MatrixGravity

You don't know my situation so don't act like it's that simple.

The only limit in this case is my wallet. There certainly are places in NYC that I can learn to cook, but they all require money. Another thing that requires money is purchasing ingredients and experimenting and testing out recipes and seeing what works and what doesn't. If I had unlimited amounts of money to throw at…

I guess something with a lot of greens, vegetables, and meat.

Well I mean I only weigh about 150-155lb. If I lose any more fat, I'll end up looking like a stick.

Yeah I've researched some local cooking classes nearby (I live in NYC) but they cost like $1000+ for a semester or something like that. I'll keep looking around, maybe I'll find something cheaper and more affordable. And yeah I've spent some time on Youtube researching various recipes but I always get overwhelmed by the…

Nope. It would be considered an excuse if I claimed to not be able to cook without actually trying to. But that's not the case here. I've tried to learn many times, and I've been unsuccessful each and every time. Yes I can prepare basic things like scrambled eggs, etc, but I don't consider that as a healthy food so..

Yeah I agree. It's not like I enjoy eating fast-food. It's just convenient and makes up for my inability to cook and prepare food. The reason I don't cook is because it's too hard for me from my past experiences, and there is way too many recipes out there and it feels overwhelming finding out what works and what doesn't.…

It's not a cop-out. I've actually attempted to learn to cook on numerous occasions and I ended up failing miserably, and spending a ton of money in the process. So that's why I don't cook. Because I can't. And I've tried. And it simply doesn't work for me. Plus, yes I can realistically cook steak or whatever, but it's not…

Okay so I have spoken with a few other members on the forum and I think the best approach is to apply for a membership at a local gym club and hire a personal trainer so that I can have somebody guide me and help me determine the right approach for me and my goals. I think that's the best way at this point. I'm definitely…

Body fat is like excess that our body stores when we overeat? I'm really not sure. I know what eating at maintenance is though. That's the only thing I'm familiar with.

Goal Bodyfat? Goal Weight?.. Lean Body Mass? What does this mean? I'm so lost.

Yeah, the fitness workouts I have no problem doing. My problem is that on top of the exercises, I also have to worry about things like diet, etc. Like if I do these exercises consistently, do I have to change my diet in order to see the results? If so, do I need to eat less, eat more, etc? There is just so much to learn.…

Well I just did finish exercising.. I did goblet squats as well as alternating bicep curls.. Idk if doing these basic exercises is even going to help me at all honestly. I definitely feel soreness in my legs pretty bad. My arms are a bit sore too, but yeah. I'm not complaining. I'm just saying I don't know how effective…

I'm sorry. I am trying. There is just a lot of information to read and understand.. I did learn the difference between compound and isolated exercises, so I suppose that's a step in the right direction. I also learned from this thread that dumbbells suck and that they won't help me reach my goals, lol. Guess I need to sign…

Very interesting. So wait.. Compound exercises are designed to target your entire body, while Isolation exercises targets only a specific area of your body which isn't really as effective. Am I understanding you so far?

Damn. So it took them longer to build muscle because they relied on dumbbells? So.. Should I return my dumbbells and just get a pair of barbells instead? Since it seems that barbells are better..

It's not that I don't want to use barbells, I just don't understand the benefit differences between barbells and dumbbells. I know that barbells are adjustable in terms of weight, and dumbbells usually come in a certain size, but other than that, don't they serve the same purpose? Or maybe I'm missing something

I see. Well I don't expect to get big. As long as I'm doing some form of exercise and I'm seeing results regardless if they are gradual, it will suffice. I know it's a gradual process and that's understandable. I just want to start doing it now rather than later.

Sounds odd. You're saying I wouldn't notice any improvement on my body if I exercised consistently and ate right for months+? Then how are you supposed to see results? I don't follow you.

This looks like a very good routine, I'm going to try do it every morning. Thanks a lot. So these type of basic exercises that don't use equipment at all are known as "Bodyweight Exercises" right? It seems like I'm getting the terminology down a bit at least.

I never said I wanted to look like the Rock. Why can't people my post properly?

Hm, I'm on NerdFitness and I found a list of exercise routines, but I'm not really what I'm looking for. Is there something specific I should be looking for? There is just so many exercises and routines. Not sure where to begin.

Ahh I see. I'm on the Mark Lauren page but it says that you have to pay in order to access the exercises? Maybe I'm on the wrong page. And my weights are 20lb each.

Oh okay. Does doing both help speed up the process and help reach results faster?

Thanks a lot. Question though. Is doing body weight exercises more effective than using equipment like Dumbbells? Or are you supposed to do both together in order to achieve results?

Oh no. Sorry for any misunderstandings, but I'm not trying to get big. That's not the goal for me. I just want to get my body in shape. Not necessarily big. I just want to stop looking skinny and I want to have some muscle tone on my body. I know it's not an easy process but I'm willing to do what it takes because I just…

Thank you. I'll check out "You Are Your Own Gym". Body weight exercises are exercises that don't rely on weights or equipment right? And yeah, I'm not looking to get big. Just in better shape than I am. Also could you explain the difference and benefits between using a barbell and using dumbbells? Thanks again~

Sorry, your posts are just very overly complicated and it's hard for me to understand what you're trying to say when I don't know anything remotely related to exercise and fitness, so it just goes over my head. I'm trying to understand but it's an overwhelming amount of information to absorb and take in. If you can avoid…

I understand, thanks for breaking it down. The thing is, I really would like to avoid having to go to the gym in order to exercise. Ideally, I would like to be able to do everything at home, that's why I bought the dumbbells, because I was under the impression that it was all I needed in order to achieve my goals.. But I…

Thanks for the clarification. But I must ask though, is all of that necessary to do? If I understand correctly, you guys are saying that the dumbbell exercises alone won't be sufficient in reaching my goals, right?