Gym Members

[mlmpetert]

Originally Posted by Monkeydad

Up 30 in a year. Impressive.

Diet is more important than your choice of activity whether your goals are to lose fat or bulk up.

Don't overdo the cardio if you want to keep the weight off. You need to build muscle that will continually burn the fat. Cardio can help you "sweat off" the pounds but you won't gain much muscle that plays a big role in keeping the fat off.

If you're serious about lifting, a good starter program is called "Starting Strength."

The Workouts Recommended for Strength Training | Starting strength training

Couldnt agree more. I hadnt worked out until i did 2 months of p90x a couple years ago. I followed the p90x with a few months of weight lifting. Followed that up with 18 months of binge eating/drinking with a special focus on avoiding walking at all costs. Ive been very slow to gain weight, i think because of the muscle ive built up. Although, i am offically fat again.

Last night i had a half of bag of ruffles with heluvagood ranch dip, followed by an entire bag of white chedder popcorn (farmers' chedder is wack), washed down with a mojito, along with a piece of cake, some receses pieces cups and a piece or 2 of short bread mixed in (recent bday gifts). But it wasnt until i got my drivers license out of the mailbox and saw my new picture that i realized how fat i am again.

I hate gyms. But i am planning on running a 10k in March. I only want to do the 10k so i can have the endurence to do a month or 2 of p90x right, in order to build up muscle, so that i can enjoy eating and drinking like a college kid again for another year or so.

[los panda]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

Panda kind of sounds like me, except I was about 150 pounds in 2010, and three years later, I'm up to 192! Doc says I need to lose at least 25 pounds, but the weight is not budging...but bulging, lol!

Anyways, since I have moved, I live an hour from work. Therefore, by the time I work a full day and then have to drive an hour home, I'm tired. Plus, my wife insists on having dinner as soon as I get home. If I wait the hour after eating to do my workout, then it's 8pm. We go to bed around 9! I've tried working out in the morning, and I am NOT a morning person. I just seem to do better working out in the evenings. So, I feel like I can't stick with an exercise program right now.

We have been trying to eat healthier, but my weight was actually up this morning after eating super healthy yesterday, lol! I feel like I'm never going to get this weight off!

from what i've been reading on health/fitness/exercise forums, try eating less than you usually do (even if you're eating the same foods). dirtbag gave great advice when he said to track your calories.

i use this free app for android:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d....android&hl=en

and here it is for apple/iphone:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/calo...341232718?mt=8

[los panda]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag59

Exercise is great for a lot of things. Building strength, endurance, muscle, heart health, heck it's even a great way to fight depression. However as a weight loss strategy it sucks. It sucks hard.

To have exercise work the way people thinks it works you have to work out for hours on end. The average 30 minute to an hour workout burns 300 to 400 calories if you work your arse off. Most people can't keep up with that. And assuming you don't eat extra after that workout you're not even loosing a pound over the course of a week. Never mind you'll likely be on a deficit so you'll lack the energy needed to maintain the pace. Plus it's pretty easy for your body to adjust and the amount of calories you burn per workout to go down.

If you just want to loose weight and fat all you have to do is eat at a deficit. Last year I lost 60 pounds and the only "exercise" I did was walking for a job I had. I ate pizza, ice cream, starbucks ice drinks with extra whip, fries, steak, basically every bad food on a regular basis. The Starbucks, ice cream, and fries were a daily thing for at least a month or two. However because I watched my calorie intake the weight came off. And I haven't had a great metabolism since I hit puberty.

Now if you're going for the 'beach body' then you'll need exercise. My advice on that is just focus on lifting weights and dieting. If you want to add cardio use kettle-bells and wind sprints (quicker workouts, same benefits). Drink water, eat plenty of protein, and above all else track your calories. Also remember to track your calories. Did I mention track your calories? You also might want to look into calorie cycling so you don't stay in a deficit for too long. If counting calories is a pain you could try Weight Watchers Online like I did but that can get costly.

Just remember you can't outrun a bad diet.

Here was my progress throughout the last year. I'll probably go back later and try to get to 159 but right now theres no rush. You'll notice though it's pretty easy to loose at the start but with patience you'll get there. Remember this was without lifting a single weight nor stepping foot on a treadmill.

awesome job, dirt!

and great advice, thanks man.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by los panda

awesome job, dirt!

and great , thanks man.

Thanks. I could go on this topic for hours as I've gone up and down over the years with multiple strategies but theres still a few other things I need to add then I'll stop I promise.

- Be patient. I got to a point where I wanted to loose x amount of weight in x amount of time and it was not uncommon for me to step on a scale 10 times in a day on top of taking measurements with measuring tape and calipers.

And when you're stuck at that point where you've lost weight/fat but you're still far from your goal it can drive you insane. Don't go insane get just enough urgency to progress and stay on track but don't become neurotic like me. If you look at the chart there was a point where I stopped weighing myself every week but still stayed on track. Thats probably the best balance.

- Get an electronic food scale for $20. It's a little expensive and the checkout person might thing you're a junkie or a dealer but it's easy to underestimate and overestimate how much food you're eating.

- Avoid and/or limit alcohol. Not only does alcohol have no nutritional value but it makes you want to gorge large quantities of the worst possible foods.

- And finally track calories. Diet is about 90% of what you will be doing (this coming from my teacher in weight training during college). Best sites to use are the following.

Free Calorie Counter, Diet & Exercise Journal | MyFitnessPal.com
or
Calorie Counter | Food Nutrition Data for Healthy Eating Choices

Personally used Weight Watchers online as I liked that system but unlike the above two Weight Watchers cost money (~$18 a month). Regardless all three have knowledgeable and supportive communities who can give you great advice as you go along.

Good luck and I'll shut up now.

[Hog1]

Originally Posted by los panda

just joined a radical gym, haven't exercised since april or may, can barely shoot hoops w/o losing breath. anyways, it's time to get active.
up to 180 lbs (probably 25% body fat) from 150 lbs when i moved here 1 year ago.


anyone else a member of a gym? or just exercise regularly?
figured this would be a good spot to share advice, tips, inspiration, etc.

Been a gym....user most of my adult life (off and on). On at the moment and for the last year. Really making head way. Some of the BEST money I ever spent in my life has been a personal trainer. I like most people have their own opinion as to what is good and what brings results...etc. Much of what I thought was the best was either wrong or largely ineffective.
I don't need someone to "Ra Ra" and I do not go to the gym for company and conversation.
I told my guy I would do a month at a time here and there but not full time because it is not cheap ($180 p/mo @ 1 pr/wk) and I do not need hand holding. Just a tune up from time to time. He has provided my full workout and been a wealth of dietary info and Cardio for off (non-gym) days. Can't say enough good things about it. Bite the bullet and cut expense some place else. It will make ALL the effort you put in worth it.......Good Luck

[TheMalcolmConnection]

All of this is great, so I'll throw in the only two cents that I have for weight loss.

It takes 3 days to build a bad habit and 2 weeks to break one. Basically, my wife and I loooove to party it up on the weekends. Drink tons, eat garbage. That's a GREAT way to gain weight or hover. We stopped for two weeks, then you don't even have the desire to do it anymore.

Stay strong for two weeks and I promise you won't miss whatever was causing the gain. If it's easier, drop just one thing for two weeks, whether it's eating/drinking/not exercising and then drop or add the next thing the following week. All of the above advice is great for work-out plans and diets.

Oh, and my favorite thing right now for a work-out is iPad, bluetooth headphones, and starting Breaking Bad from season one on the treadmill. Doesn't even feel like I'm working out.

[Hog1]

To piggy back on TMC...start slow and gather momentum. Don't take on to much all at once. To often, it gets overpowering and you just quit.
Your in this for the long haul

[MTK]

Definitely some good advice here.

Tracking calories is a big help, I've had success with the app called Lose It!

Remember everything in moderation. That piece of cake (reasonable size of course) is ok as long as you don't make it a regular thing. In general though try to cut out all soda (shit is garbage) and reduce sugar intake as much as possible. Water should be your new best friend.

As far as exercise try to find something you like to do. You're not going to stick with something you absolutely hate. It's easier when you have a workout partner too. Try to have a variety of workouts to rotate through, it's easy to burn out if you're doing the same thing all the time.

Working out with a goal in mind is helpful too, like training for a race. Just give yourself enough time to properly train.

Booze has always been my biggest enemy. I'm not a drunk or anything but even after just a beer or two it's tough to resist reaching for a snack. When I'm in a zone I find it best to just avoid drinking as much as possible. Easier said than done though sometimes lol

Eating out can be another stumbling block. Skip the apps and desert, and try to always bring food home. So many places give you portion sizes that are good enough for two meals. Eat half and bring home lunch for tomorrow. Try to avoid pigging out on bread and skip the fries when you can.

[NC_Skins]

Calorie Counter, Calorie Tracker & Food Journal | MyPlate on LIVESTRONG.COM | LIVESTRONG.COM


I personally like Livestrong's calorie keeper. Great tool and helps me out a bunch. Best part. It's free.

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by GMScud

You can do crunches till the cows come home. If you eat like a dumpster you'll still look like one.

I love this. It's so quotable.



Another often overlooked key to building muscle and burning fat...GET ENOUGH SLEEP! Rest is important to results.

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by mlmpetert

Couldnt agree more. I hadnt worked out until i did 2 months of p90x a couple years ago. I followed the p90x with a few months of weight lifting. Followed that up with 18 months of binge eating/drinking with a special focus on avoiding walking at all costs. Ive been very slow to gain weight, i think because of the muscle ive built up. Although, i am offically fat again.

Last night i had a half of bag of ruffles with heluvagood ranch dip, followed by an entire bag of white chedder popcorn (farmers' chedder is wack), washed down with a mojito, along with a piece of cake, some receses pieces cups and a piece or 2 of short bread mixed in (recent bday gifts). But it wasnt until i got my drivers license out of the mailbox and saw my new picture that i realized how fat i am again.

I hate gyms. But i am planning on running a 10k in March. I only want to do the 10k so i can have the endurence to do a month or 2 of p90x right, in order to build up muscle, so that i can enjoy eating and drinking like a college kid again for another year or so.

Wow. This sounds like the Jamarcus Russell plan. Not even kidding.

[MTK]

lol yeah... working out for a few months isn't going to carry you through a year of bad habits.

[Monkeydad]

Sounds like a recipe for a heart attack actually. Abuse the body for a year, then push the body beyond its limits suddenly...lets flip a coin, will he go in a bar with BBQ sauce on his face or in the street with a paper number pinned to his back?

[mredskins]

[skinsguy]

I was extremely religious in doing P90X, and I saw awesome results! But, it is one thing that you guys hit on. It's such an intense workout, that if you have been living a life of "sin" as a couch potato - burger in one hand, cold beer in the other, then suddenly shocking your body into doing something like P90X right away might cause more harm than good. I think what I am learning is if I am to get myself back into the exercise routine that I used to do, I need to start off with something to ease myself into. Such as getting on the treadmill and at least walking a few miles, or a light jog for a mile, even if it's just for 15 minutes or so. And certainly, diet is very important. I love diet drinks, I love beer, I love a couple of glasses of wine, but I realize you just can't be very successful with your weight loss unless you make a conscious effort in drinking more water and less of the other. Oh, and sweet tea is my kryptonite!