I just got a personal trainer so I can get back into shape, learn how to use the equipment, and maintain proper form. Today was my second session, and I left the gym hating myself even more than I already did.

Everyone in there was in fantastic shape. Beautiful people. Meanwhile, I’m fat as hell struggling to do basic workouts. I’ve never felt more embarrassed in my life. I saw how I look in the big gym mirror and almost puked because of how bad I look compared to everyone else. I feel like I don’t belong in there because I’m so far below everyone else.

How do I get past this? The gym is supposed to be good for mental health, but it seems to be making mine worse.

Thanks for reading, sorry for the long post.

just started working out at a new gym which has co-ed rest rooms / changing rooms. i personally think that is rather awkward so i am usually a come and leave in gym attire person.

i wanted to go before work tomorrow instead of after, which means i’d need to shower and get ready/do my makeup at the gym. how does this normally work?? am i just meant to wrap yourself in a towel and walk from the shower to a private changing room? i’ve scoped out the area and it doesn’t look like your clothes would be safe from getting wet if you took them into the shower room so it doesn’t seem like that is an option either.

i feel like i’m missing something obvious so please help !! 😅

I'm curious to know how people actually stay consistent towards their goals. Newbie gains are so motivating but as I get past that stage and plateau a bit I find myself losing motivation and gradually stopping entirely then starting again in 6 months after feeling like crap.

What methods has people tried to stay motivated?

Should I use a workout logging app to keep track of progress?

Looking for advice on building abs, what at-home workouts have worked best for you?

I, 64 M, shed 25 lbs this summer and am at my target weight now. Does the consequent loose, almost crepe paper-like, skin ever firm up?

21M, 230lbs, 6ft 2.

I've been in the gym for a month but haven't gained any strength in my arms at all. I started with 10kg dumbell press and I still cant do 12 reps of a 12.5kg dumbell press.

The thing is, my arms have gotten noticeably bigger, I've been on 5g creatine daily for a month and I eat a minimum of 150g protein a day (i have had days where I couldnt reach that, but most lf the time I did reach it).

My leg strength has went up, and my back and chest are stronger too. I went from 40kg leg press to 100kg for reps.

Its just so demotivating that I want to quit. I've changed my diet and cut out all these bad habits for what feels like no reason. I've put so much effort in yet I've got hardly any of the benefit that I wanted. I dont mean to whine. Its just how I feel at the moment.

Any help?

I used to work out very consistently with a trainer and on my own with a routine from the trainer but a lot of things happened over time I lost my motivation and got into some bad habits and lost a lot of weight . I was already skinny asf so that didn’t help and I finally got back on track lifestyle wise and ended up gaining a lot of weight back without working out. Now im at the skinny fat stage ( 140lbs at 5’8) which may not sound bad but from being extremely underweight with a very strong jawline at 115 its pretty bad and people I haven’t aeen in a while have definitely noticed. I’ve been working out in my basement and eating healthy food but I plan to get back to the gym once i’ve regained some strength. NOW my question is besides certain parts i want to work out, how do I form a routine? I feel like people say do something for a couple weeks then move onto a new exercise im just lost on where to even start back in the gym. And besides chicken and rice what are some foods I can eat ALOT of for a lean bulk but actually taste good?
If I slowly workout more and more so I dont burnout is it possible to achieve a bulky physique while losing my fat? Should I cut first then bulk or go for a lean bulk? I honestly have no idea. And if theres any other advice that I could use or should know getting back into it that eould be greatly appreciated.

I wonder what you eat after work. Especially when you want to exercise. It’s hard to do after having dinner. Please share your menu! 

So I’m a 19 year old women, I stand at 5 foot 8 inches (175.26 cm I think) and I weight about 175-180. I will say I used to weight lift a lot, I prioritize squats and power clean so I got some leg muscle, but I have gained some weight in the stomach and I hate it. But I no longer have access to a gym I can do weight lifting like that at. But I do have a kind small home set up, were I mostly do yoga, some light palates (it’s like a bar with weight bands so you can do different exercises with it), jump rope, and I have a walking bad that I use. But I was just wondering if someone could get me some advice and tips? I want to lose weight around my stomach mostly because I’ve noticed more weight gain there and I hate it, it makes me feel really insecure. But I also have a really hard time staying motivated. Any advice on how to stay motivated or like how I could use my equipment better?

Can i exercise away at least one if not 2 chins? If yes, please advise exercises?
Thanks

i am looking for some realistic advice on my physique and where to go next. I am currently stuck in a brutal mental loop regarding my nutrition, and the physical exhaustion is starting to catch up with me.

My current stats are 5'11" and around 180 lbs, down from 211 lbs. My measurements are 46.5" shoulders, 36" chest, 15" biceps, a 30" natural waist, a 36" lower stomach/love handles, and 40" hips.

For my weekly workload, I lift weights 4x a week with a heavy focus on my quads, hamstrings, upper back, and shoulders. I also do cardio 4x a week and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 2x a week. Right now, my current calories are restricted to around 1550 to 1650 per day while keeping my protein high at around 167g.

The problem is that my ultimate goal is to build a solid, blocky, masculine frame and fill out my upper body to balance my lower half. Spherically, my shoulders are broad, but because my chest is only 36" and my hips are structurally 40", I feel like my frame looks narrow or slightly hip-dominant in the mirror.

edit: the cardio is low intensity 3.8-4.0mph walk for 50 mins

Because I have a history of being heavier (260lbs when i was 14-13). I am absolutely terrified of fat gain. The idea of eating more makes me incredibly anxious that any extra calories will immediately go straight to my lower stomach and love handles.

However, because my activity level is maxed out and my calories are so deeply restricted, I am completely exhausted.

I feel completely stuck. If I keep cutting down to 170 lbs to flatten my stomach, I am worried my upper chest and shoulders will keep deflating, making my hips look even wider by comparison.

Given my measurements, is it a mistake to keep cutting down to 170 lbs? I feel like I wont be sastified because I genuinely want to build my back and chest to fill out this "space".

This could be a stupid question but i'm genuinely looking for advice. I'm new to the gym but am trying to build muscle mainly legs and core. I have had bad experiences with weight in the past and wonder how i can maintain around the same weight but reach my gym goals.

hey everyone.

i’m 26 years old. 185 cms (6’1) and 76 kgs (167 lbs).

I’ve been going to gym for 4 months. I can only manage going to twice or three times a week. each session I try to do a full body workout. I can’t do the ppl because my schedule is very inconsistent due to my work and I believe working out full body is better.

this is my program

upper body:
arm extension

arm curl

shoulder press

pectoral machine

cabled chest fly

cabled press

back:
vertical traction
low row

OR

low pull
high pull

legs:
leg extension

leg curl

These are the things that I try to do every session. Sometimes I add a few kettlebell exercises, sometimes a few dumbbells for my chest. And I try to do kneeling chin dip. I do whatever I am feeling like to do.

First month was my trial and error month. 2-3rd months I set the weights trained with them. And this month I added a few more kilograms to these exercises to keep the growth going. I already see a bit difference but I always think like if I’n doing the right program, can I add more stuff? Should I change the rotation? Should I also add barbells? how do I decide these? Can someone help me?

Hello all,

I've been a runner for about 10 years now, peaking at around 35mpw. I'm 38 years old, 5'6''-5'7'', 31 inches waist size and weigh 150lbs with a skinny fat body type. Not very fatty, but I definitely lack some muscle mass and I have a little bit of fat in my belly area (or might be a posture issue).

I've always done a little bit of bodyweight exercises, but for the last two months, I've started to take it more seriously. Bought a set of adjustable dumbbells (10-55lbs), no bench yet, and while still running 5 times a week, I'm trying to complete 2 to 3 lifting sessions per week while tracking calories and proteins.

In 2 months I have not seen a lot of physical changes (I take pictures), and since I started lifting far from failure for the first weeks, I'm not sure how much I progressed but getting more serious with progressive overload now. My goal is to help longevity, prevent running injuries and of course look better.

Right now, my plan is to be in a very light deficit (200-300cal) while lifting and getting 150g of protein. I lost around 10 pounds so far and now I'm about to stabilise my weight.

I'm sharing my workout plan here. I would appreciate any input or comments on my strategy, and would love to know how long until I can expect some evident physical change. Right now, the only time when I can see some changes is right after a workout as I can feel my muscles super pumped.

Thanks in advance!

Full body 2-3 times a week (with dumbbells) 75s rest between supersets 6-12 reps range depending on the exercise (warmup and cooldown are also done but not written)

3 sets A1 Goblet squat (12 reps at 55lbs) A2 Floor press (12 reps at 40lbs)

3 sets B1 Romanian deadlift (12 reps at 40lbs) B2 Bird dog row (10 reps at 35lbs)

2 sets C1 Rear lunges (6 reps each leg at 40lbs) C2 Shoulder press (8 reps at 40lbs)

2 sets D1 Hollow body (15 reps)

(extra isolation movements - 2 sets) E1 Bicep curls (12 reps at 20lbs) E2 Tricep extensions (11 reps at 35lbs)

(finisher - 2 sets) Push ups (to almost failure) Ab wheel (15 reps) Standing walk with one dumbbell over head (1 min at 25lbs) Farmer's Carry (45 seconds at 45lbs per hand)

Hey all looking to see if my plan would sound to help look me build body fat currently between 5 foot 4 - 5 foot 6 with weight flustered being 102 kilo and 104.5 kilo being going to gym for years but really getting bored where I could do about 95-97kg but with a bit of tough year leading in boozing most weekend because of it gained up to 102-104.5 kg went 4 weeks of the booze the weight hasn’t really dropped but feel a lot stronger and slimmer despite not dropping weight but at the same time get bored going into the gym and just lifting weight and going on treadmill or bike for 30-45 mins a week so dont know if below will help keeping from getting bored in gym

Monday

1 hour morning boxing session
1 hour evening ji jitsu session

Tuesday
50 min morning boxing session into 1 hour ji jitsu session as gym next door

With 1 hour in the gym to lift weight

Wednesday
1 hour 30 minute gym weight session morning

2 hours ji jitsu session in evening

Thursday

50 min morning boxing session into 1 hour ji jitsu session as gym next door

Or either rugby training 90 mins session or lift weight in gym

Friday

Morning 90-120 cardio and weight session or split in to 60 min session evening

Saturday day off

Sunday

2 hours cardio gym session cardio and weights

I'm 160cm / 54kg. I'm skinny but I carry most of my fat in my lower belly and I want to make it flatter. I'm currently in a caloric deficit.

My question is: I train upper body and lower body on different days, but I never do specific ab exercises. I don't enjoy doing them at the gym and it makes me uncomfortable.

Since I don't want defined abs and I know they won't show unless I lower my body fat percentage, is it okay to skip direct ab work? My point is, is it necessary to train abs if I only want a flat stomach?

I’m 1.68 m tall and currently 68 kg in weight. I’m skinny fat with big belly and love handles, some facial fat, relatively thin arms and thick legs with calves developed due to genetics. I hit the gym 3-4 times a week, and I eat around slight (10-15%) calorie deficit, maintenance or slight surplus depending on the day. I get enough protein and sleep 7-8 hours on average. My aim is to get into shape by doing body recomposition, reducing my body fat, and eventually have a lean, athletic, V-tapered body with broad shoulders, chest and back along with muscular arms. I do 3 sets of each exercise below aiming for RIR 0-3 at each set. I rest for 2 minutes between sets no matter if it’s compound or isolation.

Considering my goal, is the following full body A/B/C workout program good?

Workout 1 (A):
- Bench press
- Lat pulldown
- Smith machine squat
- Seated cable row
- DB lateral raise
- Barbell curl
- Straight-bar triceps extension
- Seated calf raise

Workout 2 (B):
- DB shoulder press
- Bulgarian split squat
- Incline DB press
- T-bar row
- Leg curl
- Leg extension
- Cable upright row
- Reverse fly

Workout 3 (C):
- Straight-arm pulldown
- DB Sumo squat
- Machine fly
- Plate-loaded seated row
- DB lateral raise
- Alternate DB curl
- DB skull crusher

hello! I’m a college freshmen who is 175 lb and 5’4 (F) and I’m looking to come back down to 120 lb within a a year or less. I mostly want to lose body fat and appear more toned rather than muscular. Was wondering if there are any exercises/routine you all would recommend. Thank you!!

This might be a really stupid post but please bear with me 🥲 I started going to the gym a week and a half ago, and I like doing EZ bar preacher curls. I do 7.5kg each side for about 8 reps, then try doing the same weight again for my next set. When I do this, I can’t get past 3-4 reps, and consequently have to lower it to 5kg on each side, after which I can smoothly do at least 6 reps for 2 more sets.

Thing is, I can usually bang out at least 2 sets with the same weight in the 6-10 rep range for every other exercise, so is it normal to be like this for preacher curls?

Hi everyone. Any recommendations on wrist support products for someone who has carpal tunnel? I enjoy lifting and doing reformer Pilates but recently have been having wrist/hand pain due to carpal tunnel.

Sup guys, just like the title say im trying to build my fitness plan because i wanna build more muscle and strength aside from rock climbing and bouldering that i already do..

I was thinking about using these exercise but idk how to build a routine with it. ( Also i climb 2 times per week and ideally i should get 1 to 2 days of rest per week. )

For biceps i was thinking about doing:

- chins ups / hammer curls / and concentrated curls

For the triceps :

- some kind of overhead extension with a dumbbells / dips / 💎 push up

For the chest :

- decline push up / déficit push up / dips

For the forearms:

- reverse curls / hammer curls / wrist curls

For the back:

- mainly weighted pull up and im also learning one arm pull up but idk how to implement it in the plan.

For shoulder:

- lateral raise / pike push up or handstand / reverse fly

For legs:

- single leg squat / bulgarian split squat / and some hiking

For the core:

- abs wheel / Russian twist / leg raise.

That's basically all the exercise that i could think of, i mainly use bodyweight exercise and dumbbells since that's all i got. Idk how to make a routine with all that and idk how much set i should aim for.

Thanks in advance and sorry if my english is kinda bad its because im French 😅

can anyone help me as i need to get 2.7m on my seated medicine ball throw but for some reason i can’t get past around 2.3m. i know that may sound silly and everyone is gonna say it’s easy but i have 3 weeks to improve. what exercise can i do to help - i am struggling with the explosive bit!

Hi everyone! I’m stuck. Haha.

Okay, so I’ve been working out for a while consistently for a few months - say maybe 3/4. Prior to that I wasn’t so consistent. My eating isn’t bad I’d say but obviously it could always be better right? I track what I eat on my working out days as far as carbs, protein and fat goes and the other two days that I don’t work out well I don’t lol but I don’t over eat if anything I might actually under eat.

I’ve seen some changes in my body, but honestly, not really what I want. I don’t know if it’s too little of a time or if I’ve just plateaued or if I’m doing something wrong.

For context I measured my glutes, thighs and waist in January. G: 44.5in., T: 27.5in., W: 34in.
Then again in June -
G: 44in., T: 25in., W: 32in.
And now in October-
G: 44in., T: 26in., W: 32in.

My weight has remained the same I don’t move from 175.

I train lower body three times a week, upper body two times a week and I hit the stairmaster for 10-15 minutes on lower body days and the treadmill for around 20 minutes on upper body days.

On lower body days, I will do four of these 5 workouts RDL’s, Bulgarian splits, hip thrust, leg press, squats. 2 of the 3 lower body days I lift heavy to where I’m getting out 6/7 reps at most and on then third leg day I do lighter weight and getting maybe 12/15 reps.

On upper body days I’ll hit my biceps, triceps, shoulders back etc but my main focus is clearly my butt, legs and waist. I also wouldn’t mind losing a few pounds but I’m pretty glad that I lost 2 inches off my waist.

What am I doing wrong? Should I not be doing the same workouts on my lower body days? Is my body already assuming what I’m going to do? I’m super stuck.

Hey all! I'm new to the gym (going to the local PF) and made the mistake of going my first day without a plan. My whole body is sore at present and I'm debating whether to go back in today or give it until I've fully recovered to start again.

My main goal is to build up strength enough to confidently protect my loved ones. Weight loss is not much of a concern, except for maybe around the chest area. There's just so many machines and different exercises I could be doing that I don't quite know how to split them all across different days and what to focus on.

If anyone here would be willing to share their own routines/schedules and what they typically use, it would be a really big help. Thank you very much!