No clue where to start at PF

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smileytree222
smileytree222 Posts: 20 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I’ve been paying a monthly fee to Planet Fitness but don’t know where to start. My goal is to lose weight by dropping fat. What exercises did you do at the beginning of your weight loss journey?

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  • Slasher09
    Slasher09 Posts: 316 Member
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    80% of the weight loss will be your diet (you cannot out train a bad diet). This was the hardest for me to learn. When I was at PF I used to start with some cardio (arc trainer, treadmill, etc) and then I would go to the circuit section and I would do circuits. I found that simple as a beginner. I personally don't get a very good workout like that anymore (without spending hours) and I prefer to do higher intensity cardio on YouTube videos from home instead.

    At the end of the day if your goal is lose body fat and excess weight you need to burn more calories than you eat, period. Stick with a reasonable diet, weigh/track everything. Do 4-5 sessions of cardio a week and throw in some exercises that build lean muscle mass.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    you lose weight in the kitchen, and gain fitness in the gym.

    staff at PF are usually nice. ask them to show you around and how to use the different equipment.
  • clicketykeys
    clicketykeys Posts: 6,568 Member
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    I cycle through a 3-day plan. Day 1 is biceps and chest. Day 2 is triceps and back. Day 3 is legs. I do some ab work, cardio, and stretching each day.
  • jmtoml
    jmtoml Posts: 1 Member
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    I've been at PF for a year and really enjoy it. Slow and steady progress toward goals. What works for me is cardio on treadmill then weight machines: chest press, seated leg press, and fixed pull down. These three machines seem to work large muscle groups, and it's my understanding that working large muscle groups maximizes the post-workout burn. For abs, I do crunches on a stability ball.
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
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    I’ve never been to PF, but they might offer trainers there that you can work with till you get a routine that you are comfortable with.
  • notreallychris
    notreallychris Posts: 501 Member
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    Recommend going in with a structured program. The link above by @JerSchmare is a good place to start.
  • mlh2018
    mlh2018 Posts: 11 Member
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    Planet fitness has free training secessions. I have never personally used one but that is part of my 2018 goals. Also if you don’t want a training but you just want someone to show you how to use the machines they will walk you through every machine.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    Lyle McDonald has a pretty good machine-based program/outline here: https://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/beginning-weight-training-part-4.html/

    Nice to read the entire series (4 parts, total), but it might me a little heady for some. It's also not necessary - just nice.
  • hunnahs0922
    hunnahs0922 Posts: 165 Member
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    I stayed away from planet fitness. Their candy made me fatter.
  • spartan_d
    spartan_d Posts: 727 Member
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    FitPhillygirl wrote: »
    I’ve never been to PF, but they might offer trainers there that you can work with till you get a routine that you are comfortable with.
    Not really. Not in any meaningful sense, that is.

    Planet Fitness got rid of personal trainers a long time ago, for reasons that don't make a lot of sense. People sometimes say that PF has "trainers," but that's using the term very loosely. They're more like staff members who'll teach you about the equipment but who don't have a lot of expertise.

    I don't mean to bash PF, but I've visited a few locations. It was clear that the people who gave me their introductory tours didn't know a whole lot about fitness. This shouldn't really surprise anyone; after all, PF is meant to be a dirt-cheap experience, and good trainers cost money.

    So yes, you might be able to find someone who'll recommend a routine, but don't expect them to be particularly helpful. You'd probably be better off finding recommendations from an experienced gym rat.

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