Weight loss info for gym newbie

[The Muffinman]

Hi folks,

I'm looking for any kind of information to help me get started on a weight loss program.

I'm 44, 175 tall and currently weigh 80 kgs.
Never had any trouble controlling my weight up until about 3 years ago when I switched from a more manual type job to an office job. Unfortunately with that switch I gradually started to gain weight especially in the waist section.

I've recently found a nice, affordable little gym in the neighbourhood and am planning on signing up. Unfortunately the gym doesn't provide any trainer assistance for people as me who have no prior experience with exercise regimes etc.
Can anyone here give me any advice on how to start a program, what should I initially concentrate on, how much cardio do I need to shed my excess pounds?
What are the best exercises to lose stomach fat? What are good weight lifting programs as I also want to tone up a bit?

I also want to mention that my food intake is average, the main reason for gaining weight is the fact that I've been a couch potato for the last few years.

Any info will be muchly appreciated!

[killerbees]

Hopefully someone will be around to offer you some helpful info. Good luck! It's a very wise decision you've made to get in shape, and it's commendable. Find a routine that you enjoy and that works for you, and stick to it.

[MrRee]

There is an iPhone application called iFitness. IF you have an iPhone, it's a great app for what you want to do.

[ItsRobsLife]

Start running...

[Stinky]

Good luck Muffinman, I'm starting a get fit campaign myself, it's gonna comprise of no more than 1500 calories a day,
walking instead of driving and I bought myself a really good bike as a Christmas pressie to get to the places that are too far to walk.
bought a trailer to cart Little Digit about in to

Hardest bit will be no beer

[mongo1936]

I am happy to see this thread. I am in worse shaoe than the OP. 73 yo, couch potato many more years than 5. More like 25.

D**n, I know I need to exercise and stop snackimg.
Beer is not my problem but love the ice cream.

Have a heart condition so am concerned that a strong exercise program might be too strenuous.

So, if there is anyone out there with weight loss/conditioning programs for the elderly please chime in.

[Stinky]

You need to ask a doctor if you have a heart condition mate

[Propagator]

walking instead of driving and I bought myself a really good bike as a Christmas pressie to get to the places that are too far to walk. bought a trailer to cart Little Digit about in to

You would have been better getting one of these. You could at least earn some money whilst exercising

[Stinky]

walking instead of driving and I bought myself a really good bike as a Christmas pressie to get to the places that are too far to walk. bought a trailer to cart Little Digit about in to

You would have been better getting one of these. You could at least earn some money whilst exercising

Wish I had the fitness mate, I really admire those slight little Asians who cart big fat balukas about the place, they must be so bloody fit

[blackgang]

Can anyone here give me any advice on how to start a program, what should I initially concentrate on, how much cardio do I need to shed my excess pounds?

From the looks of your picture, you have plenty of upper arm and shoulder power.
So when you have eaten about 1/2 of the food you feel capable of consuming then here is where the program comes into being.

Put both hands palm down on the edge of the table with thumbs under the edge, and with all the strength in your arms and shoulders,, Shove you fat ass as far from the table as you can and do not go near another table for at least 5 hours.

Then go thru this same routine for 3 times a day and before you know it you will have forgotten about the plan and be eating like a fucking hog again in no time.

Check the progress of another member here too, I think she is in Jail, "Phuketbound", she knows all about tis kind of shit,,everyone calls her MOOSE.

[sabang]

Excercise has it's own benefits, but weight loss won't be one of them unless you also control your diet.

Simple hints- one carb per meal (e.g bread Or potatoes), plenty of veg- raw is best, eliminate added sugar wherever possible (especially fizzy drinks, which are loaded), either don't snack between meals- or follow the Thai regime of light grazing at regular intervals. Above all, don't gorge yourself- if you're from America the serving size you get at restaurants is not a meal, it is a Pigtrough.

[Rigger]

I am on a diet at the moment to shed a few pounds from the belly.
Morning I eat eggs and toast and fill up on 5 different fruits through out the day, lunch is veg and salad with a small portion of red meat or chicken and tea is salad fruit and tuna. With a 20 to 30 min weight work out 5 days a weeks as well running around at work. Have also band myself from teakdoor while on the work computer
I will let you know how good it is working in a week or two. Trying to lose 6 kg in 5 week

[chitown]

Can anyone here give me any advice on how to start a program, what should I initially concentrate on, how much cardio do I need to shed my excess pounds?

Do a lot of stretching for starters - it will prevent injuries. To lose the weight you want to reduce calories 500 to 1000 a day and increase cardio from 30 minutes to 1 hours 4 times a week depending on how much you can do. If all you can do is 10 minutes then so be it, but build on that. Do one body part a day for weight training.

What are the best exercises to lose stomach fat?

None. There is no such thing as spot reduction. The only way to lose fat is to cut your caloric intake and increase cardio. This will cause you to shed fat all over your body rather than one specific area. The good news is that men tend to carry fat in the midsection so you should have no problem losing it. You can do 100000 crunches a day and it will not cause you to lose fat in your stomach, baut it can cause your ab muscles to get firmer.

What are good weight lifting programs as I also want to tone up a bit?

Do one body part a day for weight training. This allows tour muscles to get proper rest for 7 days. Do plenty of sets until your muscles are exhausted.

Do abs 3 times a week - 4 exercises 4 sets each
Monday - Chest - 4 exercises 4 sets each
Tuesday - Back - 4 exercises 4 sets each
Wednesday - Triceps - 4 exercises 4 sets each
Thursday - Biceps - 4 exercises 4 sets each
Friday - Shoulders - 4 exercises 4 sets each
Saturday - legs - 4 exercises 4 sets each
Sunday - rest

I also want to mention that my food intake is average, the main reason for gaining weight is the fact that I've been a couch potato for the last few years.

Cut back to below average and the fat will start to melt.

[Muadib]

Had the same problem years ago and began fitness training / caloric intake monitoring without supervision... I didn't see much benefit for a long time...

I had always thought reducing calories to the bare minimums was the answer... That was until no weight was coming off regardless of how much cardio / weight training I did... I went to a nutritionist who explained to me that if you cut you calorie intake too much, your body reacts by storing more fat thinking that you are being starved... She changed my diet to 7 small meals a day comprised mostly of fruits & veggies, protein (lean meat) and only 1 carb a day... This coupled with riding mountain bike 30k per day and the weight starting coming off...

Once down to close to my optimum weight, I was able to ease off the diet and continue cardio / weight training... This, along with bio-identical hormone replacement and I have never felt better in my life... BTW, I am on the wrong side of 50...

Chok Dee Khap...

[forreachingme]

Going on a high proteine diet, reading the instruction book for the mo...

Controlling the proteine / lipids and glutines by a 4 step diet that allows you many food without quantity restriction...

The book is called: I do not know how to loose weight, in French : Je ne sais pas maigrir.

The author, a french doctor has improved the method over 30 years now, to make it not to much of a constrain and to try make it a permanent solution for rest of life.

Got a few friends going on that method for some times now, they are quite happy with result and fo myself the book is a very good read about dietetics and what sugar or salt or oils does to your body...

One of the main topic in any diet will be to drink a lot of water daily, at least 1.5 liter to 3 liters, as you burn fat or eliminate toxics, you should flush those out of your body...

100kg now, hope to go to 80 in few month...



Here a link of what is available in english: http://www.thedukandiet.org/Program/Main.html

The english book is named : Book of my weight by Pierre Dukan

Here a link on some interesting read about the method:


http://www.think-slim.com/2008/07/pi...-of-my-weight/

[Rigger]

Going on a high proteine diet, reading the instruction book for the mo...

I tried a high proteine and yes it did work well and strips fat off really quick but I didnt feel health doing it. The fruit diet I am on at the moment has me feeling great with plenty of energy.

[forreachingme]

Rig, the book mentioned above is a real good read, the guy is top, made a 30 year study and as every one know, we should balance our diets, so fruits and fibers are as well on the menu...

The book is a short read and gives plenty of information about dietetics and what happens if your short of this or that, how the body reacts, it's a cheap book for a few bucks only...

If you lack proteine, the body will get it from your muscles or skin, as i understood, you might look older faster if you lack proteins...
Fruit diet might bring in to much sugar.. !

balance is key, we need lipids - glutines and proteines...the ratio to be healthy is said 5 -3 - 2 in

[Takeovers]

My own personal experience was that things work out differently for different people. What works for one does not at all for somebody else. I had to find my way through try and error and it took a long time to succeed.

For one carbs and especially fruit needed to be reduced because they induced massive hunger attacks.
High protein also not an option for me, as I have problems tolerating it.

So in the end increasing the fat share of my food did it for me because it reduced hunger and overall calories intake. It needed rigorous checking however. For months I measured every gram of food I took in and calculating the calories. It is very easy to underestimate your food intake.
I got down to 1700 calories a day plus exercise to burn 700 calories.

And you need both control of calories and exercise. Exercise whatever your body can do. For me it was many very small units evenly distributed over the day every day. Only when fitness incresed I could take less frequent but longer exercises. I also incraesed the scope of the exercises slowly to include almost every muscle of the body. With time I was able to build up muscle in the legs, stomach, back, shoulders, and arms.

Building up muscle is good because they consume calories even when resting while the fat tissue does not.

I lost 12kg january to may this year until my doctor advised me to stop because the fast loss is also not good for health.

So I will have another weight loss program starting after the holiday season is over to lose another 8 to 10kg.

I will turn 60 next year and found that at this age building up muscle and stamina is a very slow process but it can be done.

My goal is to reach the weigh/hight ratio the Muffinman is starting with.