Losing weight

[Blademaster]

So I'm looking to start going to a gym and working out and dropping some of this fat I've built up over the time for spending too much time on this game.

For the past few years, my main source of exercise has been from my work. It's pretty labor intensive but it's nothing to make a fat guy into a skinny guy. I haven't actively worked out at a gym in about 2 years.
Everytime I've gone to workout over the past month or so, I run into a problem. I tend to work myself out too hard. I work myself out to the point to where my muscles are in so much pain the next day that It hurts to even walk. Yes I know the feeling of a sore muscle, but it almost feels like I pull a muscle every time I work out. Note you, this is just from weights. I feel the normal slight soreness from running that you would normally feel when you haven't ran in a few years lol.

I understand fixing my diet, never drinking sodas, ect.ect. is a major part of losing weight which is why this isn't a diet question. Purely a workout question.

Any tips on limiting myself on how much I should work out without going too far till it feels like i tore something the next day, but without under working to where I'm not really getting anything out of it? I might get "You gotta figure out what that limit is yourself" but I figured I would ask since someone might have once been in the same boat I am. D:
Any other tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks! (in advance)

Note, Any "Fatty" comments or troll posts and such will not be tolerated and will be reported. THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIX

[Bathory]

Do less reps, or lighter weight for about a week. Give yourself a prep week before you hit the gym hard. Maybe 2 if you still feel a little muscle tenderness.

Also, do more cardio than lifting weights if you're trying to lose weight in general. Mix up your routine as well.

That soreness can be minimized if you stretch. Give yourself at least a 5-10min total body stretch if you're at the point of walking like Frankenstein (i was there yesterday, so sore after starting a new routine, going up steps was a pain), even if you aren't working out that day. A good morning stretch will go a long way.


(or just do p90x cause i'm a p90xfanboy WOO! )

((sorry, can't resist >.< ))

[Blackeyecycle]

Soreness fixer ~ Protein

Find your formula online, your needs will vary depending on your weight. Odds are you will have a hard time meeting the goal unless you are super committed so for starters I would recommend a premium quality protein shake.

[Deleted]

My advice:

Take a week off, prepare your food yourself (focus on fruit and vegetables, max once or twice meat, not too strict), fill 2 bottles of water each day that you have to drink, eat alot of soup. During this week go swimming 2 days, 1 day rest, 2 days again etc.
When that week is over start by going swimming twice a week. Later on you can start adding a third day to go running.
When you're doing the running and swimming do it slowly. Try to not get your heartbeat higher than 140 or so. If it gets too high just take a small break.
Keep up with the drinking of water and the eating of soup as well.

If this goes well you can replace the swimming with running somewhat since a swimming pool might not be easy to reach or too expensive while running is not. The advantage of swimming is that you train all your muscles without exerting yourself easily. After a while your muscles/cardiac and respiratory system should be built up so that running becomes possible without exerting yourself or running out of breath too easily.
If you want to burn fat, you'll need to do a workout of at least half an hour. However depending on what you can do you might need to build up to that first. Don't rush it, build it up gently. You have to keep it up and take your time. Try to enjoy the running and the swimming ^^ When you feel you're able to swim/run faster and longer you'll really start enjoying it. Hence the week off, so you see an improvement quick. That way it's easier to keep it up.


Going to the gym, muscle training etc is imo like when you've progressed through basic condition-training (as in the above, yes you can run in a gym or use a hometrainer but it will just cost you...alot). Using all kinds of chemical substances, forget it. Eat healthy, drink alot of water, exercise.

Aaand one more thing: Stretching!!!! Very important. Do it always after the swimming/running. Do it while taking a small break (cus your heartbeat got a tad high for example). This gets the filth out of your muscles, you wont get sore the next day (to a limit ofc, dont go running 10 miles from day 1). Being more flexible will also help you avoid injury. Look at children, they bump/fall all the time...guess why they're not constantly having broken bones...

[Blackeyecycle]

My advice:

Take a week off, prepare your food yourself (focus on fruit and vegetables, max once or twice meat, not too strict), fill 2 bottles of water each day that you have to drink, eat alot of soup. During this week go swimming 2 days, 1 day rest, 2 days again etc.
When that week is over start by going swimming twice a week. Later on you can start adding a third day to go running.
When you're doing the running and swimming do it slowly. Try to not get your heartbeat higher than 140 or so. If it gets too high just take a small break.
Keep up with the drinking of water and the eating of soup as well.

If this goes well you can replace the swimming with running somewhat since a swimming pool might not be easy to reach or too expensive while running is not. The advantage of swimming is that you train all your muscles without exerting yourself easily. After a while your muscles should be built up so that running becomes possible without exerting yourself or running out of breath too easily.

Considering the "Summer" season, I would suggest drinking a lot more water then he has suggested. Even if he meant 2 large bottles, you need more. Water cleans you up. If you are on a fat shredding mission, you are counting on water to carry away the toxins your body is expelling.

More water.

[Blademaster]

Good advice so far guys. I'll definitely try to start doing this and kinda help for a build up. Last few times I tried working out, I tried doing everything in one day and kinda over did it for myself since my body wasn't use to it so it's been a few weeks since I've tried again. I'll try going with this advice to see if I feel an improvement (Improvement meaning more "I feel good" the next day and less "omg i can't move")

Also, I listen to a radio show every morning I go into work and they are always advertising P90X. Does it really work that good? I was curious on how well it worked, but was skeptical because I rarely believe anything I hear from an advertisement. ;p

[Deleted]

Good advice so far guys. I'll definitely try to start doing this and kinda help for a build up. Last few times I tried working out, I tried doing everything in one day and kinda over did it for myself since my body wasn't use to it so it's been a few weeks since I've tried again. I'll try going with this advice to see if I feel an improvement (Improvement meaning more "I feel good" the next day and less "omg i can't move")

Also, I listen to a radio show every morning I go into work and they are always advertising P90X. Does it really work that good? I was curious on how well it worked, but was skeptical because I rarely believe anything I hear from an advertisement. ;p

No idea what it is but imo: don't use it. There is no easy way that is healthy, there is only one way for that. People can give you hints on holes and rocks in the road you're walking that will make it safer and easier for you but in the end, it's you that have to walk it. Don't take an easy way out and go by car. In the end you'll lose one way or the other

[xile]

Just a tip if you haven't worked out for awhile you WILL feel sore after your first couple times of working out, thats bound to happen, it subsides pretty quickly after a week or so though and it stops being sore. I worked/work out pretty regularly and even if you take a couple weeks off the day you come back into the gym you'll probably feel sore the first day. It's something you just have to get used to for the first week or so till it goes away. and don't go to the gym like 5 times a week 3-4 is more than enough for people getting back into it, i'd suggest starting with something even like 2 times a week for the first week then, 3 times the next just to get your muscles used to it, and so that you don't overdo it and feel like it's not worth it.

p90x is great for losing weight, less great for those wanting to bulk up. the key is the nutrition plan and sticking to it. that being said if you really want to bulk up, joining a gym and using weights is almost infinitely better than using p90x.

so pretty much p90x = cardio mainly with a bit of lifting = skinnier a lil muscle

gym=lifting = primarily more muscle

[Snickrdoodle]

When in the Army a few of my friends had trouble making tape. So we made a program for them. 3-4 times a week we made them run 2 or so miles at conversation pace. This keeps your heart in the fat burning area instead of working too hard. Also, at the gym you should put the treadmill to 15% incline which is the max for most of them and walk at a 2-2.5 mph pace on it. Check your heart rate to make sure you keep it in the fat burning zone which is 65%. If you are about 20-30 years old it is about 125-135 or so. If it gets too high drop the speed a little. As mentioned before, if you are trying to lose weight don't focus on super heavy weight. Do reps of 15-13-11 or so with light weights. Eating right is also very important. Try and eat until you are not hungry anymore, not until you are full. This means you will be eating around 6 or so times a day. By doing this your body is able to burn the food you eat and it speeds up your metabolism. Hope some of this helps.

Edit: I just saw your question about P90X. I use the ab portion of it for a better stomach and a few various exercises from other videos, but not the system itself. If you are afraid of being sore, don't use it. However, it is great for burning fat because it is built to keep you moving and active so your heartrate never falls.

[backseattaxi]

Cardio will get your heart pumping and burn some calories, but it won’t maximize your shape so I actually suggest focusing on weight lifting more. However, HIIT as your cardio over "traditional cardio" 2x a week will be beneficial, preferably on your off-lifting days. If you must do it the same day, try to add some space in between your lifting and HIIT. Anytime you take a long time off from working out, most peoples muscles are bound to get sore the next day or so really. For the first week, don't go too hard and just aim for 1-2 sets if the soreness throws you off. I actually like that soreness feeling personally; I'm surprised when people don't! No pain no gain P: Stretching is important like someone mentioned; I'd actually recommend trying yoga once a week if you can fit it in. As you already know yourself dieting plays a huge role. I am going to be like the rest of the posters and shove the word WATER down your throat. But make sure you eat a balanced diet, and up your calorie in take of GOOD food. I have a cheat meal once a week to help avoid me from binge eating, but some people are different and can eat clean for awhile and rarely have an off-day. Whatever works for you.

[Uwibami]

Cardio and water are your friends.

About the limitations though, I had that problem when I was gymming at first aswell. Only reasonable suggestions I can give you, is take fewer reps if that's the problem. Or possibly more reps with lower weight, just until your body gets used to it.

Give it a month, and the pain will be a thing of the past. Soreness will still happen, as it's supposed to. Means you're doing it right.

[Radux]

Also, I listen to a radio show every morning I go into work and they are always advertising P90X. Does it really work that good? I was curious on how well it worked, but was skeptical because I rarely believe anything I hear from an advertisement. ;p

I've used it. It did exactly what it said it would do. I mean I was already in shape, but it was still hard. That said, the workouts are awesome, but the nutrition guide is very misleading, imo.

[Baracuda]

Shouldn't you just focus on the treadmill if you want to lose weight? Lifting weights builds big muscles = more weight, contraproductive if you want to lose weight? Just my opinion but lose the worst fat first then start "bodybuilding".

[gherkin]

Find out how much you intake in calories a day.
Guess at how much you burn a day without exercise.
Reduce food consumption to equal amount burnt to control weight gain (this will take 2-3 weeks).
Now add exercise and remove calories at the rate at which you want to lose weight. 1 lb = 3500 calories. 1 pound a week = 500 extra calories a day.

Personally, I'm a "fat fuck" (my own words, others say I'm just large), and I'm sticking to the first 3 steps for a good 3-4 months now. To hit step 4, I have to cut out all non-fruit/vegetable snacks and replace all beverages with water. Additionally, I need to hit a gym for 20-30 minutes a day (not including prep work).

That's all there is to it. You don't need to increase protein - you have not indicated that you will build muscle at a rate that requires this. You don't need to go for hours at a time - this wrecks your metabolism and requires careful monitoring and control that you do not appear to want to apply. You don't need a guide book to do so. Just break your habits and do ~something~ that isn't sitting here reading the forums. It's really hard. Really hard. But you can do it.

---------- Post added 2011-06-17 at 02:53 PM ----------

Shouldn't you just focus on the treadmill if you want to lose weight? Lifting weights builds big muscles = more weight, contraproductive if you want to lose weight? Just my opinion but lose the worst fat first then start "bodybuilding".

Muscle burns 3x more calories while idle than fat. Using more muscles (i.e. you have more of them than guy X) causes you to burn more energy, which can result in the conversion of more fat to energy.

The goal is to use up your fat stores. How much you weigh does not matter. Muscles help use up your fat, as does eating less and moving more. Your weight is just a number fixated on by magazines and salesmen to sell you a product.

---------- Post added 2011-06-17 at 02:56 PM ----------

One last thing, the soreness does go away but it acts as a deterrant for the first few weeks. The goal of introductory weight lifting should be 2 sets of 10 reps, and that 20th rep should feel very hard to do. 2 weeks later, increase to 3 so you don't hurt yourself, and adjust the weights such that the 30th lift feels impossible to do, but still do it.

Lower the number of sets and increase the weight to build muscle.
Increase the number of reps and lower the weight to shape muscle.
3 x 10 is the number you use to lose weight and build small amounts of muscle as you do so.

[Shik Valentine]

^^^^ What he said

[savvasp]

www.caloriecount.about.com

Best way to keep track of calories . You add your exercise and what you ate . It's such an amazing and accurate website :O

[Deleted]

Considering the "Summer" season, I would suggest drinking a lot more water then he has suggested. Even if he meant 2 large bottles, you need more. Water cleans you up. If you are on a fat shredding mission, you are counting on water to carry away the toxins your body is expelling.

More water.

I'm betting you also think sweating removes toxins from the body.

[Deleted]

didnt read the above but anyway....The thing is the first few weeks ur muscles will be in (much more)pain than after that when u start a gym workout. Ive always been in pretty good shape and have gone to gym bout 7 years now. Sometimes I've had like 2-3 month break and after that the first week feels like hell to my muscles aswell. It's just normal, dont make ur workout too easy to avoid pain, keep goin it will ease out after first few weeks.