Finally going to get back into shape!

Fuengi

Lestratcaster said:

After a decade of not going to a gym and sustaining a bad achilles injury in 2012, I've finally taken the step to get back into shape by joining a local gym.

My main goal is to lose at least 2 stone and lose a lot of chest/belly fat. I've really put on a few since not being to play football since the injury.


Diet wise I eat pretty healthy, mainly chicken and fish with alot of vegetables. I eat a lot of fruit throughout the day (7 I think), rarely have anything high in sugar and seldom drink alcohol.

Any other tips and advice most appreciated.

Fruit is high in sugar! An apple is around 10% sugar by weight, that's the same as a can of coke and bananas are twice that. 

I lost two stones after Achilles tendon surgery but exercise is only a small part of that. It's my diet and nutrition that keeps my weight down and allows me to exercise. 

I'd really advise you to try some Yoga to improve strength and flexibility along with your exercise. 

Lestratcaster

Fuengi said:

Lestratcaster said:

After a decade of not going to a gym and sustaining a bad achilles injury in 2012, I've finally taken the step to get back into shape by joining a local gym.

My main goal is to lose at least 2 stone and lose a lot of chest/belly fat. I've really put on a few since not being to play football since the injury.


Diet wise I eat pretty healthy, mainly chicken and fish with alot of vegetables. I eat a lot of fruit throughout the day (7 I think), rarely have anything high in sugar and seldom drink alcohol.

Any other tips and advice most appreciated.

Fruit is high in sugar! An apple is around 10% sugar by weight, that's the same as a can of coke and bananas are twice that. 

I lost two stones after Achilles tendon surgery but exercise is only a small part of that. It's my diet and nutrition that keeps my weight down and allows me to exercise. 

I'd really advise you to try some Yoga to improve strength and flexibility along with your exercise. 

Its the good sugars though isn't it?

Haven't thought about yoga before, I think there may be some classes on at the local gym.

Lestratcaster

First introductory PT session tomorrow! Quite nervous actually but ready to take it on.

Should I bother eating breakfast if its a morning workout?

tony99

Lestratcaster said:

First introductory PT session tomorrow! Quite nervous actually but ready to take it on.

Should I bother eating breakfast if its a morning workout?

soak some oats in.milk overnight in the fridge, eat in the morning with a bit of peanut butter in and some cinnamon sprinkled on

Lestratcaster

tony99 said:

Lestratcaster said:

First introductory PT session tomorrow! Quite nervous actually but ready to take it on.

Should I bother eating breakfast if its a morning workout?

soak some oats in.milk overnight in the fridge, eat in the morning with a bit of peanut butter in and some cinnamon sprinkled on

I usually have Weetabix with banana, strawberries and a kiwi for breakfast. Should I have this about 2 hours before my session?

I know some train on an empty stomach in the morning. 

tony99

Lestratcaster said:

tony99 said:

Lestratcaster said:

First introductory PT session tomorrow! Quite nervous actually but ready to take it on.

Should I bother eating breakfast if its a morning workout?

soak some oats in.milk overnight in the fridge, eat in the morning with a bit of peanut butter in and some cinnamon sprinkled on

I usually have Weetabix with banana, strawberries and a kiwi for breakfast. Should I have this about 2 hours before my session?

I know some train on an empty stomach in the morning. 

couple of hours before is fine

Lestratcaster

tony99 said:

Lestratcaster said:

tony99 said:

Lestratcaster said:

First introductory PT session tomorrow! Quite nervous actually but ready to take it on.

Should I bother eating breakfast if its a morning workout?

soak some oats in.milk overnight in the fridge, eat in the morning with a bit of peanut butter in and some cinnamon sprinkled on

I usually have Weetabix with banana, strawberries and a kiwi for breakfast. Should I have this about 2 hours before my session?

I know some train on an empty stomach in the morning. 

couple of hours before is fine

Hopefully I don't oversleep then haha.

Anything I should do in particular post-session?

kuro

Stretch afterwards, and get the epsom salts in for a hot bath. When I've had a hard day I dump the whole kilo bag in. Helps massively with muscle soreness.

meltedbuzzbox

SNAKEBITE said:

If you want a total plan the try Jim Stoppani's "Short cut to Shred".

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/docs/2015/shortcut_to_shred_e-book_revised_9-9-2015.pdf

Lots of Jim's stuff on youtube as well.

The bloke is a Medical Dr. sowhat he says is backed by actual science, not bro science.

Once you get round the fact he sells supplements and concentrate on his actual programme it's a winner.

Thats too much for someone starting a new.
It's too steep a programme to walk into and it will demotivate 

WiresDreamDisasters

Jim Stoppani is suspect.

YellowLedBetterMan

You can't out train bad diet.

Admittedly I'm already a larger gentleman, but I lost 2 stone this summer simply by eating right and going about my daily business. Diet should be your first port of call, then excercise.

Lestratcaster

First session went well today! Did mostly cardio stuff as it was a free intro session with a trainer for signing up.

Did treadmill, cross trainer and bike, HIIT so 40 seconds fast 20 secs slow, in 5 x reps.

Feels good to be back exercising so I sweat. Planning to go again this week to kinda repeat it and maybe add weights and going to book another 10 sessions with the same trainer.

munckee

Dominic said:

I don't know much about gym/training but I have lost 2.5 stone in the last 4 months by walking every day and most importantly removing all bread ,potato, biscuit,pasta and cheese from my diet.

If I had no bread, potatoes, pasta or cheese I would cry out quite a lot of weight...

@fuengi yoga is the way forwards, I've done a few yoga youtubes at home just need to get into a habit of some basic yoga each day to preserve the little flexibility I have left.

Snap

Welcome back to the gym my man.

You want to lose fat quickly, the best way to do it is full body exercises. Multiple muscle groups, and big muscles (arse, back, legs, chest).

Forget cardio, this sort of stuff is much more time efficient:

https://www.menshealth.com/uk/workouts/a28888220/hotel-dumbbell-workout/

https://www.menshealth.com/uk/workouts/a28133510/holiday-workouts/

Regardless of what you do in the gym, about 80% of weight loss effect comes from your diet. If you don't sort that out, you will see very little benefit, no matter what you do in the gym.

On workouts - honestly, over the last 35 years I have regularly gone to the gym and tried most things over the years, from endurance to muscle mass building, to lean burning, you name it. The most effective and rapid results fat burning stuff I've done is a 3 times a week 30 minute set of full body exercises. Rips fat right off.

One thing I'd say above all - drop the cardio stuff, a waste of time.

My current regime is 3 x 40 mins sessions of circuits with dumbells, and 2 sessions a week of boxing (12 rounds on the bag mostly). Body fat nice and low, and constant.

Mens Health is a great place to get some good exercise plans, just search fat loss or similar on their website. Their twitter feed is good for stuff too.

I'd aim to start with maybe 2 sessions a week, and take your time. Then up it to 3, then see how you go. You don't need to spend every hour in the gym to get results, seriously.

LastMantra

WiresDreamDisasters said:

Jim Stoppani is suspect.

His abs look weird. 

Maybe wouldn't say that to his face. 

munckee

Snap said:

Welcome back to the gym my man.

You want to lose fat quickly, the best way to do it is full body exercises. Multiple muscle groups, and big muscles (arse, back, legs, chest).

Forget cardio, this sort of stuff is much more time efficient:

https://www.menshealth.com/uk/workouts/a28888220/hotel-dumbbell-workout/

https://www.menshealth.com/uk/workouts/a28133510/holiday-workouts/

Regardless of what you do in the gym, about 80% of weight loss effect comes from your diet. If you don't sort that out, you will see very little benefit, no matter what you do in the gym.

On workouts - honestly, over the last 35 years I have regularly gone to the gym and tried most things over the years, from endurance to muscle mass building, to lean burning, you name it. The most effective and rapid results fat burning stuff I've done is a 3 times a week 30 minute set of full body exercises. Rips fat right off.

One thing I'd say above all - drop the cardio stuff, a waste of time.

My current regime is 3 x 40 mins sessions of circuits with dumbells, and 2 sessions a week of boxing (12 rounds on the bag mostly). Body fat nice and low, and constant.

Mens Health is a great place to get some good exercise plans, just search fat loss or similar on their website. Their twitter feed is good for stuff too.

I'd aim to start with maybe 2 sessions a week, and take your time. Then up it to 3, then see how you go. You don't need to spend every hour in the gym to get results, seriously.

Wouldn't 12 rounds of punching a bag constitute a fairly significant cardio exercise?

Lestratcaster

Snap said:

Welcome back to the gym my man.

You want to lose fat quickly, the best way to do it is full body exercises. Multiple muscle groups, and big muscles (arse, back, legs, chest).

Forget cardio, this sort of stuff is much more time efficient:

https://www.menshealth.com/uk/workouts/a28888220/hotel-dumbbell-workout/

https://www.menshealth.com/uk/workouts/a28133510/holiday-workouts/

Regardless of what you do in the gym, about 80% of weight loss effect comes from your diet. If you don't sort that out, you will see very little benefit, no matter what you do in the gym.

On workouts - honestly, over the last 35 years I have regularly gone to the gym and tried most things over the years, from endurance to muscle mass building, to lean burning, you name it. The most effective and rapid results fat burning stuff I've done is a 3 times a week 30 minute set of full body exercises. Rips fat right off.

One thing I'd say above all - drop the cardio stuff, a waste of time.

My current regime is 3 x 40 mins sessions of circuits with dumbells, and 2 sessions a week of boxing (12 rounds on the bag mostly). Body fat nice and low, and constant.

Mens Health is a great place to get some good exercise plans, just search fat loss or similar on their website. Their twitter feed is good for stuff too.

I'd aim to start with maybe 2 sessions a week, and take your time. Then up it to 3, then see how you go. You don't need to spend every hour in the gym to get results, seriously.

Thanks mate, I know I will have to add in the full body stuff (weights) today was just about starting it off and getting used to the equipment, etc. etc. The 2 mile walk there and back can act as the cardio in a way, 20 minutes there and back.

Diet wise I'm cutting out cheese, bread and pasta, today I had grilled chicken breast with a lot of vegetables. Planning to do 2 x sessions a week (have booked with a trainer and seeing him once a week) and then will try to up it to 3.

WiresDreamDisasters

No need to cut out cheese. High dairy cheese helps lose weight. Saw it on a BBC documentary a few years back.

Lestratcaster

WiresDreamDisasters said:

No need to cut out cheese. High dairy cheese helps lose weight. Saw it on a BBC documentary a few years back.

I can live without it anyway and it always makes me feel bloated

WiresDreamDisasters

In that case, you do you!

Most important thing is to eat a diet that is healthy and sustainable.

My diet is pretty okay. But biscuits and beer are my two weaknesses.