Search the Community

Hi, I am new to this group and had few questions that I wanted to ask. I am someone who used to be overweight and have lost considerable amount of weight recently (34kgs to be exact). I am 6ft tall and weigh about 72kgs now. However, my body is still out of shape and hence why I have decided to follow a work out plan that will help me gain strength, bring my body back in shape and build muscles. However, I cannot go to gym. It's too far way from my home and I have no time to travel that far right now. Does anyone have a specific work out plan that I can follow at home? I do have couple of dumbbells at home (weighing 3kgs each), but I was hoping for a work out plan that required no use of additional equipment - that's not a big deal though and I can buy heavier set of dumbbells, if required. I know nothing about building your body and can do with lot of help here. I hope I get some good advice here. p.s. I am sorry if similar thread has been made before, I am new here and will be browsing through this forum during rest of my day.

6' 210lbs 25yrs male. Guys/Gals I need help. I'm very interested in getting into the best shape of my life but have what I would call more than average obstacles. I climb cell phone towers for a living which means I travel to a new hotel on a daily basis. In my travels I've learned I can barely count on a treadmill at the hotel. Diet is a struggle due to availability and also needing to store food for up to 12 - 18 hours without spoiling in a cooler. On top of that I'm in college as well. I would like to get the "alright alright alright" phsyique on a koolaid budget. I'm looking for a "meal plan" and no equipment routine that will allow me to reach my goal. I generally have maybe 30mins I can count on to exercise. For meal plan: I'm out the door before the hotel serves breakfast so I need a healthy poptart. Lunch must be similar as it has to survive a trip upwards of 500 ft and be devoured with no utensils. Dinner go crazy: I can only garuntee I will have a dollar general or family Dollar. Anything that would require more than a microwave can't be used. Most of the hotels bitch if you grill outside. I'm fairly fit but carry a decent belly. I burn on average 3 to 4 thousand calories (fitbit)a day when I'm climbing. Drink on avg 50oz of water with a red bull and a soda to keep me awake. My current diet is gas station for breakfast skip lunch and whatever I can find for dinner. I do my best to pick the "healthiest" options when I can but I will admit that I am ignorant on what my body needs. I know we all enjoy a physical challenge so o thought I may provide a mental one too. Thanks soo much for any tips you may have and I will gladly give more information about my life if needed

"It is time to stop lurking" - Tippeh, 6/9/16 at 9:53pm Well okay I said that a few times before but this time, I mean it I'm tired of being tired. I'm tired of recording my "progress" on scraps of paper I end up losing anyways. I'm tired of starting over multiple times and being just as confused as before. I used to do full body HIIT workouts mainly doing calisthenics 2-3 times a week during the start of my college years and I remember just how AMAZING I felt and looked everyday. Then family issues, changing majors, not eating enough, and life happened. Therefore I fell of that luxurious wagon. So it is time! In fact what really helps is that my fiancee will be gone for most of the week for the next 2 months on business so that leaves less temptation for me to eat out/grab fast food with her. Therefore I'm hoping to establish a pretty solid habit of eating clean and working out regularly before I start my last semester of school this fall (will still miss you hunny!) Long-term Goals: To bulid a habit of working out 3 times a week (minimum) To eliminate processed foods out of my overall diet and instead fuel myself with wholesome foods To feel more energized and full of life for every waking moment To be stronger, especially in my upper body and hamstrings To someday be able to squat double my bodyweight To someday be able to do 10 pullups with relative ease Lastly when I succeed at the above, I know I will look much more lean, "toned", and strong. So my last goal is to look aesthetically awesome! Like Wonder Woman awesome! Short-term Goals (now until Sept. 1): Go to the gym 4-6 times a week Lower body twice a week Upper body twice a week HIIT 1-2 times a week Have 3 meals and 2-3 snacks everyday. No counting calories, just going to listen to my body when its hungry and when its satisfied Rotate between chicken, beef, pork, and fish for variety For example have chicken every other lunch and pork chops on the alternate days, etc. 1-2 servings of veggies per meal (whatever is in my fridge) 1 serving fruit per meal Fruits and nuts for snacks Be able to squat 100 pounds comfortably (hopefully more but we'll see!) Be able to 2 pull ups Be able to do 20 pushups in 1 minute Get a part time summer job (hopefully Rita's will call me in the next few days)! Wow it is cool seeing my goals written out so neatly. In a way, I hope it's not too much, too soon for me but I have a feeling it'll be okay. I'm definitely open to your guys' thoughts and tips though. Otherwise, creep away

Over the last two weeks I've been planning and charting my exercise and diet, and I would really appreciate any advice or comments at all about what I could do to improve how I'm exercising or what I'm eating, or any comments or suggestions of any kind! Thank you!

Hello, everyone! Wow, what an usual post for this part of the forum, no? I thought I'd do so here, though, not as a means of picking myself back up after failure, per se, but to really become reacquainted with the forums, and to state where I'm at personally. When I first signed up several months ago, I was not in good shape. Digestion was a wreck; turns out I had a case of S.mall I.ntestinal.B.acterial.O.vergrowth. I was still fighting my past as a former vegan, trying to push away ANY opportunity to eat animal foods, and eating soy from tempeh and tofu, which it turns out my body absolutely HATED. On top of that, I was committing to taking too many aerobics classes at my gym, which basically canceled out any progress I would make when it came to lifting. In my personal life, I was struggling to find work as a newly certified yoga instructor; I was so consumed by yoga that I was in a state of denial, thinking that all I had to do was teach yoga and be happy. Other aspects of my life were out of control, from the minute things such as cleaning up my workspace, getting my workouts in (yeah… I skipped, a lot), setting up priorities, surrounding myself with things that brought me down (I was subscribed to a lot of vegans waxing poetical against paleo and meat eating, as well as believing that all meat eaters deserved to die; not a good state of mind to have I believe, even if you're vegan- I also was letting myself be guilted by former friends I knew way back in high school who were essentially bullying my lifestyle and choice to not go the traditional route and enroll in college…). Anyway, I had things that needed to be straightened up pronto. Around mid April I should say, I first decided to slowly add back in some meat. I still do not eat animal foods every day, but I am getting close to doing so. My stomach acid is very low, especially after having SIBO, so I'm currently supplementing right now to boost it up; major improvements so far, as it no longer feels like there's food sitting in my gut for hours. I also kicked the SIBO infection to the curb, which is no easy feat. Digestion is still a matter of maintenance, but so far, I've improved dramatically. With my workouts and nutrition, I'm going to preface by saying I'm a natural hard-gainer, with a bit of endomorph thrown in; I can certainly feel an improvement or change post workout. But visually, I'm an ectomorph through and through. I've tried the old fashioned approach of eating everything in plain sight, but because of my former IBS struggles, yeast infections, and recently, SIBO, doing so was not good both for my digestion and state of mind. Now, I just try to focus on investing in nutrient-rich, whole foods; leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, squash, fermented foods (kefir, kraut, kimchi, pickles, miso, kumbocha), chicken liver (don't knock it till you try it), eggs, fish, chicken/turkey, etc; I take L-Glutamine (post workout and in the afternoon, mainly for gut health), a good multivitamin, HCL (for low stomach acid), probiotic (doctor's orders), and a fermented greens powder that's also good for gut health (Vitality Greens by Body Ecology). That's it. At the gym, I lift 4X a week; 2X Upper, 2X Lower. I work on my core once or twice a week. HIIT once a week. Long Hobbit walks a few days a week, depending on time and the weather. Yoga/Foam Rolling/Deep Stretching (YIN) DAILY; good for the body, good for the mind, and good for the spirit. I used to struggle at using the 20 pound barbell back in March, now I'm at 30 pounds, and am close to using the 40 pound one. I use the machines as well, and have varying set weights I've managed to improve upon; too much to list here, but I'll say I've jumped up quite a bit since April on all of them! I can see some improvement physically; there's a bit of size to my lower body now, and some of my workout pants are actually starting to tighten up a bit. My upper body, though still thin, has gotten a bit of definition at last. Same for my core, which is the hardest to really 'tone', as my IBS can flare up and cause a bit of bloating on occasion (which is why I avoid eating out whenever I can). Otherwise, I'm finally starting to see some 'gains', even if they are small. The best results have come from my performance. Well, I think I'll stop here, but I just want to say to all of you reading this, that consistency truly is key, and fine tuning along the way isn't so bad either. Just commit. Persist Until Something Happens Yours Truly, The Dragon

Hi! I was wondering if it was better to exercise every other day, or to exercise everyday. Also, if one exercises every other day, would it be better to stick to the schedule or workout on off days if one feels like it. Thanks for reading!

6 week Challenge · Try something new – pole dancing, silks [depending on budget] o Use up existing Groupons, Living Social Coupons I already have · Take a new group fitness class offered at gym. o Go to the gym o Make a fitness plan [incorporate more strength, body weight exercises] § At least 2x/week · Make frugal weekly date nights o Find, fun ways to connect – leave phones at home · Meal plan – Paleo centered meals o Create a shopping list and stick to it o Keep track of food expenses and then create a realistic budget · Family hikes – 2x/month o Evaluate how much gear I really need, trim the excess · Mediate/yoga starting 1x/week o Can do at home · Continue dancing o If not at the club or studio – at home · Journal, blog, connect at least 2x/week and publish at least once a week o Commitment to develop a cohesive blog · Declutter the house o Make weekly good will runs o Sell excess on Ebay, etc o Shred and throw out the rest · Sign up for further education on nutrition o Take a nutrition class to further education about my nutrition and fitness goals · Buy clothes that fit o No more baggy clothes or dressing like a hobo. Will dress professionally for work (hair and make-up done) before leaving the house

Hey everyone, My first post here after I stumbled on this website while looking for advice on a few things. I'm recently getting into lifting more weights, I've never massively been into weighs but I am OK cardio-wise. Playing football (soccer) regularly for years kept me in shape, but since I gave it up 6 years ago (due to my job and shift patterns) my shape has become a little more like a pear shape. I'm 30 in a few weeks or so, I'm 5'11 - 6'0" and I probably weigh anything between 80kg - 90kg (don't have scales at home). I devised a workout plan based on a few exercises I like, and a few I don't like but which kick my butt. Most of these are from P90x as a guide but a few aren't. The idea is do the whole lot as a circuit in one go and I was hoping someone with more knowledge than me in these things could cast an eye over it and offer advice / opinion: Strength: Front raise Bicep curls (with EZ bar) Tricep dips Chest press Lunges Lateral raise Pullups or pushups Tricep kickbacks Bench press Back squats Throw the bombs Concentration curl Jawbreakers Bent over row Congdon curls Y-Presses Side tri-rise Wall sit for 1minute Static arm curls Scarecrows Upright row Pullovers Skater's lunge Deep swimmers press Lawnmowers Lying Tri extension Alternating shoulder press Crouching Cohen curls Pike presses Flip grip tricep kickbacks 2-Angle shoulder fly Twenty-Ones Cardio: Burpees Jumping Jacks Shadow boxing (1min) Jump up knee tucks Foot crosses (not sure of its proper name, you hop on one leg while making the figure of a cross, front back and side to side) Squat jumps Skier jumps Double air Heismanns Circle runs (run around a static object on the floor for 1min each way) Monster truck tyres I'm currently working on one for my core and where to incorporate it into the schedule. I'm also hoping to get Spartan Makers into my schedule once I've got the appropriate weights, and Jack/Push/Climbs. I've also got a treadmill at home which I may use as well as, or instead of, the cardio plan. I do these on almost alternating days, at least 6 days out of every 10 (again due to shift patterns etc) which looks like this: Day 1 - rest Day 2 - rest Day 3 - strength Day 4 - cardio Day 5 - strength Day 6 - rest Day 7 - rest Day 8 - strength Day 9 - cardio Day 10 - strength I tend not to eat rubbish really but now need to lose a bit of weight and add a bit of muscle, I tend to eat a lot of chicken and fish in my diet, as well as fruit (only bananas / apples / grapes). Space is a little limited in my house for certain things but I have enought equipment at home I believe, such as plenty of weights, weight bars of all kinds, treadmill, mats, etc, I also have a bench and exercise bike but due to limited space these currently live in my attic. A gym membership is out of the question for me for a number of reasons, mainly my working hours, childcare commitments and the membership fee. Thank you for your time, it is appreciated Greg

Mon, Wed and Fri: Lifting, yoga and martial art drills. Tues and Thurs: Martial arts class and long distance running. Sat and Sun: Rest I've been doing this for a while and notice I get quite tired after lifting. But I can't find anywhere else to fit in drills. I want to keep the weekend as fully rest days. So unless you people have any idea on where I could fit in drills instead? And is my exercise workout OK? Thanks.

Hi everyone! I've recently decided to take a brave step to the weights room at the gym and my only regret is that I didn't do this sooner. I've absolutely fallen in love with free weights However, I'm not sure if I'm overdoing it. I initially started on the road to fitness by doing lots of cardio and using MFP for logging macros. This was a fantastic start to my journey as I was continually encouraged to keep at it when I could see a steep progression to how long or how fast I could run for. In addition to the progress in terms of fitness, this method also instilled a sense of discipline in me that is responsible for putting my trainers on and going for a jog even when its cold and raining. Something I'd never thought I would do. After doing some reading, I've realised that by ignoring weight training, I've done myself a disservice and this is what I'm attempting to correct. I've come to realise that losing weight is a vague term that, while the number on the scale may be decreasing, it isn't necessarily just fat that goes. So I've approached fitness with fresh eyes by incorporating strength training. The scales aren't changing, but my composition is and that is what is important to me. However, despite these positive results, I'm concerned I may be overdoing it and may not be as efficient as I can be. Here is my plan which I've been following the past three weeks, please let me know what you think. Am I doing too much on certain days? On all days even, are my rest days adequately spaced out? Day 1: Lower body Warmup (Stretches, 5 min moderate treadmill) Barbell squat (65lbs, 5x8) Barbell deadlift (77.5lbs, 5x8) Lunges (33lbs, 5x8 per leg) Leg curls (55lbs, 5x8) Calf raises (35lbs, 5x8) Leg press (100lbs, 5x8) Leg extension (40lbs, 5x8) Hip abduction (85lbs, 5x8) Bridges (15lbs medicine ball, 5x8, per one leg off the ground) Warmdown (stretches) Day 2: Upper body Warmup (Stretches, 5 min moderate treadmill) Incline dumbbell press (20lbs, 5x8) Dumbell fly (15lbs, 5x8) Dumbell shoulder press (15lbs, 5x8) Barbell curl (33lbs, 5x8) Tricep extensions (60lbs, 5x8) Chin assists (80lbs, 5x8) Lat pulldowns (50lbs, 5x8) Seated dips (50lbs, 5x8) Diverging seated row (40lbs, 5x8) Abdominals (50lbs, 5x8) Endless rope machine: horizontal (setting 6, 5x30sec) Endless rope machine: vertical (setting 6, 5x30sec) Warmdown (stretches) Day 3: light yoga (if I can make it to class) or moderate cardio 10min erg (20spm at 2:30 split) 20min elliptical Day 4: Glutes (no weights) Each exercise done as 3sets, 20rep Squats Front Lunges Side lunges Donkey kicks Hip thrust Leg extensions Flutter kicks Froggy lifts Day 5: rest Day 6: cardio If at the gym: 20min erg (20spm at 2:30 split) 20min elliptical If not at the gym: Single sculling on tideway Day 7: rest My personal 'stats' are: 27y female 5ft 6in 67kg (was ~78kg about a year ago) Macros: 40/25/35 (151g Carb/94g Prot/59g Fat) Your comments, suggestions, and advice will be much appreciated and thank you in advance!

Okay so, I've been struggling so hard with losing weight like, ever since I was 10 years old (and my mum kept on saying that i was too fat and i had to lose weight even though i was only 2 or 3 kg above average)? Now, 8 years, 2 eating disorders, loads of therapy and a few food intolerances later, I feel determined (actually more like desperate) to lose 7 kg. I am still incredibly struggling with the way I see myself and find it hard to respect my own body. I still have bruises on my legs, arms, hips, etc from times I just couldn't bear feeling my body move and when I see myself in the mirror in underwear/a bathing suit I still start crying or go to the toilet only to throw up out of disgust. It is time to change something about this, not just the weight, but mostly the self-esteem. It's outright shit to live like this, nobody deserves it. So, in order not to crash diet or develop another disorder, I made a plan. Rather than dieting, I will make one lifestyle change every week and stick to it. I'm slowly working up to a practically plant-based diet (although I will eat a little meat or fish once every while), but I feel most at ease with fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and gluten-free grains only. As I do have some sort of protein goal for the day, I'm thinking about getting a plant-based protein powder like soy or pea. Next to that, I will keep a food log. This is a way of checking up on myself, why I ate barely anything one day or binged the next and find a way to prevent this behaviour. I won't set a calorie limit, cause it'll make me feel too distressed. So, my starting point is basically a gluten and sugar free diet, which is quite something already, and every week I will make one change. Here's a list: Week 1: No more peanut butter Week 2: Go for a walk every morning for 5-10 minutes before breakfast Week 3: Minimise dairy intake to 1 portion/day (ie 1 pot of yoghurt or 1/2 cup cottage cheese) Week 4: Incorporate short meditation sessions before every meal (except when at school, where it's quite impossible) Week 5: Make sure to be in bed by 10:30 PM every night except for fridays and saturdays Week 6: No dried fruits anymore except for all kinds of berries What happens after that, I'm not sure. I just want to make sure I'm slowly progressing towards a lifestyle that suits me, while gradually trying to love myselft or at least accept my own body. It will be hard, but then again, nothing great has ever been accomplished that was easy. If you have any suggestions or tips, would really appreciate it. We can do this, rebels!

The entire month of January is going to suck harder than usual. February is going to be interesting because hopefully there will finally be a steady pattern. I think that I'm mostly going to plan and do some preliminary work, hopefully be ready to start developing habits I can live with during the challenge after this one. For this challenge, I'm going to try different things at-whim. Basically here I'm going to take a quick note of what I did during the day or any troubles I had. This is the area of the house I need to attack. The attic storage and hubby's office aren't going to be my concern for a while.

Hi am 25 years old.............My weight is 60 and height is 154....... Can anyone say my bmi........and i am under which category????? underweight, normal or overweight................????????

I only have a single 20lb dumbbell and a single 15lb dumbbell. I also only have about 5ft by 10ft of floor space due to the fact I live in student accommodation. I can nowhere near afford a gym membership nor have the time in the day, so I workout at home. There are plenty of workout routines online, however none I have found which can be done with my limited resources. Here is my current workout. I've been doing this or slight variations of this for about 2 months, and I am starting to see my beginner gains. day 1 - biceps, triceps, chest 3 sets, 12 reps, dumbbell curls 3 sets, 12 reps, triceps extensions 2 sets, 20 reps, press ups day 2 - abs, legs, biceps 3 sets, 10 reps, crunches 3 sets, 10 reps, sit ups 3 sets, 30 seconds, plank 3 sets, 10 reps, leg raises 3 sets, 12 reps, squats 3 sets, 12 reps, bicep curls day 3 - forearms, shoulders, back 3 sets, 12 reps, Hammer curls 3 sets, 12 reps, alternating shoulder press 3 sets, 10 reps, Kneeling One Arm Row (poorly as I have no bench) - How can I improve this for more efficient muscle gain?

Hey everyone, my name is Ryan and I´m new here and to fitness in general. I´m 22, have always been fairly active (I ride my bicycle often and walk a lot) but didn´t take too much thought into what I was putting in my body...until now. I´ve wound up living on an organic tea garden on a volcano in Ecuador. (The volcano part isn´t really relevant, just think it´s kinda cool). With how cheap produce is ($1 for 40 tomatoes), the plethora of mountains, and amount of sunny days, I figured there´s no reason to not spend these four weeks getting in shape. It will take longer, for sure, but I have four days of no responsibilities that I can fully dedicate to getting into a healthy lifestyle routine. For the week, my days play out like this: 4:30: wake up, walk to the natural hot springs up the road 4:45-5:45: soak in the hotspring (called a poso here), and hop in the cold, river next to it to rinse off. 6:00-7:00: workout -----run 1/2 mile down to the bottom of the mountain, run back up. can only make it halfway up but getting further each day -----8 minutes of side planks, 4 on each side -----4 sets, 25 reps of reverse crunches -----50 burpees -----100 elevated pushups 7:00-8:00: gather veggies from garden, prepare, and eat breakfast -----2 eggs, ground beef, veggies (tomatoes, onion, spinach, mushrooms, green pepper, broccoli), coffee -----make two juices for the day 8:00-9:30: walk two dogs up and down the mountain. 11:00: drink a homemade juice -----usually: 2 green apples, 1 cucumber, 1 lemon, 2 c. spinach, 1/2 c. parsley, 1/2 c. lemongrass) 2:00: eat an avocado w/salt and pepper 4:00: drink another juice 6:30: dinner -----usually a mixture of the same vegetables used for breakfast w/ pasta, rice, or potatoes. 9:00: bedtime. I suppose the main areas I´m looking for advice on is with the eating and exercise. I am 5´7" and 155 pounds. I´m mainly trying to lose a belly fat and get some abs showing if possible. Should I eat anything before my workout at 6 or is it better to save the bigger breakfast until after? How can I modify my workout routine to be the most efficient? I´m currently trying to focus on my abs and arms. Is red or white meat better for building muscle? Would it be better to stick with ground beef for breakfast or switch it up to chicken? Should I be eating those carbs before bed? Would the hotspring be better for my muscles after the workout or is it a good way to loosen them up beforehand? Like I said, am very new to all of this, but if I can start developing a healthy routine during these four weeks, it´ll be that much easier to stick with it once I return Stateside. Thanks in advance for your help!

I am pretty good at getting a 20 min weight work out in a week but I am just kind of doing variations of the same thing everyday and feel like I should have a more structured plan in order to get results efficiently. I am 5'5", 115-120 lb, 23 year old female. I want to work on gaining muscle and strength in my arms, abs and legs. (shoulders, back and butt would be good too). I am trying to eat 2500 calories a day, mostly clean (1 sugary or fat or processed treat a day). I am trying to get a lot of protein so I can build muscle and have been getting around 130g. So what should my workout look like? I have a desk job from 8:30-3:30 and a food service job 4-8. I then usually go home and do a 20 min workout. I am trying to run up/down the stairs (5 flights at work a few times a week for 10 minutes or do some other exercises-wall pushups, squats, lunges etc.) at lunch. I have 15 lb dumbbells I have been using (I also have 5lb and 3 lb, and an exercise ball)

Hi all, I'm a pretty scrawny guy at 5'7 and 148 pounds. I'd like to bulk up a bit as I hear a good weight for my height is at least 155 pounds. Trying to get on a good meal/workout plan and looking for good suggestions/resources. I'm looking for a healthy (possibly Paleo) bulk up meal plan. I thought the NF Academy had a bulk up meal plan, but I can only find their slim down plan. Does anyone have a good resource for this type of meal plan? And how long should I be on a eating plan like this? I'm thinking of doing the bodyweight brigade as a work out plan while eating more than I burn off. Would this be a good plan to bulk out on? With these plans will I just end up a little more doughy from eating more or end up another year of being skinny fat?

Hello, I recently resumed going to the gym. I am struggling in building a workout plan presently. While I got my cardio settled, I really don't know what to do with the weight training aspect. My stats: Weight 123 kgs or 271 pounds Height 5 ft 5 inch Workout Time 1 hour Days Monday. Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday, Friday Here's the workout I presently follow : Day 2 & 4: Cardio 1.Elliptical 5 mins 2.Treadmill 15 mins 3.Recumbent Cycle 5 mins 4.Spinning 10 mins 5.Elliptical 15 mins Day 1: Shoulders, Chest, Triceps Warm Up 1.Elliptical 5 mins 2.Shoulder Press machine 3 sets=12x,10x,8x reps 3.Butterfly(machine) 3 sets=12x,10x,8x reps 4.Cable Triceps Push Down 3 sets=12x,10x,8x reps 5.Elliptical 15 mins Day 3: Back, Lats, Biceps 1.Warm Up 2.Elliptical 5 mins 3.Lat Pull Down 3 sets=12x, 10x, 8x reps 4.Horizontal Row 3 sets=12x, 10x, 8x reps 5.Cable Bicep Curl 3 sets=12x, 10x, 8x reps 6.Elliptical 15 mins Day 5: Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Abs, Legs Warm Up 1.Elliptical 5 mins 2.Seated Leg Extension 3 sets=12x, 10x, 8x reps 3.Seated Leg Curl 3 sets=12x, 10x, 8x reps 4.Leg Adduction3 sets=12x, 10x, 8x reps 5.Crunches 3 sets=12x,10x,8x reps 6.Squats 3 sets=12x, 10x, 8x reps 7.Elliptical 3 sets=12x, 10x 8x reps After today's workout i.e. shoulders, chest, triceps I didn't feel that i was doing quite enough and that's how I started having doubts about this workout plan I prepared. I want to follow this or any plan for a month and then shuffle it up with some free weights along with machine assisted workouts as I have recently rejoined and I guess I'm not that good in a shape to be doing free weights. Also I cant force myself to keep doing the same set of boring exercise 5 days a week for 3-4 months. I'd like some variety and hence I want to keep on shuffling and changing my exercises. So, if there is any thing I can add or tweak in this present workout plan then I'd be grateful for your advice.

Hello everybody, I'm preparing to rejoin gym and resume working out after a gap of almost 6-7 months. My main aim is to lose weight and build muscle. My weight currently is 136 kg's or 299 pounds. And my height is 5 ft. 5 inch. I've prepared a workout plan of my own after I felt the regime that my gym had made me follow was lacking variety and I couldn't stand to do the same exercises again and again. I hope this workout plan I created is enough to aide me in my quest to lose weight and build muscle. Here's the plan: http://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwtMh_crRmAuSU1mclljT3JGTzg/edit?usp=sharing I hope you take a look at it. I'd be grateful for suggestions, corrections and if I could improve my workout sessions everyday in any way. Also I have this doubt of whether I should slow down my intensity and speed for a week or few weeks until I get back into that old swing of working out as I'm rejoining it after such a long gap. I'd also be honored if you guys can provide me motivation or inspiration in any way. Here's hoping that you reply. Thank you !

Hey all, Its been quite a while now since I quit gym ( temporarily) because of my studies and since my exams were nearing. Now as I've become free again, I can start concentrating on my health, as it is evident that I've been ignoring that all these years and I'm ashamed of it. But now I've designed for myself a workout plan which I hope is enough to make me reach my goals of losing 2-3 pounds per week. If not I would be happy with any suggestion or advise you guys give me. To speak a li'l bit more about myself I used to go to a gym in the past year but somehow the same set of exercises, routines and the lack of support or motivation from the trainers really brought me down to the point of quitting for good. But I somehow coaxed myself to fight on and I hopefully can receive a little bit of motivation or inspiration too from you'll. I prepared this workout routine keeping in mind the main thing I want and that is variety. I'll stick to this workout for a month (4 weeks) and then shuffle them with a few more exercises. For now I'd like to concentrate on the first 4 weeks. And also if there are any more tips, inspirations, motivations etc that you guys can help me with I'd really be grateful. So Here are my rather distressing stats ( ) : Weight-136 kg's Height-167 cms or 5 ft 5 inches Basal Metabolic Rate - 2306.25 B.M.I - 49.8 I prepared this fitness calendar sorta thing and uploaded to google drive. I Hope ya'll check it out and suggest any changes or advice of any sort : the link - http://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwtMh_crRmAuSU1mclljT3JGTzg/edit?usp=sharing I've really had enough of having to carry this flab or luggage for so many years. The constant criticism, passing comments, being looked down upon or being treated like some freak has really broken me emotionally. Although I try hard every day not to heed to such things, i also remember one quote which I'd like to mention ( Sorry if I'm boring the crap out of you here ): " The tree with the most fruits gets the most stones thrown at". That and along with the unconditional support from my family who have not stopped loving me just because of my shape has really kept me going all these days. But I cant live like this for the rest of my life and allow me and my family getting humiliated emotionally though people always don't mean it directly and pass it on as " some friendly joke" or "hey I'm just messing with you don't take it personally". . I'd really love all of you beautiful people out there to help me through this journey of self-transformation. Thank you and have a good day

If some superhero nerd out here has triathlon, half marathon, and strength training experience and could point me on a plan or lend suggestions, I'd be super grateful! Or even just pointing me toward resources that may be useful. My fitness goals, life details, and fitness preferences any plan would have to take into consideration: Fitness Goals: 1.) On Sunday, May 4, 2014 I am running a half marathon through a slightly hilly course. This is my first half marathon I need to build up to the 13.1 miles I am not looking to finish front or even middle of the pack, just finish and enjoy the experience Right now, I can run about 6 miles at a 10 minute mile pace before the run becomes labored. 2.) I want to do an Olympic length triathlon within 2 years. (.93mi swim, 24.8mi bike, 6.2mi run) I do not have a baseline to offer for my swimming and biking 3.) I want to incorporate strength training that will give me stability, mobility, and injury prevention for these endurance race goals. 4.) I want to incorporate stretching for the same reason as strength training. 5.) My lofty goals are to someday do an Iron Man triathlon, and bike across America someday. Life Details: 1.) I have enough free time to workout on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 2.) I have access to: A weight room (dumbbells, barbells, dip bar, pull up bar, squat rack, bench press, and a bunch of machines I don't want to touch) Indoor cardio (treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike, Olympic swimming pool) Outdoor cardio (lots of biking/running trails, high school track, swimming pool, lake [in summer], a bike) Fitness Preferences: 1.) I get bored doing the same mode of cardio more than 2 workouts in a row. ex.) Workout 1: Run, Workout 2: Run, Workout 3: I'd really rather not run 2.) I need to build up my mileage slowly to avoid injury. (I'm prone to shin splints and knee throbbing) 3.) If I am going to strength train, I want to do it right. Efficient, compound exercises done with body-weight or barbell 4.) I am not opposed to minimalist shoe running in very very small, foot strengthening doses. But, I am not striving at all to be the barefoot guy at the race. 5.) If the ground is slippery outside (snow/mud), I prefer to work out in my gym (treadmills, swimming pool, stationary bikes.) Given I live in New England, in the winter, it is slippery at least 1/3 of the week. I don't like to feel derailed from my plan due to inclement weather, so back up plans for inside work is vital. 6.) I want to give the muscles used in a workout enough time to recover before their next usage. 7.) I will not be willing to workout longer than 2 hours (and even that is pushing it, unless it is for specific mileage building training) 8.) I understand fitness in terms of pounds, miles, and other wacky imperial units. What I'm hoping to have when I make the completed plan: A plan that takes into account my resources, my goals, and my schedule. A plan that won't over-train me or leave me susceptible to injury. A plan that will both set me forward into triathlon training, and prepare me for my upcoming half marathon. A plan with every workout scheduled and marked on an intuitive calendar for at least a year (preferably 2). A plan with back ups for cruddy or dangerous weather. A plan with strength training, (rep and set aims as well as progressions of intensity.) A plan with what stretches and movements to do in warm up and cool downs for each activity. Thanks for the help!!

To be perfectly honest, I had never heard of TDEE before this morning. After doing some research, I found out that it stands for "Total Daily Energy Expenditure", and is a gage of how many calories your body needs to function based on numerous factors (activity level, age, weight, etc). Subtracting a percentage of that (10-20%) will result in weight loss! Magic! Hooray! Ok, obviously it's not quite that simple, but it seemed like TDEE would be a good gauge for a target calorie consumption. So I ran my numbers and ended up with.... 2,610??? Through some trial and error, I've found that 1800-2000 calories results in good losses for me, though to be fair, that's largely in comparison with the 1500 area. I've never tried keeping track of calories and consuming 2600 in a day... A few factors: I am about 100 pounds overweight, tall, and young. So yes, obviously, I will need more calories than a 120 lb girl who is 5'4". Cuz, you know... Science. But 2600? That would be a 20% deficit from my "maintaining weight" target. Does that seem right? If so, am I way under-eating?

I'm so tired of making it a week or two into a new challenge or project or habit or whatever and something comes up and derails it. It might be a legitimate problem that I can't adapt my new routine to, but usually it's more of an incredibly tiny puncture in my puffed up sense of commitment and dedication that instead of easily patching I start playing with until it rips wide open and everything falls apart. (As I write I've been picturing a deflating bouncy castle for some reason). So here we go: for the thousandth time, I am setting goals and am full of motivation and passion to see them through. This will only last a few days, though, so anyone who wants to exchange messages or be friends on here to help each other stay motivated, I would welcome hearing from you. I live overseas and have not found anyone who I can talk to about this stuff because the only expats I know are my colleagues and I am just not going there. BTW: Here's an AWESOME SITE for building a habit through daily check-ins, a running tally/tracker, reminders, and encouragement from strangers/friends: https://lift.do/. I love it. Okay, enough. Here's the good stuff: My main goal: Develop greater peace of mind Why: Because getting thinner won't make me enjoy the vast majority of what I do in a day any more than I do now. My 3 sub-goals/steps to get me there: 1. Read and put into practice 2 books on meditation and mindfulness (one for each 3 weeks). On weekends, review notes from previous study and spend time thinking about how the ideas compare with each other. 2. Make an action plan for transitioning from teaching to photography that includes weekly, achievable tasks to accomplish it 3. Discuss and set firm boundaries with the whole department to determine what is and isn't my role/responsibility for next term. STICK TO THOSE BOUNDARIES (and get them in writing) AND "LET THINGS GO" Life Quest: Pay off the small debts that I have to people like my mom and CITI. Totally doable if I'm not stupid. Okay, I'm gonna be bad and sneak this in here. I'm not even sorry. (Wow, that sounds dirty.) Fitness Quest: Get down to under 130 pounds and drop 4% body fat I've got a couple of guidelines for diet and exercise, but I don't want to push my luck and get blocked from this challenge for over-stepping my boundaries. Tracking Results: 1. Starting measurements and photo will come in a couple of days when I've finished an overseas flight I have tomorrow. 2. I have a list of debts in priority of when to repay them. 3. Lift and a printed calendar that I can X off or check off days on will help me see how I'm doing on daily/weekly tasks like whether I've read my books, done my studying, or worked on photography. Where I'm Stuck: I don't know how to "track" whether I'm making progress on the habits of mind I want to develop, things like calmness, patience, general pleasantness, mindfulness, etc. What is the starting measurement for stuff like that? Count how many times I get frustrated or complain in a day? Rank my day from 1-10 on a general "enjoyability" scale? ANY IDEAS???

Hi All... Been lifting for a few years but very inconsistently and never got much out of it. I've always struggled with motivation... Anyways, recently I've taken to running and been very consistent and along with an improved diet I've lost around 4 kg and with visible results my motivation is on a high. I've found it hard to loose weight and gain muscle at the same time (Too much to think about) so now I'm doing one and then hopefully the other. Starting weight: 78.5 (now down to 74.5) Aim: 69-70kg Height: 172cm (to put my weight into context) Once I'm down to around 70 I'm planning to start lifting again but my cunundrum is about what ration of lifting/running I should stick to and looks like my diet will have to change to. Or does it? Please could someone provide an example of keeping both up with 'working out' hours restricted to 8-9hrs per week. Or just generally if this way of doing things works... Input please! Thanks!

HI I'm PK. It's a long story and I'm not going to tell it. Last time I weighed myself was 8 days ago and I came in at 90kg / 199 lbs. I'm not looking to lose weight, only lose fat and strengthen (not bodybuild or sculpt) muscles. I've never tried to do pull ups or chin ups, or even dared to bench press. I am young, 16, and therefore not looking to gain "sex appeal" although it would be nice to be noticed. I believe I have terrible form due to spine problems, and I need to start a program for training compound muscles and not relying on machines like tricep extentions and leg press. The only compound exercise I do is probably squats on this type of equipment: Squat Machine (it's not the exact machine but its practically the same) If any trainers or anybody could sort me out with a program, I'd be amazingly grateful. PK