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 cincydooley wrote:

Additionally, Log your food intake and sleep schedule. It will help you keep yourself accountable.

And finally, see a dietician/nutritionist and hire a trainer for your first few workouts. I'd wager you're not accustomed to exercise and healthy eating, so you'll want to learn how to do it correctly.

This right here is good... If you start logging what you eat now, you'll quickly see where things can be cleaned up, AND if you are able to see a nutritionist, you'll have a better written record to show them what you've been eating and what changes you've already made (which will only help them out)


The problem that I've come across with some trainers (not all, mind you) is that some of them think that they're Gillian Michaels (that nasty wench from "Biggest Loser" shows/ treadmill commercials) which really turns people off of exercise quickly. There's a very limited space for the "tough love" crowd and I've seen far too often that getting taken too far, which does more damage than good.

 Ensis Ferrae wrote:

 trexmeyer wrote:
If you want to call me anything, you could say I'm a powerlifter

Funniest thing I've read in this whole Thread....

And why would that be funny?

 trexmeyer wrote:

And why would that be funny?

Powerlifters don't generally post non-lifting pictures of themselves on the internet? Generally they concern themselves with statistics or lifting pictures.

 Ensis Ferrae wrote:
There's a very limited space for the "tough love" crowd and I've seen far too often that getting taken too far, which does more damage than good.

A very good point, especially when trainers are pushed to establish the brand of the gym employing them.

 cincydooley wrote:

 hotsauceman1 wrote:

 Squidmanlolz wrote:
A good tip for losing weight is to work out early in the morning, if possible, having not eaten for at least 12-14 hours. remember to stay hydrated.

Sadly not an option, classes first things in the mornings.

First, get rid of this attitude.

Unless your classes are at 6AM, you have time. Getting up earlier will force you to go to bed earlier, as well, which is much better for you.

The 'don't have time' attitude is one of the biggest things that can break a good routine. Gotta find the time.

Additionally, Log your food intake and sleep schedule. It will help you keep yourself accountable.

And finally, see a dietician/nutritionist and hire a trainer for your first few workouts. I'd wager you're not accustomed to exercise and healthy eating, so you'll want to learn how to do it correctly.

nope. Gym opens at 9. All classes I have start at 9 or 8

You don't have to go to the gym to get a workout in. You could do body weight exercises in the morning before class (pushups, sit-ups/crunches/planks/whatever ab stuff you want, lunges, air squats, etc.)

What is so bad about me doing the gym at 12 or 3 in the afternoon?

There is also nothing wrong with exercising later in the day.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
What is so bad about me doing the gym at 12 or 3 in the afternoon?

Oh, absolutely nothing. I'm just saying if you want to work out in the mornings too, you can. The time doesn't really matter as long as it works for you and you can maintain consistency.

 Hordini wrote:

Oh, absolutely nothing. I'm just saying if you want to work out in the mornings too, you can. The time doesn't really matter as long as it works for you and you can maintain consistency.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

Now. A question I need answered, I like the bike more. But the elliptical looks over the female yoga classes. What do I choose?

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Now. A question I need answered, I like the bike more. But the elliptical looks over the female yoga classes. What do I choose?

Ask yourself if you are more interested in exercising or leering at people creepily and that should answer that question.

 dogma wrote:
There is also nothing wrong with exercising later in the day.

Yup. I'm not a morning person, and I do all my lifting after work. And I work a 10-hour shift...so, I think you'll be alright

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Now. A question I need answered, I like the bike more. But the elliptical looks over the female yoga classes. What do I choose?

Ahhhh....dem yoga pants. While I also prefer biking, the elliptical machine is actually a pretty good cardio machine, and there's no impact; so it's easier on the body.

 cincydooley wrote:
Getting up earlier will force you to go to bed earlier, as well, which is much better for you.

No it's not. Dosn't mater what time you go to bed/get up. What matters is getting enough sleep. There are day people, night people and morning people. Better to work with your own body, not force yourself to get up to go to the gym if your not a morning person. Especially at college. Early night to get to the gym or a few more hours at the party (or studying come exam time)? I know which is going to win. Teenagers especially tend towards being night people.

 Steve steveson wrote:

 cincydooley wrote:
Getting up earlier will force you to go to bed earlier, as well, which is much better for you.

No it's not. Dosn't mater what time you go to bed/get up. What matters is getting enough sleep. There are day people, night people and morning people. Better to work with your own body, not force yourself to get up to go to the gym if your not a morning person. Especially at college. Early night to get to the gym or a few more hours at the party (or studying come exam time)? I know which is going to win. Teenagers especially tend towards being night people.

And those are choices. Doesn't make them better for you.

There's a fair amount of research that says earlier bedtimes are healthier for you in a myriad of ways. This summarizes a few of them: http://www.livestrong.com/article/552907-does-going-to-sleep-earlier-make-you-feel-better/

Anecdotally, the earlier one goes to bed the less likely they're going to eat late at night, which is a great thing if you're trying to lose weight: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/06/why-late-night-snacking-is-bad-for-you/259085/

Now that's not to say there is anything wrong with exercising later in the day. There isn't. But to say going to bed earlier isn't good for you is simply wrong.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
nope. Gym opens at 9. All classes I have start at 9 or 8

http://www.7-min.com/

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Now. A question I need answered, I like the bike more. But the elliptical looks over the female yoga classes. What do I choose?

Yoga pants aside, elliptical is the better workout.

There's nothing wrong with eating at night (or late evening) as long as you're maintaining a caloric deficit (assuming you're trying to lose weight). The problem arises when people eat their full caloric intake during the day and then eat more during the night. It's not like late calories count double or something.

 dogma wrote:

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Now. A question I need answered, I like the bike more. But the elliptical looks over the female yoga classes. What do I choose?

Yoga pants aside, elliptical is the better workout.

Agreed. It's my go to because I don't have any cartilage left in either of my knees.

I will, however -- when/if you get yourself up to it-- highly recommend both spinning and rowing. Like the elliptical,they're low impact activities that are really fantastic workouts.

dogma wrote:

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Now. A question I need answered, I like the bike more. But the elliptical looks over the female yoga classes. What do I choose?

Yoga pants aside, elliptical is the better workout.

He's right. It also has the benefit of saving your knees while being able to go fairly intense if you choose.

Hordini wrote:There's nothing wrong with eating at night (or late evening) as long as you're maintaining a caloric deficit (assuming you're trying to lose weight). The problem arises when people eat their full caloric intake during the day and then eat more during the night. It's not like late calories count double or something.

ASFAIK this is correct as well. The entire reason to not eat after X o'clock is really just a control mechanism to avoid chronic overeating.

 cincydooley wrote:
[
Anecdotally, the earlier one goes to bed the less likely they're going to eat late at night...

I am shocked that people don't eat in their sleep.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Now. A question I need answered, I like the bike more. But the elliptical looks over the female yoga classes. What do I choose?

If your exercising hard enough you won't be worrying about what is in front of you. That's not to say that I don't look at a nice arse when I cycle behind one, but I know it slows me down, and I quickly either start to drop back or realise I can overtake. Got to keep pushing

 dogma wrote:

 cincydooley wrote:
[
Anecdotally, the earlier one goes to bed the less likely they're going to eat late at night...

I am shocked that people don't eat in their sleep.

He obviously means that people tend to overeat when they stay up excessively late.

Edited by Manchu

 trexmeyer wrote:

ASFAIK this is correct as well. The entire reason to not eat after X o'clock is really just a control mechanism to avoid chronic overeating.

We've found something we can agree upon, hooray!

 cincydooley wrote:

 Steve steveson wrote:

 cincydooley wrote:
Getting up earlier will force you to go to bed earlier, as well, which is much better for you.

No it's not. Dosn't mater what time you go to bed/get up. What matters is getting enough sleep. There are day people, night people and morning people. Better to work with your own body, not force yourself to get up to go to the gym if your not a morning person. Especially at college. Early night to get to the gym or a few more hours at the party (or studying come exam time)? I know which is going to win. Teenagers especially tend towards being night people.

And those are choices. Doesn't make them better for you.

There's a fair amount of research that says earlier bedtimes are healthier for you in a myriad of ways. This summarizes a few of them: http://www.livestrong.com/article/552907-does-going-to-sleep-earlier-make-you-feel-better/

Anecdotally, the earlier one goes to bed the less likely they're going to eat late at night, which is a great thing if you're trying to lose weight: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/06/why-late-night-snacking-is-bad-for-you/259085/

Now that's not to say there is anything wrong with exercising later in the day. There isn't. But to say going to bed earlier isn't good for you is simply wrong.

That work mostly shows the advantage of propper sleep, not getting up earlier. Plenty of research to show late risers do better and people are genetically predisposed to being better at some times of the day:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2298354/Early-bed-rise-wont-make-wealthy-wise-research-shows-night-owls-linked-high-income-earners.html

http://www.nasw.org/users/llamberg/larkowl.htm

Most of the damage for late risers comes from a societal presure that says being up early is good. Getting enough sleep and sleeping at the right time is the important thing, not the time of going to sleep. Also all of those studies you provided used "after midnight" as late. To be going to the gym at 6am requires a teenager to be in bed by 8pm at the latest. Not the "before midnight" those studies are based on. Very few people's body clock can manage that sleep cycle. They will not be able to sleep, be woken up early and only eventually be able to sleep when they are too sleep deprived to stay awake. Not healthy at all. Much better to listen to your own body than force yourself in to some sleep cycle just because socioty says you have to get up early.

 dogma wrote:

 trexmeyer wrote:

ASFAIK this is correct as well. The entire reason to not eat after X o'clock is really just a control mechanism to avoid chronic overeating.

We've found something we can agree upon, hooray!

And FWIW, there are studies (one of which I did link above, or at least the summation of one) that seem to indicate that your body does not metabolize your intake as efficiently at night (on a 'normal' sleep cycle) as it does during the day.

But again, it's more related to your sleep cycle than anything. Presumably that same study would find no difference between a body that had been normalized to sleep during the day one that had been normalized with a "standard" day when it comes to metabolism. Pure conjecture on my part, of course.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Steve steveson wrote:


Most of the damage for late risers comes from a societal presure that says being up early is good. Getting enough sleep and sleeping at the right time is the important thing, not the time of going to sleep. Also all of those studies you provided used "after midnight" as late. To be going to the gym at 6am requires a teenager to be in bed by 8pm at the latest. Not the "before midnight" those studies are based on. Very few people's body clock can manage that sleep cycle. They will not be able to sleep, be woken up early and only eventually be able to sleep when they are too sleep deprived to stay awake. Not healthy at all.

Right, see my reply above. All of the research really drives down to "getting enough good sleep" regardless of the time in which you do it in order for our bodies to function at maximum efficiency.

 trexmeyer wrote:
Good god, you honestly have to be one of the worst posters I've ever seen. You think you know fracking everything, talk to down to everyone, can't admit when you are wrong, and just generally rude. Thank god for the ignore button.

I have admitted when I have been wrong. In fact I did so in this very thread.

Anyhoo, back to the OP:

You really need to be consulting a nutritionist and trainer if you're serious about this.

Any advice we're going to give you here is going to be moot because all of us are coming from different fitness and activity backgrounds than you, and we literally have no idea what you'll actually be able to do in the gym, fitness wise. Get on the right program from the get-go and your chances of success will be higher.

Diet wise, people have said a ton of great things, which I'll paraphrase here:

Cut out easy to cut out processed sugars like soda and candy.
Try and cut back on your processed grains, and if you have to eat them go for a whole grain where possible.
Start eating more leafy greens. Tons of nutrients in pretty much all of them.
Drink lots of water.
Portion size, portion size, portion size. Start scaling those back and eventually you won't even be able to finish that 6 oz steak.

Finally, change your eating habits slowly. The more you "phase it in" the higher your success rate is going to be.

M_Stress tips on exercises:

Eat well:
Pizza everyday is not healthy
Salad everyday is not healthy.

Drink plenty of water.

Change your workout routine:
Write down a workout routine, stick to it for a month or two, or three...then try something different. It's good to try new stuff. And it less boring.

Sleep well.

A training partner is a fun way to stay motivated.

Good luck

find fun ways to work out, and to turn "non-active" activities into active ones.


IE instead of running on a treadmill or in place, dance!

instead of sitting down to watch the telly/use the computer,

stand up while holding some weights in various iso-sometric positions

instead of lifting weights all boring like, pretend they are clubs or something and "shadow box" with them.


keep you motivated and makes it more fun.


personally, my favorite excercise is wearing chainmaille, grabbing a few barbells with extra weight on one end (to further strengthen the torque muscles) and "shadow fighting" or just trying to hold the weights up while I watch TV.

lost about 50 ilbs over the last two years (would realistically be like losing 75 ilbs and gaining 25ilb of muscle)

so about 2ilbs a month of safe, sustainable weight loss, while being able to eat normal food with the occasional "cheat" day included.

and keep at it! it wont happen overnight, no one sheds huge amounts of weight very fast in a healthy way.

 Ahtman wrote:

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Now. A question I need answered, I like the bike more. But the elliptical looks over the female yoga classes. What do I choose?

Ask yourself if you are more interested in exercising or leering at people creepily and that should answer that question.

Any sane male will realize that this is a false-dillema. Why? Because the correct answer is "do both".

Half of staying consistent in your exercise is staying motivated.

Having unrestricted view to some toned, flexing buttcheeks struggling against the confines of tight cotton is one of the best motivators for going to the gym there is.

And it's not a male-dominated hobby either.