Workout Advice

[No1451]

So I have decided that I need a bit more exercise and activity in my life, I've been flabby since grade 8 and I want OUT. I'm planning on doing just some simple stuff, free weights and some jogging/biking, my aim is to remove the excess, I'm not aiming to be ripped.


I've never really done any sort of routine before so I have some questions and would like some advice if anyone can help me out.

1) What's the best time of day to be doing this? It either needs to be when I wake up or after classes but before work.

2) Should I eat before/after and are there any specific things I should eat or avoid?

3) What sort of routine should I be doing here? I've read that it's best to separate muscle groupings, so one day I do work on one portion and the next day I rest it and work on another. Is this true and what would be a good beginner routine?


So that's mostly it, I figure I start small and increment the weights over time, if anyone can chime in for these and maybe help me decide on a weekly routine to follow I'd be really appreciative!

[Zombie Acorn]

1) What's the best time of day to be doing this? It either needs to be when I wake up or after classes but before work.

Whichever time you are more motivated, I personally work out after work/school (around 5pm) because I can't get motivated in the morning and I usually have calls coming in left and right. The major concern is making this into a life change and not something you start and drop after you get tired of it. In reality if you are busting your ass in the gym it won't matter what time of day it is, although I wouldn't suggest too late as it makes it hard to sleep.

2) Should I eat before/after and are there any specific things I should eat or avoid?

Usually its advisable to eat 5 small meals a day with high protein content (but its pretty hard to do so work your way into it), try to cut the crap out of your diet the next time you go to the grocery store, if its not in the house you can't be tempted by it. I personally drink protein shakes also (I personally like optimum nutrition protein isolate if you want to go that route).

3) What sort of routine should I be doing here? I've read that it's best to separate muscle groupings, so one day I do work on one portion and the next day I rest it and work on another. Is this true and what would be a good beginner routine?

My current routine is:

Monday- Chest/triceps
Tuesday- Back/Biceps
Wednesday- Legs
Thursday- Running/conditioning
Friday- Running/conditioning

I tend to not run much on the days I am lifting, it seems counterproductive to me. Keep in mind that if you build up your lean mass content it will make the journey much easier, but don't expect instant results. The crap you see on TV is ********.

Also I suggest lifting heavy, some people will tell you to lift light weights in high multiples to get "toned". I think this advise is mostly bull, the only way you will build more lean mass is by working the muscle groups out, the lean mass you gain is basically free calorie burn.

[No1451]

Hmm okay, what sorts of exercises would work well for this and how much time a day should I be devoting. Again, I'm not going for body builder look I just want to reduce the flab and increase my strength a bit.

[guydude193]

I found it funny that the OP came to a forum dedicated to Apple products to ask about exercise.

[wfoster]

Originally Posted by guydude193

I found it funny that the OP came to a forum dedicated to Apple products to ask about exercise.

This forum may be dedicated to Apple products but this sub-forum is dedicated to Community Discussion so anybody can ask what they like.

People are still people at the end of the day giving other people advice and guidance.

[feelthefire]

Originally Posted by No1451

So I have decided that I need a bit more exercise and activity in my life, I've been flabby since grade 8 and I want OUT. I'm planning on doing just some simple stuff, free weights and some jogging/biking, my aim is to remove the excess, I'm not aiming to be ripped.


I've never really done any sort of routine before so I have some questions and would like some advice if anyone can help me out.

1) What's the best time of day to be doing this? It either needs to be when I wake up or after classes but before work.

2) Should I eat before/after and are there any specific things I should eat or avoid?

3) What sort of routine should I be doing here? I've read that it's best to separate muscle groupings, so one day I do work on one portion and the next day I rest it and work on another. Is this true and what would be a good beginner routine?


So that's mostly it, I figure I start small and increment the weights over time, if anyone can chime in for these and maybe help me decide on a weekly routine to follow I'd be really appreciative!

Around this time last year I started the "couch to 5k" program. If you want to do some jogging, this is a really great way to build up cardiovascular fitness SLOWLY. The biggest problem people run into is they start out too fast, get tired and sore, then quit.

I'm female, so I do pilates on the days I don't run...I run every other day and do pilates T/Th/Sat. There are tons of great podcasts of quick pilates workouts on iTunes--so I'll do 1 ten minute workout in the morning and a different one at night on my days off.

I split meals so that I eat a little bit about 90 minutes before I work out and eat the rest after, so that I am never "starving" and overeat. It has helped a lot.

[maflynn]

Originally Posted by No1451

1) What's the best time of day to be doing this? It either needs to be when I wake up or after classes but before work.

This is completely personal preference. I found that for me, lunch hour is the best time for my work out. Others I know perfer doing it before breakfast and yet others do it either after work or at night. Its really what you and your body is comfortable with.

2) Should I eat before/after and are there any specific things I should eat or avoid?

Heaven's no, unless you want to throw it up, avoid heavy fatty foods. For instance if you decide to out for a run in the morning, have some coffee to get you going and maybe some light cereal. Personally I found I cannot work out with a full stomach and eating anything heavy or rich will spell doom for me. I prefer to work out on an empty stomach and then deal with lunch (or breakfast) afterwards.

3) What sort of routine should I be doing here? I've read that it's best to separate muscle groupings, so one day I do work on one portion and the next day I rest it and work on another. Is this true and what would be a good beginner routine?

In the beginning I'd not worry too much about isolating separate muscle groups but rather deal with upper body muscles on day on 1. Day 2 do some cardio, day 3 do lower body, etc.

What I found is not to try to do too much or expect results to magically appear quickly. If you've lived a somewhat sedentary life, then it will take a little time for your body to start building the muscles and get used to working out. To that end, don't give up, keep it going and make it a daily routine.

I run between 4 to 8 miles on any given day, but back when I started I could barely run 1 mile. My point is you need perseverance, there will be days that you won't feel like working out. Personally I bend over backwards avoiding skipping my workouts because its so easy to slide from skipping 1 day to 2, then 3 , so on and so forth.

[Zombie Acorn]

Originally Posted by No1451

Hmm okay, what sorts of exercises would work well for this and how much time a day should I be devoting. Again, I'm not going for body builder look I just want to reduce the flab and increase my strength a bit.

Depends if you have a spotter or not, or if you are planning on using a gym at all. If you don't have a spotter most of the machines will tell you their target muscle zones so you can just follow those.

I would suggest 40-50 minutes a day otherwise you will burn out fairly quickly.

A common misconception is that you are going to have a bodybuilder look because you are lifting hard, its simply not going to happen unless you are supplementing in a crazy way and/or using HGH/other semi-dangerous substances.

[No1451]

Alright everyone, thanks for the advice! I was really worried, all of this is pretty much greek to me as I haven't done daily exercise since I quit doing martial arts/archery way back when(grade 8 so like..8-9 years?).

Will cycling be as good for me as running or should I be doing both?

@Zombie: I won't be joining a gym, between school/bus time/35 hours at work a week there is no way I would be able to fit that into my schedule(nearest gym is a 45 minute bus ride one way).

[CarlisleUnited]

If you want to focus mainly on losing fat make sure that any cardio you do is more than 40 minutes long, really start to burn fat then. Biking is very good because it's not too intense and you get to really discover your surrounding area which is always more interesting than just your block when jogging.

[crazycat]

Originally Posted by No1451

I've never really done any sort of routine before so I have some questions and would like some advice if anyone can help me out.

Good for you, i have decided to do the same a few months back as well. Try to start slow, dont push yourself to much make sure you are enjoying it. I started and stopped so many times due to me pushing myself to hard. A few months back i decided to start slow and i am really do well, since then i have lost 29 pounds.

Originally Posted by No1451

1) What's the best time of day to be doing this? It either needs to be when I wake up or after classes but before work.

Thats really up to you, for me i like to train early before i start my day, i like to get it done and out of the way. My close friend on the other hand always trains at the end of the day. It is really up to you, try training at different times and see which fits you the best.

Originally Posted by No1451

2) Should I eat before/after and are there any specific things I should eat or avoid?

You should have something to eat before a big workout, make sure its at least 1 hour before you train. Avoid eating anything after a workout, trust me you will want to.

Originally Posted by No1451

3) What sort of routine should I be doing here? I've read that it's best to separate muscle groupings, so one day I do work on one portion and the next day I rest it and work on another. Is this true and what would be a good beginner routine?

As a beginner it dose not matter, try to focus on your cardio first and light wights. Once you start get used to it it would best to do two mussels a day. For example:

Day one: Bicepts and Chest.
Day two: Tricepts and back.
Day three: Shoulders and leggs.

With abs mixed in all days.

Originally Posted by No1451

So that's mostly it, I figure I start small and increment the weights over time, if anyone can chime in for these and maybe help me decide on a weekly routine to follow I'd be really appreciative!

90% of your workout is what you eat, i know people who hit the gym like a psycho and never lose wight because of what they eat. I have seen that what you eat is more important then a working out, put in as much energy into what you eat as you do with your workout.

If you have any further questions i will be glade to answer them.

[Melrose]

Not sure if you're going to be really getting into it or just to stay looking good, but it's amazing what you can with a bench and then a couple dumbbells. In re the time to work out.. I've heard late morning is optimal. 'course, not everyone can manage that.

There. Thats my two cents. I work out but [EDIT:] not I'm big into weight lifting so there're more knowledgeable people here...

[No1451]

Originally Posted by Melrose

Not sure if you're going to be really getting into it or just to stay looking good, but it's amazing what you can with a bench and then a couple dumbbells. In re the time to work out.. I've heard late morning is optimal. 'course, not everyone can manage that.

There. Thats my two cents. I work out but I'm big into weight lifting so there're more knowledgeable people here...

Mostly for myself, I'm not a good looking fellow so my bodytype isn't going to make much difference. There is just way too much of a history of heart issues in my family, I want to go down screaming and fighting, if it's going to kill me I don't wanna make it easy


Thanks everyone for the continued advice, I really hope I can set and stick to a plan for this during school.

[PCtoMAC?]

It's already been said in different ways but ill throw my .02 in. I've always been a big guy, that worked out pretty steadily through college but mostly it was weight training. As people have said the only way to loss the flab is to watch what you eat. I have now switched to running and have been running every day for about a year now and while i feel great and know that my heart and everything else for that matter is in better shape, I am still very much a big guy. The reason is I dont eat as well as I should. If the OP or anyone else for that matter can nail down the healthy eating and get some excercise when you can you will see that flab fall off, but don't expect it to be over night.

[iOrlando]

losing weight is pretty simple but not easy. It basically comes down to will power. Your body will be able to handle the workouts..but most people fail because their minds cant handle the workouts.

1) diet. i'm assuming your diet is average. If that is the case...take a serious look at your diet and cut out most of the artificial sugar. Only sugar you should be eating is natural sugar (like in fruit). Cut out the cheese, high sodium, fried food, etc. I dont eat cheese, sugar, etc. Only liquids i drink are milk, water, OJ. You cant really have alot of liquor every weekend either.
2) cardio (basically just need to get your heart rate up for extended period of time) This can be done through running, biking, some weird butterfly machine at gym etc.
3) resistance training (including free weights). You dont need to become a meat head..but a little weight training 2-3 times a week will help.

give it around 8-12 weeks and you will see results.

[No1451]

Originally Posted by iOrlando

losing weight is pretty simple but not easy. It basically comes down to will power. Your body will be able to handle the workouts..but most people fail because their minds cant handle the workouts.

1) diet. i'm assuming your diet is average. If that is the case...take a serious look at your diet and cut out most of the artificial sugar. Only sugar you should be eating is natural sugar (like in fruit). Cut out the cheese, high sodium, fried food, etc. I dont eat cheese, sugar, etc. Only liquids i drink are milk, water, OJ. You cant really have alot of liquor every weekend either. .

Thanks for the advice! I've been getting some help from my aunt(dietician) for the eating bit, I'm just glad that the 3 drinks that I drink(and all that I drink, I haven't had a soda in over a year) are good to go.

Thanks again everyone for the suggestions! I'm feeling a fair bit more confident about my ability to handle this now

[jeryruse]

Hello Friends.
I have access to a gym including treadmills, a track, elliptical, weights, etc. My fitness goals are to strengthen my arms, abs, and legs while maintaining my current weight or reducing it very slightly. Does anyone have a schedule of what I should do each day and which exercise I should do for this? Give me schedule of this.
Thanks in advance.

[charlesbronsen]

You should have something to eat before a big workout, make sure its at least 1 hour before you train. Avoid eating anything after a workout, trust me you will want to.

I always eat or have some type of protein supp after a workout. Your muscles need it to repair. I get really sore if i dont have some type of protein after a workout...

[iOrlando]

Originally Posted by jeryruse

Hello Friends.
I have access to a gym including treadmills, a track, elliptical, weights, etc. My fitness goals are to strengthen my arms, abs, and legs while maintaining my current weight or reducing it very slightly. Does anyone have a schedule of what I should do each day and which exercise I should do for this? Give me schedule of this.
Thanks in advance.

I never went to a gym/had a gym membership but I have all the equipment at a residential home so bear with me. and I am not a trained physical trainer..fyi...ok..moving on

So from your description...looks like you want to gain muscle but not necessarily lose weight. You can go two routes here....

1) gain muscle (probably the route you are looking to do)

or

2) all-around cardio and muscle. (to bring down overall body fat % while staying muscular)

Obviously number 1 is going to be easier to do. Just hit the gym 3-4 times a week , each time working out a different muscle group. Also change up the routine every 2 weeks and change up the order of the routine, meaning changing the exercise order. If you are just starting out...you just want to hit up some of the basic routines...bench press...curls...overhead lift...skull crushers...flys..etc..

I would suggest googling workout routines which would include pictures showing you how to do each exercise. Also, in a non-stalkerish type of way..just watch others at the gym (those who know what they are doing).

Diet wise...eat alot of protein, but in general you wouldnt cut down on calories too much...you are simply increasing your muscle mass and at the same time reducing some fat although it wont be as noticeable as much if you did cardio. This whole routine would make getting abs a little difficult though since you really need cardio to remove the fat that lie in front of your ab muscles and not just weights. Overall, at 3-4 times a week with a relatively healthy diet, you should notice a difference within 8 weeks or so.

2) This is the routine I do. Cardio is a big, almost equal, part to the workout. I am more about endurance events then weights. With this routine, Diet is HUGE. I would say my diet is the biggest thing and most important thing i do. I don't eat cheese, artificial sugar, processed foods, junk food, etc..fried foods. I only drink water, orange juice and milk along with the occasional protein shake. I am use to it and actually love it, but I must say it is more mental than anything else. I rarely drink alcohol and I tend to be a pain to go out for food etc since I cant eat a lot of stuff. For cardio, I bike around 25 miles/week and run 10 miles/week. I then do gym 2-3 times a week using the same process as routine 1 that I outlined above. If you do this routine, I think a simple goal would be just run a few times a week. If you have never run before your goal should be .4-.5 of a mile run without stopping...then walk a little bit and do another .4 -.5 mile. If you cant do that do quarter of a mile run then walk a little bit and repeat. You can do this on a treadmill, but i never have used one before. Eventually you will be able to push yourself and reach a mile, 2, 3 etc. The key is you really need to feel some pain. It took me 3 years to go from being able to do .5 mile to half a marathon. (it takes others less time btw). Sooner or later, you will get bored of running and you can add bike to the mix. That is key...just keep spicing it up since boredom usually leads to quitting. I know it doesnt sound pleasant, but that is the only way you can really get up there in distances. Also, if you really watch your diet, you will find cardio is SOOO much easier its not even funny.

I know this is alot..so if you want more details on a particular plan ask away. Again i dont do routine 1, so I wouldn't be the best person to ask about specific weight workouts, but i think i am more knowledgeable on the mental side to it, diets, cardio, and overall healthy habits.

[Iscariot]

Originally Posted by No1451

1) What's the best time of day to be doing this? It either needs to be when I wake up or after classes but before work.

There isn't really a best time of day, but your testosterone levels are highest in the morning and in the evening.

Originally Posted by No1451

2) Should I eat before/after and are there any specific things I should eat or avoid?

Depends on your goals. If you're looking to put on mass, then you should be eating a significant calorie excess and consuming protein after your work out. There's a train of thought these days that if you're looking to burn fat you should eschew a post-workout shake/meal for an hour to an hour and a half to ensure your insulin spike doesn't shut down your HGH spurt.

Originally Posted by No1451

3) What sort of routine should I be doing here? I've read that it's best to separate muscle groupings, so one day I do work on one portion and the next day I rest it and work on another. Is this true and what would be a good beginner routine?

Separating muscle groups is for more advanced lifters. As a beginner, your focus should be stimulating as many muscle fibres as possible in every workout. For the first six(ish) weeks especially your goal is anatomical adaptation to exercise, which will provide your body with neural recruitment that leads to a useful level of strength for the next phases of your exercise regime. Pick roughly 8 compound exercises that will work your entire body (bench press, pull ups, leg press, etc) and perform 3 sets of 12-15 reps on 3 non-consecutive days of the week. Run or jog on the alternate days.