The Gym and Fitness Thread

[TabClear]

I need to drop some (a lot!  ) of weight and while I am running a couple of times a week I would also like to try to tone up a bit. I have access to a basic gym at work with dumbells/Weights/Benches but no machines as such. I have never been a gym goer but would be keen to try to go 2-3 times a week in my lunchbreak and was wondering if anyone can recommend a decent app with programs/exercises etc and track progress (sets/reps/weights) etc.

KeyLifts app is very good and the free version is all you will need to begin with. 

However, I would really advise that before you start get someone who knows what they are at to show you the correct technique for each kinda lift you want to do.  You should really find out what your one rep max is for each lift and then devise your workout from there.

I only started about 8 weeks ago having never even looked at weights in 30 odd years and the above has really helped me.

Cheers No1. I will try this. Also had "Fitbod" recommended to me and it seems pretty good at first glance. You set your goals, set your equipment and it recommends the program with videos etc of teh exercises

[Armagh18]

If you want to lose weight then you need a calorie deficit. I.e. more going out than is coming in. Intermittent fasting, keto, etc etc are just ways of achieving that. The best one is the one you are going to enjoy and therefore be able to stick to.

https://youtu.be/66hWntvp0_4
Not really that simple. We can't equate human nutrition to shovelling coal into a steam boiler.

ain't watching all that lol. Fact of the matter is if you aren't burning more than you consume then you won't lose weight.

[Milltown Row2]

If you want to lose weight then you need a calorie deficit. I.e. more going out than is coming in. Intermittent fasting, keto, etc etc are just ways of achieving that. The best one is the one you are going to enjoy and therefore be able to stick to.

https://youtu.be/66hWntvp0_4
Not really that simple. We can't equate human nutrition to shovelling coal into a steam boiler.

ain't watching all that lol. Fact of the matter is if you aren't burning more than you consume then you won't lose weight.

Depends on what you are consuming?

[trueblue1234]

If you want to lose weight then you need a calorie deficit. I.e. more going out than is coming in. Intermittent fasting, keto, etc etc are just ways of achieving that. The best one is the one you are going to enjoy and therefore be able to stick to.

https://youtu.be/66hWntvp0_4
Not really that simple. We can't equate human nutrition to shovelling coal into a steam boiler.

ain't watching all that lol. Fact of the matter is if you aren't burning more than you consume then you won't lose weight.

Depends on what you are consuming?

Not really. If your consuming more than your eating then you'll lose weight. But staying in a calorie deficit is hard and should only be aimed at for a set period. It's not sustainable in the long term obviously. So how you maintain a calorie deficit is important, not just because of nutrition values ( making sure you are getting what you need) but also to make sure your giving yourself the best chance to complete your set period without feeling like your starving yourself.

[Mourne Red]

If you want to lose weight then you need a calorie deficit. I.e. more going out than is coming in. Intermittent fasting, keto, etc etc are just ways of achieving that. The best one is the one you are going to enjoy and therefore be able to stick to.

https://youtu.be/66hWntvp0_4
Not really that simple. We can't equate human nutrition to shovelling coal into a steam boiler.

ain't watching all that lol. Fact of the matter is if you aren't burning more than you consume then you won't lose weight.

Depends on what you are consuming?

Calories are calories you'll still lose weight in a deficit but depending on what you eat in those calories will determine if you are losing muscle or body fat. Obvs more protein in those calories less muscle you'll lose during weight loss.

That podcast he said calorie deficit doesn't work because calorie counting is skewed as what it says on the box isn't right and portion sizes etc but sure people know that.

Best thing to is calculate your BMR (how much calories you burn during the day with no exercise) then depending how active you are cut some calories off your activity level so that too put yourself into a deficit then obvs any exercise on top of that will give you more of a deficit so lose weight quicker.

In the pod he says lengthy calorie counting doesn't work as no studies done but would say that's bs sure look at Mr Olympias etc and they would track calories and know if they hit a slump might need to shock the system with some cheat day and then continue back on the deficit until they reach there desired weight.

Trick is keeping it off when you reach your goal.

[Armagh18]

If you want to lose weight then you need a calorie deficit. I.e. more going out than is coming in. Intermittent fasting, keto, etc etc are just ways of achieving that. The best one is the one you are going to enjoy and therefore be able to stick to.

https://youtu.be/66hWntvp0_4
Not really that simple. We can't equate human nutrition to shovelling coal into a steam boiler.

ain't watching all that lol. Fact of the matter is if you aren't burning more than you consume then you won't lose weight.

Depends on what you are consuming?

Nope. Technically you can lose weight eating nothing but crisps. Obviously not healthy but its possible.

[CK_Redhand]

Ignore the bro science and keep it simple.

Build muscle in the gym, lose weight in the kitchen.

[Last Man]

If you want to lose weight then you need a calorie deficit. I.e. more going out than is coming in. Intermittent fasting, keto, etc etc are just ways of achieving that. The best one is the one you are going to enjoy and therefore be able to stick to.

https://youtu.be/66hWntvp0_4
Not really that simple. We can't equate human nutrition to shovelling coal into a steam boiler.

ain't watching all that lol. Fact of the matter is if you aren't burning more than you consume then you won't lose weight.

If it's working for you keep 'er lit, I'm not sure how long you'll sustain it beyond a few months though.

[Armagh18]

If you want to lose weight then you need a calorie deficit. I.e. more going out than is coming in. Intermittent fasting, keto, etc etc are just ways of achieving that. The best one is the one you are going to enjoy and therefore be able to stick to.

https://youtu.be/66hWntvp0_4
Not really that simple. We can't equate human nutrition to shovelling coal into a steam boiler.

ain't watching all that lol. Fact of the matter is if you aren't burning more than you consume then you won't lose weight.

If it's working for you keep 'er lit, I'm not sure how long you'll sustain it beyond a few months though.

Not sure what you mean? If you want to lose weight you need a deficit. Once you've lost that weight, you can increase calories to around maintenance. No one should be going into a deficit for more than a few months or you'll end up miserable.

[general_lee]

Ignore the bro science and keep it simple.

Build muscle in the gym, lose weight in the kitchen.

Eat clean, train dirty.

[BrotherMore6592]

Hi all, hope I'm not posting in the wrong thread here - didn't want to make another one, but let me know if it is and I'll create a weight loss or similar thread.

Was hoping for a bit of advice if anyone has had similar experience

I am getting married in 2024 and I've tried to start the fitness journey every Monday this year (and for the last couple of years).

About 3 stone heavier than I was when I played sport (GAA and soccer) and did CrossFit. Late late 20s male (big 3-0 this summer).

Biggest issue is consistency. I am embarrassed to attend my local CrossFit gym as I am very self conscious (overweight but far from obese, 6ft 1 and 17 stone) as if everyone is looking at me.

My other local gym is just come and go as you please and I tried this before Xmas also but I found it the opposite then - no drive to go in and it's usually empty.

I thought the class based gyms were good when I lived in down south  a few years ago but I find myself cancelling them as the evening approaches at 5/6pm I make the excuse I'm too busy in work. (I work from home and go into the office one day per week).

I have never been a morning person who can get up and go to 6/7am classes as hard as I've tried every method in the book.

I used to be quite fit and now I'm out of breath going up a hill and I'm not even 30 yet! Embarrassing.
It's got to the stage I don't play 5 a side with the lads anymore as I don't feel comfortable in my shorts/t shirt even though there are plenty of lads heavier than me at it (it's not a high level!)

I know it's all about small steps. If I was honest I can train quite well and push myself if I can even get myself to go 3 times a week. But it's my diet. I am brutal for emotional eating / boredom eating . Especially chocolate

[Milltown Row2]

Reduce your plate size, cut out a lot of your carbs... the snacking between meals needs to stop, feeling embarrassed going to gym is normal, so get out and do 5k a day minimum with a mixture of jogging and brisk walks.. eventually you'll run all of it..

Once you start seeing differences in fitting into clothes, not feeling outta breath then get back to the gym...

Losing weights starts with your gob... you can't and never will out train a bad diet.

Do a month of a diet, any diet will work if you stick to it, after that training and smaller plates will help

I firmly believe finding the right gym with the type of classes that you like is worth the money

[Main Street]

Reduce your plate size, cut out a lot of your carbs... the snacking between meals needs to stop, feeling embarrassed going to gym is normal, so get out and do 5k a day minimum with a mixture of jogging and brisk walks.. eventually you'll run all of it..

Once you start seeing differences in fitting into clothes, not feeling outta breath then get back to the gym...

Losing weights starts with your gob... you can't and never will out train a bad diet.

Do a month of a diet, any diet will work if you stick to it, after that training and smaller plates will help

I firmly believe finding the right gym with the type of classes that you like is worth the money

Not bad MR2,  you have a bit of wisdom in you, though at times well concealed    if you want to reduce a pot belly (whatever size),  carb reduction/replacement is the first item to tackle.
And as regards snacks - crisps, biscuits etc, the exercise bike in the gym helped me out with that, I found out  that with 5 minutes country terrain setting, at average 27km/h, I could burn off one small biscuit of carb energy.
It follows that with  20 minutes of even harder graft, leg muscles pumping, buckets of sweat inducing cycling, I could burn off 5 biscuits worth.
Now, I could eat 5 biscuits with a cup of tea and not blink.  Then it was easier to choose not to partake of those 5 biscuits because I didn't particularly want to go outside and sprint around the house 80 times afterwards.

[LC]

Hardest part is getting started and key to a good start is establishing new habits.  Start small e.g instead of say 3 biscuits with a cup of tea only take 1, get up 45 mins earlier than normal therefore allowing you time for a good 30 minute walk.  Do that for a week and then start getting up 1 hour earlier and increase the walking or possibly go for a 30 minute walk in the evening.  The fact that you are not married yet means you should be able to find the time.  I have 4 kids and do gym 3 times a week as well as 2 x 10k runs.  Was in bad shape myself a couple of years but realised things had to change.

[BrotherMore6592]

Thanks MR2, Main St & LC, yeah you're dead right I've no kids yet so shouldn't be complaining. One of my best friends said he didn't get the weight off before he had his first and it's even tougher now!

We have an 8 month old pup, find walking him a chore as I leave it to the evening / lunchtime. Morning walk would sort this