Working Out- need help from experience

[Sisifo]

So yeah, I don't have time to engage in what many people would consider a "real" sport, one that involves kicking a ball around or something, but to stay in shape I need to do something. So I thought I should start working out seriously. Now, this decision is all well and good, but the fact is that I have no fucking idea how to start and what rhythm to look for. I'm pretty flabby at the moment, excessive boozing and lack of exercise is taking a small toll on me. If someone with work out experience here could give me a few pointers on how to start and what to be sure to do, I'd be very grateful. Cheers!

if you have little time and feel lazy, you need to start boosting your MBR with a healthier diet more times a day. Join 2 months a gym, any gym. Forget the fancy machines unless they really make it easier for you, but eventually move into free weights. No need of more than 40 min a day: combine weights with cardio in alternative days. One day work your Upper torso and arms, following day run 15-20 minutes at the speed you are able to maintain to complete them, following day work out the legs and abs... In 2 weeks you will see the differences. After 2 months you can change running for swimming hard and you can keep one day of weights (whole body) and change the other one for an sport. I prefer any martial art (including boxing) because they work muscle, cardio and flexibility.
But keep in mind that nothing will work if you are not careful and plan your diet.

[Kristie]

This thread just screams 'Exi'. I can't believe he hasn't said anything yet. He was/is a personal trainer.

[Bella Fortuna]

This thread just screams 'Exi'. I can't believe he hasn't said anything yet. He was/is a personal trainer.

The one time he should contribute, and nowhere to be found.....

[Ian]

This thread just screams 'Exi'. I can't believe he hasn't said anything yet. He was/is a personal trainer.

Once upon a time I was a personal trainer. A long time ago...

My 2 cents: what you do with your workout needs to revolve around your personality. Whether you want to lose weight, tighten yourself up, build stamina, gain muscle, etc., it's all got to be something you can do routinely. This means working out with a partner or not, running outside or on a treadmill, doing exercise classes or playing a sport, etc. Find the right thing for you.

Since FS mentioned "flabby due to excessive boozing/lack of exercise", I'd recommend starting out with 1) some sort of toning calisthetics (yoga, abs class, aerobics, etc.) followed by 2) cardio training (running, cycling, rowing, etc.) each workout, a few times a week. Don't get onto the weights right away, unless you do some low resistance/high repetition sets. High resistance/low reps is only to be done once the muscles are used to the work, and only if gaining muscle size/power is something you really want.

And the right diet is crucial! I didn't realize this when I was younger, but it can't be emphasized enough. Last year I burned off 25 lbs in three months, and it was all due to altering my diet.

[JimC]

I go for a short walk every Sunday!

[Chinaski]

Wow, thanks for the answers, guys. I don't have time to go swimming or anything, but I can definitely go for runs and do the pushups/squats etc stuff at home.

As far as what I want personally, eh... Get rid of excess love handles, flatten my belly... Oh, and yeah, tone my muscles a bit.

[Sisifo]

Wow, thanks for the answers, guys. I don't have time to go swimming or anything, but I can definitely go for runs and do the pushups/squats etc stuff at home.

As far as what I want personally, eh... Get rid of excess love handles, flatten my belly... Oh, and yeah, tone my muscles a bit.

Buy or "get" the book "Body for life" and a set of freeweights.

[Ian]

Try Wii Fitness. My wife does it in the morning, usually with support from the kids...

[Pappa]

Wow, thanks for the answers, guys. I don't have time to go swimming or anything, but I can definitely go for runs and do the pushups/squats etc stuff at home.

As far as what I want personally, eh... Get rid of excess love handles, flatten my belly... Oh, and yeah, tone my muscles a bit.

Belly flattening is really more about diet than exercise, but lots of cardiovascular exercise will help too. If you prefer weight training to running/swimming, that is actually just as effective at burning fat, but fro either approach to work, you do need to push yourself.

I used to go to the gym a couple of evenings a week and train quite hard, plus go for a 3 km run a couple of times a week too. I lots pretty much all of my excess visceral fat within a couple of months and much of my surface fat over a few more months too. I did train pretty hard though and I consciously made an effort to improve my diet and eat less crap. I'm lazy now, I just go climbing a couple of times a week and a run once a fortnight, so my real-ale induced visceral fat is returning.

[Tigger]

I run and climb, sometimes simultaneously
I've lost more than 40 pounds in 18 months and I'm as fit as a fiddle.