift, and run. Much appreciated! I also didn't realise that you could not/should not work every muscle group every day, so the above plan is helpful, thanks.
  • drwilseyjr
    drwilseyjr Posts: 225 Member
    CiaraCatch wrote: »
    Thanks for your extremely helpful replies, both of you! I'm fat-fat, so I will continue in a deficit (25lb lost since Xmas), and lift, and run. Much appreciated! I also didn't realise that you could not/should not work every muscle group every day, so the above plan is helpful, thanks.

    Just stay with it. You WILL see results as long as you keep at it. Do not get discouraged! Do it for you and nobody else.

    And, yes, you want to give your muscles time to repair and grow. Working the same muscles every day doesn't give them enough time to heal and grow properly.

    Feel free to add me as a friend, if you'd like. Always happy to help folks out and keep people motivated.
  • Wombat468
    Wombat468 Posts: 191 Member
    Thanks! I'm not sure what to do with friends (I'm bad at emailing) and I don't have any, but I appreciate the offer. Went to the gym for the first time today. Ran for 20min, hurray! (And then some lifting) Not quite as unfit as I thought. Will be sore tomorrow!
  • drwilseyjr
    drwilseyjr Posts: 225 Member
    CiaraCatch wrote: »
    Thanks! I'm not sure what to do with friends (I'm bad at emailing) and I don't have any, but I appreciate the offer. Went to the gym for the first time today. Ran for 20min, hurray! (And then some lifting) Not quite as unfit as I thought. Will be sore tomorrow!

    Don't go too hard on the weights your first few weeks. Your body is not going to be used to it and, if you're too sore to work out the next day, you're gonna fall behind.

    Start easy and then build up, imo.
  • Lewisg51
    Lewisg51 Posts: 220 Member
    Probably about 3 months for a really noticeable difference, that's with extreme deficit and upper/lower body split four days a week.
  • climberpilot
    climberpilot Posts: 19 Member
    My wife and I both saw noticeable differences within a couple weeks, mostly just from adjustment to our diet.
    I don't know that those changes would be noticeable to ourselves individually, but I saw it in her and vice versa.

    Reading body fat% has been huge for us as well. When the pounds just don't seem to fall off, it's easy to feel discouraged, but if you see fat loss, it makes it tolerable!
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    Maybe six weeks. I noticed the cardiovascular improvements first - lower resting heart rate, lower blood pressure, higher pulse pressure (difference between systolic and diastolic pressure) all indicating an increase in stroke volume and an overall improvement in heart health. Also noticed it was a lot harder to get winded from exertion.
  • mjwarbeck
    mjwarbeck Posts: 699 Member
    I've been going to the gym for 4 months...and during that time using MFP to record calories. Down roughly 40lbs. I would say I notice a difference within a month... a month and a half when people started really started noticing. Now, several sizes down
    Neck 18"-16"
    Jeans size 40 down to 36
    Shirts from US XL to Euro L or slim fitting US L
    Arms have kept at 16" with weightlifting
    People who now see me after a few months just stare and keep saying wow!

    Cardio wise I feel tons better...walking the 3-4 km to do daycare drop off and to the gym is now nothing...I will now often carry 20lbs of groceries on the way back from the gym.
  • tapwaters
    tapwaters Posts: 428 Member
    Within a week or two my aerobic capacity was much much better, otherwise i noticed visible changes in a month or two. The weight loss began the week I started.

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