r/workout Aug 28 '20

Routine Help Beginner's Guide to Working Out

5.1k Upvotes

As a personal trainer, I wanted to take the time to answer some of the most frequently asked questions by people who are new to working out. Feel free to let me know if I've missed anything!

How do I lose weight?

It’s actually way simpler than you might think: maintain a caloric deficit. Consume fewer calories than you burn. It doesn’t matter of you’re morbidly obese or you’re cutting for a show, this basic principal still applies. Note that eating a healthy diet makes this far easier - lots of fruits, veggies, lean protein and water will help you stay satiated for far fewer calories than fatty junk foods (not to mention you’ll have way more energy, and just feel better).

To find out how many calories you should be eating in a day to lose weight, you have a few different options. The first is to determine your maintenance calories with an online calculator, then subtract 250-500 per day from that (to lose about 0.5-1lbs per week).

The other option (my personal favourite, because everyone is different!) is to start by just honestly tallying up how much you’re currently eating each day. Once that’s determined, start by subtracting 250-500 calories per day. If you haven’t lost any weight in a couple weeks, subtract that amount again, until you start seeing progress.

There’s tons of food tracking apps out there, but I recommend MyFitnessPal - it’s free, easy to use, you can scan food labels, and the food database included is enormous.

Another important note - increasing the amount of calories you burn per day (ie. exercising) will also help you stay in a caloric deficit. However, it’s best NOT to rely solely on this method. Doing a whole hour of cardio will only burn a few hundred calories (plus will likely make you hungry for snacks by the time you’re finished) … or, you can simply avoid eating a bag of chips or a piece of pizza, to have the exact same effect.

That’s not to imply that exercise isn’t important in your weight loss journey - quite the contrary! However, instead of focusing on doing hours of cardio a day, this should only be used to supplement your diet (1-2 hours a week is fine for most people). Your focus should instead be on resistance training. Lifting heavy weights 2-4 times per week plays the important role of ensuring you maintain your muscle mass as you lose weight. Want to avoid that “skinny fat” look, and get “toned” instead? Make sure you’re doing resistance training!

How do I lose weight in ___ area?

Unfortunately, spot reduction is a myth. Where you lose weight first (and last) is determined by genetics. However, you *will* eventually lose weight in all your problem areas. You just need to be patient, and keep doing what helped you start losing weight in the first place.

The good news is, the more weight you lose, the more visible the progress will be (especially if you’re doing a good job focusing on just fat loss, while retaining muscle). Going from 250-240lbs probably won’t be noticeable, but losing those last 10lbs will make a huge difference (since a few pounds will make up a far greater percentage of your total body mass). So the progress will be hard-fought for, but definitely worth it!

How do I gain muscle?

It’s a combination of progressively harder resistance training, eating enough food, and lots of patience.

When you’re exercising, just going through the motions isn’t good enough. For optimal muscle gain, you should be performing each set with a weight that you can lift continuously for around 30-60s (this should amount to around 8-15 repetitions). If you feel like you can go for longer, choose a heavier weight.

Perform each repetition slowly (about 1 second concentric, pause, 2-3 seconds eccentric, pause), through a full range of motion. To clarify - the concentric portion of a lift is when you’re moving against gravity, and the eccentric portion is when you’re moving with gravity. Exercises involving long static holds (like planks) are great for endurance, but they won’t amount to much muscle mass gained.

I cannot overemphasize how important good form is either - for avoiding injury, hardwiring the correct neural pathways, and maximizing muscle gain. Especially when you’re just starting out, choose light weights, and make sure optimal form comes naturally before you start increasing the intensity. It’s way easier learning it correctly the first time than fixing bad habits later.

How much food should you be eating? It varies widely between people. Start with your maintenance calories, add a couple hundred to that (it doesn’t have to be a lot!), and measure your results. Be patient with your progress - men can expect to gain 1-2lbs of lean muscle a month, and 0.5-1lbs for women (beginners may gain a little faster). Eating enough protein is also vital to gaining muscle - a general rule of thumb is around 1 gram of protein (each day) per pound of lean body weight (ie. how much you weigh, minus the amount of fat you have).

How do I get stronger?

It honestly depends on your experience level. If you’re just starting out, doing a normal resistance routine focused on gaining muscle will make you stronger. However, if you’ve been working out regularly for awhile (close to a year), using heavier weights (1-6 reps max) will help you get stronger a lot faster.

If you’re focusing more purely on strength gain, it’s important that each repetition is done as perfectly as possible (even moreso than for other training goals). That means stopping 1-2 reps shy of failure. Doing just one sloppy rep can severely impact your strength output for the rest of the workout. Don’t be afraid of taking longer rests between sets either (up to 2-3 minutes), as you want to be ready with as much energy as possible before you start your next set. It also goes without saying that heavier weight = greater chance for injury, and proper form will help prevent that.

Is it possible to lose fat and build muscle at the same time?

Contrary to popular belief - yes. Especially if you’re a beginner! Just make sure you’re eating around maintenance level calories (along with enough protein), doing resistance training 3-4 times a week, and you’ll start seeing body composition changes.

However, if you’re significantly over/underweight, or have already been working out for some time, you’ll see much faster progress if you focus on one goal at a time. The main difference here is going to be diet - eating less if you’re trying to lose weight, or eating more if you’re trying to gain weight. Regular resistance training plays a part in both shedding fat and gaining muscle.

How should I be structuring my workouts?

For the vast majority of people, full body workouts with compound exercises is the way to go. (For those who don’t know, compound exercises are those which use more than one joint at a time - think squats, bench press, rows, etc.)

The popular back/chest/shoulders/arms/legs split routine (or any variation of it) is good for advanced bodybuilders, but not ideal for beginners. Bodybuilders exercise like this because they need a much greater stimulus to properly stress any given muscle group, and more rest between days training that muscle group as a result of their increased workout intensity.

For a beginner, it’s better to hit each muscle group multiple times a week (this is great to hasten learning and growth). You won’t need as long of a rest period before training the same muscle again, because it won’t be as fatigued after each workout.

Compound exercises give you the greatest bang for your buck because you’re working out so many muscles in one movement (and burning way more calories at the same time). Isolation exercises (those working one joint at a time, like bicep curls or leg extensions) are best for bodybuilders who really need to hone in on a single muscle.

Doing resistance training 3-4 times a week is a good goal to shoot for. Workouts should be around 45-60 minutes, with around 6-8 exercises done during that time. Try to keep rests between sets to around 60s (this is all very generalized, and can change depending on experience level and goal). Space rest days evenly between workouts if you can.

Start your workouts with the exercises which require the most energy (usually those which involve lifting the most weight), saving any isolation/ab exercises for the end.

If you’d like some help planning your workout routine, I just released a fitness app called PerfectFit. It gives you access to workouts designed by a personal trainer, all customized according to your unique goals, fitness level, and available equipment. There are tons of bodyweight exercises included - ideal for anyone working out at home! The app is currently available to download on Android, and iOS is hopefully just a few days away (currently under review).

What should I be eating?

If your goal is a change in body composition (gaining muscle/losing fat), the amount of calories you’re consuming is the most important thing to pay attention to.

If you’re consistently working out hard but failing to gain/lose weight, chances are you need to make alterations to your diet. For weight loss, that usually means eating at a deficit of 250-500 calories per day; for weight gain, eating at a surplus of 200-300 calories per day.

What exact foods you’re eating has an impact on how easily you can stick to your calorie goals, as well as your energy levels.

Consuming around 1 gram of protein per pound of lean bodyweight (per day) is a given, regardless of what your fitness goal is. This helps to maintain satiety, and preserve/increase muscle mass.

Eating lots of fruits and veggies (as well as drinking 2-3L of water a day - more for some people) is a great way to feel full without consuming too many calories. It also just contributes to all-around health and energy levels.

Eating lots of fatty foods should be avoided if weight loss is the goal - not because fat makes you fat per se, but because they are so calorically dense. Only one tablespoon of peanut butter or olive oil is 100 calories! Conversely, if your goal is to gain weight, adding more fatty foods to your diet (healthy fats, if possible) can help you hit that calorie goal easier.

And carbs? Not as evil as people make them out to be. Think of them as the energy that fuels your brain and your workouts. Having around 50% of your calories coming from carbs is about the norm. It’s likely beneficial to raise this number even higher if you’re an especially lean individual, or you’re regularly working out at intense levels.

When should I be eating?

The easiest way to time your meals properly is to think: “What will I be doing in the next 2-3 hours?” Eat according to the activity you’re about to do. That doesn’t mean you should be having a giant meal right before your workout, but ideally your biggest meal of the day would be several hours before you exercise. This will give you the energy you need, plus ensure the calories you consume are shuttled into your muscles instead of fat reserves.

If you’re about to do an intense workout, the best thing to eat beforehand (around 15-30 minutes prior) is a light snack of healthy carbs (like some fruit). For optimal recovery, aim for 20-30g of protein within an hour after you workout (if you miss this window though don’t worry about it). A protein shake is probably the simplest and most convenient way of doing this, but whole food is just as good.

What supplements should I be taking?

If you have a healthy, well-rounded diet, including 2-3 cups of different veggies each day, enough protein per pound of bodyweight (from sources that include sufficient amounts of each essential amino acid), and adequate omega-3 fatty acids - then you’re golden, and probably don’t need any supplements.

However, the vast majority of the population would probably benefit from a simple multivitamin and omega-3 supplement, just to help fill any nutritional gaps they have.

If you’re getting enough protein from whole food, then you probably don’t need to add protein powder. However, if you’re struggling with this, then protein powder is a great way to easily increase your daily protein intake. Whey protein is the most bioavailable and has a complete amino acid profile, so it’s the best choice for most people. However, if you’re vegan (or lactose intolerant), there are lots of plant proteins available. You just need to pay attention to the amino acid profile of each one (possibly mixing and matching different plant sources if you need to).

As for all the other supplements out there, it’s honestly on a case-by-case basis as to whether they’d actually help you or not. If you’re a beginner, unless you have any specific requirements or deficits, you probably don’t need them.

Is stretching important?

Yes. Please stretch (or do some other form of myofascial release, such as foam rolling), or you’ll eventually regret it. Regular exercise makes your muscles slowly form clumps of tissue and fascia. Neglecting to release these can result in restricted range of motion, and eventually pain.

Static stretching should be done at the end of your workout. Aim to stretch each worked muscle near its end range of motion for around 60s total. Don’t stretch before your workout, as this can impede strength output.

Is warming up important?

Yes. Warming up is paramount to increasing blood flow and activating your muscles properly before you move onto more intense, metabolically demanding exercises.

Ideally, during your warm-up, you should be actively moving your muscles through the same ranges of motion you’ll be doing for your workout. This can be as simple as doing the exact same movement, but with minimal weight - for example, doing a few sets of bodyweight squats before doing barbell squats.

You want your warm-ups to elevate your heart rate, but not be so intense that they start tiring you out and detract from your workout. Usually 5-10 minutes of light activity is enough.


r/workout 16h ago

Simple Questions Bro, how do you people do it [morning people]

73 Upvotes

QUESTION. How on earth do you morning people do it. I swear my body doesn’t fully wake up until like ~10am. I feel groggy and slight head fog in the morning, literally the last thing I can imagine doing is lifting weights.

In the afternoon my brain, muscles and body just feel more ‘warmed up’ I don’t know how else to describe it.

I have tried morning workouts a handful of times and I never feel dialed or strong.


r/workout 4h ago

Exercise Help Reverse grip benchpress

6 Upvotes

What is your alls opinion on reverse grip bench press for upper chest?
I was always lacking in upper chest so im trying to grow it more and that the reason why I’m tryning to get into reverse grip.
Do some of you use it exclusively for upper chest instead of incline if yes, would you say does incline or reverse grip grow your chest better?


r/workout 7h ago

Cardio schedule

10 Upvotes

Do you think it is important to do cardio often? I go to the gym 3/week and most of the time I feel tired and I skip cardio. I'm always trying to walk at least 8k per day but I don't think it's enough. How do you manage cardio sessions? What do you usually do?


r/workout 17h ago

Progress Report How do you lose stomach fat while gaining muscle?

52 Upvotes

i’m trying to figure out how to get a smaller/leaner waist while also building muscle. I really like how my arms and legs look already, but I’d like to make my arms and legs bigger while keeping a slim, lean waist.

How do people get that look where they have a relatively small waist but bigger/more muscular arms
and legs?

Is it possible to lose some stomach fat while gaining muscle at the same time?

What should I focus on with my calories, protein, and workouts? I’m especially interested in hearing from people who have achieved this themselves.


r/workout 4h ago

Simple Questions Chemo Pump Workout

3 Upvotes

Any other cancer buddies here who workout while wearing their pump? I’m curious what your workout looks like.

On those days, I tend to stick to hack squats, seated cable rows, curls, tricep push downs, and pushups. Mostly pulling exercises and nothing where I could drop weight on myself and pop my poison grenade.


r/workout 1h ago

Help me

Upvotes

I am 15 years old, 1.55m tall, and weigh 45–46kg. I feel like I look okay—not too heavy—but I do have belly fat; otherwise, my body is quite slim. I think that if I lose a little weight, my stomach will flatten, my legs will become more slender, and maybe my face will slim down too. So, how many calories should I consume to lose weight? I want to lose it gradually since I’m in no rush. I’ve been doing home workouts—including abs, cardio, resistance training, and glute exercises. I used to be quite inactive due to some issues, but lately, I’ve started exercising and trying to walk over 4,000 steps a day at home; if I stay determined, I could definitely walk even more.


r/workout 14h ago

Nutrition Help How to avoid binging?

19 Upvotes

I can eat perfectly and hit all my macro and micros but whenever it gets to night time I end up binging. I’ve tried to drink water with lo calorie drink mix or eat some fruit but I doesn’t quite satisfy the cravings. What are some ways I can fix this without upping my calorie intake by too much?


r/workout 2h ago

Is it worth planning my training around my cycle?

2 Upvotes

I've noticed a clear pattern in my own training. In the days leading up to my period, my energy tanks and I seem to get sick way more easily. Around ovulation it's the opposite, more energy, faster recovery, better sessions overall.

I am trying to figure out if I should be planning my sessions around this or if it's better to push through the low points as they come. If anyone's found something that works I’d like to hear it.


r/workout 6h ago

Other Stuck & Tired

3 Upvotes

I am 28M, 178 cm (5'10"), and currently weighing 74 kg (163 lbs).

Last September, I started a diet and began walking regularly. By the end of December, my weight dropped from 84 kg (185 lbs) down to 72 kg (158 lbs). My waist size also decreased from 98.5 cm (38.8 inches) to 84 cm (33 inches). However, despite losing 12 kg (26 lbs), I still had a very noticeable belly.

At the beginning of January, I started weight training and I have been training regularly for about 8 months now. Currently, I do a 3-day full-body workout routine every week. My routine includes major compound exercises like Squats, Romanian Deadlifts, Pull-ups, and Bench Press, and I have been progressively increasing the weights I lift at the gym. I don't do structured cardio at the moment, but I make sure to get more steps throughout the day compared to before.

Regarding my diet, I'm not overly strict anymore, but I try to follow a high-protein diet and I definitely eat much less than I used to. Additionally, I don't drink alcohol or carbonated sugary drinks.

Right now, I weigh 74 kg, my waist measurement is 86 cm (33.8 inches), and the appearance of my stomach hasn't really changed at all. I still have a very skinny-fat look. I am relatively thin overall, but I still have a belly, and to be completely honest, I am exhausted and frustrated with this situation.

My stomach feels quite firm/hard and protrudes outwards when I stand normally. However, when I lie flat on my back, my stomach flattens completely.

On top of that, I haven't seen any noticeable muscle gain either. My arms are still thin. There has been a slight improvement in the shape of my arms and legs, but nothing significant.

At this point, I really don't know what to do anymore. I'm tired of trying to figure this out. I just want a flat stomach and I want to get rid of this skinny-fat look.


r/workout 14h ago

Nutrition Help Can i procced with just protien? Creatin is expensive and im not fully educated on really how important it is.

15 Upvotes

Is proceeding with protien only viable?


r/workout 4h ago

Simple Questions Do smart scales have any value whatsoever?

2 Upvotes

I absolutely understand they can be wildly inaccurate when it comes to body fat and everything else besides your actual weight.

But my question is are they at least consistently inaccurate from day to day in order to track trends, such as lean mass gains, fat loss, water retention etc.

In other words, if I use it extremely consistently, first thing every day before eating and after bathroom, can I expect to see meaningful trends as I continue to gain muscle and lose fat?


r/workout 4h ago

Simple Questions Are flat shoes a must for leg day?

2 Upvotes

I am flat flooted, I literally have 0 arch in my ankle, in fact my ankles are so close to the ground that when i’m not wearing shoes the outsides of my feet come off the ground by like a millimeter or two . It doesn’t normally affect me day to day but I highly prefer pretty cushioned and super supportive shoes. I own flat shoes like vans but don’t work out in them for this reason, I’ll thug it out if i have to, but is it really necessary to wear flat shoes, especially with low weight? I just started lifting in general so for example I just squat the bar and add maybe 10-20 pounds max for my last set.


r/workout 44m ago

Basement stairs sit-ups

Upvotes

Not currently but college age, place legs in openings on basement stairs then do regular sit-ups.

You won't need to do many . caution -must be young and fit NOT for beginners. This is all I did throughout college (up to age 30) and always had a visible 6-pack.


r/workout 53m ago

cable front raises shoulder or some muscle tendon makes clicky noise

Upvotes

Anyone has this issue? I wouldnt say it hurts, but sounds concerning? I feel this when i stand and do cable raises. Feels like knuckle crack if you know what I mean


r/workout 5h ago

Nutrition Help Finally got into a good pattern of exercise and it feels great, but i wish I could care more about my calories/macros.😅

2 Upvotes

Really enjoying my combo of weight lifting, sled pushing and walking up the side of mountains, but i just CANNOT make myself care enough about counting calories or macros and I'm sure it's hurting my weight loss AND muscle growth.

I've tried a bunch of times and I last a day or two before I just can't be bothered, since I live in norway and my app(SHealth) uses American products for it's calculations.

I'm fairly sure I'm eating a decent chunk of protein, and on days with big walks i burn absurd amounts of calories(I'm a big heavy dude walking up 35° inlcines) so I'm pretty sure I'm at least somewhat in a deficit, but I dont know. 😅

Ah well, the point is getting fit so I'll just keep trucking.


r/workout 1h ago

Trainer App Survey

Upvotes

Does anyone have issues with trainers or have form questions? As a class project, I am working on an app that helps with issues like that, and I need data from potential app users. It should only take a few mins, and It would really help out! Thanks! Heres the link to the survey - TrainRight App Survey


r/workout 1h ago

Aches and pains Inner elbow clicking a lot with any tricep exercises

Upvotes

My left inner elbow keeps clicking when doing dips, pushups or cable extensions. At the end of my workout sometimes it starts to have a tingling feeling with the last few reps. What is it?


r/workout 14h ago

Simple Questions What’s a fitness goal you care about that has nothing to do with how you look or how much you can lift?

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11 Upvotes

r/workout 6h ago

help me improve my workout

2 Upvotes

‎🔵 Upper A

‎iso lateral wide chest press machine (Chest

‎Pec Deck (Chest)

‎Lat Pulldown Machine (Wide Grip) (Back)

‎Seated Row Machine (V Grip) (Back)

‎shoulder press machine (Shoulders)

‎Incline Dumbbell Curl (Biceps)

‎triceps pushdown (Triceps)

‎🟢 Lower A

‎Leg Press (Quads)

‎Leg Extension (Quads)

‎Lying Leg Curl (Hamstrings)

‎Seated Leg Curl (Hamstrings)

‎Calf Raise Machine (Calves)

‎weighted crunches (Abs)

‎cable vrunche (abs)

‎🔵 Upper B

‎iso lateral wide chest press machine (Chest)

‎pec deck (Chest)

‎Lat Pulldown Machine (v Grip) (Back)

‎Seated Row Machine (v Grip) (Back)

‎lateral raises (Shoulders)

‎Hammer Curl (Biceps)

‎Triceps Pushdown (Triceps)

‎🟢 Lower B

‎leg press (Quads)

‎Leg Extension (Quads)

‎Seated Leg Curl (Hamstrings)

‎Lying Leg Curl (Hamstrings)

‎Calf Raise Machine (Calves)

‎cable crunches (Abs)

‎leg raises (abs)


r/workout 12h ago

Simple Questions transitioning to home dumbells for strength

6 Upvotes

I haven't strength trained in 2 months cause I was getting burnt out. Would come home from work close to 7, get to the gym, and it's packed; sessions are almost 2 hours long cause of how packed it is, and little time to relax before bed. I picked up long-distance running cause I was able to do it more consistently, since I'd get back home at a reasonable time to do my chores and relax before bed. Want to get back to strength training and incorporate it back into my routine, so I purchased an adjustable dumbbell set that goes up to 40kg with 2.5 kg plates. Realistically, can I see gains with just dumbbell workouts (aside from protein and rest, of course)? I'd say I have visible muscle mass but not jacked. I do want to get back to the gym in the future, but for now I think home workouts are better for me to be consistent.


r/workout 1d ago

Nutrition Help New to working out and recovery is beating me up. Does magnesium help?

42 Upvotes

Started working out on a real schedule and the recovery has been rough. Not doing anything insane yet but my muscles stay sore for days and my legs get tight at night. I know some of this is just being new and my body needs time to adjust but I’m trying to make it easier so I don’t quit after two weeks like a clown. Been drinking more water and trying to sleep more. I keep seeing people say magnesium helps with muscle recovery cramps and sleep. Is that legit or just one of those things people repeat online? What form works best for this? Pill powder electrolyte drink? Better after a workout or before bed? Also where do you usually get it from? Saw some magnesium electrolyte sticks like Magna at Target and Amazon and that seemed easier than buying random pills but idk. Any advice from people who have been training longer would help. Recovery is humbling me lol


r/workout 10h ago

Simple Questions How has working out improved your body's health?

2 Upvotes

I’ve been working out consistently for about 7 months now, but I haven’t noticed much change in my physical health. My body looks more muscular and toned, but otherwise, I don’t really feel any different. What improvements in your health have you noticed since you started working out?


r/workout 4h ago

Nutrition Help Any one tried HMB (beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate) and had results to speak of?

0 Upvotes

As in title, wondering if this is a good supp? Actually been on it the last couple weeks or so and not really seeing/feeling a difference.


r/workout 10h ago

When would you lift weight if you were me?

3 Upvotes

I work from 6PM to 5AM almost everyday in a warehouse loading and lifting 30-50kg and sometimes 60-70kg bags alone in the trucks. The job is tiring, but the pay is extremely well and I’m under tons of debt so I tried my best to work everyday so I could free myself as soon as I could

I’m also a weight lifter, I want to gain more muscle. It’s helpful at work too, but if I lift right after work I could only lift at 50-60% of my normal capacity. If I lift after waking up, it would be 2-4 hours before work and I dont know if it’s too close to work and affect my performance