Weight loss and muscle building

Hey guys. I started my journey of weight lifting and losing weight . I'm 94 kg and 174 cm. I started two days ago. I just need to know if what I'm doing is correct . I'm eating around 120g protein and lifting daily for around 20 minutes . 20 minutes feels like hell for me. I'm following random full body workouts whether it's a dumbell or barbell. I'm eating around 1900 calories and also I'm trying to walk around 10000 steps daily while lifting daily for 20 minutes. Am I doing anything wrong?or should I continue this

Replies

  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,036 Member
    edited May 2021
    While I'm not the best expert in weight lifting, I do know muscle grows during recovery. Which means: don't train the same muscles daily, you're not giving your body enough time to recover.
    Better would be, for example, full-body 3 times a week or alternating upper body days and lower body days.

    Also not the greatest idea to do 'random' workouts, better to follow a structured workout routine. Take a look here:
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    I'm also a bit puzzled by your 20 minute sessions feeling like hell. 20 minutes is short for strength training. Are you doing a lot of reps with small weights, making it more like a cardio workout? Or are you perhaps using weights that are too heavy for you?
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,329 Member
    To chime in on what the others wrote: what are you doing in these 20 minutes? What weights and reps? 20 minutes is very short, and I'd guess that half, if not more of it is resting and changing weights. I think we need a bit more information here.
  • sultank101
    sultank101 Posts: 87 Member
    Lietchi wrote: »
    While I'm not the best expert in weight lifting, I do know muscle grows during recovery. Which means: don't train the same muscles daily, you're not giving your body enough time to recover.
    Better would be, for example, full-body 3 times a week or alternating upper body days and lower body days.

    Also not the greatest idea to do 'random' workouts, better to follow a structured workout routine. Take a look here:
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    I'm also a bit puzzled by your 20 minute sessions feeling like hell. 20 minutes is short for strength training. Are you doing a lot of reps with small weights, making it more like a cardio workout? Or are you perhaps using weights that are too heavy for you?

    Since I'm a beginner I don't know how many minutes to workout..I'm using the lowest weights on my dumbells and barbells. The weights make me sweat alot that's for sure.
  • sultank101
    sultank101 Posts: 87 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    To chime in on what the others wrote: what are you doing in these 20 minutes? What weights and reps? 20 minutes is very short, and I'd guess that half, if not more of it is resting and changing weights. I think we need a bit more information here.

    Like around 4 kg dumbells total and I'm following random YouTuber workouts ..all I know is I feel really tired doing it
  • sultank101
    sultank101 Posts: 87 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    "Am I doing anything wrong? Or should I continue this?"

    20 mins is a very short time period - not seeing how you are doing "full body" in that amount of time? No idea what you are doing in that time or how all the sessions hang together over the week.
    It shouldn't feel like hell, your intensity is wrong if it is.
    Random workouts produce random results.
    You are eating a tiny calorie allowance for someone your size and exercising.

    Protein around 1g per pound / 2.2g per kilo of approximate lean mass would be better.

    Pick a program designed by an expert rather than making it up yourself.

    An undertrained and overfat person can gain some muscle in a sensible deficit but there's three things that you should get in place to give yourself a chance:
    • Good training program - yours isn't
    • Slow rate of weight loss - you are eating very low
    • High protein intake - yours isn't

    Yes continue exercising but it sounds like you need to have a rethink about both your training and your diet.

    I guess I'll get a personal trainer because honestly I wanna build muscle and lose weight . I would also love to just be in a deficit and eat whatever I want and just walk 10k steps. But muscle building is necessary ..so I feel I need some guidance.
  • sultank101
    sultank101 Posts: 87 Member
    So how many calories should I exactly eat along with 200g protein??
  • sultank101
    sultank101 Posts: 87 Member
    Lietchi wrote: »
    While I'm not the best expert in weight lifting, I do know muscle grows during recovery. Which means: don't train the same muscles daily, you're not giving your body enough time to recover.
    Better would be, for example, full-body 3 times a week or alternating upper body days and lower body days.

    Also not the greatest idea to do 'random' workouts, better to follow a structured workout routine. Take a look here:
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    I'm also a bit puzzled by your 20 minute sessions feeling like hell. 20 minutes is short for strength training. Are you doing a lot of reps with small weights, making it more like a cardio workout? Or are you perhaps using weights that are too heavy for you?

    So three times a week full body like from YouTube ?I follow those videos. For around 20 minutes a day
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Go to your goal set up and pick a slow rate of loss and an appropriate setting for your non-exercise activity (unless your priority is losing weight fast, you have competing aims so you need to think carefully about your priorities).
    That gives you a daily goal + a reasonable estimate of your exercise calories.
    Play with your macro percentages to roughly approximate your protein goal.

    It's because you are a beginner that you need the guidance of either a professionally designed program or a personal trainer. Doing random stuff for a short duration with what seems very light weights for your size isn't going to achieve much. Have you looked at the list of programs linked for you?

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,847 Member
    sultank101 wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    To chime in on what the others wrote: what are you doing in these 20 minutes? What weights and reps? 20 minutes is very short, and I'd guess that half, if not more of it is resting and changing weights. I think we need a bit more information here.

    Like around 4 kg dumbells total and I'm following random YouTuber workouts ..all I know is I feel really tired doing it

    Would you please post some links?

    For you to be exhausted in this short time with that low amount of weights I suspect these workouts also involve cardio and/or ridiculously fast reps, but I would like to see the videos to make sure.

    If you are doing a traditional workout that is only 20 minutes and are exhausted, you might be undereating - someone on your other thread estimated you are netting 1300 calories after exercise, which is not enough - or have an underlying medical condition.
  • hipari
    hipari Posts: 1,367 Member
    3t08ugnp9jl1.jpeg

    The above is a listing of discussion threads you have started in these forums. You have 4 different threads from last 7 days, all worrying about essentially the same thing.
    sultank101 wrote: »
    Am I doing anything wrong?or should I continue this

    I’d say the thing you’re doing wrong is freaking out and letting your mind run in a circle about this stuff, instead of sitting down (or going for a walk, if that’s your thing), calmly and mindfully considering your priorities and goals, and then drafting a sustainable long-term plan and sticking with it for several months while fine-tuning as needed. Weight loss and fitness improvement are something that happen over the course of weeks, months and years, not days or a few weeks. Plans and expectations need to line up with a realistic timeline.

    I really don’t think you will benefit from repeating the same (or similar) question on the forums until you calm down, set your priorities and goals, and align your plans with realistic expectations based on your goals. It sounds like you might even benefit from discussing these things with a trusted friend, family member or a professional (personal trainer, registered dietician, fitness/lifestyle coach or a healthcare professional are all valid options depending on your personal situation and goals).

  • mcgeze
    mcgeze Posts: 1 Member
    Here’s what I do, take it for what it’s worth.

    6 days per week, 1 rest day most weeks. It’s flexible and that’s okay, but never go more than 3 days without training.

    Day 1 - Chest/Back
    Day 2 - Shoulders/Arms
    Day 3 - Legs
    Rest
    Repeat

    You’ll want to learn which lifts to do and how to do them for those muscles. Different muscles respond differently to reps, etc…

    If you’re in a deficit, high reps can be counter productive due to cortisol. I like to stay around the 10-12 rep range when in a SLIGHT deficit.

    Slow weight loss, slow weight gain is key. It takes experimentation to find your maintenance calories. Find that out and then you go a little less or a little more for a LONG time. I spent 6 months dropping 15 lbs and built muscle along the way. When I’m shredded, I’ll go a little more to expedite muscle gain, then I’ll go a little less to lean back out but I will never let my abs disappear. This works for me and I like staying lean. Find out what works for you.

    You have a very high learning curve right now. If someone will train you, drop everything and take advantage of it no matter what. Lifting is a lifestyle and a lifelong sport. YouTube is your friend. Greg Doucette, Athlean-X are good resources.

    Discipline is key.

    Count your calories and eat enough protein. 1g per lb of body weight a day.

    I weigh 145lbs right now and eat 2300 cals per day and I lost about 1 lb per week on that then stabilized at 145lbs. 2300 cals is likely my maintenance at this weight and activity level.

    Every human body is different.

    Macros don’t matter for weight loss. Calorie deficits matters. Only eat enough protein and count calories. Once you master that, and I mean master that, then you can move on to metabolic flexibility, those types of things by manipulating macros. Until you master tracking your food and eating enough protein, getting into advanced nutrition will likely confuse things.

    45 minutes to 1 hr is a good workout duration. Make effective use of that time and no matter what, do more than you did last time. Be tough. Work hard, and track your calorie and protein intake, but also weigh yourself daily and watch the mirror. If you losing weight and looking better in the mirror, physique is improving through fat loss AND muscle development, stay the course. If you're looking pudgier after a week of averaging, reduce the calories.

    Take your weight and a photo every day. You won’t see the progress and body dysmorphia is real.

    Good luck and work hard
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    sultank101 wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    To chime in on what the others wrote: what are you doing in these 20 minutes? What weights and reps? 20 minutes is very short, and I'd guess that half, if not more of it is resting and changing weights. I think we need a bit more information here.

    Like around 4 kg dumbells total and I'm following random YouTuber workouts ..all I know is I feel really tired doing it

    You've mentioned several times feeling really tired with your short 20 min workout, as if this is meaningful for lifting in response to people stating it seems short.

    Hold your breath totally while doing the workout - now how tired and how short a time did you do it?
    Think that was meaningful in working your muscles?
    No.

    It worked your anaerobic system, and asks for improvements to that to do it again.

    If you really want to gain muscle - you have to use it for what it does and ask it to improve.
    Don't even need a trainer at this point really, just the ability to focus and do a programmable workout.
    My concern is you'd have trouble telling a PT exactly what you want to do and be general enough they just give you a general program that still isn't focused.

    Dittos to aspect of calming down.

    If you are bouncing around youtube videos for whatever these workouts are, the same way you are bouncing around creating the same topic - that kind of action doesn't lead to much progress.

    At the start you can do a whole lot wrong and still see some improvements.
    But not nearly as much if it was done well, and doing it well can allow continuing to make progress.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,847 Member
    I also asked you for a link to the videos you do on your other thread and you answered me there. Am posting my answer here as well as this thread is more on point.
    sultank101 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    sultank101 wrote: »
    I’m confused. In your other thread you discuss wanting to gain muscle but that the workouts you’re doing are too taxing?

    It sounds like you’re floundering a bit and don’t know where to start, so are diving in too deep and getting discouraged right off the bat.

    No harm there. We all dog paddled this weight loss thing at the beginning.

    Can anyone recommend him some good resources?

    Maybe it's tiring because I'm obese and get out of breath quick?or is it because I don't know what I'm doing ..

    Please post links of these videos you are doing. For you to be tired after 20 minutes using 4 K dumb bells, something is wrong, and right now I'm thinking the videos are combining cardio and/or doing reps ridiculously fast.

    If it's not the videos, there could be something medically going on with you, and I'd like to rule the videos out first. I'm shorter than you, have weighed more than you, am presumably older than you, am female, and a REGULAR 20 minute weight lifting session is literally no sweat for me.

    It's just random full body workouts on YouTube ..like example. https://youtu.be/l0gDqsSUtWo
    I followed this like three times and felt exhausted...I'm just really fat and I used to vape alot so my breathing is screwed .
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Since that's not a follow along video but more of an intro video, it's probably not a good choice for someone new to strength training.

    When you say "I followed this like three times" - did you mean you did all the exercises three times in one session? And that took 20 minutes?

    Did you catch the instructions for the beginning of the first section - 5 rounds of 3 reps per exercise with 60-90 seconds of rest in between rounds?

    How are you timing your rest period? Not rushing the rest is very important - I use the timer on my watch or phone to make sure I rest the full amount.

    Ok, I see the problem. This video has 4 sections:
    1. Power & Strength
    2. Hypertrophy
    3. Core
    4. Conditioning

    Power & Strength has three components:
    1. Dumbbell clean
    2. Push Press
    3. Front Squat

    For each of the exercises in the first section you are supposed to do 5 rounds with 3 reps per round, with 60-90 seconds of rest in between rounds.

    As I always do with a new workout, I used light weights, and so only 60 seconds of rest.

    THE FIRST SECTION ALONE took me 22 minutes.

    It sounds like to get to 20 minutes, you followed this 7 minute video 3 times. However, this is NOT a follow along video. In the first section, he only shows each of the three exercises once, and does not rest in between. As stated above, you are supposed to do 5 rounds with 3 reps per round, with 60-90 seconds of rest in between rounds.

    Here's the same workout, with more details:

    https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/the-ultimate-full-body-dumbbell-workout.html