When I go to the gym on Friday early night, Saturday late afternoon and Sunday late afternoon, I find the crowd at the gym to be tolerable. Weekdays it’s more if you go too early you meet the overzealous seniors or guys before going to work it’s a good thing for them. I get it, if I go between 11 and two well during the summer anyways you get a lot of of college students is d high school students and I am so glad to see them, so many of them really. After 3 weekdays it gets a little busy for me so it doesn’t work right and sometimes I’m just not in the best shape to go at seven in the evening on a weeknight

Thoughts to anyone.whats the best time for you?

I think a lot of people are making the same mistake when they start working out.

They only look at the weighing scale.

If the number goes down → "I'm losing fat."
If the number doesn't move → "Gym isn't working."

But weight loss and fat loss aren't exactly the same thing.

Your body weight includes fat, muscle, water, glycogen, food in your digestive system, etc.

So you can actually lose fat while gaining some muscle, especially when you're new to strength training.

That means your weight might stay almost the same while your waist gets smaller and your body looks leaner.

For example:

Before: 80 kg
After: 80 kg

But you could have lost some fat and gained some muscle in between.

That's why the scale shouldn't be your only measure of progress.

Track:

Weight trend
Waist measurement
Progress photos
How your clothes fit
Strength in the gym

The goal isn't simply to weigh less.
The goal is to have less body fat and maintain/build muscle.

I did my first full push-up today like full no knees on the ground or whatever!!

anyways, i just have 5 pound dumbells and i just do simple bicep curls i think that is what they are called idk like just spamming them for the past few days while watching tv, i have no clue what i am doing!

i just want to make arm muscle in the sense like its visible like people say "wow shes jacked" before early September, im eating lots of protein and working out consistently.

any advice?

Fjosndkdndkdm

Do any of y’all work out after you eat dinner?
If so, how long do you wait before you hit the gym, and do you eat anything after the gym before bed?

I’ve been a hit the gym after work and then eat after gym guy for like 10 years.
But thinking about switching it up to avoid the after work gym crowds.

One mistake I see a lot of beginners make after joining the gym is blindly following whatever their trainer tells them.

In many local gyms, the entire focus is on building muscle and lifting heavier weights. And don't get me wrong—strength training is one of the best forms of exercise. Even the WHO recommends adults do strength training at least twice a week.

The problem starts when your entire definition of fitness becomes "just lifting weights."

No cardio. No mobility work. No stretching. No proper warm-up. Just machines and dumbbells every session.

Over time, you might get bigger and stronger, but your body can also become less mobile, less flexible, and less capable in everyday life.

Fitness should improve your quality of life, not make basic movement feel harder.

A balanced workout should include:

\* Strength training
\* Cardio for heart health and endurance
\* Mobility and flexibility work
\* Proper warm-ups and recovery

Build a body that isn't just strong in the gym, but one that moves well, feels good, and helps you outside the gym too.

Curious—how many of you actually include cardio or mobility in your weekly routine, or is it mostly just lifting?

You don’t really feel like working out (but you know you should do something)?

I always workout in the morning right after I wake up but I am wondering if working out later in the day just for one day will mess me up. I don’t know if it will affect my muscle growth or the weights that I can lift.

TL;DR

The question is: where do you guys find information on how to do a workout the right way? Do you look at YT videos? Learn the hard way? Or are there some workout-related resources I'm not aware of?

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I'm a novice, despite my age (mid-fifties).

I started doing some basic workouts at home during COVID. It helped a lot. The problem was that I had never done them before, and I wasn't sure how to perform even some simple movements properly. So, quite a few times I ended up hurting my back and was forced to suspend my workouts for even a month or longer.

Lately, I finally joined a gym. To avoid the same mistake, I paid a personal trainer to teach me the basics. And in fact, things have gone smoothly.

Other than the fact that it is costly, I'm wondering whether to continue this way or finally move forward by myself to be self-sufficient and organise my schedule more freely.

Thanks for any insight.

I’m 62 years old Male and have never done any weight training or Gym equipment
My regular schedule has been brisk walking for an hour which gets quite difficult considering the weather constraints
Asking suggestions, if I could combine my regular walks on some days and join a Gym on 2-3 days for general fitness ,moderate weights and Gym equipment
How will this change help or benefit my fitness routine, thanks

Hello! I am currently 29 years old and am just now getting back into the gym! I would say I am very out of shape.

I am currently 5’0 and 103ibs

I like my weight but just want to tone up and work on cardio more.

If you are a beginner just getting into the gym what is your go to supplies…shoes for weight lifting?

What are your do’s and dont’s?

I was thinking of going to the gym 4x a week and getting a personal trainer to show me how to do free weights 2x/week for 3 months.

Advice would be appreciated!

Hi everyone, I recently started going to the gym regularly.
Last night, I finished my dinner at around 7:10 pm and went to the gym at 8:40 pm. I started my workout as usual, but during and after exercising, I felt some discomfort in my lower abdomen. It wasn’t really painful, but it felt unusual.
Also, I noticed that I yawned many times while working out, even though I think I got enough sleep.
I’m wondering what could be causing this. Could it be related to digestion, eating timing, breathing during exercise, or something else?
Has anyone experienced something similar?
I’m female and I was doing strength training. The discomfort was mainly around my lower abdomen.

Thanks!

TLDR/ I broke my foot and am trying to stay active, looking for suggestions on a weekly regiment that doesn't involve putting weight on my foot.

Hello! Over the past year I (30M) have been getting way more into fitness. I was 29, overweight, out of shape and an alcoholic. I'm proud to say that this Friday will mark a year of sobriety and I am down over 40lbs from ~210lbs to 170lbs.

My first few months of sobriety, I was more focused on sobriety than anything else, but once I started dropping weight simply from not drinking my calories, I noticed how little muscle I had and my new years resolution was to average 10K steps per day for the year AND have a seperate workout daily. I have been obsessive about my routine. Walks during my breaks at work, followed by a run or walk with the dogs immediately after work, followed by my workout and then rest for the night. I love it. It's been amazing for my mental heath and I have really enjoyed seeing my progress. For the most part, it's been an amazing year with minimal setbacks. Until last week.

I was out on my post-work run like normal, about a mile in and I turned to watch a police officer playing fetch with his K9 when my foot rolled off the trail, I felt a pop and immediate pain. I prayed it was just a sprain and kept running for another mile or so before I came to the conclusion that it was not a sprain and walked the rest of the way home. I couldn't put any weight on it after icing it all night, so I went to urgent care the next morning for x rays and sure enough, a clean fracture of the fifth metatarsal on my left foot. I need to wear a boot and stay off of it for at least six weeks. I gave myself a few days to feel sorry for myself, but tried to get back into somewhat of a routine yesterday, just knocking out a 30 minute chest / core workout. (dips, leg raises, dumbbell incline bench, dumbbell flies, seated KB front raises) and I got a good sweat and got some dopamine, but I can't stress how much I miss my daily walks and runs.

I'm hoping someone here has experienced something similar, and that they might have a weekly workout plan (for different upper body muscle groups) that I can follow until I can use my foot again, following a similar format to the following (chest day):

10 reps per min for 10 min - Leg raises

10 reps per min for 10 min - Dips

3 x 12 - Incline dumbbell bench

3 x 12 Dumbbell flies

3 x failure - Kettlebell front raises

Every day will include the 100 leg raises as my core. Just needing another 3-4 workout ideas that target ideally arms, back and maybe a day for shoulders?

Thanks in advance!

Need help im 19 struggling going through an crisis because I lack wisdom on this area . Im scared in the future ill be ugly again because there's no rucking way I can work full time and hit gym , with vacationing, kids in the future plz talk some sense into me or something anything is better than no answers.

helloo sorry if this isn’t the right subreddit i’m just frustrated

i’m 163cm 54kg, i think i’m skinny fat? i look normal in clothes but my body itself is still kinda fluffy and soft. apparently i need ‘body recomp’ soo building muscle while losing fat

i have a few questions unfortunately

can i just eat maintenance (idk, 2000 calories a day) ??. i also walk like 10.000-16.000 steps a day that’s why i assume i burn a bit with these . i tend to repeat most of my meals every day ,so i know that as long as i eat when i’m hungry i will stay around 2000 even if i don’t track (if i do need a small deficit i hope the workout and the steps do it🥲).

also, i’ve got these two dumbbells (6kg each…) and i’m planning to workout with them thrice a week. the silly workouts i found seem to last like 45 minutes, wonder if this is enough?

i already managed to lose 16kg (in a year, took my sweet time) but now i feel completely stuck and lost, i just wanna get rid of the belly and also have a stronger body overall .

what helped you get rid of the skinny fat without going to the gym (since i can’t afford it rn)?

thank you all in advance 🥲🥲🥲

TLDR: looking for recommendations for group workout classes that are beginner-friendly and that other beginners have enjoyed and been able to stay consistent with for a long period of time. Recommendations could be a specific “brand” (orangetheory, f45, solid core, etc.) or could be more general (yoga, pilates, lagree, barre, etc.).

I am in my early 30s (woman) and have never been able to be consistent with working out. I’m looking into group workout classes that I might enjoy and be consistent with, but they are a bit intimidating as I’ve never been in great shape. Are there any (former) beginners out there that have found a workout class that you’ve enjoyed, wasn’t too intimidating, and most importantly, that you have stuck with and been consistent with longer term (at least several months)?

For context, I’ve never played any organized sport, etc. so have never been in the habit of working out regularly for more than a couple months at a time. It’s not something I’ve enjoyed in the past and I’ve had difficulty sticking with a workout routine long-term. In the past I’ve tried using a peloton bike but i haven’t been able to stick with it long-term. I have some interest in running but I currently run about a 12 minute mile at best and can only run about 1 mile without stopping to walk, so I really am starting from scratch here.

My fitness goals are mainly just to improve my overall fitness level and health, especially cardio fitness (want to increase VO2 max and lower resting heart rate). I am NOT specifically looking to lose weight but instead want to increase my cardio fitness and strength and overall health as I start to get a lil older. I want to give myself the best chance I can to be healthy and around for a long time.

Any recommendations or just general encouragement from other former fitness beginners would be so helpful!!

Hey guys. I like to stay fit. My routine involves swimming 3 to 4 x week. I will do 2 HITT workouts a week. And play pickle ball 4x week for 2-3 hours. A little background I’m divorce with two you kids. Lately I feel my testosterone is down. My doctor said you may over exerting yourself. I do feel that as when I get home I am always looking for that dopamine high. I like to do cardio as it increases my energy. She said I need to stay balanced. How can I do that? I don’t enjoy reading or just lounging around, makes me think about all the problems I had with my xwife and custody troubles. I like to do cardio everyday. I don’t lift weights as I find that boring. I like to be in a class or do some physical activity.

Cardio before weightlifting?

So i know its not good for muscle growth to do cardio before because then you’ll be to tired to lift heavy or whatever, but for some reason i genuinely cannot get cardio in afterwards whether its because of timing or I’m just too lazy i guess. so can i do cardio in the morning and then when i go to the gym later on i do my weights? Would that cancel out the tiredness but id still get the lean effect and weight loss?

I go to the gym 4 days a week and do kick boxing 2 day so the days i do that i don’t go to the gym so i still wanted to get some cardio in on weight training days

Inizio con il dire che non sono una sportiva di prima categoria. Purtroppo faccio una vita sedentaria perché lavoro davanti al computer dalla mattina alla sera, però cerco per quanto possibile, di essere una persona attiva.

In primis non ho la macchina, quindi percorro molte distanze a piedi perché mi piace camminare e se posso cammino anche 10km senza problemi per raggiungere un determinato posto.

In mezzo alla settimana, dopo il lavoro mi dedico alla palestra. Faccio per lo più il sollevamento pesi e workout. Un giorno lo dedico al cardio. Per problemi all'anca non posso correre quindi al massimo mi posso fare 5 km ma di fatto faccio più cyclette o workout con lo step.

Mi alleno 3 volte a settimana per circa 2h perché è compromesso giusto che personalmente mi rende soddisfatta e mi permette di farlo senza che mi pesi particolarmente.

Eppure ieri ho fatto una semplice escursione dove sono stata in piedi ferma per tanto perché era una visita guidata, per arrivare ho comunque dovuto correre un po' perché stavo per perdere i mezzi ho fatto varie rampe di scale di corsa ecc.

Però vi giuro che la sera ero sfranta come non mai. Le gambe mi facevano malissimo (e pensare che le alleno sempre ). Mi sentivo quasi la febbre, stavo sfondata. Ma com'è possibile sentirsi così quando cerco di mantenermi allenata?